Meshstastic video

 This video may help explain meshtsatic concepts.

Tuesday plans

 Probably 500mW 10m WSPR TX and 5W 6m FT8 again later.

The future of experimentation

For a long time, I have been wondering about the future of radio experimentation. 

Fewer amateur radio people carry out experimentation preferring instead to buy ready-made transceivers to communicate. 

In the future I am sure a small number of people will want to carry on with radio experiments although, more and more, I am convinced this will be outside traditional amateur radio. 

I suspect many will go the ISM direction or possibly other forms of communication such as light beams or sub-8.3kHz. In the past I have experimented at 481THz (red light) and very low frequencies through the ground.  Neither require licences. No licences are required to use ISM, although a self-declaration of conformity may be needed, certainly in the UK.

Sunspots - Tuesday October 27th

 Solar flux is 121 and the SSN 96. A=6 and K=3.

Meshtastic

Last Friday the Cambridge Radio Club (CDARC) had a talk on Meshtastic . This is a form of "off grid" mesh communications. 

This uses LoRa and ISM bands. It is yet another form of experimentation that does NOT need amateur radio. 

Operation on the ISM bands is licence-free.

Brandon Country Park, Suffolk, UK

We went here this morning. The leaves were beautiful.

6m 5W FT8 (Monday)

My gear was turned in at about 1335z.

UPDATE 2022z:  Spotted by 29 stations. See map. Now QRT.

10m 500mW WSPR (Monday)

My beacon was turned on at about 1325z. 

UPDATE 2031z:    Spotted by 24 stations. See table. Now QRT.

Building the Hermes Lite transceiver

 This video shows how someone built a Hermes Lite . No soldering is needed.  It will be QRP.

Lounge view

 

This is the view from our lounge window. 

The hedge at the front is ours.