The 200mW beacon was turned on at about 1900z.
UPDATE 1948z: Many spots of me by EA8BFK (2880km). At the peak I had about 28dB in hand!
12 May 2026
Fiddling as Rome burns?
In the UK there is a debate about whether the Prime Minister should be replaced. To me this seems like "fiddling as Rome burns".
Within 12 months we could have rationing of some foodstuffs and fuel, and live in a world that is radically different.
With Ukraine, Iran, Gaza, Taiwan, Sudan etc, not forgetting climate change and a widening gap between rich and poor, the world has a great deal to think about and act upon.
Government Bonds
Government debt is financed by investors putting money in government bonds. These are usually considered a safe haven with a certain yield over a given period.
The trouble is currently interest rates are much higher than a few years ago, so governments have to pay a large amount of their budget on servicing this debt as is the case in the USA and UK.
The danger is foreign investors think twice about buying this debt in the future.
At the moment the US $ is the world's reserve currency. For how much longer?
8m FT8 RX (Tuesday)
Once again, I am monitoring 8m FT8.
UPDATE 1206z: No spots. This will probably be my last day concentrating on 8m FT8. I am disappointed in 8m activity.
UPDATE 1822z: Just EA3ERE (1153km) spotted. QRT soon.
11 May 2026
8m FT8 RX (Monday)
Although I no longer hold a UK TX permit for 8m, I still monitor 8m FT8 from time to time.
I am monitoring today.
UPDATE 1308z: Just G8VER (64km) spotted.
Friedrichshafen
In late June is the big German exhibition, which I think is the biggest amateur radio gathering outside of the USA. I have never been.
UK politics
In the last week we have had several English council elections as well as elections to the devolved parliaments in Wales and Scotland.
One thing is clear: people want a change.
We are seeing the end of the 2 ruling parties (Labour and Conservatives) that have governed the UK for about 100 years. The parties coming to the fore are Reform and the Greens.
Often, local elections are protest votes against the ruling party.
Reform is on the right politically whereas the Greens are on the left.
Reform has a charismatic leader. Sadly, the current Prime Minister, is a principled man, but not very charismatic. I suspect Reform would be badly affected if anything happened to Nigel Farage.
Kaliningrad
This is an isolated part of Russia bordering the Baltic. Lithuania is stopping transit across its territory because of EU sanctions. Russia is unhappy but knows Lithuania is in NATO.
Joe Blogs
This is an analysis of the world economy yesterday. Worrying. I think President Trump has made a huge mistake and the world will not forget.
70cm FM FM321
This must have been in the 1980s and some excellent simplex QSOs on 70cm FM were made. Often 70cm opened up when 2m did not.
It was one of the first (if not the very first) synthesised rigs.
K9YA Telegraph has a USA advert on its FaceBook page.
10 May 2026
10m 200mW WSPR (Sunday)
At about 1540z I switched to 10m WSPR.
UPDATE 1728z: One spot from a station in Kenya I presume by F2. One European spot by Es (I think). EA8BFK (2880km) could be F2 or Es.
UPDATE 1954z: 16 stations have spotted me.
Granddaughter
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All the grandchildren are growing up (too) fast!
Es in full swing
This morning, I am on 10m 3W FT8. It is clear, with lots of spots on TX and RX, that the Es season is well underway.
UPDATE 1640z: 184 stations spotted here on RX and I have been spotted by 112 stations.
Wetherspoons
In the UK, this is a popular pub chain selling food. It is low cost and often gets a bad press. I stayed at a Wetherspoons in central Salisbury and was impressed by the accommodation, food and location.
I see from this video that the presenter was also impressed with this Wetherspoons in London.
Just because it is low cost do not write it off.
See https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/
Another new transceiver
This VHF/UHF transceiver is being sold by Moonraker in the UK. I see that some other dealers are selling it too. Are they linked up?
This news came to me via Steve G1KQH.
