Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 21/09/2026Tried my 50th Anniversary Tuna Tin 2 today from Hutton Roof Crags G/LD-052. 5 QSOs, including an S2S, but the rig needs work. Couldn't get RX mute to work - thankfully I had my manual switch with me. The RX front end protection I put in attenuated the receive signal too much also. 070
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 15/09/2026When I first got my A licence, I used to operate quite a bit on 17m. It was my fave band, and the QSOs were relaxed and friendly. I'm attempting to get active on 17m again. Yesterday, I had a great QSO with WA0CRI in MN, and today, I contacted W1WCC in Cape Cod, both with my QMX, at about 4 watts. 0100
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Somehow I found myself making 5 QSOs from G/NP-028 this afternoon with the 1976 original W1CER (W1FB) Tuna Tin 2! Great to get friends in the log too - thanks M0VFC and G4IVV! 071
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 06/09/2026Yeah, pump troubles are not great! You can see the blister in this pic taken at Telford Hamfest today. 120
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 05/09/2026Apologies for the QLF, I trapped my finger in a bicycle tyre pump on Wednesday, sending CW wasn't the most pleasant experience today! Glad to give you the QSOs. 73 110
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 19/08/2026It's the Yorkshire in me - I'm wincing a bit at the £17 buffet fee! 121
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 19/08/2026Anyone know what the vegetarian food offerings are like at the G-QRP Convention at Harper Adams Uni? Not sure whether to brave the buffet or not. TIA 110
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 11/07/2026Yes, I prefer SMT too. I'm just getting to the age where I can't see resistor values unaided but I guess I've done quite well. With some readers or a magnifier I'm fine. 010
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 10/07/2026Yeah, I miss those days. The MTR-5B was definitely my favourite build, it's an awesome rig. I didn't care so much for the later rigs. Every so often I have the urge to build something, I wish I had some Weber kits to go at! I usually a build a RockMite as I have the PCBs and parts to hand. 110
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 10/07/2026Agreed, I sold most of my QCX radios. Both the 40m and 10m versions I have were built by others and I fixed them up. I have a nice QCX Mini-20m which I constructed on Great Whernside G/NP-008, with a gas soldering iron, and then used it to qualify the hill, I feel that I can't sell that one! 130
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 22/06/2026Attempting to re-visit some long ago shelved projects. First up is a 20m Soda Pop. Just needs the case finishing off. 080
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 12/06/2026I think I'll smell of T-cut for weeks! Was fun driving a pre-war car again. 050
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 30/04/2026Kirkstone Pass earlier this week. Really enjoying the sunny days. 010
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 13/04/2026Pen y Ghent today. Some QSOs on 40m and 20m CW with my old Altoids tin Mountain Topper. 150
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 12/04/2026Goodness, that takes me back. I did work experience at Microvitec back in the 90's, I calibrated monitors and did fault finding on PCBs. 110
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 18/03/2026This morning's commute, a 5 mile bike ride as the sun was rising over the Yorkshire Dales. 050
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 07/03/2026No need to apologise for QLF, it was a successful two way radio contact! Thanks for the CW QSO, great to work you. Random pic from today. 380
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 24/02/2026Low effort lunchtime SOTA. Cardputer does the QSOs and logging whilst I eat snacks. 180
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 07/02/2026I'm hoping bringing our Standard home soon. A couple of hours were spent fettling yesterday. 110
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 29/01/2026I can assure you that it's a normal sized, average pencil. Here is the same pencil next to my Morse key. 240
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 29/01/2026Trying out Mini-FT8 V1.3.2 today. 6 QSOs in the automatic log. 1131
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 21/01/2026Had a QMX+ on my bench last week, I had to update the QLG3 GPS as it had the date rollover issue. The firmware fought me too, bricked on first try, had to do hardware reset. This week I've had a regular QMX build on the bench. 031
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 15/01/2026github.com/wcheng95/Min...github.comGitHub - wcheng95/Mini-FT8: Mini FT8 on M5 Cardputer for portable operationsMini FT8 on M5 Cardputer for portable operations. Contribute to wcheng95/Mini-FT8 development by creating an account on GitHub. 110
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 15/01/2026The Cardputer managed 2 FT8 QSOs by itself. I switched to FT8TW on my phone to compare and the phone was definitely better. I need more time operating the Cardputer and I'm sure the firmware will improve. Maybe setting the system time via GPS will improve things. 230
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 15/01/2026Trying FT8 with my QMX and Cardputer from Whernside G/NP-004 earlier. 2221
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 14/12/2025Ha! These are T37 toriods, not exactly huge! I do use T30, T25 and FT23 in my RockMites occasionally though. 110
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 22/11/2025All those kinds of rigs with parallel BS170 PAs are sensitive to VSWR excursions. The absolute worst thing you can do is tweak an ATU with the rig at full power. Either use an attenuator (e.g QRPOMETER) or reduce the rig supply voltage to tune up and then increase the supply voltage once tuned. 230
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 22/11/2025My QMX has been fine, I haven't tripped the SWR protection with the latest firmwares - I think the default was put up to 3:1. I run either a home made dipole or home made 7MHz EFHW on 40m and 20m. 100
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 22/11/2025Great to catch up with Trainee Search Dog Jura at Kendal Mountain Festival today. It was meeting Jura last year that inspired me to volunteer with my local MRSDE group as a 'body'. 020
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 28/08/2025This Traveller was good only for scrap or total rebuild. The original engine did come back to life with a replacement cylinder head which happened to be laying around. The engine was sold for project funds. 020
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 28/08/2025It's not stupid fast, but it can keep up with modern traffic. With the six speed box it cruises on the motorway with ease. Yes, the brakes are good and the mass is low anyway. 230
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 28/08/2025Yeah, a little bit more up to date to make it usable. I tripped the engine management light yesterday, looks like we'll have to plug into the OBD port again. 120
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 28/08/2025No need for a key, no clockwork in this Moggy. 1.8l VVC twin cam provides the go. 330
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 28/08/2025AA batteries are generally a poor power source, but they'd probably work to some extent. A lipo battery and charger would be a good investment and needn't cost an arm and a leg. 010
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 28/08/2025150 mile road trip over Shap yesterday, just for fun! 1100
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 27/08/20253S lipo 2200mAh, it's just a nice size and lasts for a long time. 110
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 23/08/2025Ignacio, EA2BD, captured my CW from northern Spain today.youtube.comM1BUU/P in Mt. High WillhaysYouTube video by EA2BD 030
Colin M1BUU @m1buu.bsky.social · 23/08/2025Seems to have been flying ant day on High Willhays G/DC-001 today. 11 QSOs in the bag using my old MTR2B. 160