Showing posts with label 8m. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 8m. Show all posts

27 Mar 2024

8m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

My 2.5W 8m FT8 to the dipole was turned on at about 1110z.  As usual, I am on 40.680MHz (DF about 1950Hz).  No spots yet.

24 Mar 2024

8m CEPT band?

Belgium and Eire have amateur allocations at 8m. Luxembourg may have one soon. South Africa has one.  I am unsure about Slovenia and Croatia.

In many countries we have the stupid situation where radio amateurs have to apply for, and pay, to do research and experimentation at 8m. 

The RSGB seems dead set against even a tiny allocation by NoV at 8m as does the FCC in the USA. 

Much like 6m was in the 1980s, I hope that national authorities see sense and allow radio amateurs to apply for 8m permits. What would be good is if CEPT allowed national authorities to permit amateurs access.

I am pretty sure OFCOM in the UK is parroting the RSGB line. 

Personally, I think radio amateurs could really contribute to radio science at 8m. We are not asking for much. Even an allocation just 5kHz wide only, digital only, low power, limited times, by application only, would be a start.

8m dipole

For several years, I have used this wire dipole antenna on 8m. I was considering a vertical this Es season, but my problem is erection.

Despite the low height of the dipole, it seems to work pretty well with my 2.5W FT8 reaching all over Europe, South Africa, the Caribbean, USA, Canada and the Middle East, and the Canaries. 

I doubt a vertical would be much different.

8m FT8 (Sunday)

My 8m FT8 2.5W is currently on 40.680MHz (DF about 1950Hz), although I am not hopeful as conditions seem disturbed.

UPDATE 1709z:  No spots.

23 Mar 2024

8m FT8 (Saturday)

 No spots of me today on 40.680MHz FT8, although I did spot ZR1ADI (9777km) in Western Cape, South Africa on FT8. It looks like Bernard VA2CYX was struggling to be copied across the Atlantic. He is thinking of going to FT8. If I try FT8 with ISM rules (10mW ERP) it is doubtful I would be copied on 8m. WSPR would be better, but there are fewer monitors.

UPDATE 1650z:   The good news is S50B is back on 8m with a vertical Sirio antenna. Borut had suffered antenna damage earlier.

UPDATE 2300z: No further spots.

22 Mar 2024

8m WSPR RX (Friday)

Once again, I am monitoring 8m WSPR hoping to spot the Canadian trying some tests. It is possible I may also copy some Irish and Belgian stations who were on 8m WSPR yesterday.

21 Mar 2024

Continuing monitoring 8m WSPR

Today, I am continuing to monitor 40.680 MHz WSPR. My rig should be on during the daylight hours. Nothing at all was spotted on 8m WSPR yesterday. I am hoping to receive Bernard in Canada.

20 Mar 2024

8m WSPR RX (Wednesday)

As a Canadian is doing some transatlantic 8m WSPR tests, I shall be on 40.680MHz WSPR RX for the next few days during the daytime.

UPDATE 1614z:  No spots. I notice there are no other WSPR 8m spots.

UPDATE 1652z: I am wondering about the next Es season on 8m. I was considering using 10mW ERP under ISM rules. FT8 might be a better mode, but is less sensitive. On the other hand the TX burst is only 15 seconds whereas WSPR needs almost 120 seconds, so FT8 would be better on short openings. Operating under ISM rules (certainly in the UK)  implies 10mW ERP and meeting IR2030, but is open to all without the need for a TX permit to beacon WSPR or FT8. I would expect 8m FT8 would be much harder than WSPR, but there might be more monitors? Last Es season I was running 2.5W, so I would be far weaker.  The difference is 24dB, so most of the time I would be far too weak to copy on FT8. Perhaps some local FT8 tests at 10mW ERP are called for?

17 Mar 2024

Return to 8m QRP FT8

At the moment, I am on 8m QRP FT8. The antenna appears to be a bit too long and probably needs cutting a bit. I have put on a new PL259 plug.

UPDATE 1730z:   No spots.

15 Mar 2024

Fixing that 8m dipole

My PL259 plugs have arrived. The 50 ohm coax and everything needed to replace my 8m dipole is at hand. Erection should really be trivial, but ladder work is far harder these days.

Until my TX permit expires early next month I hope to use 2.5W. After that I may try 10mW ERP 8m WSPR which does not require an 8m TX permit in the UK. As long as people are monitoring, much of Europe should be possible.  Tests at similar powers have reached the USA on 10m WSPR. One of the issues on 8m is there are far fewer monitors than on 10m.

This would be an interesting test. Sadly, the attenuator would also be in circuit on RX too making the RX deafer.

I guess some local tests would be useful to ensure all is well. At the moment I am unsure what callsign to use for these 10mW 8m tests.

11 Mar 2024

8m antenna repair

For reasons I do not understand my 8m dipole has gone to resonance at about 49MHz. It is simpler to replace the antenna and coax. Assuming the weather is OK, I may try doing this in the next week. 

At the moment I am inclined not to apply for an 8m TX permit again, but instead concentrate on ISM rules and WSPR. In the UK this means 10mW ERP and compliance with IR2030. In the UK this is totally free (no licence needed) and I believe open to all. As long as there are people monitoring, much of Europe should be within range on 8m WSPR in the Es season.

8 Mar 2024

8m TX

At the moment my inclination is NOT to apply for a special permit to TX on 8m (costs £50 per year!) but to instead try 40.680MHz WSPR using ISM rules. 

In the UK, this means 10mW ERP and compliance with IR2030. Anyone, even an SWL, may do this without a licence. The callsign can be made up. I shall use one that WSPRnet can accept, so I can see where I am being spotted.

Having either worked or been spotted on 8m FT8 by most active stations, this will be a new challenge in the Es season. My antenna needs attention first. 

