Es so far and QRPP 8m WSPR

There have been Es openings in Europe on 10m and 6m, but nothing yet to suggest my 10mW ERP 8m WSPR would be copied. This is the power that anyone may use licence free with ISM rules in the UK as long as IR2030 is met.

I still have to replace my 8m dipole. I shall probably do this the week after this. Hopefully someone during this Es season will get my 10mW ERP WSPR on 40.680 MHz USB dial. My reluctance is ladder work as I get giddy up ladders!  

There are two factors working against me - the low power and too few 8m monitors. Results on 10m suggest 10mW should be enough, but 8m suffers from too few monitors. However, I remain hopeful. 

Es is usually good during May, June and July. In my experience the season goes on during July, August and September, but it is on the wane by August.

40.680 MHz QRPP WSPR

My dipole for 8m has still to be replaced, but I am again on 40.680 MHz QRPP WSPR under ISM rules. My power is 10mW ERP.

8m - more and more countries on TX

Yesterday a club station in Malawi was reported to be TXing on the 8m band. Several countries have issued experimental licences for the band. Some stations, where the licencing authority is rather poor, have come on the band illegally.

What is becoming clearer and clearer is that more and more countries are supportive of research at 8m. 

It seems odd to me that places like the USA and UK seem so backward on research at 8m. Just a 5kHz slot with limited power by NoV or equivalent, narrow digital only, with no interference created is surely not too much to ask?

Why the negativity?

8m antenna replacement

All being well, I hope to replace my 8m dipole in the coming days. 

This Es season, as an experiment, I am trying 10mW ERP WSPR under ISM rules. This power should certainly get me into Europe on better days, but will there be people monitoring 40.680 USB dial WSPR? 

When the band is really "open" I shall be competing with other ISM sources! At the other end, there is no knowing what interference levels I shall be competing against.

8m 10mW ERP WSPR (Friday)

 As I have been away, I only returned to 8m WSPR TX under ISM rules (10mW ERP complying with IR2030) this afternoon.  I am currently doing some local tests, although my dipole antenna is faulty and needs replacing. Until this is fixed I am not expecting to be copied.

8m ISM WSPR (Sunday)

Shortly, I shall be turning on my 10mW ERP  8m WSPR under ISM rules on 40.680MHz USB dial. 

This means my QRPP WSPR will be about 1450Hz higher. I am not really expecting any spots as I have yet to sort out my antenna. 

I shall ask locals to check I am getting out.

UPDATE 1436z:  No spots.

8m FT8 RX (Saturday)

Currently, I am monitoring 40.680MHz USB dial FT8. 

UPDATE 1348z:  No spots. 

UPDATE 1621z:  Locally I can see ZS1TX, ZS3/V51PJ and ZR1ADI were spotted but these did not appear on PSKreporter. For some reason, these spots were not uploaded.

8m FT8 receive (Friday)

This morning, I am on 40.680MHz FT8 receive. No spots at 1017z.

UPDATE 1252z:   No spots today.

8m FT8 RX

At the moment (Wednesday AM) I am on 40.680MHz USB dial FT8 RX. No spots. I have yet to repair my 8m dipole, so I have no idea (other than the highish SWR) how it is performing.

UPDATE 1642z: ZR1ADI (9777km) in South Africa was the only spot today. I guess this is TEP.

8m FT8 RX

This morning I am monitoring 40.680 MHz RX. I am hoping to spot a station in Bedfordshire. So far, I have had no success on FT8 or WSPR.

8m dipole

As mentioned before, it looks like my 8m dipole antenna system has an intermittent fault. Recently, I decided to concentrate on 8m TX with ISM restrictions, which means 10mW ERP. WSPR gives me the best chance. I doubt 8m FT8 at 10mW ERP would be enough.

A reminder that, certainly in the UK, possibly elsewhere, under ISM rules 8m beaconing is licence free and open to all. A full T&I 8m TX permit costs £50 annually in the UK. With more countries opening the band for real amateur radio research, I keep my fingers crossed that radio amateurs will eventually be granted restricted access with conditions. I have long said that just 5kHz in the ISM band would do.

For 10mW ERP tests the antenna must be reliable.

The actual antenna and coax are not problems, whereas erection is more of an issue as this requires ladder work. I can probably manage OK as the ladder work is quite low, but I get giddy very easily these days so even a short distance off the ground is harder than it once was.

8m FT8 RX (Tuesday)

 As I decided not to ask for a new 8m TX permit (which I still think is totally wrong that you have to pay!!), but instead test with 10mW ERP under ISM rules this Es season, I am on 8m FT8 RX today.

8m WSPR RX (Thursday)

At present, I am monitoring 40.680MHz USB dial WSPR hoping to spot a station near Bedford or possibly some ON stations via tropo. No luck. 

UPDATE 1906z:  No spots.

8m decision made - ISM rules!

After thinking hard, I have decided to try 8m WSPR with ISM rules and not apply for a new permit.

Starting in a few weeks I shall be on 40.680MHz WSPR TX with 10mW ERP following IR2030 rules. The WSPR offset is about 1500Hz HF.

In the meantime, I am monitoring 40.680MHz USB dial WSPR and hope to spot some stations by tropo before the Es season really starts.

8m dilemma

My TX permit runs out shortly, and I am undecided about a new one. 

From an experimental view point, I have already proved that 2.5W FT8 and a low dipole is enough to reach many parts of the planet when F2 is good. Just to experiment I have to pay £50 a year, which I find offensive and stupid. I blame OFCOM and the RSGB for this utter stupidity. There are many people who want to do genuine research at 8m!! Pay?? How daft when amateur radio is meant to be about self-training! 

My inclination is to operate on 40.680MHz WSPR under ISM regulations (10mW ERP and IR2030 compliance) which is totally free and open to all in the UK. This would be much harder, but radio science would benefit more. I suspect that much of Europe would be in range on the better days in the Es season. The main issue could be too few monitors. I suspect 10mW ERP 8m FT8 would be too low.

It would be good if others joined me by keeping to ISM rules (or similar) in your area of the world. In some countries I believe one can legally beacon below certain powers.  If enough people tried, the research would be more meaningful. Remember, operation under ISM rules is not amateur radio. Such use is essentially one way beaconing for propagation research.

It would be great to have a lot of QRPP 8m WSPR beacons operational.

8m QRP FT8 (Friday)

My 2.5W and dipole have been on most of the day.  No spots of me although I did copy ZR1ADI (9777km) in Western Cape, South Africa.

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.

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.