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.

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.

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!!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

My future on 8m

This morning, I am getting no 8m FT8 spots whereas G9PUV and SV1DH have plenty. Their ERPs are probably at least 10dB up on mine as I run just 2.5W to a low dipole.

At the moment, my inclination is not to go for a new 8m permit in April.  

Possibly I may try 8m WSPR in the ISM band with the call 8M3ISM with 10mW ERP without a licence, as is the right of all in the UK.

The results obtained so far are impressive, but without more stations, I am unsure of the usefulness of continuing. 

As the 8m band is located between 10m and 6m, we could expect 8m to open more often than 6m. It is highly disappointing that OFCOM (and the RSGB) and the FCC has shown such a negative attitude to even a small 8m secondary allocation. It is not as if they are neutral. It would appear they are dead set against!

If beggars believe that both the FCC and OFCOM (and the RSGB) can have such a negative attitude to the real purpose of our hobby. I am left with a bitter taste.

8m QRP FT8 (Friday)

My 2.5W 8m FT8 was turned on at 1016z.

Conditions in Europe look encouraging with high MUFs.

UPDATE 1341z:  No spots.

8m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

My 2.5W FT8 to a dipole was turned on at 1046z on 40.680 MHz (DF about 1950 Hz). No spots at 1227z.

QRP 8m FT8 (Wednesday)

My 2.5W FT8 on 40.680 MHz has been on for about 30 minutes. 

Better equipped stations are regularly getting across the Atlantic again. It is much harder with just 2.5W and a low dipole! As the F2 season is good in February and March, we can expect even better times ahead.

UPDATE 1515z:   No spots yet today.

8m QRP FT8 (Monday)

HF F2 propagation is looking good, so I am hopeful that I shall get some transatlantic spots again soon on 8m FT8 with my 2.5W and low dipole. Better equipped stations seem to be getting across the Atlantic regularly. I guess their ERPs are 10dB up on me, which could make quite a difference. I intentionally want to see how QRP performs. It would appear it is much like 10m if the MUF is high enough. 

At the moment, my inclination is to apply for a new UK 8m TX permit when my current one runs out in April. I object to having to pay, but I think the experiment is worthwhile. 

In the 2025 Es season I may concentrate on unlicenced WSPR activity with 10mW ERP, but that is some way off still. Who knows, we might have a tiny 8m amateur band in the UK by then!!

UPDATE 1156z:  At some point, I might try a modified CB vertical on 8m. I hope to get this up before the 2024 Es season.

UPDATE 1423z:  No spots all day.

UPDATE 1536z:  ZF1EJ (7761km) has spotted me. This is my first transatlantic 8m FT8 spot this year.

8m QRP FT8 (Friday)

My 8m FT8 2.5W QRP was turned on a few hours ago on 40.680 MHz.  No spots.

UPDATE 1557z: PJ4MM (7483km) in Bonaire has been spotted on 8m FT8 RX. Nobody has spotted me!

8m - should I apply for a new TX permit from April?

To continue my 8m TX permit, I have (stupidly in my view) to pay OFCOM £50 a year!!  As I have worked just about all the stations on 8m TX currently, I am having second thoughts. Views?

Personally, I think OFCOM (plus the RSGB) and the FCC have totally stupid and blinkered views about genuine experimentation at 8m. Talk about dinosours .....

Instead, I may TX WSPR in the 8m ISM band at 10mW ERP using the call 8M3ISM during the Es season. With this ERP in the UK it is my view anyone may legally beacon in the 8m ISM band without a licence as long as they meet the interface requirements.

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

 My 2.5W to the dipole was turned on at about 1200z, but so far no spots.

8m quiet?

It seems to me that the 8m experiment is drawing to a close.  

With quite a high sunspot number, there have been F2 openings as high as 6m.  40 MHz is between 10m and 6m, so one would expect the F2 MUF to climb to 8m at times when it did not make it to 6m.  

There are very few people active on 8m, whereas there are many on 6m, so short-lived 6m openings are more likely to be spotted, especially on FT8. During the Es season distances up to about 1500km can often be worked. 

At the moment, I am inclined to pay for just one more year on 8m, but it needs more people in more countries. I still find it incomprehensible (and totally stupid) that radio amateurs are not allowed access to just 5 kHz, secondary only, narrow digital only, power limited, no interference, at 8m. It is as if OFCOM (and the RSGB) and the FCC are very "anti" an allocation at 8m. They are not just neutral!!

I have tried my best, but can do little more. 

It needs more people to approach their administrations about a tiny 8m allocation.

8m QRP FT8 TX (Friday)

My 2.5W FT8 to the dipole should be on 40.680 MHz (DF about 1950 Hz) all day. It was turned on about 0945z.

UPDATE 1623z:   No spots.

8m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

 At 1135z my 2.5W 8m FT8 had been on for about an hour. No spots.

UPDATE 1615z:  No 8m FT8 spots.