FCC approval of the FTX-1F?

The last I heard was a rumour that the worldwide release of the Yaesu FTX-1F was waiting on the FCC approval.  

Despite this, I am puzzled by the lack of more detailed specs.. Has anyone seen any more detailed specs than those released last summer and any idea of the price? 

There is far more competition than when the FT817 was first released.

Yaesu FT101 restoration

The Yaesu FT101 has appeared in several versions since it first appeared way back. This is part 1 of a restoration project on a very old version.

Spring - NOT amateur radio

Tomorrow is the first day of meteorological spring. 

I always look forward to the first swallows returning from Africa on migration. They usually arrive here in mid April, although they are a bit earlier in Devon.  Swifts, that we see more of, arrive about mid-May. These are often heard screaming before being seen.

The first to arrive in Devon are the sand martins, which usually are seen in Devon mid March. I recall my dad telling me when he first saw some on his golf course.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/sand-martin .

"Sunsetting" - NOT amateur radio

Google Adsense amazes me. The phrase that they have come up with to say they are ending something is "sunsetting"  which is a way of saying stopping! They always use a turn of phrase that disguises the real meaning, making it sound something good.

So, if you want to say something is stopping, it is "sunsetting"

Cleaning the car - NOT amateur radio

Our neighbour across the road cleans his car every week. We clean ours when it gets embarrassing.  Judging by the moss, this must have been several months ago! 

Yesterday I washed the car.  😂

Experiment continued - 10mW 10m WSPR (Friday)

Today, I am concluding my experiment with very low power on 10m. Today, I am running 10mW 10m WSPR. Conditions are more disturbed than yesterday. 

UPDATE 1654z:   14 spots of me so far today. I think my experiment has demonstrated that very low power digital modes really do work on 10m. WSPR is better than FT8, but even 10mW of FT8 can be enough, although you need a clear frequency!   Back to QRO (3W HI) tomorrow!

UPDATE 1910z: 19 spots of my 10mW WSPR today.

Sunspots - Friday February 28th

 Solar flux is 170 and the SSN 129. A=32 and K=4.

AliExpress

This is an outlet for Chinese (only?) companies. I find some of their prices remarkable. Often the goods come by air in just a few days. On some items I guess you might have to pay some duty. Even so, their prices are unbelievable.

I suppose the downside is that this kills western manufacturing that cannot compete with labour costs. Making in Europe or the USA we would not be able to compete on price.  Making consumer goods more locally would stoke inflation.

See https://www.aliexpress.com/ .

Two radio rallies this weekend

On Saturday we enter meteorological spring and rallies occur more often. The following have been notified to me, but I always advise to check before going far.

• Saturday March 1st - The Lagan Valley ARS Annual Rally, Hillsborough, N. Ireland, BT26 6AE. See www.lvars.uk
• Sunday March 2nd - Exeter Radio Rally, new venue, The Kenn Centre, EX6 7UE.  Contact g3zvi@yahoo.co.uk .

Local club talk, without talking

As mentioned before, tomorrow night (Friday) at 2000z, I am giving a talk on 8m at the Cambridge Radio Club. As my voice is poor, someone else is doing the speaking even though I prepared the slides and notes. We did this last year and it worked. I am sure if you are not a regular CDARC member you would be welcomed as a guest.

See https://www.cdarc.org.uk/ .