16 Jan 2026

Burwell windmill

We are lucky to live right next door to Burwell windmill. It is fully restored. Here it is in full sail with the sails turning. The fantail ensures the main sails point into the wind.



137kHz beacon

Many years ago I did some experiments on the 2200m band. 

This was my prototype beacon that sent CW and QRSS3.

Sunspots - Friday January 16th

 Solar flux is 139 and the SSN 123. A=12 and K=3. 

15 Jan 2026

Greenland and the USA

In this video, the poster thinks President Trump is using his strategy outlined in his book "The Art of the Deal" to get a better deal with Denmark. It would appear most things the US president does is think about foreign policy as deals.



Brunch


Every Thursday my wife has a course in a nearby village. I go to a cafe for brunch.

Zachtek WSPR gear

For the last few days I have been using the 200mW Zachtek WSPR TX. In the end I bought the original kit although it is being copied in China. 

As far as I can tell, the Chinese copy does not have the low pass filters fitted so will have poor harmonic rejection. The Swedish version is far more expensive.

So far, with 200mW WSPR, it has reached 5 continents,

All timing is by GPS, which is built-in. Once programmed the unit needs no PC, so can run unattended. Mine comes covering 40m-6m. I also bought the all band RX, but I have not used this yet.

See https://www.zachtek.com/wspr-tx .

Cambridge in winter

 

This time of year is good when the weather is fine as there are fewer visitors and the bare trees make seeing easier.

10m 200mW WSPR (Thursday)

My beacon was turned on after breakfast,

UPDATE 1321z:  So far, just EA8BFK (2880km) and an SV spotting me.

Sunspots - Thursday January 15th

 Solar flux is 127 and the SSN 70. A=7 and K=2.

14 Jan 2026

Really?

Presldent Trump has made some bold claims about the US economy. These have been fact checked by the BBC.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cz6yg15lpw9t

Some would appear to be incorrect.

Is it only me, but I have come across not one person (absolutely no-one at all, really) outside of the USA that has a good word to say about the leaders of the USA currently. To many they appear brash and arrogant. This is sad as I have always found Americans kind and generous. Yet very many voted for Mr Trump. What he does in the USA i cannot comment on, but I can express my personal views as an outsider.