In a few moments, I intend to turn on my 10m FT8 RX system. With the SSN being 0 and the solar flux being lower than for a while, I am unsure how it will be today.
UPDATE 0908z: System on at 0807z. 8 spots so far - all in Europe. I suspect with suspect with a higher antenna (possibly a beam) I might spot signals 10dB weaker. No doubt the "big guns" will be working 10m FT8 signals I cannot even spot! I have absolutely no intention of erecting a mast and beam. If I miss some does it matter? No.
UPDATE 1020z: 42 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX with furthermost 9G5FI (5189km).
UPDATE 1200z: 79 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX. Furthermost is A65BR (5454km).
UPDATE 1253z: 97 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today. 94 have been in Europe. Many (possibly most) of these will be via Es propagation, underlining the value of FT8 in showing there is still Es well outside the traditional Es season. If things go as previous days, the Americas will start to come through shortly.
Thinking about it, I think that the many European stations essentially every day would be a combination of F2 for the longer distances, and F2-back-scatter for the shorter ones.Es is a possibility, but we are in the lowest part of the year whgen it comes to Es.
ReplyDeleteRemember the great years of 10m propagation? we were hearing strong back scatter on F2, and occasionally (the other extreme) round-the-world echoes) I think thisa is what we notice with the weak signal modes like FT8 right now, it requires lower solar activity to see the effect.
Vy 73 de Jan, OZ9QV