Forgotten!

Since I released my free G3XBM Project Scrapbook, I have already thought of some things that I have left out! 

In the early 1970s, when still living in Cambridge, I made a 2m AM rig based on the Pye PF2AMB. It had a RX that I could tune and, I think, 6 crystal controlled TX frequencies. It was in an aluminium box covered in wood effect Fablon.  In the photo taken in the 1970s (when I had hair) it is the rig with the black and white meter to the right of the EC10 receiver,  I used to have a weekly sked on CW with G5UM in Leicester. Jack used to write the VHF column in RadCom. He was a really nice man.  The rig produced 500mW on AM.  It was also used once in the PW QRP contest, with some amazing results. 

I also made a 100mW AM transmitter with very pre-emphasised speech and heavy clipping. This was extremely punchy and effective.

In the photo, the rig on the bottom right was a 10m 1W CW TX. It was my first experience of HF, with a loft dipole. Later, I made a 10m PA to increase the power. I think this was to 25W. It was far too much for me!

At the time, my 2m antenna was a hand rotated, 2 element, HB9CV in the loft, that I could turn from the operating position.

Sadly, I no longer have schematics for these rigs, but I shall add reference to these in the next edition, by which time I might remember more, HI.

ICOM prices going up

Steve G1KQH tells me that ICOM is raising prices from September 1st.  I have no idea of the prices in future, but they are all suffering.

Wild blackberries - NOT amateur radio

 

Yesterday we went to our local museum across the road with some of our grandchildren. On the way, they ate quite a few blackberries as the photo shows!

10m QRP WSPR TX

As the 10m antenna is available I am on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW again. Already a spot from northern Spain. This is promising as I have only been on a short while. 

UPDATE 0833z:  Already 12 spots in the first 25 minutes with 4 unique stations. A really good start. This looks like a mix of modes.

UPDATE 1315z:  14 unique stations have spotted my 500mW today so far on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 1530z:  25 unique stations have spotted my QRP 10m WSPR TX today.

UPDATE 1935z:  30 unique stations have spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR today.

8m experiment (Monday)

My QRP FT8 TX on 40.680 MHz USB dial was turned on at 0807z. As the Es season is almost over, openings are likely to be less frequent. 

UPDATED 0838z:   Already spotted strongly by EA3ERE (1153km). This was in the first 30 minutes!

UPDATE 0936z:   2 spots of my QRP 8m FT8 already with the furthermost EA8BFK (2880km) in the Canary Is off West Africa. I am pleasantly surprised.

UPDATE 1007z:  Rig off whilst things cool.

UPDATE 1317z: 3 stations have spotted my QRP 8m FT8 today.

UPDATE 1940z:  What a good day! In all, I was spotted by 4 stations on 8m QRP FT8 today.

2011 breakfast - NOT amateur radio

Not sure why I had this breakfast in bed in 2011. Just Weetabix this morning! 

Women's Euros final - NOT amateur radio

Whilst waiting for the final to start we obviously found something amusing judging by the expression on the faces of us all. This is with one of our sons and his children. Amazingly, England won!! 

sBITX - look at the price!!

This new 40W SDR transceiver from India is now available either as a kit or fully assembled. As it is still subject to software and firmware updates, it is called the Developer's Edition.

See https://www.hfsignals.com/index.php/sbitx/?utm_source=amateur-radio-weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter .

Sunspots - Monday August 1st 2022

 Solar flux is 94 and the SSN 39. A=10 and K=3.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Sunday)

A promising start with several spots of my QRP 500mW beacon from Iberia within the first 25 minutes. Judging by the initial drift, they were spotting me right from the start as the crystal was settling. I usually get drift (4 Hz) when the PA is first turned on.

UPDATE 1042z:  4 stations have spotted me this morning on 10m QRP WSPR.

UPDATE 1345z:   25 unique stations have spotted my 10m QRP WSPR today.

UPDATE 1925z:  36 spots of me today on 10m QRP 10m WSPR (see table).

UPDATE 2040z:   46 spots of me today.

8m experiment (Sunday)

Today was a promising start with a spot of my 8m QRP FT8 by SR4DON (1352km) in Poland. Obviously some Es today.  It is only 0930z.

UPDATE 1033z:  2 stations have spotted my 8m QRP FT8 this morning.

UPDATED 1348z:  3 stations have spotted my 8m QRP FT8 today. The latest was S50B (1220km) in Slovenia.

Evening in Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

Last evening, our grandson was ringing the bells in Great St Mary's in Cambridge. This is the university church (see the left of the collage). We shopped and ate out with his sister, our granddaughter. 

Our grandson has now rung in 31 towers.

10m FT8 yesterday

Yesterday I was on 10m FT8. Today I expect to be on 8m QRP FT8 TX and 10m QRP WSPR. 

Cambridge balloon sellers - NOT amateur radio

These two balloon sellers were in Cambridge last evening. 

Sunspots - Sunday July 31st 2022

 Solar flux is 91 and the SSN 27. A=7 and K=2.

South Devon

The photo shows where I come from in South Devon. 

Our family farmed some land here in the 1400s and my ancestors lived in the village in the distance in the mid-1500s (definitely), and quite possibly centuries before. 

10m QRP FT8

It is now 0850z. I have been on 10m FT8 QRP for about 10 minutes. So far, 1 spot of me from Scotland , 1 from England and 1 from Austria and no spots on RX. It feels like the Es season is drawing to a close. Yes, there will still be good days, but more days without Es. Of course Es can occur at any time of the year. This is where FT8 can be very useful, with even short openings noticed. This would be much harder on CW or SSB.

Endings - NOT amateur radio

 

Last evening we watched the very last episode ever of the Australian soap "Neighbours". My wife has been watching it almost from the day it started. It is almost like losing an old friend. I am not very good at endings. It is only a soap, I know.

Sunspots - Saturday July 30th 2022

 Solar flux is 93 and the SSN 40. A=4 and K=2.

UK oil prices - NOT amateur radio

Recently, UK oil wholesale prices seem to be around $105 a barrel. At the pumps prices have fallen a little bit, but not very much. I think the days of low cost petrol and diesel are over. Gas prices seem to be still going up in recent days.