Celebrating our son’s birthday - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday we celebrated our son’s birthday. This was my main course.

Sunspots - Tuesday April 23rd

  Solar flux is 227 and the SSN 283. A=8 and K=2.

Pixie transceivers

These are still available at rock bottom prices on eBay. 

I have built versions for 80m amd 40m and had QSOs with each. With something this simple there are compromises. The RX, in some cases, lacks selectivity and can be overloaded by strong broadcast  stations. Nonetheless they do work and they are hard to beat for the price.

The cheapest I have seen is £1.35, which is less than the price of just 1 part if bought in the UK!

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/8040m-pixie-and-micro80-transceivers .

Spring in our close - NOT amateur radio

 Spring has arrived in our close.

How do they do it?

Looking on Ali-Express, they sell a Quasheng uv-k5 (8) dual band 5W hand portable for £13.51, with free airmail shipping. 

Both Ali-Express and the original manufacturer, I presume, make a profit!  

I just cannot see how they do it. It is made in the Far East, shipped by air across the planet and easily cloned I am told.

Sunspots - Monday April 22nd

 Solar flux is 217 and the SSN 283. A=19 and K=2.

Ickworth NT last week - NOT amateur radio

 

This is the famous rotunda with wild flowers in the forground.

8m ISM WSPR (Sunday)

Shortly, I shall be turning on my 10mW ERP  8m WSPR under ISM rules on 40.680MHz USB dial. 

This means my QRPP WSPR will be about 1450Hz higher. I am not really expecting any spots as I have yet to sort out my antenna. 

I shall ask locals to check I am getting out.

UPDATE 1436z:  No spots.

10m 500uW (0.5mW) WSPR (Sunday)

My QRPP beacon has been re-synced to Internet time, but no spots yet.

UPDATE 1437z: EA8BFK (2880km) has spotted my 500uW 10m WSPR 10 times so far today.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

12 stations spotted my 10mW ERP on 630m WSPR overnight. No real DX.