5252F or YX805

 No, these are not secret callsigns from spy stations. These are small LED driver ICs. Ingenious small cheap devices that feature a solar charger and a step up converter. Probably every solar light has them inside.

Totally unaware of these devices I had a broken solar light that had a good battery and good LEDs. The switch was alright but it didn't switch on. To buy a new LED driver IC is just too expensive (€0,39 + €6,95 for postage). Luckily I had another solar light with a bad battery and salvaged parts to repair our broken light. It was a matter of exchange the IC and the coil. 

 More inside info can be found here:

https://artists.scitoys.com/three_volts

If you click on the picture on the right you will have a larger one. The parts that I've exchanged are just near the second LED at the right.

We love solar lights in our garden!

My quest to learn CW (17)

 I'm now at the point I feel there is no progress. It might be there but I don't feel it.

I still practice every day. But not only the same LCWO lessons which got boring. With the help of PE2V Vincent I found the CWops fundamental homework/lessons. I made a spreadsheet list to keep track of my efforts which I started the 9th of this month.

I also practice the short stories on the Fundamental Practice files page. According to Vincent you should do head copy with these stories. But that's one step too far for me. I tried it several times and got frustrated because I can't remember the first part when decoding the second part and get confused. So I type it now. Best reliability is at 8 wpm, on 10 wpm I loose track when I make a fault. Hopefully this will improve within time.

I'm also trying to make QSOs, but further as R TU 599 K is not yet possible. My wish is to make a decent QSO but till now it still is not possible for me. I listen a lot on CW but all the QSOs are way too fast for me. Besides that I have to get used to abbreviations they use in a QSO. Well, at least I make some QSOs. Some are with the automatic keyer, some are with the paddle.  I keep on practicing the best I can and hope I will get it some time.

Manna/Chowhound Weekend

From the original post: https://ve7sar.blogspot.com/2025/04/tomorrow-starts-mannachowhound-weekend.html

Operations Manna and Chowhound were lifesaving food drops to Northwest Holland 80 years ago, just prior to the end of World War Two. Over 20,000 people had died from starvation and a colder than normal winter. Allied pilots and support staff from the UK, the US, Canada, Poland, and Australia dropped over 7,000 tons of food behind enemy lines. 

There are 10 special event stations operating in these countries Friday, April 25 through Sunday, April 27. If you contact 4 or more, a special event certificate will be issued. Check QRZ.com for any of the following callsigns or Manna80.radio on the web where the stations’ current operating frequencies are available via HamAlert.

Participating stations:

​

Netherlands

1. PH80MAN: Operating from drop zone Duindigt near The Hague.

The UK

2.  GB80MAN: International Bomber Command Centre

3. GB8MAN: Royal Air Force Station Binbrook

4. GB80CHO: 100th Bomb Group Museum in Thorpe Abbots


The United States

5. W4C: Boca Raton Amateur Radio Assn


Canada

6. VB7MAN: Surrey Amateur Radio Communications in Surrey, BC

7. VB6MAN: Calgary Amateur Radio Club at the Bomber Command Museum of Canada in Nanton, Alberta

8. VE1MAN: Pictou County ARC in Picton, Nova Scotia


Australia

9. VK80MAN: Bull Creek Aviation Heritage Centre Perth, Australia


Poland

10. SN80MAN: The SP5KAB Radio Club

We hope to make contact with you.

 ​

~ John VE7TI