Judging by tests at similar ERP on 10m, much of Europe should be in range at times, assuming there are people monitoring!

It would be good if others tried this too.

3 Mar 2024

8m decision time

My current 8m TX permit runs out early next month. My choice is to apply for a new permit (probably a similar one requested). This will cost me £50. Although I can afford it, I object to having to pay to carry out genuine research. For this stupidity I have issues with the RSGB and OFCOM.

The alternative is to run 10mW ERP using ISM rules. This is free.

Most active stations on 8m have either spotted my FT8 or worked me.

Radio science might benefit from me running very low power in the Es season which mainly starts in May. At the moment I am inclined to run 10mW ERP 8m WSPR whenever the 8m band looks promising. As long as there are people across Europe monitoring 8m WSPR, I have every confidence of being spotted.

28 Feb 2024

8m amateur band?

For many years, I have advocated a tiny amateur allocation around 40.680MHz primarily for radio science research. Here in the UK, the RSGB seems dead set against this, whereas in some countries an allocation has been made.

Frankly, I think the RSGB's position is stupid

Surely the main purpose of amateur radio is research and self training. In the UK, if we want do research at 8m it costs us £50 annually unless we keep to ISM powers (10mW ERP).

The latest excuse is space radar to help investigate climate change, yet the latest WARC says:

"that spaceborne radars are intended to be operated only in either uninhabited or sparsely populated areas of the globe, with particular focus on deserts and polar ice fields, and only at night-time from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. locally."

Surely the RSGB could put a good case to OFCOM for a few kHz in the ISM 8m band, NoV, limited power and modes, by application only, no-interference...

Is this likely?  Probably not. 

Instead we can go on 80m with 1kW, with commercial gear to talk about gardening. Am I annoyed? Yes.

RSGB - wake up!!


26 Feb 2024

8m

At the moment I am undecided what to do about my 8m TX permit. 

If I want to get a permit after April, it costs me £50 per year. Running 10mW ERP WSPR under ISM rules would be free. From an experimental viewpoint running QRPP WSPR, although much harder, would be a better experiment. I am appalled that OFCOM and the RSGB seem uninterested in genuine research unless I pay!

At the moment, my inclination is to TX 10mW WSPR without a permit.

My antenna wants renewing, as I currently have a high SWR.

25 Jan 2024

500uW 10m WSPR (Thursday)

As I have had no 10m WSPR spots at all this week at 500uW, it would appear conditions have to be very good to get spots at this very low level. 

It will be interesting to repeat this test at 500uW in the Es season, as signals can sometimes be very strong by Es.  It is my expectation that I shall get 10m WSPR spots all over Europe with 500uW 10m WSPR in May and June. Quite a lot more would have been possible at 500mW (30dB stronger), but spots.

It is my view that everyone in the UK may legally use 10mW WSPR between 40.660 and 40.700 MHz in the ISM band without a licence. I am quite surprised more people have not taken advantage of this. This is NOT amateur radio. The ISM bands are internationally allocated and power restrictions are intended to reduce the chances of harmful interference. Callsigns can be made up, and if the format is OK, WSPRnet shows where you are being spotted. Each country has interface specifications (IR2030 in the UK) to agree power levels and other parameters.


22 Jan 2024

8m CEPT allocation proposal

As I could not immediately see on the RSGB website to whom it should be sent , I sent my 8m CEPT proposal to the RSGB General Manager with a request that it is forwarded to the right people.  Apparently these are the VHF Manager and the Spectrum Forum Chair.

I hope my request is looked at favourably as there is a great deal of propagation research that could be done by radio amateurs at 8m. There are countries within CEPT that have already granted amateurs access to this spectrum. Just 5 kHz within the 8m ISM band with very limited modes and power, by application, no interference, should encourage experimentation and avoid "chatting".

Maybe others would care to support this?

I am mindful that the real purpose of our hobby is self-training and research.

21 Jan 2024

8m QRP FT8 (Sunday) - not today

At one point I had thoughts of going on 8m QRP FT8 today, but I have decided against this. Borat S50B has antenna issues, so that is one keen person not around. Conditions do not seem to be exceptional, which is probably necessary for me to be spotted "across the pond".  So, I shall stick with 6m FT8 at 2.5W and 500uW 10m WSPR. 6m has more FT8 monitors and this helps.

20 Jan 2024

CEPT 8m amateur allocation?

Before I start, there are no plans for this. 

However, the band is now available to radio amateurs in at least 2 CEPT countries and in many CEPT nations some are experimenting on 8m with special permits. 

From figures provided to me by an amateur in Belgium, radio amateurs would produce less interference than ISM users between 40.66-40.70MHz.  It would be great if CEPT allowed radio amateurs access to the band.

These are my proposals for an 8m amateur band:

  • 40.675-40.685 MHz (just 10 kHz wide in total, in the ISM band. A minimum would be 40.680-40.683 MHz)
  • Secondary
  • Only available by application (NoV or equivalent)
  • 5W maximum
  • Narrow digital only (modes like FT8, WSPR and CW), no phone
  • Strictly no interference
  • Only available to full licencees
My assumption is CEPT is more likely to be receptive if we ask for the minimum.

Almost all the activity on 8m is propagation research. Such a small CEPT amateur allocation could really advance radio propagation science.

Please approach your national society and licencing authority for an 8m amateur band.

See https://www.itu.int/dms_pubrec/itu-r/rec/sm/R-REC-SM.1056-1-200704-I!!PDF-E.pdf .

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

As my 8m dipole is showing a high VSWR, my 2.5W 8m FT8 is connected instead to my loop on the shack windowsill on which the match is good. 

UPDATE 1847z: No spots all day.