Haha, someone tuned a bowl of Custard and made some FT8 QSOs: https://michaelcullen.name/2019/04/custard-antenna/

#hamradio #amateurradio #custard

This looks like a cool way to prototype using SMD parts: https://www.g8jnj.net/SMD%20PCB.png

He’s using kapton tape stuck on a PCB as a heat-proof mask, then sticking copper tape on top of that to make interconnects.

This gem popped up on RSGBTech in the midst of a discussion of the current Amateur Radio exams! https://groups.io/login?r=%2Fg%2FRSGBTechnical%2Fmessage%2F48564

#electronics #hamradio #amateurradio

Boldport has a promotion on: https://twitter.com/boldport/status/1120700108524404736

Presumably this is part of the switch away from monthly subs that some of us discussed here last year ( https://boldport.com/blog/2018/10/18/boldport-club-is-changing)

#electronics

K1JT has just announced FT4, a new mode for digital contesting. Initial release in a week. Interesting stuff, it’s 2.5× faster than FT8 and super sensitive. https://sourceforge.net/p/wsjt/mailman/message/36646405/ (Let the hating begin!)

Docs @ http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/FT4_Protocol.pdf

#amateurradio #hamradio #ft8

… and plenty of grumpy old man moaning already 😀

Not seen any “it’s not real radio” yet, but it’s only a matter of time.

Spent a while yesterday receiving SSTV images on 20m (14.230 MHz), some pretty scary and really interesting.

I don’t think anyone would deny that it’s a pretty weird way to communicate, super fun though. Next I need to work out how to TX with qsstv (but first, family stuff)!

#hamradio #amateurradio #sstv

The website layout is a little confusing, but this SWR analyser and WSPR TX looks fun: http://jackdev23.wixsite.com/iw2ndh-swr-analyzer

Out of stock but usually ~ €50 plus shipping, so not bad!

I also keep seeing people mention http://sp3nyr.itserwer.pl/index.php/arduino-swr-scanner and N1201SA a lot too. Lots of interesting (low cost?) options based on lots of platforms.

#hamradio #amateurradio #swr

No signs of ISS passes for me for a while, but the latest SSTV even is starting shortly: https://ariss-sstv.blogspot.com/2019/03/april-2019-sstv-planning.html #sstv #hamradio

Interesting news on the new Nvidia Jeston boards on the “other” site: https://twitter.com/F5OEOEvariste/status/1116368783982174208

These are small form factor machines with a load of GPU cores, and they look a bit beefier than RPis. Could be fun!

This story about repairing the Salyut 7 space station is amazing: https://arstechnica.com/science/2014/09/the-little-known-soviet-mission-to-rescue-a-dead-space-station/

Found through an awesome colleague who I’ve yet to convince needs a #hamradio license. He’s heard too many “grumpy old man” stories and is a bit shy.

Joined AMSAT-UK but managed to mistype my callsign on the application form! Whoops 😳