Declining sunspot numbers and solar flux
This is just a reminder that the downwards slope of the solar cycle is usually much gentler than the climb to the next maximum.
This means the higher HF bands remain good for quite a while after the maximum.
Just a reminder, I have worked South America right at the solar minimum on QRP (10W) 10m SSB with simple wire antennas. Never give up!
The MUF is often higher on N-S paths. Occasionally you get Es linking with F2 nearer the equator.
Hamvention next weekend
A reminder that next weekend sees the Hamvention in Ohio, USA. This is, I think, the biggest amateur radio gathering on the planet.
It is often the place where new radios are seen for the first time. Often these are very early prototypes to test the market.
I have never been and probably never will now.
9 May 2026
Very old videos
Some of these have been colourised in part. I hope they are genuine. They look as if they are real.
No mow May
Some cut their lawns around the edge, but leave the middle to grow. This way lawns look still tended.
The photo shows the green in our close this morning. I hope it is not cut.
10m 200mW WSPR (Saturday)
My beacon was turned on at 0528z.
UPDATE 0959z: 5 stations have spotted me this morning. See map by VK7JJ of WSPR Rocks.
AI
Yesterday I asked Google AI (Gemini?) about G3XBM. To my surprise it was accurate. Previous attempts have often included mistakes. I guess in the last few years AI must have improved.
Where will AI be in another 10 years?
8 May 2026
UK politics
At the moment in the UK we are in the middle of council elections in some parts of England and elections for the devolved governments in Wales and Scotland. The latter two have only just started counting.
Results in England so far suggest people are turning away for the two parties that have traditionally been in power for about 100 years.
Instead people are turning to Reform, the Greens and Liberal Democrats. Reform is generally considered more right wing than the Conservatives, whereas the Liberal Democrats and Greens are more left leaning.
Often these elections are seen as a protest vote, but we do seem to be seeing a swing in how people vote.
10m 200mW WSPR TX (Friday)
UPDATE 2020z: 13 stations spotted me, presumably Es. See table. Now QRT.
Iran
There is little doubt that this war has not gone as President Trump expected.
I am sure now that he wished he had not started it and his popularity at home and across the world has dropped.
The USA was once considered a beacon of democracy, but not anymore. The damage done to the reputation of the USA could last generations.
The joys of homebrewing
This video is several years old. The message is clear: don't be afraid to "roll your own". It may not work first time and you may have to find out why. There are a whole variety of things you can try.
Speaking from personal experience, start with something simple. This is more likely to work first time. If not, it will be easier to find out why.
Overall, have fun!! It is much more satisfying than "flashing the cash".
King's College Chapel, Cambridge, UK
Living near Cambridge we can see all this for nothing, every day if we want.
It is all too easy to take this for granted, but we do not.
Often when we go away we comment on how good the place is.
Then we joke that we must go to a nice place called Cambridge sometime!! I suppose we could even be back for lunch!
10m 200mW WSPR yesterday
You can tell we are now in the Es season with 25 (mostly European) stations spotting me yesterday.
I like 10m WSPR as I just switch it on and observe elsewhere in the house by looking at WSPRnet.
In the last 12 hours 21 stations have spotted my 200mW! See chart.
First swifts seen
They are back from Africa, but stop just long enough to breed, i.e. just a few months. By mid July most have gone south again until next spring.
Often they are heard before they are seen. They scream around the sky in feeding parties.
7 May 2026
10m 3W FT8 (Thursday)
Very briefly, I went on 10m 3W FT8 just after breakfast, although I have been on 10m WSPR most of the day including now. It is evident that we are now in the Es season.
Trump and Times Radio
It appears President Trump thinks a peace deal in Iran is very close.
I seem to remember he said he could stop the Ukraine war (sorry special military operation) in 24 hours. Four years later we are still waiting....
Politics is complicated and advisors advise for a reason.
What is the best entry level HF transceiver?
