6m 3W FT8 (Sunday)

My gear was turned on before breakfast.

UPDATE 1013z: So far, spotted by 108 stations. Good Es.

UPDATE 1824z: 223 stations have spotted me. Now QRT. See map showing stations spotting me today on 6m FT8.

6m 3W FT8 (Saturday)

My gear was turned on at about 0815z.

UPDATE 0953z:  Spotted by 17 English stations. No Es yet.

6m 3W FT8 (Friday)

My gear was turned on just after 0800z. 

UPDATE 0814z: Spotted by 6 English stations.

UPDATE 1752z: Returned to 6m FT8.  Spotted by19 stations and I  have spotted 20 stations here.

6m 3W FT8 (Wednesday)

My gear was turned on at about 0805z.

UPDATE 1120z:  Spotted by 264 stations here so far today. See map. Best Es yet.

6m 3W FT8 (Tuesday)

My gear was turned on just after 1000z.

UPDATE 1016z:  Spotted by 34 stations already and 29 stations spotted here.

UPDATE 1447z:  After seeing rumours about a 6m opening to the USA, I gave up on 8m and returned to 6m FT8. No joy so far. 105 stations have spotted my 3W 6m FT8 today - mostly Europeans.

6m 3W FT8 (Monday)

My gear has been on much of the morning.

UPDATE 1645z: Spotted by 147 stations with the best D4L (4517 km) and 159 stations spotted here including my first from the USA this summer on 6m.

The magic band

Many people think of 6m as the "magic band". Openings occur when least expected. Other times all that can be heard is white noise.

Around this time, as regular as clockwork, 6m opens to the Far East from Western Europe, probably linked to the formation of noctilucent clouds. 

At this time of year Es often links with F2 propagation further south bringing really long distance communication within range such as yesterday when stations well south in Brazil were copied on 6m. Stations in the Caribbean were also being worked, so perhaps the first hop was some sort of chordal hop E layer propagation. 

I’m only using a V2000 vertical so those with high gain beams could have done much better. 

I can see why many call it the "magic band" !!

6m 3W FT8 (Sunday)

My gear was turned on at about 0905z

UPDATE 1700z:   Spotted by 199 stations (mostly European) and I have spotted 259 here, presumably Es mostly.   

UPDATE 2130z:   At last, 3 stations way down in Brazil were spotted with the best PY5XT (9891km).

6m 2W FT8 (Tuesday)

My gear was turned on just before breakfast.

UPDATE  0840z:   So far just spotted in England by several stations.

UPDATE  1328z:   My station has been spotted by 249 stations despite running just 2W. 191 stations spotted here. Es produces some very strong signals! At first the novelty is having all of Europe on VHF. Then people start looking further afield.

UPDATE 1908z: Now QRT. 359 stations spotted my 2W FT8 and 343 stations spotted here.

6m 5W FT8 (Tuesday)

My gear was turned on at about 1015z.

UPDATE 1407z: 17 spots of me, many by Es. See map. 21 stations spotted here.

6m 5W FT8 (Monday)

 My gear  has been on since just before breakfast.

UPDATE 0830z:  Mostly English stations spotting me with just one in Austria.  Currently RX only.

UPDATE 1409z: 25 stations spotted around Europe. See map.

6m 5W FT8 (Sunday)

 As the V2000 is available, I am on 6m 5W FT8  from 0938z.

UPDATE 1113z:   35 stations are spotting me. Now RX only. Clearly some Es!

UPDATE 1856z:  Back on TX again. Just English spots.

UPDATE 1954z: QRT.

6m 5W FT8 (Thursday)

 My gear was turned on a few minutes ago.

UPDATE 0820z:  Spotted by 4 stations with the best GW7SMV (242km).  

6m 5W FT8 (Sunday)

For the first time in several weeks, I am on 6m FT8  with my vertical omni V2000 antenna and the IC-705.

UPDATE 1640z:   Just 3 English spots of me so far. No DX.

Stations spotting my 6m QRP FT8 today

UPDATE 1938z:   11 English stations have spotted my 6m QRP FT8. See map. QRT soon.

6m 5W FT8 (Sunday)

 My gear was turned on late morning.

UPDATE  1616z:  Spotted by 24 stations  See map.

6m FT8 yesterday

Yesterday was quite a good day with spots by 49 stations across Europe spotting my 5W to the omni vertical. See map.

6m 5W FT8 (Saturday)

 My IC-705 at 5W to the V2000 omni was turned on late morning.

UPDATE 1525z:  spotted by 11 stations with the best OE6JCG (1256km).

6m 5W FT8 (Friday)

 My gear was turned on at about 1020z.

UPDATE 1136z: So far, spotted by 7 English stations and 1 in Wales.

UPDATE 1211z:  Spotted by 10 stations. See map.

UPDATE 1352z:  Spotted by 11 stations.

6m 5W FT8 yesterday

 

Only 9 English stations spotted me yesterday. See map.

6m 5W FT8 (Sunday)

My gear (5W to a V2000 omni) has been on since about 1000z.

UPDATE 1215z:  9 spots of me with the furthest F6HGB (983km).

UPDATE 1405z:  11 stations have spotted me. 

UPDATE 2105z: QRT now. Spotted by 24 stations today. See map by Phil VK7JJ.