Dry and hot!!

Yesterday, as it was slightly less hot and there was an easterly wind, we decided to go to Cambridge on the bus. 

It was still hot! 

This photo was from the bus.

10m 200mW WSPR TX (Sunday)

My beacon has been on since mid-morning.

UPDATE 1708z:  26 stations have spotted me. These were probably Es.

Sodium ion rechargeable batteries?

Perhaps one of the upcoming rechargeable battery technologies will be based on sodium (i.e. salt). 

It is my view that we are on the cusp of a revolution. 

Although it has a lower energy density than the best lithium ion batteries, sodium is very plentiful and might make an ideal material for mass storage batteries.

Linears

Yesterday, one of the largest UK dealers talked about second hand linears. 

Now, each to their own, but this is NOT my idea of amateur radio! 

Even the second hand prices are about a hundred times the cost of my first transceiver that worked plenty of DX with simple, low antennas.

As I said "each to their own", but count me out please.

Breakfast sorted

We are lucky to have a wild blackberry bush a few metres from our home. 

They have matured early with the recent heat. 

They are delicious with breakfast.

Sunspots - Sunday July 12th

Solar  flux is 112 and the SSN 82. A=7 and K=3.

10m 200mW WSPR (Saturday)

As mentioned before, I left my beacon running overnight.

UPDATE 1950z:  So far today, spotted by 124 stations, most via Es. Best DX are spots in the Canary Is.. Now QRT.

Meal out

Most months a group of old work colleagues meet up at a different pub in the area for a meal. 

Most of us are now retired.

Salcombe, Devon, UK

As a child I lived in Salcombe, Devon and had no idea then how lucky I was. It is a beautiful seaside town in South Devon. My brother still lives in the area, so I go back most years.

Nighttime Es

As an experiment I left my 200mW 10m WSPR beacon  running through the night, suitably supervised. It would appear that Es was there through the night with regular spots from Central Europe when sensible people were asleep.