Putin portrait of President Trump - NOT amateur radio

Apparently (according to the BBC)  President Trump has received a portrait of himself sent by Vladimir Putin.

Changed market

Since the FT817 was introduced about a quarter of a century ago a lot has changed. At that time Yaesu had a totally unique product that sold really well across the world.

These days there are several competitors and the Chinese are coming up fast.

In my view Yaesu are now playing "catch up" and the longer they delay getting the FTX-1F to market, the harder it will be.

Sunspots - Saturday March 29th

 Solar flux is 160 and the SSN 80. A=16 and K=3.

Where I come from - NOT amateur radio

Until I left university, I lived in South Devon, not far from where the photo was taken. I have definitely been hereabouts since the mid 1500s (family history research) and probably for thousands of years before that.  On the promontory in the distance is an iron age fort. One of my distant ancestors probably manned it!

Although I have lived in East Anglia for most of my life, I still feel my spiritual home is in South Devon.

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

zBitx

This radio represents incredible value for money. It is available ready built from India. Even if you add duty and VAT it is still remarkable value.

Satellites

 Years back I recall receiving North Americans via Oscar 6 and 7 late at night when the passes were favourable, tracking the passes with a hand made device that showed the passes and what I might expect to hear. Usually the passes were brief of about 10 minutes.

Apparently Oscar 7 is still working after all this time.

OFCOM's 3 year plan

Perhaps I am getting even more grumpy in my old age! OFCOM has published its 3 year plan and I am not impressed. To me it is full of "motherhood" statements: the sort of thing you would expect to see in a quango trying hard to justify its existence. 

Bring back the GPO with adults.

10m QRP FT8 (Friday)

My IC-705 at 6W was turned on at about 0925z.

UPDATE 1541z:  93 spots of me. 

UPDATE 1940z:  Spotted by 164 stations. See map.

Friday plans

Today I think I’m going to be on 10m QRP FT8.

Old bakery - NOT amateur radio

This property in a nearby village has been empty for some years. A long time ago it was a bakery. If sensitively restored it would make a fine home. Not much seems to be happening.

Sunspots - Friday March 28th

 Solar flux is 153 and the SSN 72. A=33 and K=3.

Thatched cottages - NOT amateur radio

 

As mentioned, we did a walk around Lode. It has no shortage of "chocolate box" thatched cottages.

Lode walk - NOT amateur radio

For the first time this year, I did not need to wear a coat. 

We went for a walk around the nearby village of Lode, with plenty of thatched cottages and daffodils.

Rally this Sunday

 The following has been notified to me. I always advise being sure of the details before travelling far.

• Sunday March 30th - Pencoed and District ARC Rally, Sam Bridgend, CF32 9NY. Contact Iewan Jones 07791 709691.

6m 6W FT8 (Thursday)

My IC-705 at 6W to the vertical omni V2000 antenna was turned on shortly after 1000z.

UPDATE 2214z: 41 stations including two Germans, one Portuguese and one Swede have spotted me. QRT.

10m 500mW WSPR (Thursday)

My stand-alone QRP 10m WSPR beacon was turned on at about 1000z.

UPDATE 2210z: Just spots by EA8BFK (2880km) and TA4/G8SCU (3010km) today. Nothing from the USA. QRT.

River Cam yesterday - NOT amateur radio

 This was the River Cam in Cambridge yesterday.

Thursday plans

 Probably 10m QRP WSPR and 6m QRP FT8.

Pussy footing? - NOT amateur radio

It would seem that politicians in the UK are doing everything possible not to offend President Trump. Perhaps he will, at a whim, increase tariffs. 

Yes, the world order has changed and Europe should never again depend on the USA as a backstop. 

However, Europeans are not fools or freeloaders.

Sepura portables - NOT amateur radio

For almost 17 years now I have been retired.  Work seems a very long time in the past. In my professional life I was a project manager at Sepura involved in the design of TETRA portables, widely used in public safety.

It would appear many generations of products have been designed and sold since I left. For example the SC20 portable has sold 500000 units.

See https://sepura.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/0064_0622_V18-SC20-brochure_ONLINE.pdf .