My beacon was turned on about teatime.
UPDATE 1844z: Spotted by 2 stations in Europe.
29 Jul 2025
Brunch
Here I am tucking into my sausage and egg brioche.
10m 1W FT8 (Tuesday)
My IC-705 was turned on at 1245z.
The cup that cheers
It is true that people in England treat a cup of tea as the answer to everything!
Just think how often have you seen in films the heroine being told, "just have a cup of tea. You'll feel better".
This was our afternoon tea a few days ago.
More history
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Whilst sorting my bookshelf I came across these magazines. Clearly the late 1940s and early 1950s were a golden age in our hobby.
Most people made their own gear or adapted war surplus gear. No credit cards and Japanese transceivers back then. An amateur radio licence really meant something.
If I remember correctly these magazines were bought at Hay-on-Wye some years ago. I used to stop there when I went to stay with my mother in Devon. At a guess I bought them in the late 1990s.
10m FT8 at 1W yesterday
Late in the afternoon I tried 10m FT8 at 1W. It was still spotted all over Europe and as far as South America. I was really trying to run the IC-705 well within its ratings .
History - ZN414 book
The ZN414 was a 3 pinned TRF receiver designed to make a very simple LW or MW broadcast receiver. I think it worked to about 3 MHz.
I think it is still available from other manufacturers in a plastic case. At one time the equivalent was available via GQRP sales. I am not sure if it is still stocked.
As I recall it was used to make a couple of MW receivers for my boys.
28 Jul 2025
10m 5W FT8 (Monday)
My gear was turned on mid-morning.
UPDATE 1040z: 67 stations have spotted me with the furthest 9K2WA (4657km) and I have spotted 44 here.
UPDATE 1641z: 190 stations have spotted me with the furthest FR4OO (9722km). On RX 204 stations have been spotted.
UPDATE 1755z: About 40 minutes ago I decided to reduce power yet again. Since about 1715z it has been at 1W FT8. 19 spots of my 1W 10m FT8.
Memories
He is now almost an adult and as tall as his dad. They grow up all too fast.
472 kHz
With my earth- electrode "antenna" in the ground it has got as far as Finland.
Apart from the last few years I have been on the band every year.
DNA tests?
At least 2 companies have DNA tests with offers ending soon. My daughter in law did one a few years ago and was disappointed to see no mention of her Vietnamese roots a few generations back. And no I don’t think she had a different father as a result of an affair! Her daughter looked very Vietnamese as a young girl.
I am wondering if anyone has experience of these tests?
Out of touch?
Yesterday I was listening to a UK repeater that seemed to be linked to loads of stations by Allstar and Hubnet. I was listening via Echolink. It was good to hear it busy.
It is interesting that I know very little about this branch of amateur radio.
27 Jul 2025
Es going?
At the end of the Es "season" the usual pattern is there are fewer good days and fewer really big days. Es can still occur, but it becomes more sporadic.
In past years I have noticed it opens to the north more, but this is not scientific. I have worked Scandinavians on 6m QRP SSB as late as September with just my vertical omni antenna.
My advice is stick with it, especially 10m and 6m FT8. F2 will be good in the autumn and we might see a few fleeting openings where Es and F2 link up.
10m 5W FT8 (Sunday)
My gear was turned on at about 0836z. At first it was on FM which seemed odd. Then I realised!
UPDATE 0926z: 3 stations have spotted me. As I had received no spots (which I thought was odd) I quickly tried 15m FT8 to confirm everything was OK. 2 spots were soon received on 15m, so I QSYed back to 10m. I am surprised how few people I am seeing on 10m FT8. It is almost as people have QSYed to lower bands now the Es season is going as it's easier. I get the impression that most people are only really interested in working new countries, so 10m would be too hard if you are an"appliance operator".
UPDATE 1134z: 27 stations have spotted me. Es I think.
UPDATE 1540z: 63 stations have spotted me and I have spotted 30 here including North and South America.
Crumble
My wife makes a very good crumble.This one is wild blackberry and apple. It’s delicious with the ice cream.
Vegan "steak" pie
I am sure if I was given a blind test, I would not have been able to tell which was which. It was excellent, but far less expensive.
I shall buy these again.
Heathkits
In my youth these were a way of getting on the air for less by making your own gear.
They were famous for their step-be-step assembly instructions. These days it is less expensive to buy Japanese or Chinese made gear either new or second hand.
I thought Heathkit had died, then I saw a website which had a few products. Compared with Heathkits of old, these were very limited and very expensive. I thought this "rebirth" was doomed to failure. It would appear it still exists, much to my surprise.
Unless they increase their range and drop their prices I just can't see them surviving for long. They must have a very loyal group of supporters.
President Trump's "private" visit to Scotland
It is reported that this visit is accompanied by huge security.
As this is a private visit to his golf courses, shouldn't Mr Trump pick up the security costs? It seems grossly unfair if this has to be done by the Scottish taxpayers.
Instead, why does he not try a bit harder in his quest for a Nobel peace prize by helping to get a lasting peace in the Middle East and the Ukraine?
26 Jul 2025
6m 5W FT8 (Saturday)
My IC-705 at 5W to the vertical omni V2000 antenna has been on since about 0750z.
UPDATE 1953z: 248 stations (mostly in Europe) have spotted me. Plenty of Es I think. On 10m QRP WSPR just 26 stations have spotted me by comparison.
UPDATE 2055z: QRT
Canterbury
End fed halfwave antennas
These antennas are popular as they cover many bands and are easily erected. Especially with high power, RF in the shack can be an issue.
