Nearly spring

These daffodils were seen yesterday at nearby Anglesey Abbey. It is officially spring on Sunday according to the Met Office.

Sunspots - Wednesday February 25th

Solar flux is 120 and the SSN still 0. A=14 and K=2.

Russia-Ukraine conflict

This has now been going on for 4 years.

No nation is perfect, but I really wish this would end fairly and end soon.  

My worry is the USA will just walk away.  Clearly Europe is concerned about President Putin's aims beyond Ukraine, for example in the Baltic and Finland.  At one time an attack on one NATO nation was the same as an attack on all NATO members and was a strong deterrent. Would the USA join? 

The Ukrainian people have put up a stalwart defence.

How?

Just now I noticed 2 pieces of 446MHz walkie-talkies for £13.59 total with VAT!!  When I started at Pye Telecom UHF portables sold for over £700 each!! 

I know things are more integrated but both Aliexpress and the manufacturer make profits!

The future

It appears that the USA is moving towards an economic model in which they become self-sufficient in their hemisphere or (ideally) within their own borders. At a pinch the EU could do this and Russia. In the case of China I am less sure.

I think the "big" players are getting nervous of long supply chains.

The UK is very vulnerable. It is very dependent on long supply chains for most things. As long as international trade works the UK is OK.  If this is disrupted the UK is in deep trouble.

Forty-9er transceiver

This was a design for a tiny QRP CW transceiver for 40m CW.  This short video shows the radio with a digital display, which was non-standard. 

See https://www.norcalqrp.org/files/49erOrigMnl.pdf

Kits are still available.

Christ's College, Cambridge, UK

For a very long time this has been shrouded in scaffolding. 

Today the scaffolding had been taken down, so I took this photo. 

We see this several times every week for free. Others travel across the planet to see some of these sites.

10m 200mW WSPR TX (Tuesday)

My beacon was turned on at breakfast.

UPDATE 1636z:  So far, 40 spots. See table.

UPDATE 1922z: Spotted by 43 stations today with the best AE5AU (7209km) who has spotted me 11 times! Now QRT. Map by Phil VK7JJ.

Sunspots - Tuesday February 24th

 Solar flux is 108 and the SSN still 0.  A=23 and K=3.

Heathkit

In the late 1960s Heathkit made some great radios. Take, for example, the SB101. 

Then the Japanese started making transceivers that meant there was little difference in making a kit. Most bought a ready made transceiver instead.