2m activity contest - August 1st

As I was out last Tuesday, I only managed a few minutes at the end. Furthermost was a QSO with a portable station on the Isle of Wight. I was running 10W to the big-wheel omni antenna.

Front garden - NOT amateur radio

Every spring and summer we plant bedding plants in the border under our lounge window. The photo shows how they look at the moment.  Come October they get replaced by winter flowering plants.

OFCOM publications

A reminder that OFCOM has a number of new publications and it updates the data it holds on licences every week. See the OFCOM website for details.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Friday)

Since I am on 6m FT8, I am on 10m WSPR TX with the 500mW TX beacon. So far, 3 unique spots from Germany.

UPDATE 1248z:  20 unique stations have spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR TX.

UPDATE 2013z:  21 stations have spotted me today. QRT shortly.

6m QRP FT8 (Friday)

My gear (2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni) was turned on about 0700z. So far, I have been spotted by 13 stations across Europe at 0738z.

Spots of my QRP 6m
FT8 TX at 1608z

UPDATE 1608z:  72 unique stations have spotted my 6m QRP FT8.  On RX, 46 stations have been spotted. 

UPDATE 2015z:  QRT soon. 77 unique stations have spotted my QRP today. 

Virtual ham radio

Although I own a "network radio", I am not a great fan.   Using an app called Droidstar, I can access to the DMR network across the planet. Effectively, all you need is an Android phone. Mine has a PTT and looks just like a VHF handheld

There are radios that use systems like Echolink. These use the internet, but the final link can be to, for example, a distant repeater. I have had chats with someone in a car in Australia. It is novel.

Some systems e.g. Hamsphere and CQ100 use the internet entirely. No traditional ham radio is involved. 

If you are unable to erect antennas e.g. in a care home, such systems might allow you to keep in contact with fellow hams. At the moment, I am not a great fan. In the future I might be pleased to use these.

See https://qsonet.com/programs.html .

Sunspots - Friday August 4th 2023

 Solar flux flux is 163 and the SSN 124. A=6 and K=0.

Radio Constructor

When I was much younger, we seemed to have lots of radio magazines. This was before the age of video games and the internet when radio still seemed like magic. Sadly, there are far fewer magazines on sale. In the future we could expect even fewer.

One of my favourites was a UK magazine called Radio Constructor. Before my time it was, I believe, an A5 sized publication, but it was always A4 when I got it. Sir Douglas Hall often featured articles for some very clever circuits. He was not a radio professional. I think he was a diplomat. Nonetheless, he was a very clever man. One of my school friends knew him and said he was a very nice man.

Radio Constructor ceased publications a long time ago, but is still available as PDFs online.

See https://worldradiohistory.com/Radio_Constructor_Magazine.htm .

Kind visitors - NOT amateur radio

 

A few weeks ago, we had a visit from old friends. They kindly brought us this house plant as a gift. It is doing well.

Hidden disabilities (yet again) - NOT amateur radio

Sorry to post about this yet again, but it is a matter close to my heart. 

A good proportion of disabled people have "hidden" disabilities. At first sight, many would say "they are faking it" and there is nothing wrong. They look perfectly normal.

Speaking from personal experience. I get exhausted very easily and my voice is very poor. In shops, and even to my own wife, I have to repeat myself several times to be understood. When others around me are chatting, I want to join in, but know I shall have to repeat myself, so I remain silent. Life is very frustrating at times. Compared with many, I am lucky. Others have it far worse than me.

All I am advocating is do not judge others. They may have a hidden disability either physical or mental. Also, it is very easy to patronise. Whatever our state is, we want to do what we can. There is nothing worse than being treated as an idiot when not. Many with hidden disabilities have very high IQs.