70cm activity contest (UKAC)

 This evening is the November 70cm activity contest organised by the RSGB. I go on briefly with my 10W SSB and the 2m omni big-wheel.

UPDATE 2019z:  2 stations worked, then I gave up! Furthermost was G4CLA (105km).

70cm FT8 activity contest

This evening starting at 1900z is the 70cm FT8 activity contest. 

It always surprises me how far away stations can be copied. I usually work a few locals, but spend most of the time on RX. I use a 2m big-wheel omni antenna only. 

I wonder if with 70cm FT8 we can tap into some kind of troposcatter?

All this makes me wonder how effective 70cm FT8 would be with a decent beam and reasonable powers.

UPDATE 1936z:  Lots of stations spotted with the furthermost DJ6TA (493km). The more I think about 70cm FT8 is a very under-used band!

UPDATE 2135z:  The map shows the stations spotted on 70cm FT8 this evening.

70cm activity contest

Every month the RSGB holds a 70cm activity contest on a Tuesday evening.  Because of my voice, I rarely stop on very long. Also, I suspect this contest is attracting fewer entries, people preferring FT8. The map shows the QSOs I managed with 10W and a 2m big-wheel omni antenna.

Last Tuesday on 70cm QRP SSB

Once a month I try my luck with 10W pep on 70cm in the activity contest UKAC. Because of my poor voice I rarely stop on more than 30 minutes. 

Also, I only have a 2m big-wheel omni antenna. Talk about making things hard, HI! 

In all I made 3 QSOs with the furthermost G4CLA (105km). He must have great antennas and ears.

70cm FT8 activity contest

Last night was the September 70cm activity contest (UKAC). I usually TX for a short while and then go RX only. I usually do not submit an entry for this contest, coming on for the activity. 

It never fails to amaze me what distances can be spotted at any time on 70cm. My antenna is just a 2m omni big-wheel. Imagine if I had a 70cm yagi on a mast! It is a great pity 70cm is underused. Especially with FT8, I would expect it to be a great band for working Western Europe and the UK.

70cm activity contest entry

Often I forget to submit my entry into this UKAC session. With my pathetic score I shall never even be close to winning, but it is good to show my support. 

It is great to see the activity. The "real" stations were working some serious DX.

70cm activity contest

 This is this evening starting at 1900z. I usually go on for a short time with 10W to the 2m big-wheel.

UPDATE 1956z: I did not stay on long, but worked 3 stations with the furthermost G4CLA (105km). It was a miserable evening with lots of rain.

70cm Moxon antenna

A reminder that 70cm antennas do not have to be expensive. 

This is a Moxon made from an old coat hanger. It took me about 30 minutes to assemble and worked some useful DX when out portable on QRP SSB. 

Antennas do not have to be pretty to work!

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/antennas/70cm-moxon .

70cm UKAC activity contest

I do not submit a log for this but enjoy the activity. It is much easier to copy and work DX on 70cm FT8 than SSB. After working a couple of locals, I was RX only for the rest of the evening and  copied stations all over from France 🇫🇷  Netherlands 🇳🇱 and Germany 🇩🇪 as well as the British Isles. Not bad with 2.5W and a 2m omni antenna.

This underlies just how good FT8 could be on 70cm. If only more would use the band and mode outside contests!

The map shows the stations copied - with a 2m omni antenna!

70cm activity contest yesterday evening

With 10W SSB and a 2m big-wheel omni I usually struggle in the 70cm UKAC (activity contest), but I usually manage a few contacts. Last night was different. 

Firstly, the impression I had was there were fewer people on.  This could partly be due to the holiday season and people being away.

Also those that were on I could not work. After about 20 minutes I just gave up having worked nobody! Perhaps the combination of higher local noise and fewer people make all the difference to QRP stations like mine.

I should be on the 70cm UKAC next month. We'll see.

Nearly forgot!

Just now I sent off my entry for the 70cm activity contest last Tuesday. It would appear that interest in this contest is waning. I managed 1 QSO, then I gave up. 