People often question what HF transceiver is the best to buy at entry level. Now the IC7300 is available as a Mk2, the Mk1, which has sold over 100k units worldwide, is available readily on the second hand market.
10m 200mW WSPR (Thursday)
Most of the day I have been on 10m WSPR TX.
UPDATE 1725z: 16 stations have spotted me, mostly European by Es. Furthest is 4X1DA (3592km). See map.
6 May 2026
10m 200mW WSPR (Wednesday)
At about 1905z, I went on 10m WSPR. It is probably too late.
UPDATE 2004z: No spots.
Iran
It seems to me that this asymmetric war is going nowhere. The best outcome would be de-escalation and a face-saving deal in which both sides feel they have won. The USA clearly has the military might. Iran has the drones.
10m 3W FT8 (Wednesday)
UPDATE 1928z: Spotted 144 stations here. See map. Now QRT.
5 May 2026
2m activity contest
Running 10W to a big-wheel omni antenna I worked a couple of stations at decent distances. Because of my poor voice I only stayed on for under 30 minutes, as usual, this evening .
WSPR and FT8
In the Northern Hemisphere we are now, once again, in the Es season.
My main activity is 10m QRP WSPR and 6m QRP FT8.
Although I do not claim anything scientific, my impression is that FT8 is now more popular than WSPR. Although WSPR works with far weaker signals, this is less important with Es where signals can be very strong and fleeting.
I have not tried FT4 or FT2. Also WSPR needs about 120 seconds TX, whereas FT8 needs just 15 seconds.
Plan ahea.....d?
The war in Iran seems to be, allegedly, without a plan of how it might end.
It is clear that fuel prices across the world have dramatically increased and it is very likely inflation will go up.
In my view, we have seen nothing yet with jet fuel and diesel running short.
Far worse impacts are possible.
Always listen to experts!
10m 200mW WSPR (Tuesday)
My beacon was turned on at about 1015z.
UPDATE 1405z: Just OH6BG (1718km) spotting me.
6m 5W FT8 (Tuesday)
UPDATE 1407z: 17 spots of me, many by Es. See map. 21 stations spotted here.
Is 8m "going off the boil"?
As many know, I held a UK TX permit for the band getting all over the world with just a few watts and a low wire dipole. I was considering getting a new permit, despite the £50 price tag for the pleasure. In the end I decided not to bother, but to concentrate on 10m and 6m instead.
As the sunspot numbers decline, I reasoned that radio science, and me, would learn nothing new.
Also, I was extremely disappointed by the very negative attitude of many PTTs, when even temporary access to the band around sunspot maximum could have taught us so much. It is, arguably, too late now.
Faroe Islands
One of my friends on 365project lives in the Faroe Islands. This far north it must be cold and dark in winter and the days short. This is one of his photos.
Oscar 100
Periodically I give an update on the narrow-band transponder of this geosynchronous satellite. Sadly, activity on a Monday in a European evening, was still very low.
4 May 2026
What a mess
News from the Middle East is confusing if nothing else.
The USA claims 2 merchant ships have passed the Strait of Hormuz whereas Iran flatly denies this! In the fog of war we cannot know who is true at the time of writing.
This much is certain. The impact on the world economy is immense. Even if the war stopped tomorrow, it could take a long time (years?) to recover. The USA does not want Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon. Arguably, the USA is a declining world power and China is growing.
Are we at a tipping point in electric cars?
It seems to me we are nearing a "tipping point" in electric cars. The recent war in the Middle East may have concentrated minds, but battery technologies have moved ahead at a breathtaking pace. If we are not there now we very soon will be.
These days I do not do many miles in the car. Even I have considered an EV for the first time. The days when range was a real issue, as was charging time, are behind us and EV cars no longer need rare earth materials like lithium.
ICOM portables
In the late 20th century, ICOM produced a range of VHF and UHF portables, that worked on SSB and CW. Their style was very military.
