New House 29 Nov 2020

 

New House 14th Nov2020

 Completion target date 7th December 2020

Getting ready to do the drive

Looking down the cul-de-sac

Rear garden - water butt / lights / shed

Thanksgiving Cactus Update

 

New House 23rd October 2020

The surveyor is in checking the utilities for the handover certificate (Building). Next step is T&W Snag check on the fittings etc. Hopefully we are looking to move in this year - Caravan life isn't all its cracked up to be :o).

New House Update 9th October 2020

 Progress!! We are glad for any progress no matter how small, it is looking like a finished house now.

Amateur Radio Log #1

Foundation Exam 7th Oct 2020 - Call Sign M7SPW

Passed my Foundation Exam now to get on the air.
I am interested in temporary home-base and portable operations. The Ft450D seems like a good compromise between cost and functionality. The next radio is approx £1300 (ft991A) that may be something for the future. The rig can be powered by 12v which there is plenty of in the GoPod so this makes for a ideal base. Also there may be scope for a cycle portable option as well. Lots of projects for 2021.
A DX Commander Travel Expedition antenna will allow a number of different bands (make different sized elements for each band) and can be "easily" setup at home or in the field, say when we are podding. The Sotabeams Band-hopper is a very light antenna covering 20,30 & 40, the most popular portable bands and can be easily setup on hilltops, with either a pole or tree.
The Baofeng GT-3TP provides 2m and 70cm coverage up to 8W.

Shed Shack has to be built yet, depends on what will happen when we get to the new house, shed, garage or something more plush - conservatory? We will see.

Equipment

Radio - Yaesu ft450D 

The FT-450D is a compact yet superb HF/50MHz radio with state-of-the-art IF DSP technology configured to provide World Class performance in an easy to operate package. New licensees, casual operators, DX chasers, contesters, portable / field enthusiasts, and emergency service providers…This Radio is for YOU !

The current "FT 450D" model includes some great features not offered with the original FT 450 and FT 450AT models that have been discontinued.

• Illuminated Key Buttons
• 300Hz / 500Hz / 2.4 kHz CW IF Filter
• Front Feet Stand 
• Classically Designed Main Dial and Knobs
• Dynamic Microphone MH-31A8J Included

Radio - Baofeng GT-3TP

 

Baofeng Two Way Radio with High / Mid / Low (8W/5W/1W) Power Settings; Broad (Wide)/Narrow-band (Narrow)
Frequency range: VHF, UHF. 1750Hz Burst Tone, Frequency Step: 2.5/5/6.25/10/12.5/25 kHz.
Optimal SQL Setting, Optimal Modulation of TX/RX Power Tube, 23CM High Gain Antenna allows to transmit reach up to 11KM effective talking range.

Antenna

Sotabeams Band-hopper III - 20/30/40 meters

DX Commander SOTA Tactical Travel EXPEDITION Antenna System

New House Update 25th September

 Lots of progress to be seen:

• Bathrooms tiled and fitted
• Garden fencing completed
• Kitchen nearly completed
• Paving complete

Water Tap under Kitchen Window

Fencing and Paving Completed

Patio Doors from the Lounge

Grandads Room (Front of house)

Kitchen Hob and Oven space

Fridge Freezer

Stairs to 1st Floor

Grandads Bedroom

View from the Lounge

Downstairs Cloakroom

Back Door in the Kitchen (Side of Fridge Freezer)

View from the Back Bedroom

Family Bathroom

Beth's Bedroom

 

New House Update 5th September

 A quick trip to Leigh to see how the house is going on.
We have a garage door now, the land to the side has been grassed, outside walls cleaned, so no more mortar where the scaffolding was.
The scaffolding next door has also been taken down, which is good news as this may help with getting the moving in date sooner rather than later.

If you look carefully you can see the internal walls, doors etc and all painted.

 

 

All the paving in the back garden has been completed. The garden looks even bigger and will be a great space once we have the grass down.

Along with the outside tap, additional lighting we also have a rear light with a bulb in :o), to the right of patio doors.

Hopefully it will not take until December to complete.

A New Recording Area for 2021

Our impending move to Leigh comes with a new bird recording area and a new club.
Leigh Ornithological Society Website > http://www.leighos.org.uk/
Facebook > https://www.facebook.com/groups/leighos/

Looking forward to exploring the area.

New House Update 9th Aug 2020

 All the windows are now installed.

The wires for all external lights and pipe for water tap are all visible.

5pm and the sun is still on the garden :o)

The Worlds Biggest Plane - The Antonov An-225 Mriya At Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK)

The Antonov An-225 Mriya stopped at Prestwick Airport around 2:49pm on its way from Bangor, USA. It's refuelling in Glasgow-Prestwick on its way to France."
It will head to Châteauroux-Centre Airport, France, at around 4:30pm Sunday 2nd August 2020

A couple of videos, the first from BigJets TV - all the preparation for the departure from Prestwick

The second is a video by the Antonov team and includes the approach to Chateauroux-Centre

Spacex Dragon Returns to Earth

The SpaceX Dragon Capsule carrying Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken came down in the Gulf of Mexico just south of Pensacola on Florida's Gulf coast.

A recovery vessel moved in to pick up the vehicle and extricate the men.

The touchdown marks the first crewed US water landing since the final outing of an Apollo command module 45 years ago.

Hurley's and Behnken's capsule hit the water at about 14:48 EDT (19:48 BST; 18:48 GMT).

Images and Video below:

New House Update

Plaster and Plasterboard has arrived

Rear has had top soil and paving completed along with some of the boundary fence. We can see the electrics for the exterior lights, mains plug and a outside tap.

looking good now

Hopefully we can move in a lot sooner than mid November, 15 more sleeps at Hampson Rd.