Sunspots - Wednesday July 30th

 Solar flux is 149 and the SSN 112. A=11 and K=2.

10m 500mW WSPR (Tuesday)

My beacon was turned on about teatime.

UPDATE 1844z:  Spotted by 2 stations in Europe.

Brunch

When we shop in Cambridge I usually have brunch in one of the big retailers. 

Here I am tucking into my sausage and egg brioche.

Broken bike in Cambridge

 

This was in Cambridge earlier. It looks like this bike has been abandoned.

10m 1W FT8 (Tuesday)

My IC-705 was turned on at 1245z.

UPDATE 1541z:  14 spots of me around Europe. I think the Es season is drawing to a close, so we can expect fewer openings now.

The cup that cheers

 

It is true that people in England treat a cup of tea as the answer to everything! 

Just think how often have you seen in films the heroine being told, "just have a cup of tea. You'll feel better".

This was our afternoon tea a few days ago.

10m 500mW WSPR (Tuesday)

My beacon was turned on at 0638z.

UPDATE  0743z:   No spots.

More history

Whilst sorting my bookshelf I came across these magazines. Clearly the late 1940s and early 1950s were a golden age in our hobby. 

Most people made their own gear or adapted war surplus gear. No credit cards and Japanese transceivers back then. An amateur radio licence really meant something.

If I remember  correctly these magazines were bought at Hay-on-Wye some years ago. I used to stop there when I went to stay with my mother in Devon. At a guess I bought them in the late 1990s.

10m FT8 at 1W yesterday

 Late in the afternoon I tried 10m FT8 at 1W. It was still spotted all over Europe and as far as South America. I was really trying to run the IC-705 well within its ratings .

History - ZN414 book

 

Whilst trying to find something else I came across this A5 booklet. It must date from the mid 1970s?

The ZN414 was a 3 pinned TRF receiver designed to make a very simple LW or MW broadcast receiver. I think it worked to about 3 MHz. 

I think it is still available from other manufacturers in a plastic case. At one time the equivalent was available via GQRP sales. I am not sure if it is still stocked.

As I recall it was used to make a couple of MW receivers for my boys.