We used see these handsome birds regularly in our garden but I have not seen any recently.
21 Mar 2023
Red-legged partridges - NOT amateur radio
We used see these handsome birds regularly in our garden but I have not seen any recently.
630m WSPR RX yesterday
For the first time I tried my FT-710 on 630m WSPR RX using the coax to my 2m big-wheel via a ferrite rod ATU. Everything seems to work fine with stations in the Netherlands Germany and Norway spotted before I had to turn the rig off.
20 Mar 2023
Plans for the day (Monday)
As we are out some of today, I shall probably go on 472 kHz WSPR RX this evening. It is getting later in the season, so I have no idea how it will go. I shall probably have to use the coax to my 2m big-wheel antenna with some loading.
Muntjac deer - NOT amateur radio
See https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/mammals/muntjac-deer .
2m FT8 QRP
In my view 2m FT8 has been transformational with DX possible at any time with QRP. Yes, SSB activity has declined, but I feel sure some sort of scatter is being tapped into.
This is not aircraft scatter as planes are not needed. Personally I think this is troposcatter made possible by the far better sensitivity of FT8.
The photo shows the received stations on typical day with flat conditions. This was 2019 with just an omni antenna!
Hallsands Devon - NOT amateur radio
This painting was done in 1884. It shows the coastal village of Hallsands that was washed away early in the 20th century. Dredging offshore for Plymouth Dockyard was blamed. Previously this had been a thriving village famous for crab fishing.
19 Mar 2023
Kindness
Many times in the last 10 years I have been reminded of the kindness shown to me.
Complete strangers have offered me help and several have sent me gifts, purely out of kindness, things to make life better. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. All I can say is the true spirit of amateur radio is alive and well.
It is my belief that there are many more kind people in the world than bad ones. It is just that kindness is, sadly, not sensational or newsworthy.
At some point, I hope that I am able to be as kind to somebody else.
23cm QSO this week?
My station has an ERP about 40dB less than his. I hope he can copy me! I am still using 2W pep to my 2el beam pointing out of the shack window.
Breaking down barriers
Many years ago in the so called,"cold war", we had many contacts on amateur radio with stations across the world including many stations that, at that time, were in the USSR. Some of my best QSL cards are from those years.
I would like to think that these QSOs helped to break down barriers between people. Amateur radio has no interest in politics and never should. We can be black, white, yellow or even green, male, female or in between, left wing, right wing, capitalist or communist. It matters not. We are all just humans with an interest in radio.
Sunshine twins - NOT amateur radio
As teenagers a very long time ago, my wife and I had yellow jackets. Years later we bought some more.
Back in the 1960s my uncle called us "the sunshine twins". Can't think why!!! 😄
10m FT8 (Sunday)
At 0945z, I turned on my 10m FT8 using the FT-710. So far, spotted by 9 stations and I have spotted 43 stations after just 5 minutes.
 |
| Stations spotting me on 10m FT8 TX (8W) late morning |
UPDATE 1725z: 688 stations have spotted my 8W 10m FT8 today and 1485 stations spotted here. I have not seen 10m this good for many years.
UPDATE 2055z: 1909 stations have been spotted and 817 stations have spotted me today on 10m FT8 with 8W.
UPDATE 2110z: QRT.
Oscar 100 narrowband activity
Activity levels on the narrow-band transponder of this geosynchronous satellite are still very low with plenty of space. In my view, this satellite is a failure with activity levels way below what was expected.
30 THz experiments
Isn't it great when you read about someone in our hobby doing real experiments that truly explore the boundaries? Such cases are the experiments at 30 THz and above by M0LRH and M7HBL in GQRP SPRAT 193 and 194. Their DX is crossing a field, but to me this is really pushing the boundaries. Excellent!
18 Mar 2023
6m FT8 (Saturday)
As my FT-710 is now working fine with FT8, I am currently on 50.313 MHz FT8 on 6m. So far, (at 1717z) 15 stations have spotted me. On RX I have , so far, spotted nobody, despite a huge number of people monitoring 6m FT8 in Europe. Interestingly, hardy any monitors in Russia. Most monitors are waiting for the Es season before going on TX, it would appear.
UPDATE 1721z: I guess I could go on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW beacon. Don't think I shall bother.
UPDATE 1811z: 18 stations have spotted me (furthermost GW0GEI (308km)) and I have spotted 1 station. Spotting very few on 6m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1825z: 19 stations have spotted me today on 6m FT8 TX (see map).
UPDATE 2005z: 20 stations have spotted me.
Wymondham (pronounced Windum) - NOT amateur radio
Today, we went to Wymondham in Norfolk. This is a delightful market town, not far from Norwich. It has a great abbey. Some of my wife's family lived here once. It is about an hour away by car. A friend staying with us drove.
The photo of the meal was taken last year. We visited exactly a year ago.
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wymondham .
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wymondham .
Electric cars and batteries - NOT amateur radio
We are still awaiting a breakthrough in batteries for electric cars. Lithium, used in most (all?) electric vehicle batteries is a rare earth material in short supply. These batteries are expensive and big. There is also the issue of charging.
A breakthrough may be on the way promising much better ranges, less cost, and fast charging times. Until this happens, I cannot see a tipping point when there is a really big take-up of electric cars. Imagine - far less expensive electric cars, very infrequent charging, long ranges. It will happen.
See https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/electric/solid-state-battery-ev/ .
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