Building the Hermes Lite transceiver

 This video shows how someone built a Hermes Lite . No soldering is needed.  It will be QRP.

Lounge view

 

This is the view from our lounge window. 

The hedge at the front is ours.

Monday plans

 Later, I hope to go on 10m 500mW WSPR and 6m 5W FT8.

WSJT-X 3.0.0

Steve G1KQH has reminded me that WSJT-X version V3.0.0 is available, but it is only available as a release candidate. Normally, a fully released version comes later. I believe V3.0.0 offers some further improvements.

See https://wsjt.sourceforge.io/wsjtx.html.

Sunspots - Monday October 27th

 Solar flux is 124 and the SSN 92. A=4 and K=1.

10m 2W FT8 (Sunday)

My gear was turned on at about 1025z.

UPDATE 1147z:  So far, spotted by 141 stations. 

UPDATE 1804z:  595 stations have spotted me today. See map.

UPDATE 2011:  600 stations have spotted my 2W 10m FT8 today. Now QRT.

Russian oil

Most, if not all, people want an end to the war in Ukraine. 

This has caused a lot of deaths and injuries on both sides. Much of Russian income comes from oil and the recent sanctions on the two biggest oil companies in Russia just might lead to an "off ramp" and an end to the fighting.

In my view one solution is a bit like Germany after WW2. Parts of Ukraine would be East Ukraine, linked to Russia and the rest Western Ukraine much as Ukraine was. In 20-30 years who knows what will happen, possibly Ukraine will be reunited much like Germany. 

I have nothing at all but respect for the Russian people. I still exchange emails with a radio amateur in Moscow.

In my view almost all wars are unnecessary. Most ordinary folk are just the same underneath and just want to live at peace. Sadly, some in power have huge egos or insecurities.

19 set?

I am no expert on WW2 radios. This looks like a 19 set, but I have an idea it is not. Maybe versions were made in the USA?

UPDATE 1033z:  According to Keith (thank you!) it is a 22 set.  See https://www.pa3esy.nl/military/gb/army/WS22/html/ws22_set-gb.html

Sunspots - Sunday October 26th

Solar flux is 127 and the SSN 89.  A=9 and K=1.

Pasties

It is rumoured these started life as a meal for Cornish miners with one half being savoury and one half being dessert. They could be held in the hand. I have no idea if this is true or not.

What I do know is that I enjoy pasties. One of my favourites used to be Ivor Dewdney pasties that one could buy in Plymouth. 

You can buy them by post but they are very expensive. They also make vegetarian and vegan pasties these days. I suppose beef is now very expensive.

Autumn visitor

This must have crawled up the plug hole. It was about 3cm long. I put it out the window.  

Some have phobias about spiders. To me they are just fun.

10m 2W FT8 (Saturday)

My gear was turned on at about 0930z.

UPDATE 1805z: 642 stations have spotted me across the planet. At one point this afternoon I noticed the number of stations spotting me had not gone up. Then I noticed that I had not turned the PSU on at the mains. So all reports up to about 1500z were at 1W and not 2W.

UPDATE 2025z:   647 stations have spotted me. Now QRT.

Autumn sky yesterday

This was Anglesey Abbey near Cambridge, UK yesterday. 

QDX and QDX-M

QRP-Labs produce some high class transceivers as kits or ready built units at very competitive prices. 

These are made in Turkey and designed by Hans Summers  G0UPL.

The QDX is a digital only, 5W, transceiver about the size of a pack of cards. 

They also do a simpler radio (the same size) covering just one band (2200m - 10m) called the QDX-M which is shown in the photo.

See https://qrp-labs.com/ .

Spooky?

This year, Halloween seems to have come early. 

The cynic in me says this is all about making more money, but the kids enjoy the fun. 

Our grandchildren loved it, but they are now too old: they enjoyed carving a pumpkin and playing silly games.

This was the decoration outside a house locally. 

Sunspots - Saturday October 25th

 Solar flux is 134 and the SSN 99. A=10 and K=0.

Autumn colours

In the sunshine we went for a walk at nearby Anglesey Abbey. 

The autumn colours are really good this year. Apparently it is due to the high sugar content because of the growing conditions.

10m 2W FT8 (Friday)

My gear was turned on at about 1000z.

UPDATE 1117z: 130 stations have spotted me so far this morning. 

UPDATE 1755z:  572 stations have spotted me with lots in North America. See map.

King’s College , Cambridge

These are the grounds at the back of King’s. I used to go to a weekly meeting in a room just off this photo when I first came to Cambridge in 1970.

Batteries for the future

We all know that electric cars (maybe hydrogen) are probably the future. 

However, they are, on the whole, expensive with a limited range. They also tend to need batteries with materials that are not that common. 

What is needed is a real breakthrough allowing a far greater range and a battery technology that uses easily obtainable materials. 

It would be good to have lower weight. I am sure that across the world a lot of research is going on to make these breakthroughs as whoever gets there first would have a huge commercial advantage. 

One avenue is a solid state battery. Another is a technology that does not need lithium such as sodium. It would be good to be able to top up the charge quickly too although if the range was considerable, many could charge at home quite infrequently.

There is a lot of hype around and I am not sure what the answer is. I suspect this breakthrough is not many years away.