Crystal receivers

This was one area of radio that fascinated me, although I have not explored it recently. At one time, my ambition was to build a crystal set that covered VLF to over 1 GHz with maximum sensitivity. 

Remember, crystal sets are passive receivers generating all their power from the TX. Some designs use the rectified signals from many stations to bias the detector on or to power a small amplifier.

These days there are fewer English language broadcast stations on short wave.

In my time I have received stations from all over the world, not via relays that can be much nearer. I have heard amateur and commercial stations too.

Most crystal sets can copy about 1mV signals, although I expect optimised systems can receive far weaker signals.

There is a page on my website about these.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/crystal-set-dxing

Galloping - NOT amateur radio

 

The horses were seen from the top of a bus last week in Stratford upon Avon, UK.

Father's Day - NOT amateur radio

It may be different across the world, but in the UK it is Father's Day. 

One of my sons bought me some red wine and a special card.

10m 500mW WSPR (Sunday)

 My beacon has been on since breakfast and just spotted by EA1FAQ (1249km).

UPDATE 2053z: Also spotted by V51RS (8481km).

6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

My 5W FT8 was turned on at about 0645z.

UPDATE 2051z:   My 5W 6m FT8 has been spotted by 122 stations around Europe and the Canary Is..

Sunspots - Sunday June 15th

 Solar flux is 151 and the SSN 136.  A=24 and K=2.

Trains - NOT amateur radio

This was part of a photo on 365project.org earlier. 

Apparently the North York Moors Railway (a private preserved railway in the UK, usually steam) has a diesel weekend.

10m 500mW WSPR TX

My QRP 10m WSPR beacon has been on since 1115z.

UPDATE 1232z:  No spots of me. I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that 10m WSPR is rarely worth the effort.

UPDATE 1341z: Just EA1FAQ (1249km) spotting me today.

UPDATE 1850z:  13 stations spotting me around Europe.  WSPR gets me spotted around the planet, but I always get far more spots on 6m FT8. I get the feeling that if the noise floor is poor it is harder for the RXing station with WSPR. Signals are buried deeper in the noise. QRT soon.

6m 5W FT8 (Saturday)

My gear was turned on at about 1115z. 

Stations spotting me

UPDATE 1853z: Spotted by 255 stations. 282 stations spotted here on RX. See map for stations spotting my QRP. Most look like Es. Furthermost on RX is OD5KU (3468km).

UPDATE 2108z:  On 6m FT8 RX D2UY (6525km) and many stations in Florida spotted here. Now QRT.

Seen on our walk earlier - NOT amateur radio

These flowers were seen on our walk around the village earlier.