QRP CW

 

Recently, there was a 50mW CW QSO on 20m using this homemade TX. I forget who designed and built this.

QMX+ more testing

This morning I was puzzled why I was getting no output on 20m FT8 with the QMX+. Disabling the SWR protection solved the mystery as the SWR exceeded 3:1 and this was preventing TX.  I turned the protection back on as 20m is a band I rarely use.

On 6m FT8, I had 4 spots of my QRP from the QMX+.  I am still getting insufficient audio on 6m FT8 RX. This still requires further investigation.

20m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

For a change, I am trying the coax to my 2m big-wheel omni matched by my Z-match ATU at 2.5W on 20m FT8. 96 stations have already spotted me. I have only been on for about 10 minutes! This is too easy!!

UPDATE 1737z:   Spotted by 425 stations. There is no challenge in this.

20m FT8 RX with the QDX

Stations spotted on 20m FT8 RX
with the QDX and 10m antenna

Overnight, I left my QDX on 20m FT8 RX using my totally non-resonant 10m antenna. In all, 841 stations spotted as the map shows. Too easy!! I guess I was on for about 15 hours.

QDX 20m FT8 RX (Saturday)

My QDX and PC have been restarted and a Windows update carried out. It will be interesting to see if RX spots start.

UPDATE 2031z:   165 stations spotted on 20m FT8 RX. I suspect a delay at PSKreporter was the main issue.

UPDATE 2104z:  259 stations spotted on 20m FT8 RX with the furthermost VK7XX (17241km).

Stations spotted with the QDX
on 20m FT8 RX this evening

UPDATE 2321z:  425 stations spotted.

QDX on 10m

It has arrived and is tiny!! 

Stations that spotted my QDX
this afternoon on FT8

It has been tried out on 10m WSPR and FT8 and seems to work fine. I have already been spotted in the USA on FT8 and heaps of stations in the USA on WSPR.  Impressive!!

UPDATE 1850z:  18 stations have spotted me on 10m FT8 TX and 250 stations spotted me on 10m FT8 RX with the QDX.

Stations spotted on 20m FT8 RX
  this evening on the QDX

UPDATE 2208z: 101 stations spotted on 20m FT8 RX with the QDX on FT8.  QRT now.

20m FT8 RX (Friday)

For the last hour or so, I have been on 20m FT8 RX using the 8m dipole, which is way off tune. At 1858z, 35 stations spotted with the furthermost N1HMT (5245km).

20m FT8 RX with the indoor Miracle Whip

 4 stations spotted so far on 20m FT8 RX with the Miracle Whip.

UPDATE 1540z:  29 stations spotted so far on 20m FT8 RX today. All bar one are in Europe, but one is 3375km away in European Russia (UA9CK). Compromise antennas they may be, but they work with FT8. 

UPDATE 1628z:  72 stations spotted so far today on 20m FT8 RX with the indoor Miracle Whip.

20m FT8 RX with the Miracle Whip indoors

Overnight, I was on 20m FT8 RX with the Miracle Whip on the shack windowsill. 130 stations spotted as the map shows.

20m FT8 RX using the indoor Miracle Whip

 

282 stations spotted in the last 12 hours (see map) on 20m FT8 RX.

20m FT8 RX with the Miracle Whip

Overnight I left my FT817ND on FT8 RX using the Miracle Whip on the shack windowsill on 20m. 

UPDATE 0731z:  218 stations spotted on the Miracle Whip since yesterday,

20m FT8 RX (Friday)

It is now 0913z. I am monitoring 20m FT8 RX will the Wellgood active loop antenna. So far, 33 stations have been spotted. 

UPDATE 0927z:  62 stations spotted.

UPDATE 1616z:  620 stations spotted on 20m FT8 RX with the Wellgood loop.

UPDATE 1905z: 638 stations spotted. Time to QSY.

20m FT8 RX (Thursday)

At the moment I am on 20m FT8 RX using the coax to my 2m big-wheel via the ferrite rod ATU on the bench. This is just a tapped coil on a ferrite rod with the tap with the lowest SWR chosen. Calling it an ATU is being kind, HI!!

Stations spotted at 1337z

UPDATE 1212z:  188 spots on 20m FT8 RX so far.

UPDATE 1337z:  243 spots on 20m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 1500z:  310 spots today.

UPDATE 1951z:  356 stations spotted today.

20m FT8 RX

At 1450z, I QSYed to 20m FT8 RX with the indoor loop. So far, after a few minutes, 41 stations spotted. There is little doubt that most daytime FT8 DX is to be found on 20m.

UPDATE 1517z:  94 stations spotted.

UPDATE 1825z:  317 stations spotted in 5 continents on 20m FT8 with the indoor loop.

20m FT8 RX

I have just switched to 20m FT8 QRP with 2.5W QRP and the (improved) indoor loop. I was very briefly on TX, but mostly on 20m FT8 RX. 

Furthermost on 20m FT8 RX was W7RIS (7963km) on the west coast of the USA in Oregon.  In all, 107 stations spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1904z: 251 stations spotted. Furthermost is ZS6LKF (9089km).

20m FT8 QRP (Saturday)

About an hour ago I went on 20m FT8 with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop. So far, 136 stations spotted on RX. On TX 8 stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 1900z:  11 stations have spotted me on QRP 20m FT8 TX.  On RX 232 stations spotted.

UPDATE 2052z: QRT.  QSYed to 630m RX.

20m FT8 QRP (Friday)

At about 1630z, I QSYed to 20m FT8 using the tiny indoor loop and 2.5W.  Up to this time I was on 2m FT8 QRP.  After 5 minutes, 17 stations spotted on RX, but nobody has yet spotted me on TX.

UPDATE 1812z: 85 stations spotted on RX with just 1 station spotting my QRP on TX.

UPDATE 2115z: 148 stations spotted on RX and 3 stations have spotted me on TX since just before teatime. I shall be going QRT later.

20m FT8 RX

 It is now 1205z. For about an hour I have been on 20m FT8 RX with the FT817ND and the indoor loop. So far, 188 stations spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1434z:   Now on 2.5W TX too. So far today, 424 stations spotted on 20m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1900z:   2 stations have spotted me on TX and 503 stations spotted on 20m FT8 RX today.

QSY to 20m FT8 QRP (Sunday)

As 10m was pathetic here I QSYed to 20m FT8 at about 1517z using 2.5W to the tiny indoor loop. 

At 20m this is so tiny that it does not look like it could ever work! 

At 1525z lots of USA stations already spotted. So far, 23 stations spotted on 20m FT8 RX, but nobody has yet spotted me on TX.

UPDATE 1810z: 1 station has spotted me on 20m FT8  QRP TX and 59 stations spotted on RX. The stations spotted are shown on the map. 

20m FT8 QRP (Tuesday)

Since about 1545z, I have been on 20m FT8 with 2.5W and the indoor loop antenna on the shack windowsill. So far, 1 spot on QRP TX and 10 stations in 3 continents spotted on RX, mostly in the USA.

UPDATE 2131z: QRT. 127 stations spotted today on 20m FT8 RX.