My 2013 stroke left me outwardly looking fine, but it has had a lasting impact on me. Before I was quite active and healthy, but these days things are far harder.
In many ways I am more fortunate than many. My voice is poor and driving, and being driven, is far harder. A few years ago I could drive 300 miles to Devon. Even 10 miles is hard these days.
As an experiment I tried to join the CDARC (Cambridge club) 80m net this morning with my 2.5W and the earth-electrode antenna. Although I had no problem hearing people, I could not be heard. My noise level is very low on this antenna, but I needed more power to overcome noise others were probably suffering.
The SWR is too high for the auto-ATU on my FT991A. It just says "High VSWR" and gives up. On the FT817ND it works fine.
Often the skies are amazing and the land watery. My wife took this photo a few days ago.
One of my ideas is for an ultra simple crystal controlled FT8 transceiver for 10m probably. Another option is 15m. Crystals can be quite expensive, but bought in quantity the price comes way down.
My health rather precludes me designing and building one these days, but I would be more than happy to share my ideas with anyone who could take this on seriously. Ideally, a PCB could be made as a simple kit.
In my mind this could be a really simple rig that would be able to work the world very soon once 10m really gets going. Don't forget that 10m is always good in the Es season at any part of the solar cycle. Even very low power FT8 would get all across the world. 10m is an excellent band with small antennas and QRP. I can imagine such rigs being incredibly simple and low cost. In this version I used a 2N3866 PA, but I would use paralleled 2N3904s as these are far less expensive. For greater TX power, further 2N3904s PAs could be paralleled with low value emitter resistors. This is a very low cost way of getting useful output.
Very few controls are necessary, probably none! It would need a BNC connector and probably something to show it is on RX or TX. I can imagine it fitting in a low cost, small, plastic box.
QRPguys are offering something similar on lower frequencies. Maybe they will offer higher frequencies later as the sunspot cycle gathers pace?
See https://qrpguys.com/ .
UPDATE 2020z: Steve G1KQH has told me of some low cost crystals that would certainly work: https://kc9on.com/product/14mhz-hc49u-tall-crystals/
156 stations in 9 countries spotted by teatime.
UPDATE 2250z: QRT.
Being on Zoom, speakers can be anywhere and this time the speaker was in Canada!
I like Zoom talks as these can be seen all over the world. As well as the speaker, there was someone else in Canada taking part I believe.
Zoom has surprised me. By sharing the screen, slides can be seen as easily as in a room. Also, all taking part can chat, by video or just mic if they prefer to wear their bedclothes!