I owned the IC202 which covered 200kHz on 2m using a very clever VXO. Using a home-designed transverter it worked the world with 1W SSB on 10m with simple wire dipoles or a CB vertical.
On 2m it worked some amazing DX handheld using just the whip on the rig.
6m 5W FT8 (Monday)
My gear has been on since just before breakfast.
UPDATE 0830z: Mostly English stations spotting me with just one in Austria. Currently RX only.
10m 200mW WSPR (Monday)
My beacon was turned on before breakfast.
UPDATE 0816z: No spots.
UPDATE 1422z: Spotted 4 times by IW0RQJ (1379km). I assume this was Es. Also spotted by EA8BFK (2880km) and this could be F2.
UPDATE 1507z: Now being spotted in Israel. See table.
3 May 2026
6m 5W FT8 (Sunday)
As the V2000 is available, I am on 6m 5W FT8 from 0938z.
UPDATE 1113z: 35 stations are spotting me. Now RX only. Clearly some Es!
UPDATE 1856z: Back on TX again. Just English spots.
UPDATE 1954z: QRT.
10m 200mW WSPR (Sunday)
At 0937z I went on 10m QRP WSPR TX.
UPDATE 1116z: Spotted by 7 stations with the best OH6BG (1718km).
UPDATE 2200z: Now QRT. We are now clearly in the Es season as lots of European spots today.
Iran war latest
To me, it would appear that the USA is looking to exit the Iran war believing it has won. Clearly in this asymmetric war Iran has emerged stronger than many expected. The damage to the world is immense.
10m 3W FT8 (Sunday)
My gear was turned on at 0540z.
UPDATE 0922z: 10 spots of me and I have spotted 23. Clear signs of Es now. Currently RX only.
2 May 2026
Bedroom view
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There are signs of new life everywhere.
10m 200mW WSPR (Saturday)
My beacon was turned on just after breakfast.
UPDATE 1942z: No spots of me today. Now QRT.
1 May 2026
MLS prices
Just now I opened the MLS email. Even a second hand FTX1-field was £1099!!! It's amazing how expensive some gear now is.
Now, each to their own and it is up to you to decide how you spend your money. It is worth remembering that lots of fun can be had for far less!
End-fed antennas
These are very popular antennas as they cover many bands and are fed from the end making them ideal for /P operation.
As the end of the wire is often a very high impedance a transformer is needed to reduce this to closer to 50 ohms.
I see there is a new video about an end fed long wire on the DX Explorer video channel.
10m 200mW WSPR (Friday)
My beacon was turned on just before breakfast.
UPDATE 0957z: Lots of spots of me by EA8BFK (2880km). Some are very strong with 19dB variation between the strongest and weakest report. Even the weakest has about 13dB in hand.
Revolution coming?
Probably after I am pushing up daisies, I can see revolutions occurring in many western nations.
The gap between rich and poor is generally widening and at some point this is due for a correction.
In my view, people may flirt with right wing parties, see they do not provide the answers and then swing to the left, seeing that the very rich getting richer still and the poor poorer still is basically wrong.
I hope this occurs peacefully.
Overall, societies have to be fair and just, with everyone able to do their best.
30 Apr 2026
Restoring the Heathkit HW8 transceiver
At one time the Heathkit HW8 QRP CW transceiver was very popular. This video is about restoring one.
Iran war
This has the potential to be the worst crisis since WW2.
It is clear this crisis is far from over and the Strait of Hormuz remains a pinch point. In my view this war was entered without a clear exit plan.
Oil prices and inflation are likely to remain high. In my view things could get far worse.
Sunny village
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This week we’ve generally enjoyed good weather. This was outside our Post Office yesterday.
ICOM X-026
ICOM announced that they will be showing their concept model transceiver at the Dayton Hamvention.
