70cm 4 element yagi

One of my Facebook memories today was this photo of my 4 element yagi made from a metal coat hanger. It was used out portable in a contest. 

The mast was a PVC pipe trapped in the car door. 

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/antennas/70cm-4el-yagi .

70cm activity contest

Results for this activity contest organised by the RSGB have just been published.

See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/vhfresults.pl?Contest=432MHz%20UKAC&year=2022 .

FT8 activity contest on 70cm

This evening is the FT8 activity contest on 70cms. Already at 1730z, several Gs are getting ready.

See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/contest_rules.pl?contest=70cmsgmac .

In all, 37 stations spotted on a 2m big-wheel omni antenna!!

70cm activity contest (UKAC)

Last evening I took part (briefly) in the 70cm activity contest organised by the RSGB. As I have no antennas for 70cm horizontal I went on for about 50 minutes with 10W to my 2m big-wheel omni. 

3 QSOs were made before I stopped because of my poor voice with the best being G4CLA (105km).

4 element Yagi for 70cms

Some years ago I was looking for an antenna for a 70cm contest to take out portable. It performed well with QRP SSB. Like similar antennas of mine, it was fabricated from an old metal coat hanger. It was a good match and used with my FT817. I still have this antenna in the back of the garage.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/antennas/70cm-4el-yagi .

70cm activity contest last Tuesday

At the moment I have no 70cm horizontal antennas so I use my 2m big-wheel omni antenna. Because of my poor voice I usually stay on for about 45 minutes. I run 10W SSB  QRP. Last week I had 3 QSOs with the furthermost 105km.

70cm activity contest (UKAC)

Last evening I took part in the 70cm activity contest with 10W and my 2m big-wheel omni. I did not stop on long as my voice was poor. 

In all, I made 3 contacts with the best G4CLA (105km). These UKAC sessions are good fun.

See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/contest_rules.pl?contest=70cmsukac .

70cm UKAC results

On the second Tuesday of the month the RSGB organises an activity contest on 70cm.  Even though I can only run 10W to a 2m omni, I usually go on. This time, I only stayed on for a short while, because of my poor voice, making just 1 valid QSO. One other one was rejected as "not in the log".   Better luck next month?

See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/vhfresults.pl?Contest=432MHz%20UKAC&year=2022 .

70cm FT8 activity contest

Starting at 1900z is the RSGB organised UKAC 70cm activity contest. 

A brief 2.5W TX period to the 2m big-wheel omni antenna resulted in nobody copying me. 8 stations have already been spotted prior to the contest (booking their spots?) with the furthermost PE1ITR (360km).

UPDATE 2150z:  45 stations spotted. 2 QSOs, spotted by 5 stations on 2.5W QRP to the 2m big-wheel.

VHF Contest this weekend

This weekend is the RSGB's 2m/70cm contest. If I remember, I intend to pop on occasionally with my 10W and omni, but I doubt I shall put an entry in. It runs for up to 24 hours from 1400z Saturday, although there is a 6 hour section in which you choose which 6 hours you want. The 6 hours can be split up.

See  https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/contest_rules.pl?year=2022&contest=mar144432 .

A popular 2m70cm/23cm transceiver is the ICOM IC-9700.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/vhfuhf-commercial-rigs/ic-9700 .

70cm activity contest results

The RSGB has just published the latest update to the results of the 70cm activity contest (UKAC). Even though I only made a small handful of contacts, my position is up!

See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/vhfresults.pl?Contest=432MHz%20UKAC&Date=&year=2022 .

70cm Moxon antenna

Several years ago I had a problem: my rig covered 70cm SSB, but I had no antenna. I found a quick and easy solution in my wife's wardrobe. I think the whole antenna took about 30 minutes to make.

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

70cm FT8 QRP (Monday)

After a brief period on 70cm FT8 TX with 2.5W to the 2m big-wheel omni, I am on RX. No spots, unsurprisingly. Still it was worth a try. I may try transmitting on 70cm FT8 again later today.

UPDATE 1324z:  Just before 1200z, I went on TX again. Still no spots on TX or RX. 

UPDATE 1345z:  Trying TX and RX with the vertical omni V2000.  Very strongly copied by G8CRB (14km). Thanks Steve!

70cm FT8 QRP (Sunday)

One QSO with a local when using 2.5W and the 2m big-wheel omni antenna. 

Best spotted on RX was DF2VJ (570km). 70cm in truly awful weather!! Amazing. Is this scatter? No beams here.

This is a revelation: I went on 70cm FT8 expecting to find nobody, but instead had a QSO on FT8 and spotted a German station further away than Luxembourg and all with a 2m omni antenna!

70cm FT8 activity contest yesterday

Stations spotted on 70cm RX
yesterday with the 2m omni!

FT8 activity on 70cm has really increased especially in activity contests. Although I spent most of the time yesterday on RX, I had a couple of QSOs and was spotted as far away as The Netherlands despite using just 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna for 2m!! 

Stations spotting my 2.5W 70cm TX
FT8 to the 2m omni antenna

70cm FT8 cumulative activity contest

The 70cm FT8 activity contest is tonight starting at 1900z. I can only run 2.5W (10W on SSB) maximum to my 2m big-wheel antenna, but probably will be on for a while. 

UPDATE 1656z:  Just QSYed to 70cm to check SWR etc. All seems fine. Spotted by M0IEP (155km) on TX.  Nothing spotted on RX yet.

See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/contest_rules.pl?contest=70cmsgmac. 

70cm activity contest

This was this evening, although I only stayed on for 28 minutes because of my poor voice. As usual, I was using 10W to the 2m big-wheel omni antenna. My biggest "get away" was a station on the south coast. In all, 4 QSOs were had although many more would have been possible had I stopped on longer.

70cm FT8

 A few moments ago I turned on 70cm FT8. After an initial QRP TX session (no spots of my 2.5W to the 2m big-wheel omni antenna) I am now RX only.

UPDATE 2104z:   No spots.

70cm FT8

Hepburn was right! 70cm was good last evening with 51 stations spotted on 70cm FT8 RX. 

12 stations spotted my 2.5W FT8 to the 2m big-wheel omni antenna. 

Imagine what stations with big-beams and high power were doing!

70cm QRP FT8 (Sunday)

At about 1435z, I turned my 70cm FT8 gear on. After a few minutes calling CQ with 2.5W  to the 2m big-wheel, I am now RX only. 5 stations have spotted my QRP  (to my amazement!) with the furthermost PA2M (311km). Nobody spotted on RX.

Stations spotting my 2.5W
to the 2m big-wheel antenna
on 70cm FT8 TX today

UPDATE 1542z:   8 stations spotted on 70cm FT8 RX with the furthermost GI6ATZ (479km) - the latter tropo or scatter? DLs also spotted.

UPDATE 1635z: 20 stations spotted with the furthermost DF2VJ (570km) in the Saar region.

UPDATE 1924z:  40 stations spotted on 70cm FT8 RX.

UPDATE 2030z:  46 stations have been spotted on RX. On 2.5W TX the furthermost report of me is by G4RRA (333km).

UPDATE 2200z:  51 stations spotted on 70cm FT8 RX with the furthermost DK5IR (686km).