Eddystone EC10 RX

This RX was first introduced in the late 1960s and was the first transistorised communications RX. It sold for £48 when it first appeared, and we all (well quite a few of us) wanted one.

By modern standards it was hopeless. At high HF the image rejection was pathetic because of the low IF. They still appear on sites like eBay for a fortune. They have become collector's pieces. I briefly owned one a long time ago, goodness knows why. They used germanium transistors and these became leaky with time. Many need replacing. Mechanically, these receivers were excellent. Shame about the electronics!

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/commercial-rigs/eddystone-ec10 .

Burston strike school, Norfolk - NOT amateur radio

This evening, we went to our local history society meeting. It was a talk on the Burston Strike School in Norfolk. The speaker did not use a projector and just spoke. It was excellent. 

I had not heard about this before, but interested to hear this was all so near. It was in an age when society was very stratified.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burston_Strike_School .

Bus ride - NOT amateur radio

Every Wednesday I go to and from Cambridge by bus. The ride is free with my bus pass and I can just relax and watch the world go by. It is as quick as by car. One of the villages we go through is Swaffham Prior which has 2 churches and 2 windmills!!

The photo shows the 2 churches through the bus window. 

Birkitts, Lincoln

This photo of Birkitts shop in Lincoln was taken 2 years ago. I have no idea if it is still there. At one time all sorts of parts were sold. I think the owner died a few years ago. 

10m QRP WSPR TX (Wednesday)

At the moment, I am on 10m WSPR with my 500mW TX beacon. It is now 0900z. The beacon is tiny. I sync time using my atomic clock in the shack.  Thank you (you know who you are!). No PC is needed at all.

UPDATE 0920z:  Already spots by local G4KPX (14km) and EA8/DF4UE (2876km). I think the Canary Is is single hop F2 propagation. This station gets me most mornings.

UPDATE 1522z:  No further stations spotting me. I was expecting some USA spots by now.

Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

Every Wednesday, I go into Cambridge on the bus for my University of the 3rd Age lecture. It is all too easy to take it for granted, but it has some very fine buildings that people cross the world to see. One of these is King's College Chapel shown in the photo. 

Sunspots - Wednesday March 15th 2023

Solar flux is 139 and the SSN 97. A=17 and K=5.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Tuesday)

 At about 2030z, I turned on my 10m 500mW TX beacon. Just spots by local G4KPX (14km).

70cm activity contest

On the second Tuesday of the month is the 70cm activity contest (UKAC). I can only run 2.5W to the 2m big-wheel omni antenna. Because of my voice, I cannot stay on long. This evening was hopeless and I only stopped on for about 20 minutes and worked just 1 station. I expect there will be many more on the 70cm FT8 activity contest, that I think is tomorrow.

DX soundbites - last year

You may be interested in hearing these DX soundbites from 2022.

See http://hamgallery.com/dx2022/ .