So far all that has appeared from ICOM is a ghostly video. In truth, I think it is some way off production and they are testing the interest. Some speculate that it is a "shack in the box" replacement for the IC706 range covering HF, VHF and UHF but with a head unit that is remotely connected wirelessly via bluetooth or wifi.
The truth is we just don't know. One thing is certain, this could really hit the Yaesu FTX1 range. In my view the FTX1 is a poor second and shows Yaesu is now a (poor) follower.
10m 200mW WSPR (Thursday)
My beacon was turned on at about 0545z.
UPDATE 1630z: 4 stations have spotted me with the best DP0GVN (13685km) in Antarctica.
Pembrokeshire, West Wales
She enjoys walking!
There are lots of wild flowers out.
Christ's Pieces, Cambridge, UK
It is a wonderful space for a picnic in good weather, such as we have had this week.
29 Apr 2026
Es (sporadic E) - not yet?
In the northern hemisphere Es usually brings good short skip on 10m, 6m and 4m. Occasionally it even reaches 2m, but this is rare.
At the moment it doesn't seem to have properly arrived. I guess it might appear sporadically, but the main months are May, June and July.
If we are lucky far further is possible by chordal or multi-hop E layer propagation or Es linking with F2 further south.
Amateur radio - as it was?
This video is very USA based. Sadly, its message is true almost everywhere. I think amateur radio, as we knew it, is dying. It might stagger on in my lifetime, but times are changing. The magic it once was is no longer magic.
10m 200mW WSPR (Wednesday)
My beacon was turned on at breakfast.
UPDATE 0932z: 4X1DA (3592km) in Israel spotting me.
UPDATE 1115z: Spotted by TA4/G8SCU (3011km) in Turkey and 4X1DA. Occasionally, the drift seen is very high. I wonder if this is the reflection patch moving?
Surprise visitor
It calmly sat on his hand and flew out the other window when opened.
Corvids are very intelligent.
Watchful eyes for swifts
I am ever hopeful I'll see one in East Anglia, UK in April. My son just has!
UPDATE 0915z: Whilst walking with my wife to the hairdressers I was observing the sky for about an hour. Sadly, no swifts seen.
28 Apr 2026
49MHz
In many countries the 49MHz band is allocated to low power devices such as baby alarms and toy walkie-talkies licence-free as long as they are 10mW or below.
Next door's lilac
Our ornamental cherry was in blossom for about 2 weeks. Now it has gone until next year.
10m 200mW WSPR (Tuesday)
My beacon has been on since before breakfast.
UPDATE 0900z: Just TA4/G8SCU (3010km) spotting me.
UPDATE 0953z: Spotted by 2 stations with the best 4X1DA (3592km).
27 Apr 2026
Weather in April
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April is an odd month in the UK. Some days can be hot and sunny, whereas other days can be cold and wet.
No wonder we like to talk about the weather in the UK! This was this day some years ago, whereas today it is very sunny.
10m 3W FT8 (Monday)
UPDATE 1133z: Spotted by 4 stations. Currently RX only with 34 stations spotted in 4 continents.
UPDATE 1557z: 67 stations spotted here on RX. See map.
VLF earth mode
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Many years ago I did quite a bit of experimenting below 10kHz. This was reception of G6ALB at 3km on 8.97kHz. I think he was running about 40W. This was 2011.
See https://sites.google.com/site/sub9khz/vlf-using-earth-mode.
Windmill next door
Several times I have mentioned that we live right next door to a fully restored windmill. It is usually open (along with the museum it is next to) from Easter to late October at weekends and bank holidays. It is well worth a visit.
Our hedge is at the front of the photo. That's how close we are!
26 Apr 2026
Tea in the garden
Yesterday was the first time we could have tea in the garden. It was warm and sunny. It should be similar today.
FAST or China's Sky Eye
This news came to me via Amateur Radio Weekly.
Some years ago the huge radio telescope at Arecibo in Puerto Rico failed terminally when some of its cables broke. It is not going to be repaired.
