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.

What do A and K indices mean?

Most days I give the solar data. Several people wonder what the A and K indices mean.  Hopefully this ARRL file will explain.   

Basically a high solar flux is good for HF conditions and low A and K indices mean stable geomagnetic conditions, which are good. 

As a rough indicator look for a high solar flux and low A and K indices for good HF conditions.

See https://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/tis/info/pdf/0209038.pdf

BST and GMT

This weekend we return to GMT from daylight saving time (BST) in the UK. This means darker evenings and an earlier drawing of curtains. It's amazing how we adapt.  

Sunspots - Friday October 24th

 Solar flux is 134 and the SSN 92. A=10 and K=3.

10m 500mW WSPR

My beacon was turned on just before lunch.

UPDATE 1851z:  31 stations spotting me with the USA and Canada the furthermost. See map showing stations spotting me today. Now QRT.

6m 5W FT8 (Thursday)

My gear was turned on just before lunch.

UPDATE 1804z:   14 stations have spotted me including 1 in Sweden and 1 in Italy. See map. Now QRT on 6m.

DX Explorer

 This is a website I like. There are lots of videos with interesting projects such as this one.

Cambridge market

This is in the centre of Cambridge, UK.  It used to be bigger, but there are fewer occupied stalls these days. I guess the council charge them too much.

More fool them?

I read today that some people pay £750 just for breakfast. This is what some people have to live on for a whole month. Personally, I think this is obscene.

Thursday plans

 Later I hope to go on 6m 5W FT8 and 10m 500mW WSPR as long as the thunder stays away. It could come our way later.

Sunspots - Thursday October 23rd

 Solar flux is 133 and the SSN 117. A=4 and K=1.

Amateur radio gear on AliExpress or Banngood

Many people now buy goods from China. Prices tend to be very low, often with free airmail shipping. 

In the past I have used these without issues. So far, I have never had to pay duty or VAT. Often prices are so low that even if everything went wrong you would not lose that much. Delivery is usually quick too.

Spitting Image

For those not familiar with this it was originally on terrestrial TV but it is now on YouTube. The format is simple: puppets are created of famous people and they are made fun of. 

In many countries you could be imprisoned or shot for this, although I think it is a sign of a mature society if we can make fun of people in public office or the news. 

To many, to be made into a puppet on Spitting Image is an honour.

Crash or revolution coming?

In many countries the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The gap between rich and poor is growing.  Young people, certainly in the UK, find it almost impossible to buy a house on their incomes, assuming they can find a job. We live in an age of growing debt - living beyond our means.

Many countries are becoming more right wing. This, I think, is because many do not feel listened to by those in power.  In my view this is not the answer. Sadly I do not know what is!  One thing is clear: everyone must be heard and society has to be fairer.

All this is pointing to a correction. I cannot see this situation continuing. I think we are heading of a crash in the stock-market, falling house prices, .... or even a revolution.

Views?

King's Parade, Cambridge, UK

The photo shows just outside King's College yesterday. 

We can get into Cambridge for free with our bus passes. We go in most Mondays for our University of the Third Age lectures about "The Silk Roads".

The church in the distance is Great St Mary's, which is the university church.

Wire antenna with gain?

 VK3YE has a new video about some experiments with his EFZZ antenna. It appears to have some gain in certain directions.  It is very hard to know the directivity and gain as this will depend on bands, local obstructions, band conditions etc. It might make a useful portable antenna.

10m 2W FT8 (Wednesday)

My gear was turned on at 0910z.

UPDATE 1714z:  525 stations spotting me as far as Canada, USA, South America, Australia and Taiwan. See map.

Sunspots - Wednesday October 22nd

 Solar flux is 133 and the SSN 107.  A=9 and K=0.

Cambridge looking towards King's College

 

This is near King's College down a narrow passageway. King's College Chapel is visible in the distance.

10m 2W FT8 (Tuesday)

My system was turned on at about 0845z.

UPDATE 1622z:   503 spots of me. Now QRT. See map. It would seem that 2W FT8 gets around the world.

Sunspots - Tuesday October 21st

 Solar flux is 140 and the SSN 109. A=8 and K=3.

All change weatherwise

Last week we had a big high pressure system and lots of clouds in what they call "anticyclonic gloom". This week we have low pressure, sun and showers.

The photo show Cambridge in a shower.

Later maybe?

As I have my U3A course in Cambridge I shall not be on the radio until later. If I go on I shall probably go on 6m QRP FT8. There is some doubt as we have thunder forecast. 

Sunspots - Monday October 20th

 Solar flux is 149 and the SSN 103. A=18 and K=2.

10m 500mW WSPR (Sunday)

 At 1552z I turned on my 500mW beacon. At first I (again) forgot to turn on the PSU!

UPDATE 1644z:  So far, spotted by no stations.  I am sure there are fewer people on WSPR now than FT8: 

UPDATE 2138z: 8 stations spotted me including one in Canada. Now QRT.

6m 5W FT8 (Sunday)

 At about 1400z I QSYed to 6m QRP FT8.

UPDATE 2020z:  44 spots of me so far. See map. Es?  Now QRT.

10m 2W FT8 (Sunday)

 My gear was turned on about 0900z.

UPDATE  0945z: So far, spotted by just 2 stations.

Sunspots - Sunday October 19th

 Solar flux is 156 and the SSN 105.  A=36 and K=3.

10m 2W FT8 (Saturday)

 

My gear was turned on mid-morning.

UPDATE 1750z: 588 stations spotting me. See map.

Where I come from

 The photo shows where I come from in South Devon.

Which type of simple RX is better?

This video by VK3YE compares regenerative and direct conversion receivers. The short answer is it depends on what you want to do.