10m FT8 RX

Although I have only been looking for a few minutes, there are quite a few stations from Southern Europe, Eastern Europe, Russia and the Middle East already spotted on 10m FT8, despite poor solar numbers.

I think it is true that FT8 has transformed 10m with many more people staying on the band and finding DX that, in the past, would have been missed. Concentrating the activity in a narrow, well monitored, slot must help, as does the ability to decode weak signals.

3 cheers for FT8!

UPDATE 1248z: first South American on 10m FT8 today was PV8DC (7830km) in Roraima, northern Brazil. This was made famous by Arthur Conan Doyle in "The Lost World".

UPDATE 1408z: No further South Americans spotted on 10m FT8, but VO1NE (3931km) in Newfoundland recently spotted. It looks like 5 continents today. Still not bad with a poor antenna and no sunspots!

UPDATE 1622z: With 4 North Americans and 4 South Americans spotted, today has been quite good on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1738z: With nothing new now for a few hours I think I'll QSY to 630m WSPR.