China has built a larger and more sensitive dish in a project called FAST. I had no idea about this. As far as I can tell, it puts China far ahead of the USA in space exploration. It is built in a remote region of China and has a radio-quiet area of 5km around the dish. It can detect very weak signals, far weaker than those that could be detected at Arecibo.
10m 3W FT8 (Sunday)
Today, I am on 10m 3W FT8.
UPDATE 0802z: 4 English spots of me and I have spotted 6 stations here today.
UPDATE 1040z: Back on TX again with my best spot by V51F (8209km) in Namibia. 29 stations spotted here on RX.
UPDATE 1329z: RX only again. 75 stations spotted here. See map.
UPDATE 2013z: RX only currently. 145 stations spotted here. QRT soon.
Are we heading for an economic crash?
It seems highly likely we could be heading for a market crash worldwide. Anything that depends on share values could be affected. Even the Bank of England is firing warning shots.
25 Apr 2026
New ICOM mobile transceiver?
Hamvention is now only a few weeks away. It is often the place where new rigs are announced. ICOM has announced a new concept model called the X-026 which may be an HF/VHF/UHF mobile transceiver although details are sketchy. Often these annoucements pre-date release by some time.
10m 3W FT8 (Saturday)
My gear was turned on mid-morning.
UPDATE 1451z: 23 stations have spotted me with the best UA9MA (4600km). 44 stations have been spotted here. Currently RX only.
Four Quartets - T.S.Eliot
A friend of mine bought me this in 1968. I have never forgotten this and I still have it and treasure it. One of the recurring themes is time. This is an extract.
"Through the unknown, remembered gate
When the last of earth left to discover
Is that which was the beginning;
At the source of the longest river
The voice of the hidden waterfall
And the children in the apple-tree
Not known, because not looked for
But heard, half-heard, in the stillness
Between two waves of the sea.
Quick now, here, now, always—
A condition of complete simplicity
(Costing not less than everything)
And all shall be well and
All manner of thing shall be well
When the tongues of flame are in-folded
Into the crowned knot of fire
And the fire and the rose are one."
24 Apr 2026
Does President Trump have an off-ramp?
Certainly it is not clear to me who has won in Iran. President Trump claims victory. So does Iran.
10m 3W FT8 (Friday)
My gear was turned on at about 0755z.
UPDATE 1355z: 90 stations spotted here. 8 stations have spotted me. See map of stations spotting me.
Antony Gormley statue
In the bowels of the cathedral in the crypt, where it often floods, is a statue by Antony Gormley.
When I was there, there was some water, enough to see reflections. Sometimes the water is far higher.
23 Apr 2026
The Trump Report
One of the affects of the Iran war is higher fuel costs across the world with the price of oil shooting up. This also adversely impacts consumers in the USA and helps Putin fight his war in Ukraine.
Winchester Cathedral
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At one time it was the capital of England.
10m 3W FT8 (Thursday)
Since returning from a few days in Winchester, I turned on my 10m FT8 gear.
UPDATE 1935z: Spotted by 6 stations all in the UK. Now QRT.
22 Apr 2026
Lyrids meteor shower
This meteor shower peaks tonight. Hopefully there will be some VHF propagation by MS saw a result.
21 Apr 2026
20 Apr 2026
Big VHF/UHF signal
When I first came to Cambridge in the early 1970s G8BBB (later G4BEL) was a massive signal from about 10km away.
He had an excellent takeoff to the south and was very well known. He was the first station I ever copied on 23cm using my tiny indoor 4el yagi smaller than my hand!!
We miss you Roger.
QRP? Life's too short?
This "tongue in cheek" video pokes fun at people who don't believe QRP really works! Certainly with POTA operations a few watts seem plenty. Another later video does it will SSB.
19 Apr 2026
10m 2W FT8 (Sunday)
My gear was turned at about 1100z.
