FT819?

From the outset let me say this does not exist and is probably not even in the minds of Yaesu designers. I cannot believe that I originally posted my ideas as long ago as 2010!! This is a Photoshop mock up. 

Actually I think Yaesu has totally "missed the boat" and we will never see a proper successor to the FT817ND and FT818. Most were totally underwhelmed when the actual FT818 came out. What a missed opportunity! We are again on the solar up-slopes, this time towards solar peak 25.

These were the specs I was hoping for 12 years ago!  

 

Yaesu already has an SDR architecture in their FTDX10. They could reuse the FT817ND mechanics. Instead they have let ICOM have the market with the IC-705.  I cannot see Yaesu making a fortune now, sadly.

I give Yaesu 5 years to leave the market or go bust. 

Let us hope I am wrong. 

Sunspots - Monday June 6th 2022

 Solar flux is 99 and the SSN 57. A=4 and K=2.

Where I come from in South Devon - NOT amateur radio

This photo shows where I was brought up as a child. I have no idea when this was taken. 

Lunch guest - NOT amateur radio

We had lunch in our Garden Room and were joined by an uninvited guest, namely what I have always known as a wood wasp. I tried to take a photo, but it had already gone behind the radiator. It is about an inch long (25mm).

I think it is actually something else as the images of a wood wasp look different. It has a body which is separated from its head. If I can find what it is, I shall post a photo and link.

That free PDF book - this week?

Barring last minute issues, my personal aim is to complete my free PDF Scrapbook this week. The trouble is, I still think of things to add!  If I think of any more, they will have to wait for a future update.

My hope is that this collection will lead to your own ideas and be a springboard. At least producing a free PDF book allows you to make updates whenever you want and if the grammar and spelling are not perfect, too bad. 

After all, good engineers are usually poor at grammar and spelling. This is in my opinion from work days. I guess it is something to do with how our brains work. Tell me the last time you can remember a good engineer who was also good at poetry? I have known at least one, but these are the exceptions.

Acceptance - NOT amateur radio

As we get older, I sense a change.  Every day is a gift. What the future holds nobody can know. It seems right that we appreciate each moment for what we have. The past has gone, but enjoy the now.

10m QRP WSPR (Sunday)

As the antenna is available, I am again on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW to the W5OLF beacon. So far, spots from OE3XOE (1233km). As this is early, this is promising.

UPDATE 1131z:  12 stations have already spotted me today.

UPDATE 2120z: 35 unique stations have spotted me today on 10m QRP WSPR.

8m experiment (Sunday)

My QRP FT8 8m station was turned on a 0844z on 40.680 MHz USB dial (first) with an audio offset of about 2 kHz. Let's hope for some Es.

UPDATE 0856z:  There is some Es to central Europe on 10m - hopeful sign.

UPDATE 1009z:  Spotted in the Algarve, Portugal again by SWL HC02 (1808km).  Gear now off whilst it cools.

UPDATE 1129z:    2 stations have spotted me now, despite my QRP.   The latest is 9A2TN (1481km).

UPDATE 1850z:  6 stations have spotted me today on 8m FT8 QRP TX.

Oscar 100 narrowband transponder

As regular readers know, every few weeks I take a look at activity levels on the narrow-band transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. Activity levels remain low considering my last peek was on a European weekend morning. when I would have expected activity to be quite high.

See https://eshail.batc.org.uk/nb/ .

Sunspots - Sunday June 5th 2022

 Solar flux is 101 and the SSN 75. A=4 and K=1.

Jubilee party - NOT amateur radio

We had a local party to celebrate 70 years of our queen on the UK throne. Of course, just as we were about to start, being the UK, it decided to rain. 

Luckily, we had the family room at the adjacent museum in case of rain. In the end we had food and drinks indoors and sat outside in the sunshine. It was a good, happy occasion.

ICOM SHF transceiver?

The EI7GL blog has quite a bit about this. 

Sadly, I cannot see this ever coming to market. Surely the big manufacturers are only really interested in making money. I can only see this selling in low numbers, hardly covering development costs.

See https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2022/04/icom-shf-microwave-project-for-24-ghz.html .

10m WSPR TX beacon

Assuming that I remember, I shall be on 10m WSPR TX later with 500mW from the W5OLF beacon. I keep forgetting that when the 10m antenna is available I can use it to go on 10m WSPR TX. Yesterday was good with plenty of Es about. 

UPDATE 0757z:  Beacon turned on at 0753z.

UPDATE 2030z: 41 unique stations have spotted me today on 10m WSPR.

8m FT8 QRP TX

Later today I hope to be on 8m FT8 TX again with my FT817ND and low wire dipole on 40.680 MHz USB dial.  Yesterday was my best day yet on the band with my first spot outside Europe by EA8BFK (2881km) in the Canary Islands. 

UPDATE 0756z: TX turned on at 0753z.

UPDATE 1745z: My QRP 8m FT8 has been spotted by 2 stations in the Iberian peninsula and I have spotted 6 stations in 4 countries. When Es is good, it really is!!

Amateur radio stamps?

Back in the 1960s there were stamps issued in the USA with an amateur radio theme. This got me thinking - I wonder which other countries issued similar? Googling would probably tell me the answer, but perhaps you already know. 

It will never catch on

This photo appeared as a Facebook memory from several years ago. 

I have no idea where it originated. 

Sunspots - Saturday June 4th 2022

Solar flux is 101 and the SSN 52. A=4 and K=1.

SNOTEL - NOT amateur radio

 A lot of people on 8m in the USA are troubled by the SNOTEL system, that is an automated snow monitoring system, using random meteor scatter to send the data. Low VHF is ideal for this. I have not been troubled by similar 8m systems in Europe if they exist.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNOTEL .

ICOM IC-705

For about a year now, I have owned an IC-705. As I only ever run QRP, this was a good choice for me as it is multi-band and 10W. It is mostly used on VHF and UHF FM nets and SSB. Until recently I had not used it for FT8 as it picked up lots of noise from the PC when the USB cable was connected. I continued to use my FT817ND and SignaLink interface for FT8.

I was recommended a screened, choked, cable by Jason M0NYW, and this seems to have done the trick. I am being spotted from across the world on 10m FT8 using the IC-705 at 5W and on RX I am spotting plenty. Thank you Jason for the good suggestion. My FT817ND is now almost exclusively used for 8m FT8 TX now.

The IC-705 is still far too expensive. As I rarely buy gear, I looked at it as an investment. The only thing that disappoints is the lack of 4m, which all were expecting.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/commercial-rigs/icom-ic-705 .

Knitted butterflies and flowers - NOT amateur radio

These were on our local church earlier.  

They are a cascade of knitted butterflies and flowers. 

Someone has done a lot of work creating these.

I suspect it is part of the jubilee celebrations over the weekend.