Optical communications - over the horizon

When fitter, I really enjoyed experimenting with this. Actually, I don't think this needs a licence at all, but it is real experimentation. Anyone can do this without costing much. 

All my gear and much of my test gear was homemade and very inexpensive. It is real "back of the garage" stuff. All my gear was homemade in the back of the garage. The only special test gear was a very weakly lit LED. If you have a multi-meter and scope, you really don't need much else. In my view optical communications is easier than microwaves as the test equipment is easy.

I was quite surprised how easy it was to copy an optical signal "over the horizon".

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/optical-nanowaves/over-the-horizon . 

Water lily - NOT amateur radio

 

This water lily was at RHS Bridgewater, near Salford last week.

By the windmill - NOT amateur radio

 

The photo shows me with one of my sons and grandsons near the windmill next door.  It was taken this weekend.

10m WSPR QRP (Monday)

So far today, my 500mW 10m WSPR has been spotted by 3 stations. 

UPDATE 1345z:  Just 4 unique station spots of me today. Is the Es season on the wane?

6m QRP FT8 (Monday)

So far, 6 Gs have spotted me using 2.5W to the omni V2000 vertical antenna.

UPDATE 1855z:  Late Es opening with 56 stations spotting my QRP (see photo). 

Haircut time - NOT amateur radio

When my younger son pops up from Kent he usually cuts my hair. The weather has been so miserable lately that we had to do it in the utility room rather than the garden.

Sunspots - Monday July 31st 2023

Solar flux is 174 and the SSN 139. A=9 and K=1.

Digital Archive - amateur radio

 There is a vast archive of amateur radio material stored on-line.

See https://archive.org/details/dlarc?tab=collection .

Sunday breakfast - NOT amateur radio

Our younger son is here for a few days. He cooked breakfast this morning. Totally unhealthy, but great 😋😋. 

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Sunday)

My beacon has been on for about 50 minutes. So far, at 0930z, 2 stations has spotted me, one probably Es.

Stations spotting me at 1643z

UPDATE 1643z:  22 stations have spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR today.

UPDATE  1750z:  So far today 27 stations have spotted me. These are mostly Es.