At the end of a halfwave the impedance is high so they are usually fed via a wideband transformer to bring the impedance closer to 50 ohms. Wideband transformers are usually 1:49 or similar. On their harmonics the radiation pattern can be very odd.
They can be useful antennas, but are a compromise.
The Es season
In the northern hemisphere the Es season is drawing to an end. The main season usually runs until about now.
Although Es may occur at any time, it is most common in early summer. My recommendation is to "stick with it" on 6m and 10m Es to expect the unexpected.
UPDATE 0808z: Still plenty of Es I think.
Gaza
The dreadful situation in Gaza appals me. The world agrees that what happened to Israel on October 7th 2023 was totally wrong, but the suffering in Gaza to innocents is on another level.
I am ashamed to be in England allegedly training IDF solders on UK soil and still selling weapons to the state of Israel.
In my view the following should happen:
- An immediate ceasefire.
- Humanitarian aid should be flooded into Gaza by UN agencies, not Israel.
- Press should be immediately allowed to go into Gaza.
- Palestine should be recognised as a country by the UK along side France irrespective of what Israel and the USA say. Enough is enough.
- Israel and its Arab neighbours should acknowledge their rights to live peacefully with their neighbours.
- Until there is a just peace, we should have nothing at all to do with the state of Israel.
- The USA should work for the good of innocents whatever their religion.
Is WSPR suffering to FT8?
Yesterday I was on 10m WSPR with 500mW and 6m FT8 with 5W. Now, WSPR is about 10dB better on weak signals than FT8, so these should be comparable. WSPR needs almost 120 seconds whereas FT8 just 15 seconds. The other variables are the band and antennas.
Overall, I was spotted by far more stations on 6m FT8 than 10m WSPR. My conclusion is that FT8 is far more popular than WSPR.
This is definitely not scientific, just my impression.
UPDATE 0801z: 99 stations have spotted my 6m FT8. None on 10m WSPR.
Kite (bird)
Yesterday, one flew overhead.
Yaesu cashback
Yet again, I see MLS is offering cashback on certain Yaesu rigs. With the discounts, these look good value for money.
UPDATE 1248z: with the cashback the FT710 is well below £1000, whereas the FTX-1 is a stupid price. I my view Yaesu has kicked itself in the shins with the stupid, stupid FTX-1F prices.
I think Yaesu has lost its way.
25 Jul 2025
10m QRP WSPR TX (Friday)
My 500mW WSPR TX beacon was turned on mid afternoon.
UPDATE 1522: 11 stations have spotted me around Europe. This looks like Es.
6m 5W FT8 (Friday)
My IC-705 at 5W to the V2000 vertical omni anenna was turned on at about 1350z.
UPDATE 1608z: 83 stations around Europe have spotted me. Mostly probably Es.
UPDATE 2025z: D2UY (6525km) in Angola is the furthest station spotted here on 6m FT8 RX. On TX, 303 stations, all in Europe have spotted me.
OFCOM, FCC and amateur radio
In the UK, the main authority dealing with amateur radio is OFCOM. I think in the USA it is the FCC. It is noticeable that many of OFCOM's publications are really about raising money.
The feeling I increasingly get is that OFCOM is not really interested in amateur radio. This is probably true of many PTTs around the world.
The impression created is that amateur radio is an embarrassing hangover from past times and they would rather it just went away.
Many times I have said that I suspect PTTs are tiring of amateur radio as it costs them money and creates no revenue.
It would not surprise me if amateur radio was deregulated in many countries.
"NOT amateur radio"
Since I stopped postings to my non amateur radio blog called "Miscellaneous Musings" a few years ago, I have appended "NOT amateur radio" when the posts are not amateur radio related items to this blog. Usually I post several things that are not amateur radio related each week.
I propose to stop adding this to non amateur radio posts in future unless people strongly disagree.
CB - NOT amateur radio
In the USA CB radio started in 1958. In the UK it started in the early 1980s, although several people were involved illegally before then.
In the UK it was very busy at first although I do not think this is the case now, although I have not been on CB for years.
In the USA I have no idea of the situation.
In the early days people came on CB for a number of reasons, many just to chat. These days people can chat for free with video across the world with the internet, so those who came on just for a chat have all but disappeared.
Friday plans
Later, I plan to try again with 500mW 10m WSPR and 6m 5W FT8. The main Es season is drawing to a close.
The boys - NOT amateur radio
They are all taller than me!
24 Jul 2025
AliExpress - unsubscribed
Since purchasing something from them recently I seem to have been added to their mailing list and been bombarded with daily emails. I have now unsubscribed, so hopefully these will stop.
6m 5W FT8 (Thursday)
UPDATE 1951z: 49 stations have spotted me. The furthest is LU2GPB (10405km). See map.
UPDATE 2000z: QRT.
10m QRP WSPR (Thursday)
My 500mW TX beacon was turned on just after lunch. So far, just V51RS (8481km) has spotted me with no signs of Es.
UPDATE 1601z: Just V51 and ZD7 spotting me. No sign of Es. Is this a sign of things changing?
UPDATE 2000z: QRT.
Canterbury market - NOT amateur radio
If we lived here, I am sure we'd shop there.
Thursday plans
After lunch I shall probably go on 10m 500mW WSPR and 6m 5W FT8. After lunch as my younger son is here. We don't see him that often.
The Old Cheese Shop - NOT amateur radio
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