My IC-705 at reduced power was turned on at about 0820z.
31 Mar 2025
10m 6W FT8 (Monday)
30 Mar 2025
10m QRP FT8 (Sunday)
As I was having no success on WSPR I QSYed to FT8 with 6W from the IC-705.
UPDATE 2222z: 527 stations have spotted me. The map shown was hours earlier, shortly after switching on.
10m 500mW WSPR (Sunday)
My QRP 10m WSPR beacon was turned on after breakfast.
UPDATE 1324z: No spots. After all this time, I am puzzled. The DC power is connected, the antenna is connected, I thought time was sync'd. I have re-sync'd time to see what's happening. I notice Angola is being worked from the UK on 6m FT8 , so I am surprised by the total absence of 10m WSPR spots.
UPDATE 1358z: Still no spots.
29 Mar 2025
10m QRP WSPR (Saturday)
My 500mW stand-alone WSPR beacon has been on since about 1410z.
UPDATE 1437z: No spots yet.
UPDATE 1449z: Mind you, it helps to turn the PSU on! Still no spots.
UPDATE 1911z: Just EA8BFK (2880km) and TA4/G8SCU (3010km) spotting me.
10m QRP FT8 (Saturday)
My IC-705 at 6W was turned on at about 0930z. So far, mostly eastern Europe and Middle East stations spotting me.
UPDATE 1413z: 67 stations have spotted me on 4 continents.
28 Mar 2025
27 Mar 2025
10m 500mW WSPR (Thursday)
My stand-alone QRP 10m WSPR beacon was turned on at about 1000z.
UPDATE 2210z: Just spots by EA8BFK (2880km) and TA4/G8SCU (3010km) today. Nothing from the USA. QRT.
26 Mar 2025
10m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)
10m 500mW WSPR (Wednesday)
My beacon was turned on at about 0745z. EA8BFK (2880km) has already spotted me 11 times at 0850z.
UPDATE 1530z: 6 stations have spotted me. See table.
25 Mar 2025
10m as the sunspot count declines
It is probably the case that I am rare in quite looking forward to the quieter solar years when propagation on 10m becomes more difficult.
At the moment a few watts of 10m FT8 seems to get all over the planet. It is quite easy at the moment.
At sunspot minimum it will be far harder, but it will be interesting to see how 10m FT8 QRP behaves then. It is my view that as long as monitors continue to look at 10m FT8 we will find paths open far more than we thought.
As I have said many times before, people move to lower bands as it is easier. Sticking with 10m we will be doing real research. It would not surprise me to see N-S paths possible right at sunspot minimum with FT8.
10m 6W FT8 (Tuesday)
24 Mar 2025
10m QRP FT8 (Monday)
I went on 10m QRP FT8 with my IC-705 at 6W at about 0650z.
UPDATE 1405z: 290 stations have spotted my 10m FT8 QRP. See map.
23 Mar 2025
10m 500mW WSPR (Sunday)
My beacon was turned on after breakfast. Three stations spotting me.
UPDATE 2150z: 15 spots of me today. QRT shortly.
21 Mar 2025
10m QRP WSPR (Friday)
My 500mW beacon was turned on at 0754z. 3 stations spotting me at 0938z.
UPDATE 2110z: Spotted by 30 stations. Spots from the USA started just before 1200z. QRT
20 Mar 2025
10m QRP WSPR (Thursday)
My 500mW stand-alone beacon was turned on about 0900z. So far 9 spots by EA8BFK (2880km).
UPDATE 1629z: 23 stations have spotted me. No North American spots, suggesting 8m and 6m would be very unlikely.
19 Mar 2025
10m 500mW WSPR (Wednesday)
My beacon was turned on just before 0900z. 6 spots of me so far by EA8BFK (2880km).
UPDATE 1635z: Just 3 stations spotting me today and nothing in the USA with the furthermost ZD7GB (7607km),
18 Mar 2025
10m 500mW WSPR (Tuesday)
My little QRP W5OLF beacon was turned on at 0900z. No spots yet.
UPDATE 1005z: 4 spots of me by TA4SCU (3010km).
UPDATE 1743z: Spotted by 26 stations today. See table.
17 Mar 2025
10m QRP FT8 (Monday)
My IC-705 was turned on at 6W at about 0715z on 10m FT8.
UPDATE 1050z: 137 stations have spotted me with the furthermost India and the Seychelles. On RX 275 stations were spotted with the furthermost Indonesia.
16 Mar 2025
10m 500mW WSPR (Sunday)
UPDATE 2113z: 42 stations have spotted me with the furthermost Brazil.
15 Mar 2025
10m 500mW WSPR (Saturday)
My QRP WSPR beacon was turned on about 1016z. No spots of me yet.
UPDATE 1052z: 10 spots of me by EA8BFK (2880km).
UPDATE 1515z: Spotted by 24 stations. See table.