After breakfast, my priority is to make a 17dB attenuator so I can try WSPR at 10mW ERP on 10m today. This is to simulate this power in the Es season in the 8m ISM band without a licence. I have the coax, but have to find the resistors.
UPDATE 0930z: Attenuator made and added right next to FT817ND on 500mW setting, so WSPR power now very close to 10mW ERP. WSPR TX set to 50% TX. Already spotted by 2 stations on first TX burst!
UPDATE 1640z: My FT817ND is on the lowest (500mW) setting. Also, I have a 17dB pad within about 10cm of the FT817ND, so the output is about 10mW. With about 1dB coax loss the ERP is about 10mW or less. Despite this, I have been spotted by 14 unique stations. This is to simulate 10mW ERP on 8m, which is the legal 8m ISM legal limit in the UK without a licence. It is my view that anyone in the UK may legally beacon on the 8m ISM band as long as IR2030 is met.UPDATE 2236z: Using the FT817ND, I was 50% of the time on RX today. Despite the 17dB pad in the antenna line at the rig end I still spotted 99 stations!! The furthermost was PY2FXE (9593km).
I found a pair of walk-in-in talkies on 40.017MHz!
ReplyDeleteThey have approval number 6097-06/14 CE0678 on them but I could not find what this approval is on the internet.
73 Ken G4APB
grrr spell checker error ….walkie talkies…..
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