Looking at the waterfall on my RX, it would appear there were fewer people active. This is a pity, although it is far easier on 70cm FT8.

Much as I enjoy FT8 and WSPR, I am sure these will be partly to blame for the slow death of amateur radio as we knew it.  

As a youngster, I discovered amateur radio by listening to locals on 160m AM and DX on 15m AM. These opportunities no longer exist as people can chat in a multitude of ways for free without a licence using the internet. Talking to friends across the world even by video is commonplace.

It is my view that amateur radio as we knew it will cease in the next 20 years.

Low cost 70cm QRPP modules

Before anyone tells me I know Baonfeng and Quansheng handhelds are available at very low cost, but I wonder if any experimenters are experimenting with low cost modules designed to send digital signals at short range?  

Many are available on Amazon.

70cm UKAC on Tuesday last

It is my view that interest in this contest is waning at the expense of FT8. Overall, I do not stay on long with my 10W pep to the 2m big-wheel omni antenna, but I get the feeling it is mainly the dedicated people who come on. If my voice was better and I stayed on longer far more could have been worked. 2 stations were worked.

70cm activity contest (UKAC)

This evening was the 70cm activity contest. I worked a couple of stations with my 10W pep SSB to the 2m big-wheel omni antenna before I went QRT after about 40 minutes.

70cm UKAC activity contest results

You would not exactly say I am a contest nerd. One thing is certain: guess who will never win! If I come half way up the table I'd be very pleased!

I like to submit an entry into the activity contest even though I stay on very little time, use 10W SSB and a 2m big-wheel omni antenna. In the low power section I am 43rd out of 70, which is not bad.

See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/vhfresults.pl?Contest=432MHz%20UKAC&year=2024 .

70cm activity contest last Tuesday

My entry (never a winning score with just 2 QSOs, 10W, short period on air and a 2m omni antenna!) was submitted this morning. 

It is my view that this 70cm UKAC is on the wane with fewer people active. The 70cm FT8 activity contest on the other hand is "humming". It looks like many people prefer FT8 to SSB these days. FT8 works with far weaker signals, but like so much these days, it has less human interaction. 

We seem to becoming a society with far less human contact sadly.

Am I alone in thinking impersonal AI call centres are a pain?  "Say in your own words what you are calling about". "You want to talk about xxx. Is that correct?".  Say "yes" or "no". Actually I would rather speak with a human being!

70cm FT8 UKAC activity contest

Stations spotting my 2.5W FT8
on 70cm earlier this evening

It never fails to amaze me how far 2.5W FT8 to the 2m big-wheel omni goes on 70cm.  On RX, stations as far as S.Eire, the Netherlands and Germany are always copied on 70cm FT8 irrespective of conditions.

70cm

Years ago, there was plenty of activity on 70cm FM simplex. I had one of the first synthesised amateur rigs in the country. It was an FM321 based on the Australian UHF CB rig, the FM320. With an indoor UHF TV yagi and 4W much DX was worked on FM. It was very good.

These days, there is little activity apart from in contests. The map shows the contacts made with 10W SSB and my 2m omni antenna in a recent activity contest.

Openings on 70cm were localised, and often tropo openings were more frequent than on 2m. These days, with FT8, amazing distances can be covered. It is a great pity 70cm is so under-used.

70cm FT8 activity contest

70cm FT8 RX

 At the moment I am 70cm FT8 RX only, although I shall probably try to work some locals later with 2.5W and the 2m big-wheel omni antenna.

UPDATE  2020z:   Plenty of stations active. I think these are normal conditions on 70cm FT8. Imagine if I had a beam!

70cm QRP FT8 TX

UPDATE 2106z: I am surprised where my 2.5W to the omni reaches on 70cm FT8.

70cm activity contest

Yesterday was the 70cm leg of the RSGB organised activity contest (UKAC). I was on for only about 45 minutes with my 10W and 2m omni big-wheel antenna. 5 stations were worked.