Spectroid app

My lounge PC and smart phone have Android apps including a free one called Spectroid. This might be suitable for my 481 THz tests. It is available on the Play Store. It is a powerful audio spectrum analyser (see screenshot).

Robins - NOT amateur radio

Of all our garden birds, the humble robin is probably the most endearing. They can be very tame. Actually, as shown in David Lack's famous 1947 book "The Life of the Robin", it is a far more complex bird than it at first appears.  By the way, the book has been reprinted many times and the latest version is available online.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/robin/ .

Salisbury - NOT amateur radio

 

I do not think I posted this photo of Salisbury last week. If I did, put it down to old age!

10m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

Since about 0945z, I have been in 10m FT8. Plenty of spots.

UPDATE 1426z: 149 stations have spotted my 10m FT8 QRP today.

QRP 10m FT8 spots of me today

UPDATE 2030z:  245 stations have spotted my 10m FT8 QRP today. QRT soon. No spots from N.America.

Endings - NOT amateur radio

Endings do not work for me. When things end, I can find things hard. As I get older, and friends around me die, it is sometimes harder to make sense of things. Many years ago some things were very important to me whereas now they are less so.  Impulses that were strong long ago are less so now. 

As I have said many times, most religions seem to be too Earth-centred for me. I still think it must be great to have a strong faith, but I cannot be true to myself. As a youth I tried to be "saved", but never was. 

My philosophy has been to be as honest and open as I can be and kind to others. I am not perfect, but I know this.

80m QRP FT8 using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground

80m FT8 spots of my QRP using the
earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground

As I managed to match the FT-710 to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground, I was on 80m QRP FT8 early last evening and again now. So far, 60 stations have spotted me. It certainly works! 

Later, I may try calling into the CDARC (Cambridge) 80m net.

UPDATE 1000z: I tried to go on the CDARC 80m net, but heard nobody. Noise level was S9, so I QSYed to 10m FT8 instead on the FT-710 at QRP level. Plenty of spots on TX and RX.

160m QRP FT8 with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground

Last evening and overnight I was on 160m QRP FT8 using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. Even my XYL cannot see it!  

6 hours 160m FT8 TX at 3W using the
earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground

Results were remarkable with 53 spots of me right across Europe. As an experiment, I left it on overnight at just 3W.  23 stations spotted me as the map shows in the last 6 hours alone!  It certainly works. Furthermost was a spot by YO3APJ (2082km).

Sunspots - Sunday April 23rd 2023

 Solar flux is 141 and the SSN 87. A=7 and K=1.

Chromebooks - NOT amateur radio

For about 2.5 years I have owned and used a Chromebook rather than a Windows PC. When I first got it, I wondered whether I had made the right decision.  It uses Chrome OS rather than Windows 10 or 11.

It was the right decision, definitely.

It starts very fast, does updates painlessly in the background, and does everything I need for my lounge PC. I have not found anything I want to do with it that I cannot do.  Also, it was far less expensive than a Windows PC and came with a 3 year "at home" warranty. It is pretty rugged too. It runs Linux apps too, although I have never needed to. It can also be used as a touch screen tablet.

I have been extremely pleased with it. Next year I shall probably buy another one!

80m FT8 tonight?

Just might try 80m FT8 TX this evening after dark when 10m is no good. It means matching the FT-710 to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground and setting WSJT-X for use with the FT-710. For the last few days I have been using the QDX.

UPDATE 1606z:  As 10m does not exactly look great, I might swap to 80m FT8 quite soon.