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Rather quiet on the blog for the last couple of weeks. All’s well and there’s no lack of enthusiasm. Life has been busy, ‘good busy’. Non radio related, but we have acquired a new kitten, who we think is around 8 weeks old. She was stray in our village and despite, numerous enquiries, we could not track down her owner. We think she was born on a farm close by in a barn. Anyway, she is wonderful and we are delighted to have her with us. We are hopeful that the introductions with our other two cats, Max and Pippi, will go well – an initial brief introduction on Sunday went without incident!

I was thinking this morning about some of the different radio projects which are on my mind to have a go at over the next few weeks/months:

– 10GHz receiver using LNB and RTLSDR. I have most of the bits to do this and just need to piece it together and try it out. I’m particularly interested to see if I can receive the beacon on Cleeve Common, GB3CCX regularly. I’m also keen to see if it will exhibit rainscatter characteristics. Initially I will try using the LNB and see if I can hear anything. If that’s insufficient, I guess the next trick is to try and source an old Sky dish and use that. Should be fun.

– At the opposite end of the spectrum, I wonder if I can get some RF out on 472khz. I had an interesting reply to my post about the IC706 and 472khz from Daniele IN3FCI, who is using an IC706 at around 5W output. He’s built some matching to get his long wire working. I must find out more and see if I can get on and make a QSO! I’ll have to see if I can hook the IC706 up to the WSPR gear if so and see what is possible.

–  I also have in mind to get hold of one of the cheap and attractive Intek CB rigs and modify it for 29MHz AM and FM. I already have the band and modes in the car, but it would be fun to get it going and try it out for myself.

– Getting active on FO-29 with the FT790 and FT817. As I posted the other day, I think the acquisition of a duplexer for 144 and 432MHz will be useful for satellite activity. I can use it for FO-29 and potentially also with the FT-847. I was musing the other day about doing some satellite activity from the car (static mobile!) using the FT-847 and the Elk antenna. I’d need the duplexer for that too.

Plenty of projects in mind then! No doubt I’ll get around to a few in due course! Operating wise, it’s been mostly 14 and 21MHz JT65A and JT9 over the last few days – mostly remotely controlled from the iPad on the sofa! Perhaps we can have Bailey the kitten making contacts…

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