10m 2W FT8 (Friday)

My gear was turned on at about 1245z 

UPDATE 1330z: So far, 59 stations have spotted me. 

Friday plans

 Probably I shall go on 10m 2W FT8 later.

10m 2W FT8 (Thursday)

 

At about 1830z I QSYed from 8m and instead went on 10m FT8 with 2W. 

UPDATE  2021z:  10 stations have spotted me with the best PU2YFR (9602km). Now QRT.

8m FT8 RX (Thursday)

 I have QSYed to 8m FT8 RX on 40.680 MHz using my end-fed long wire.  We'll see if I spot anyone today.

UPDATE 1626z:  No spots. At the moment 8m is disappointing.

6m 5W FT8 (Thursday)

 My gear has been on since just after breakfast. 

UPDATE 1914z:  So far, spotted by 5 English stations.

2m FT8 activity contest UKAC (Wednesday)

This is a contest I do not submit an entry for. I gave a few (very few!) CQ calls and was copied in southern Eire. There is no doubt there is a lots of activity.

Stations that spotted my 2m 10W FT8 this evening

UPDATE 2102z:  Now QRT. Worked 4 stations in the 2m FT8 UKAC contest.

6m 5W FT8 (Wednesday)

 My gear (5W to the V2000 vertical omni) was turned on at about 1015z.

UPDATE 1324z:   18 spots so far. See map.

6m 5W FT8 (Tuesday)

 My gear was turned on at about 0945z. 

UPDATE 2056z: 13 posts. QRT.

10m 2W FT8 (Monday)

My gear was turned on before breakfast.

UPDATE 0904z:  53 stations have spotted me.

UPDATE  1926z: 488 stations have spotted me today. Even with 2W 10m FT8, spots from across the planet. See map. 

6m 5W FT8 (Sunday)

Late Sunday, I went on 6m FT8 with 5W to the V2000 vertical omni antennas. 5 English stations spotted me. Now QRT.

8m FT8 RX (Sunday)

Today, I am on 8m FT8 RX, more in hope than expectation, using my end-fed long wire antenna. I have no idea of the polar plot on 8m, but it has been used to copy CT, EA and G on 8m FT8.

UPDATE 1455z:   No spots.

2m ultra QRP FT8 (Saturday)

 Although at 3.2mW I can see my 2m FT8  signal at the grabber at G0LRD, at 26km I cannot see myself on PSKreporter. I shall increase my power until I am I decoded.

UPDATE 1815z:  Increased to 6.4mW. No decode.

UPDATE 1829z: Increased to 12mW. Decode appeared on PSKreporter (just).

UPDATE 1837z:  Increased to 25mW. Decoding, but not reliably. I think both G0LRD and I have big-wheel omni antennas.

UPDATE 1900z: Increased power to  35mW. No decodes this time.

UPDATE 1917z:  Increased power to  45mW. No decodes.The other variable is S/N at the RX.  What I am looking for is what level I need to get reliable and repeatable decodes.

UPDATE 1928z: Increased power to 55mW. It would appear that I am being defeated by local noise. No decodes.

UPDATE  1940z: Increased power to 60mW. No decodes.

UPDATE 1958z:   Increased power to 65mW. 2 people now spotting me.

UPDATE 2117z:  Increased power to 100mW. A surprise QSO with M0WDN at 100mW with a 15dB attenuator in the input of the RX!! The S/N at G0LRD seems to vary widely suggesting he was pointing a beam in a different direction. I have now gone QRT. 

15m 100mW FT8 (Saturday)

At 1217z, I changed from 100mW 15m WSPR to 15m 100mW FT8. Now, FT8 is about 10dB worse than WSPR, but there is more activity on FT8 these days.

UPDATE 1340z:  Just. one spot of me by SP9WTC (1480km). Maybe I am being clobbered by a stronger station? Also, I suspect it is increasingly likely that QRP signals are now buried in noise, making QRP operation harder than it once was. Even with a 15dB attuenuator in circuit right next to the rig I am spotting 119 stations. This suggests an effective power of low watts if they were running 100W.

UPDATE 1708z:   Well it helps if you use a 15m antenna!  I discovered I was using my 2m big-wheel antenna rather than my end fed HF antenna. So I am surprised to have got any spots with 100mW 15m FT8.

2m 5W FT8 (Friday)

At about 1715z, I QSYed tp 2m FT8 with 5W to the big-wheel omni antenna.  

So far 12 stations have spotted me with the furthest EI2FG (565km). 

I am convinced this is some kind of scatter.

Stations spotting my 5W
FT8 to the omni

UPDATE 1841z:  Since about 1835z I have been vertically polarised with my V2000 vertical omni. This is fed with CB RG58 coax, so I would guess the ERP is similar. It seems to make little difference which rather supports the scatter theory.

UPDATE 2125z:  22 stations in 6 countries spotted my 5W FT8 this evening. See map. Now QRT.

6m 5W FT8 (Friday)

My gear was turned on at about 1425z.

UPDATE 1531z:  8 stations spotting me, with the furthest EI4DQ (580km).

10m 2W FT8 (Thursday)

At about 1600z I QSYed to 10m FT8 from 8m. 

UPDATE  2105z: So far, 144 stations have spotted me. See map.

UPDATE 2139z: QRT. In the end 146 stations spotted me.

8m FT8 RX (Thursday)

 My gear was turned on at about 0920z.

UPDATE 1523:   No spots.

8m FT8 RX (Wednesday)

 Since lunchtime I have been on 8m FT8 RX.

 UPDATE 1512z:  No spots.

8m FT8 RX again (Tuesday)

 Yet again, I am trying 8m FT8 RX on 40.680 MHz.

UPDATE  1158z:   G8VER (66km) and CT7BIZ (1422km) spotted on 8m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 2016z:   QRT.

8m FT8 RX (Monday)

My gear was turned on at 1030z.

UPDATE 1812z:  EA1YV (1321km) spotted.