FT-710 and FT8

As you may recall, I have been struggling to get this working. Later today I have a "window" to update the firmware and try the recommended settings again. Hopefully I can get things going.

Our grandchildren go shortly and our best man (from a long time ago!) arrives late afternoon.

The death of AM on the amateur bands

Although there are still a few AM nets on some bands, the mode has mostly been replaced by FM and SSB. This is a pity as in years gone by people "chanced" on amateur radio by listening on short wave.  I well remember hearing amateurs on 160m AM many years ago. I remember copying G4PJ 4 miles away on a crystal set in the 1960s when he was on AM.

These days, people can no longer just chance on amateur radio. Our hobby has changed and the way newcomers "find" the hobby will be different. Modes like FT8 may be fine for working DX, but it is unlikely to be an introductory route for newcomers. As a person with a poor voice, I quite like FT8 and WSPR. At the same time, I am conscious that these modes cannot be ways in to the hobby.

AM had many advantages: gear was simple, ex-PMR radios were practically being given away and signals could be detected by very simple detectors. The simplest was just a diode detector. As I recall weak signals were better on AM than FM.  Of course AM carriers could be a real nuisance. 

Many today have never experienced AM, which is sad.

Even MW/LW broadcast AM is being phased out.

Several of my designs in the past were for simple AM transceivers. See my website at www.g3xbm.co.uk or my free PDF book for details.

Where I lived as a teenager - NOT amateur radio

This very old engraving shows Kingsbridge, Devon as it was over 200 years ago. 

Although it has changed quite a bit, the main town is still very recognisable. I lived there from 1959-1970. It is at the head of the Kingsbridge Estuary, that is actually a ria or drowned river valley. 

It is still a very beautiful area today.

Sunspots - Thursday March 16th 2023

 Solar flux is 136 and the SSN 96.  A=29 and K=1.

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.