10m (Monday)

10m has always been my favourite band. On the run-up to the next solar peak, it is great again with worldwide DX. 

In years around the minimum people tend to leave it as it behaves more like a VHF band, although Es is good even at solar minimum. 

It also make a great band for local chats. I am surprised it is just empty (listen on the adjacent CB bands) around solar minimum years.   

Years ago the RSGB organised activity sessions in the evenings on 10m. Even with 10W SSB and simple, low antennas (CB half waves or wire dipoles) I found I could work across the country. With FT8, inter-G DX should be certainly possible.

Stations spotted this morning

Even when the sunspot count has been zero for days on end at solar minimum I have heard and worked DX, even with QRP SSB. With FT8, it is open far more often than people thought. Often at such times it is a lack of people and not a lack of propagation.

At the moment I am on 10m FT8 RX. Already 27 spots at 0830z from across the world.

UPDATE 0959z:  162 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX. If 10 withm looks good, I may QSY to 8m FT8 later.

UPDATE 1308z:   467 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1459z:  642 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX with the furthermost VK6AL (14448km). At the moment I am sticking with 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1633z:  839 stations spotted. I may turn to 8m FT8 QRP TX if the number goes over 900. I am not hopeful!