10m FT8

Since mid-morning I have been on 10m FT8 RX. So far, just one UK station spotted - G4HZW (208km).

UPDATE 1615z:  Well, unless things change, this will be the first time in several days without Europeans, or further, DX.

UPDATE 1832z:  In about 30 minutes I am moving to 50.280MHz MSK144 RX. No further stations spotted on 10m FT8 today.

10m FT8 - Newfoundland

The spotting earlier this week of a station in Newfoundland on 10m FT8 goes to show that this band and mode can bring surprises. Sunspot number is zero and solar flux numbers poor, yet the band still opens up. OK, it is much harder than a few years ago.

10m FT8

I remained on 10m FT8 RX overnight. This morning G0OYQ (177km) and DF7IW (613km) were spotted early on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1040z:  Now OY1DZ (1163km) spotted on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1524z:  9 unique stations in 6 European countries so far today on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1816z: Well, well, well VP8LP (12772km) has just been spotted on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1842z: Now PU4YEN (9137km) is coming through.

10m FT8 RX

Currently I am monitoring 10m FT8. The first station copied this year was D41CV (4517km) in the Cape Verde Islands. Since then, quite a wide spread of stations spotted.

UPDATE 1605z:  I wonder if this was winter Es? Signal levels were very strong. D41CV was clearly audible too. No further spots since.

UPDATE 1734z: Still no further 10m FT8 spots. Me thinks this was an Es opening that came and went.

10m FT8 RX

Although I have only been on 10m FT8 RX for a short while, DM1FL (495km) in the Rhine area has been already spotted.

UPDATE 1512z:  No further 10m FT8 RX spots all day here, so, unless things rapidly change, a dismal day!

UPDATE 1530z: Well, well, well thing did change with VO1NE (3931km) being spotted on 10m FT8. He has been widely spotted across Europe and in North America, so he is definitely genuine.

UPDATE 1620z: More Gs and near Europeans now being spotted on 10m FT8. Currently 7 stations, 5 countries, 2 continents today on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1708z: Lots of Eastern Europeans coming through on 10m FT8. I suspect Es again.

UPDATE 1847z: 10m FT8 was still good a little while ago.

10m FT8 RX

Last night I remained on 10m FT8 RX. I am still on that band/mode this morning. A few spots this morning so far with best DX is DC4CP (436km) in or near Aachen.

10m FT8

Although I stayed on 10m FT8 RX all night and am still monitoring this morning, nothing yet spotted today.

UPDATE 1136z: GI4ONL (549km) is the best DX so far this morning on 10m FT8 RX. Only UK stations so far spotted.

UPDATE 1640z: At some point my internet connection to the shack was lost. Several near Europeans were spotted, but not uploaded to PSK Reporter Maps. These were probably received by aircraft reflection.

UPDATE 2022z: Much to my surprise 10m FT8 RX was full of stations this evening from all over Europe from the Faroes, to Spain, Italy and Bulgaria. I assume this is mid-winter Es. This now makes 3 days in a row. The opening seems to have ended about an hour ago. In the last 30 minutes just a G station spotted. Some of the signals were very strong, supporting mid-winter Es.

10m FT8 RX

Yesterday was another good day on 10m FT8, but nothing spotted here today so far on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1048z: SQ9RHS (1323km) has been spotted strongly.

UPDATE 1644z: No further spots since the Polish station this morning. Disappointing.

UPDATE 2027z: I see that I spotted German and Danish stations today on 10m FT8, but these did not upload to PSK Reporter Maps. I must have lost internet connectivity in the shack.

10m FT8

It is very quiet here today compared with yesterday when lots of Europeans were spotted on 1om FT8. So far today nothing!

UPDATE 1515z:  5 unique stations in 4 European countries spotted on 10m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 1645z: Now 12 uniques in 7 European countries spotted on 10m FT8 so far today. I suspect Es. FT8 certainly concentrates activity. It seems an ideal mode when conditions on 10m are on the slide. Certainly it is the mode to be spotted. Within, say, 2kHz a huge number of stations can be fitted. It works with relatively weak signals of short duration. 28.074MHz is the USB dial frequency for FT8. WSJT-X V1.8 is the software to us, and it is free.

