Although I have been on 10m WSPR TX (500mW) since before breakfast not a single spot!
There was some Es evident on 6m FT8 RX early on, there was not that much. At this time, you get good days and bad. Often 6m opened to the USA in early July on SSB and CW.
I shall continue, more in hope than expectation.
UPDATE 1432z: Despite the very average Es today (actually poor) I have spotted 41 different stations in 13 countries today on 6m FT8. Still no spots of my beacon on 10m WSPR TX.
UPDATE 1948z: 53 different stations in 14 countries spotted on 6m FT8 in the last day. 10m? Still no spots today of my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon TX.
I am monitoring FT8 on 28 MHz 24/7 at the moment and I have often noticed the big difference on what is shown on the maps for FT8 and WSPR. It's almost as if the number of 28 MHz WSPR stations doesn't quite have that critical mass to really show what is happening.
ReplyDeleteWhen 10m is closed or barely open, the number of FT8 and WSPR monitors are often roughly similar but when the band opens, the number of FT8 users goes way up.
50 MHz by contrast seems to have a large number of dedicated FT8 monitors regardless of whether the band is open or not.
John, EI7GL (IO51)
I Agree with John.
ReplyDeleteI am one of those monitoring 50.313 almost 24/7, monitoring 10m WSPR (as I am sure you, Roger, have noticed. I intend to monitor 10 FT8 more than I have. Also monitoring 4m FT8.
What can I say ? enough transceivers, but not enough antennas for all this monitoring ;)
73, Jan OZ9QV (JO65)