All Electric - NOT amateur radio

All the "Park and Ride" buses  in Cambridge are going green and will be electric. 

Cambridge by bus - NOT amateur radio

One of the benefits of being old is you get a free bus pass. It is now quicker to get into Cambridge by bus than driving and taking the "park and ride" bus. 

Also, one of the John Lewis rewards this month is 2 free hot drinks. 

So later were are off to Cambridge by bus (free) and 2 cups of coffee (free) . And the weather looks good.

On the way to Cambridge through the bus window indow - NOT amateur radio

 This was the view on the way to Cambridge through the bus window.

Best bus rides in England (video)? - NOT amateur radio

With the closure of the A379 along Slapton Line, Devon we lose one of the best bus rides in England. I hope they repair this road, although I have my doubts as the storm damage is bad.

Cambridge Bus Station - NOT amateur radio

This was Cambridge Drummer Street bus station yesterday evening. The service bus did not arrive and the next bus was nearly 1.5 hours later! Notice how many people are on their "devices".

Don't judge a book by its cover - NOT amateur radio

We often hear bad things about young people, but let me tell you what happened yesterday...

As usual, I was on the bus coming back from my Polar Studies course in Cambridge. It was a crowded single decker bus with several people standing. On got an old couple and immediately a young girl with "punk" styling got up and offered the old lady her seat. It was kindness itself. She just did it. Well done.

Migrants trying to reach the UK - NOT amateur radio

Mixed views. I do not like unrestricted EU access into the UK and firmly believe it is up to the UK to decide who can live and work here. At the same time I feel so sorry for the true refugees who have fled war and conflict who wish to come to the UK for a peaceful life. Some of these people are really desperate.  In all conflicts it is the children who suffer the most. One woman is trying to make life in Calais just a little better for some children.  She is trying to raise money to buy a double-decker bus to convert.

If you would like to help just a little see https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/sophie-besse-bus?comment_id=1325867307439276&fb_comment_id=1324719837554023_1325867307439276#f30de133eed222e

Whatever your views, the little ones are the innocent victims. Life can be cruel and hard. You could help just a little?

Energy harvesting wireless bus bell push

The latest edition of Land Mobile Magazine (a magazine for professionals in the mobile radio business) has an interesting column showing how London Eco-Routemaster buses are being fitted with a novel sort of bell push (the kind you push to ask the bus driver to stop) which harvests energy from the action of pushing the bell to send a wireless signal through the bus to the driver. The bell push uses an energy harvesting chip from EnOcean a company that specialises in such devices.

The EnOcean evaluation kit (for professional developers) as shown on their website

This is the first time that I've seen a very practical use for energy harvesting. I assume that the device "harvests" kinetic energy (from the pushing action) and thermal energy (from the finger tips) but it must generate a few uWatts for this to work.  So, no batteries, no wires, wireless comms and good for 300k presses. There has to be a QRP application!

For more on this read the article on line at Land Mobile magazine.