UPDATE 2058z: LU1ECO (11448km) appeared (F2 I assume) this evening.

See https://www.physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx.html .

10m FT8 RX

Is there Es today? I suspect so as quite a widespread range of Europeans on 10m FT8 RX earlier. Best DX spotted today so far (probably F2) is UD3T (2750km).

UPDATE 1746z: Lots of Europeans on 10m FT8 RX today.

10m FT8 RX

All day, I have been on 10m FT8 RX. As it is Christmas, it is perhaps not surprising that nothing has been spotted at all.

UPDATE 2258z:  IW3AUT (1039km) was spotted earlier this evening. Surprise!

10m FT8 RX

All day I have been monitoring 10m FT8 RX. Best DX today so far is DM1FL (495km). Apart from this and a couple of Gs, it has been a quiet day.

UPDATE 1620z: 10m FT8 RX has surprised me. VP8LP (12772km) in the Falkland Is has been spotted after a fairly quiet day. He was strong too.

10m FT8 RX

Overnight I remained on 10m FT8 RX rather than moving to 630m WSPR. No spots here during that period. Maybe there will be some later.

UPDATE 1426z: Still no 10m FT8 spots here today.

UPDATE 1652z:  Just 2E0XXO (120km) spotted today.

10m FT8 RX

As there is a mini Es peak around now, I have returned to 10m FT8 RX. Within a short while of turning on I spotted OZ1LXJ (805km). Promising.

UPDATE 1600z: Not a bad 10m day so far. Best DX on 10m FT8 RX is EC5AC (1576km). So far, 7 unique stations in 5 countries spotted today on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1715z: Best 10m FT8 RX DX today is EA9CD (1873km) in North Africa. Es? Now 10 uniques in 8 countries spotted today.

UPDATE 1755z: Now the Falkland Is! VP8LP (12772km) spotted, so there is some F2 about on 10m.  Now 15 uniques, 10 countries and 3 continents today on 10m FT8 RX. 10m dead?

UPDATE 2100z: In the end a PY in Brazil too. Altogether, a good day on 10m FT8 RX.

10m FT8 RX

Since breakfast, I have been on 10m FT8 RX.  Perhaps unsurprisingly, no spots yet. I was hoping to see a few Gs maybe. At this time of year there is a small Es peak, although I do not know why.

UPDATE 1326z: DG5HR (721km) spotted.

6m FT8

After a brief try on 6m MSK144, I am now on 6m FT8 RX for the day. As yet, no spots.

UPDATE 1302z:  Just M0HUI (122km) spotted so far today.

UPDATE  1600z: A very quiet day. ON5LGS (264km) is the only other 6m spot today. I assume this is aircraft reflection rather than tropo.

6m FT8 RX

At the moment, I am monitoring 6m FT8 RX. Nothing yet.

UPDATE 1415z: Just ON8DM (237km) spotted.

6m FT8

For about 30 minutes, I have been on 6m FT8 RX again. As yet, nothing spotted.

UPDATE 1100z: OK2BRD (1289km) spotted. Not sure of the propagation mode.

UPDATE 1900z: 7 stations in 6 countries today on 6m FT8. Soon be time to QSY to 630m WSPR.

UPDATE 1932z: G4BMM (123km) copied. I suspect this is aircraft reflection from planes in the London, Heathrow stack.

UPDATE 2220z: Best DX today on 6m FT8 RX was IT9CHU (2045km).

6m FT8

For a change, I am on 6m FT8 RX today. Really I am hoping for G stations and any EUs would be a bonus.

UPDATE 1350z: Nothing at all spotted so far on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1546z: One Belgian station spotted on 6m FT8 - ON8DM (237km). Aircraft?

UPDATE 1815z: Quite a few central and eastern Europeans spotted on 6m FT8.

10m FT8

As of  about 10 minutes ago, I went QRT on 630m WSPR and QSYed to 10m FT8 RX. 2E0XXO (120km) already spotted. Not long after OZ1LXJ (806km) was spotted on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1210z: 8 stations in 7 EU countries spotted so far on 10m FT8 today.

UPDATE 1746z: 12 stations in 9 EU countries spotted so far.