Back from holiday - NOT amateur radio

As you can see I have returned from a week in Corfu on holiday. Although I had some internet, I was unable to update the blog, so I missed the last week. If previous "absences" are anything to go by, it takes several days before people notice I am back. At this time of year Corfu starts to cool down a bit. It was still  hot and sunny most of the time but we did have a few storms. Corfu is among the greenest of the Greek islands with views that are truly great, although I still think the South Hams beats them all.

South America yet again on 10m JT65

CE3GDR in Chile was spotted on 10m JT65 earlier. I have now gone QRT and disconnected all plugs and antennas as there could be thunderstorms later.

Blog posts unlikely for a week - NOT amateur radio

Although the house is occupied, it is probable that I will not have internet for about 7 days. So, if no posts appear, don't panic! If things go to plan I should be blogging again around Sept 23rd or 24th.

10m Es

With modes like JT65, it is possible to find out what 10m is doing, almost in the background. For example, today has seen Es spots from 3 countries despite running QRP to a relatively poor antenna. If this was SSB, these openings would probably have been missed. We are now well outside the main Es season yet 10m still shows that Europe is workable on very many days. I have copied South America on 10m JT65 many times in recent weeks. No, JT65 is proving very useful on a so-called "dead" band.

"In the midst of life...." - NOT amateur radio

"In the midst of life we are in death" - so goes the famous saying. Recently I have been made aware of this more than before with another of my university friends dying from cancer. I expect this is an age thing with more of my own generation dying. In the meantime,we must all milk life like Dame Sarah Storey at the Paralympics. She is the daughter of a university friend.

My son Tim Lapthorn is raising money for cancer research. If you are able, please support this good cause by giving just a little.  Every little helps.

See https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Tim-Lapthorn-dryathlete2016

"Media vita in morte sumus ; quem quaerimus adjutorem, nisi te Domine, qui pro peccatis nostris juste irasceris? Sancte Deus, sancte fortis, sancte et misericors Salvator, amarae morti ne tradas nos."

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

Sunspots and 10m - Thursday September 15th 2016

Solar flux is 84 today and the sunspot number 24. K=2. The forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor". There is a little 10m Es.

QRP 10m JT65 only

Today, I am just on 10m JT65 only using 2W. I have just been spotted by IZ0AIS (1506km) by Es. I am afraid 6m JT65 and 10m WSPR will have to wait for a different day. I am still using WSJT-X V1.6, although I gather there is now a V1.7 out.

QSYed - now on QRP 10m JT65

As on previous days, I have gone QRT on 6m JT65 and 10m WSPR and am just on 10m JT65 (2W) hoping for some South American spots later. Already I have had an Es spot from Germany by DO4CP (915km).

UPDATE 2106z: At the moment, a couple of spots from South America this evening, but as yet no-one there has spotted me from South America.

Pye Telecom - NOT amateur radio

http://www.pyetelecomhistory.org/prodhist/portables/chiefexec/jan31-2005-0020-800p.jpg

Please note the picture above is at the Pye Telecom History Site and NOT on this blog. The link will be removed if a problem. This link may not work with https links to this blog.
My first job was with Pye Telecom in 1970 in the Portables Lab. I had to put 12.5kHz channel spacing into the PF1 receiver. My boss was a John McLean and his boss was, now SK, Mike Gotch (later G0IMG). At the time I did not know that Mike was interested in amateur radio. In his latter years he was keen on 10m and 6m.

The 2 unit PF1's sold in good volumes to the UK police. These were the first common UHF portables in the world.  A few specials were made for chief constables and the like.

Work was very different then! These days people would not get away with what we did back then. There was very little competition and work was easy.

Sepura - NOT amateur radio

Since a profits warning earlier in the spring, Sepura share have tumbled. This was my old company before I retired in 2008. Nowadays I have no connections with the place. These days the shares are probably well undervalued. There have been takeover rumours which would probably mean a change in top management.