UPDATE 1118z: 2 English stations have spotted me and 3 stations spotted here on RX.
Running QRP
Some say life is too short for QRP.
There is no doubt that running high power to a beam will be copied more often than QRP. It will also break pile-ups more easily.
However, running QRP is often much better than you might think as this video shows.
The difference by ear between high power and QRP is often much smaller than you think. Try it! In another video he tries it with SSB.
18 Apr 2026
The nature of time
Our brains have limited size and to most people time is a mystery. Certainly my experience is that time passes faster as we get older. Some believe in some sort of life carrying on after we die. I remain agnostic.
It would be great to be able to experience again some of the good things in our lives. This brings to mind the famous poem called "A Shropshire Lad" by A.E. Housman.
Into my heart an air that kills
From yon far country blows;
What are those blue remembered hills,
What spires, what farms are those?
That is the land of lost content,
I see it shining plain,
The happy highways where I went
And cannot come again.
I think this was written overseas, knowing the beloved country of his birth would not be seen again, except in memory.
10m 2.5W FT8 (Saturday)
After a brire period on TX around breakfast (2 English stations spotted me), I am RX only.
UPDATE 0736z: Just I UK stations spotted in G0FWX (135km).
UPDATE 2000z: 23 stations spotted here today. Now QRT.
Frontline for Times Radio
There are rumours that Russia is looking for an off-ramp in the war against Ukraine. Time will tell. Will Crimea go back to Ukraine?
17 Apr 2026
Pirate?- I think so!
At totally the wrong time of day and an unbelievable strength, I was supposed to have spotted a station in North Korea on 10m FT8 RX.
I think we can assume this was a pirate, probably in Europe.
Little things please little minds.
Punting on the Cam
When people come to Cambridge, UK they often like to go on the River Cam in a punt. Even better is to be gently punted by a guide whilst you sip a glass of Pimm's. There are even punts selling Pimm's!
QMX from QRP Labs
This is a tiny transceiver that now includes SSB. Many are using it for SOTA and POTA activations.
Where are they?
For a long time now, they have not been seen.
Apparently these introduced birds were bred and released a few miles away, but this has now stopped.
Trump Report
Some think President Trump was insane to go to war with Iran. Many were upset by some of his "falling out" with the Pope. Many in the MAGA movement want him not to get involved in foreign wars and concentrate instead on the USA.
Solid state batteries?
A lot of excitement (and incredulity!) was created at CES26 when a small start-up company announced it had created a sold-state battery with amazing claims.
Many just don't believe it, when huge companies with massive manpower and investment have failed. They also claim the battery does not use lithium!
Since then, they have been using an independent lab to carry out a series of "drip feed" tests. The only real test will be a tear-down of an actual production battery. If solid state batteries with enormous ranges come to market soon, this could be truly trasformational.
If true, many would be interested in the IP. Tests so far suggest it is indeed a solid state battery. I think "the jury is still out" although we should soon know.
10m 2W/3W FT8 (Friday)
UPDATE 0810z: Just spotted by just one local. Nobody spotted here on RX.
UPDATE 1101z: Increased the power slightly to 3W and back on TX. I have been RX only most of the morning, but still no stations on RX. 2 stations have spotted me with one in Denmark.
UPDATE 1825z: Spotted by 11 stations (see map) and 28 stations spotted here. QRT soon.
15m 5W FT8 yesterday
Yesterday I spotted 198 stations on 15m FT8.
At the moment we seem to be between pretty good winter F2 conditions and the Es season.
It looks like people have started to move lower in frequency to chase DX.
16 Apr 2026
15m 5W FT8 (Thursday)
After a very brief TX period (no spots - RF feedback from the end-fed?), I am RX only on 15m FT8.
Although things are better on 15m, I am still convinced that conditions are not great. So far, just 14 stations spotted . See map.
UPDATE 1750z: 147 stations spotted here.
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