Early start on 8m QRP FT8

 At 0902z, my QRP 8m FT8 was turned on. No spots yet today. 

It has been surprising just how many spots I have had on 8m, considering the few monitors and the time of the year.  Many of the nearer reports look like aircraft reflection, but my 2.5W and dipole have made it across the Atlantic at least twice. 

I do hope my 8m permit is granted for this year as there is so much still to research.  

If it is not granted, there will definitely be times when I shall be on the ISM bands with 10mW ERP WSPR without a licence. The latter is, I believe, a course that anyone in the UK could take. Not being a legal expert you will have to judge your own legal position, although I very much doubt OFCOM would come knocking! In nearly 50 years I have never been inspected. When the man last came, he was more interested in a cup of tea!

My personal view is that OFCOM should have allocated a tiny, digital only, amateur band at 8m by NoV on a strict no interference basis. This would have meant full traceability whether on-air or off. 

Both OFCOM and the RSGB seem dead against even a tiny 8m amateur band even by NoV. Personally I find this stance hard to understand. More public statements on this might help us to understand their reasoning. In the absence of data, we can only assume the military is against this. Personally, I think not making their reasons public is short-sighted and unhelpful. We should have full confidence in both the RSGB (that depends heavily on committed volunteers) and OFCOM.  There must be good reasons for their position, so please share these!!

UPDATE 1042z: Spotted by WESSEXSDR probably via aircraft reflection. This mode seems more common than I thought at 8m and could well account for the frequent spots of my 2.5W by EI9KP (649km). It could be random MS, but I somehow doubt this.