23cm antennas?

As regular readers will know, I am buying a 23cm 2W transverter from SG-Labs in Bulgaria. I think at one time they supplied a small 23cm PCB antenna with it. I have to check if this is still the case.

Looking around, 23cm commercial antennas look very expensive. As the majority of QSOs would be local(ish), I am wondering what you would recommend? As my fine motor skills are not good these days, I don't think I could make one. In the past, I would have made one! Is there one that would be ideal for me?

Rally on Sunday

The following rally is due to take place, but as always check with the organisers first!

Sept 25th - Weston Super Mare RS. See https://e-voice.org.uk/weston-super-mare-radio-society .

10m QRP WSPR TX (Thursday)

As the antenna is free, I am on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW from the W5OLF beacon. No spots of me yet today at 1450z.

UPDATE 1521z:  As well as spots of me by local G4KPX (14km) I am also getting spotted by KD5DE (7464km). Pretty sure this is by F2.

UPDATE 1655z:  I am again getting spotted by 2 stations in the Canary Is. If these RX are on, it is unusual not to be spotted by them these days on 10m QRP WSPR.

UPDATE 1840z:  4 stations have spotted me, all multiple times today.

8m QRP FT8 TX and RX (Thursday)

Again, I am on 40.680 MHz QRP FT8 looking for North America.

UPDATE 1516z:  No spots.

UPDATE 1843z:  QRT on 8m now. No spots all day. Well, that was a waste!

2 radio amateurs

One of my old work colleagues, Jenny Bailey G0VQH  (once mayor of Cambridge) is a radio amateur and has a narrowboat. Her boat was moored at Wicken Fen.

We saw her with her partner and Bernie Wright G4HJW at Wicken Fen earlier. Jenny has the boat at the back with the antenna! Am I surprised? No! At work (a LONG time ago) Jenny had a 3 wheeler in drab green with a 20 foot tank whip!

We had a bite to eat at the cafe there. Nice walk with a break.

Autumn colours - NOT amateur radio

We saw these earlier on our walk to Wicken Fen where we had a bite to eat for lunch.

Marconi pre-WW1 radio station

Michael Rainey AA1TJ's Facebook page has this photo of a very early Marconi radio station on Cape Cod. 

By the First World War it was already old technology. 

Where I come from in South Devon - NOT amateur radio

This is a photo of where I come from in South Devon. We can trace our family history back to the mid 1500s in a village near here and I have a record of land ownership nearby in the early 1400s.

Sunspots - Thursday September 22nd 2022

Solar flux is 137 and the SSN 70. A=5 and K=1.

17m FT8 RX (Wednesday)

 As I was getting nowhere on 8m, I decided to QSY to 17m FT8 using my 10m end fed antenna.

UPDATE 1749z:   33 stations already spotted.