Mains Filter

 

This started out as a way to try and stop my Broadband being knocked out when on HF but has also cut the noise level on the HF bands.

Like most things it all got very complicated etc until I found a blog post from M0NWK https://www.m0nwk.co.uk/mains-electricity-filter-for-emc-noise-reduction/

The construction is simple and straightforward.

Parts list

Fair-Rite type 31 ferrite core. I got mine on Ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181209693756

Mains Cable. I used 1mm standard flex.

Box. Got mine from Screwfix

https://www.screwfix.com/p/british-general-ip55-weatherproof-outdoor-enclosure-180-x-110-x-135mm/96153

Construction was easy, I wound 6 turns around the ferrite. This is the recommendation og GM3SEK on his very useful web site http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek/in-prac/#big31  I used a couple of cable ties to hold it together.

 

The results so far are encouraging. I can now run 50w of FT8 on 17 and 10m without knocking out my G.Fast Broadband. Noise levels on the lower HF bands seem lower but nothing spectacular.

Completed. The 4 way block had been left in the sun!

Pi-Star Hotspot

 Been rather fascinated by the cheapness of the Raspberry Pi and the amount of stuff it can do. One is a radio 'Hotspot'. this is where you can access different digital modes without being in range of a repeater. While this may not seem to be radio, as far as I'm concerned it is and you able to communicate with other Radio Amateurs who are on a RF link.

The actual Hotspot comes as a 'kit' which you can put in a case. One thing I did was put the edge connector on the Rasp[berry Pi which meant it wouldn't fit in the box!! Not a problem as it only sitting on the shack shelf.

Setting up was relative straightforward apart from there being so much information it became confusing. The trick is to work out what you want to do and stick with it!!!

I have set mine to work on the FreeDMR  system. I have also set it so I can access some Fusion links from DMR as well.

Below is my configuration. You will need to slide the DMR and DMR2YSF buttons over (they didn't show)This works very well. You will need to put your call and DMR number in.

Covid jab

Wife and I had our first Covid Jab (Pfizer) back in February, I had some side effects which were fairly mild, flu like symptoms and sore arm. My Wife had none. On Wednesday we had our second and the side effects were much worse resulting in time off work. This is a blow by blow account. We had the Pfizer jab at 1230 on Wednesday. Everything was fine until around 2330. Started with back pain, headache, sore arm and shakes. By around 0300 I could hardly move and couldn't move my arm at all. These symptoms continued until around 1300 on Thursday where they eased slightly. It took till this morning, Friday, to feel normal which just very slight pain at the injection site. I publish these hopefully to give some of you a bit of a heads up.