Sunspots - Friday July 15th 2022

 Solar flux is 169 and the SSN 133. A=4 and K=2.

Burgh Island - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows the view looking towards Burgh Island in Devon. 

10m simple sideband transceiver.

Before my stroke got in the way, I had every intention of making a simple transceiver for 10m sideband. 

Originally, I was thinking of a DSB rig, but these days a better bet might be a phasing SSB.  A synthesiser chip and low cost micro-controller might allow full band coverage and other bands with minor changes.

In my mind, this was to have been a small, single PCB design, much like a small Heathkit Lunchbox. It would make a neat and low cost club project. 

Sadly, although I had some ideas, much of the design remains to be done. In the next few years 10m will be very good. Antennas for 10m are small and fit in most gardens. Even CB verticals and wire dipoles work well.

If you are in a position to finish this, I would be very pleased.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/10m-simple-sideband .

Cornish poppies - NOT amateur radio

This photo was posted on Facebook a few days ago. It deserves sharing.  It show a poppy field in Cornwall with the sea behind. 

Some people in Cornwall are fiercely independent wanting it to be a separate country called Kernow. The Cornish language is being revived.

10m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

As 8m has been quiet for a few days here, I am today on 10m QRP FT8 with the FT817ND. So far, my best is a spot by 4Z5TK (3515km).

UPDATE 1015z:  30 stations have spotted my 10m QRP FT8 today and I have spotted all over on FT8 RX (see photo).

UPDATE 1425z: 447 stations spotted on RX and I have been spotted by 61 unique stations.

Famous quote - NOT amateur radio

Every now and then you see a quote that resonates. We are finite and imperfect, but our experience of life is important and unique.

Blame it on old age!

Yesterday I was about to put a photo on of me testing a loop antenna in the garden at our old house in 2013. Then I checked and found that I had posted a very similar photo only a few weeks ago!! The trouble is I post in various places and can't remember where the photo has been posted.  Blame it on old age. 

Sunspots - Thursday July 14th 2022

Solar flux is 165 and the SSN 101. A=5 and K=1.

Shack PC fixed!!

In the end I had to reinstall the network drivers. This has totally fixed the issues I had, which were a total inability to connect to the Internet and sync network time. 

My thanks go to everyone who tried so hard to help me fix it. It happened after a Windows update.  I thought Windows updates were intended to make things better?

6m QRP FT8 TX (Wednesday)

For a total change, I am on 6m FT8 QRP TX using the FT817ND and the V2000 vertical omni antenna. So far, the furthermost spotting me is EA7CL (1768km) with 11 stations spotting me.

UPDATE 1619z:  So far today, 18 stations have spotted my 6m FT8 QRP.  Many were by Es.