6m FT8 RX

Since just before breakfast, I have been on 6m FT8 RX. Some people hate this mode and I can quite understand why.

It is not a mode for chatting (unlike SSB, FM and AM) with "quick fire" formulaic QSOs.  But it works with quite weak signals and in my condition it means I can monitor what I am spotting whilst doing other things.

On 2m FT8 I can spot DX every day which I just wouldn't believe possible a few months ago. Who needs lifts? With FT8 I can spot DX anyway. Most times when I go on 2m FT8 TX with 2.5W and a big-wheel omni I get spotted over 300km.

So far today (it is now 0844z) just 5 Gs spotted and no sign here yet of 6m Es.

UPDATE 1052z:  10 Gs and one ON spotted so far today. No Es here yet on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1309z: Now 15 stations in 4 countries. Best DX is SP2DDV (1177km) probably Es.

UPDATE 1923z: As yet, no DX outside Europe and North Africa on 6m FT8 RX here today. Best DX is (again) S01WS (3043km) in Western Sahara. 54 stations in 10 countries so far today on 6m FT8 RX.

6m FT8 thought why I'm not spotting NA

Perhaps the lack of North Americans being spotted on 6m FT8 is in part due to them being on different frequencies? Most days I monitor 50.313MHz FT8, but I believe different frequencies may be favoured "across the pond". FT8 is less good (I think) than JT65, so maybe that is not helping too. For now, I'll carry on looking at 50.313MHz FT8 RX.

NOTE May 30th 2018: Someone has told me today that 50.313MHz is still the preferred FT8 frequency in the USA.

6m FT8 RX only

For a while now, I have been on 6m FT8 RX. Quite a few Es spots around Europe, but nothing further afield as yet apart from a 7X2 on the North African coast.

UPDATE 1324z: 29 unique stations in 7 countries and 2 continents so far today spotted on 6m FT8 RX.

Stations spotted on 6m FT8 

RX to 1415z today

UPDATE 1410z: Now 10 countries spotted.

UPDATE 1900z: Now 27 countries spotted today on 6m FT8 RX.

6m FT8

Yet again, I am on 6m FT8, starting at about 0845z. After  a few CQ calls at 2.5W (2 G spots received) I have been RX only. So far, 9 stations in 3 countries.

UPDATE 1406z: 50 unique stations, 9 countries, 2 continents so far today on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 2110z: I have lost count of the different stations spotted on 6m FT8 today, but 31 countries in 3 continents on 6m FT8 RX today.

6m FT8 again

At the moment this is my favourite band and mode. As usual, I have been on since before breakfast. So far (0859z), 28 unique stations spotted in 7 countries and 2 continents. Quite a bit of Es.

UPDATE 0914z: Best DX on 6m FT8 RX is currently EA8DBM (3016km). 31 uniques in 8 countries already on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 2118z: Lots of Es today on 6m. I have lost count of the number of stations. Soon be time to go QRT.

6m FT8 and "super DX"

It is now almost the end of May and I have still to catch "super DX" on 6m FT8. My system allowed me to catch a lot of great 6m DX on JT65 last year. I continue to watch in hope.

The system was turned on before breakfast. A quick 6m FT8 CQ (2.5W) brought spots from as far as Italy by Es, as well as Gs. Since then, I have been on 6m FT8 RX only.

UPDATE 0840z: So far 12 different stations spotted today in 3 countries.

UPDATE 1028z: 21 stations in 5 countries so far on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1540z: Now 30 stations in 5 countries on 6m FT8 RX today so far.

UPDATE 1814: Best DX on 6m FT8 RX is now 4X4DK (3580km). 5B4AIF (3193km) is the first station I have ever spotted on Cyprus on 6m. Also on again is S01WS (3043km) in Western Sahara.

UPDATE 1855z: Now 28 countries (I think) spotted in 3 continents so far today on 6m FT8. I have lost count of the number of stations, but there have been lots!

UPDATE 2110z:  QRT.

FT8 versus JT65

In the last few months the usage of FT8 is phenomenal. It uses about a third the bandwidth (about 50Hz) of JT65 and a much shorter TX period. In many ways it is an ideal QRP mode, especially in Es conditions.

I think FT8 is not as good as JT65 in terms of very weak signals, but I am no expert. So far, I have not spotted what I would call real DX on 6m, whereas last season I copied lots on 6m JT65. Now, this may be just conditions, so I need a few more months to decide.

It would be interesting to know how serious DXers find FT8. I only use a V2000 vertical, so others probably do better than me. As you know I'm a fair weather DXer. I do not chase DX, but I observe 6m FT8 most days.

FT8 is not a mode for chats. Without auto-sequencing enabled there is very little reaction time. It is a good mode for quick, formulaic exchanges.

See http://www.dx.nl/?p=860
This seems to show FT8 is some 6dB worse than JT65 on weak signals. Maybe this accounts for why I am spotting less real DX? Now, since then FT8 has been improved. Certainly, I shall stick with 6m FT8 this season to see what is spotted.

6m FT8 - very quiet so far

Although I have been on 6m FT8 since before breakfast, all is very quiet so far with just a couple of Gs spotted and no Es here yet. I did go on TX very early (just one spot with 2.5W to my V2000 vertical stick).

UPDATE 1327z: Plenty of spots now. Best DX on 6m FT8 RX today is D41CV (4518km) in the Cape Verde Is.

UPDATE 1640z: So far today, 30 different stations in 5 countries and 2 continents spotted on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1950z: 43 different stations in 6 countries and 2 continents today on 6m FT8 RX.

Back on 6m FT8 RX

As the threat from storms is not a concern this evening, I have returned to 6m FT8 RX. There are lots of stations from Spain and Portugal. Best DX on 6m FT8 RX is EA8EE (3014km).

UPDATE 1856z: So far, 27 unique stations in 7 countries spotted on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 2014z: Not that many new stations and the storms could hit us overnight, so time to go QRT I think. Maybe on tomorrow, but this will depend how close the storms get.

6m FT8

After a brief CQ call (2.5W) before breakfast (3 G spots) I have been RX ever since.  So far, 4 Gs spotted plus one Lithuanian which was my best DX - LY8O (1686km).

6m FT8 RX

After a very brief CQ call before breakfast at 2.5W (yes, you guessed - a couple of Gs spotted me!) I have been of 6m FT8 RX since.

At the moment we seem to have Es to Iberia and North Africa. Best DX spot is 7X2TT (1766km).

UPDATE 1120z:  57 uniques in 7 countries so far on 6m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 1312z: Best 6m FT8 RX DX today is currently S01WS (3043km).

UPDATE 1920z: I doubt much more will be spotted on 6m FT8 today. The map shows the spots so far today.

6m FT8 RX

What a difference! Already lots of 6m Es with many southern Europeans (13 countries already spotted by 0830z) on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 0922z: 60 different stations in 15 countries spotted on 6m FT8 RX so far today.

UPDATE 1100z: Now 19 countries spotted today on 6m FT8 with best DX S01WS (3043km) in Western Sahara.

UPDATE 1230z: Well over 100 unique stations spotted today on 6m FT8 RX. So many that I have lost count! 22 countries and 2 continents so far today.

UPDATE 1630z:  Apart from N.W.Africa and Israel no great DX spotted on 6m FT8 yet this season.

UPDATE 1722z:  Best 6m FT8 RX DX now 4Z1RZ (3567km). Now 29 countries in 3 continents spotted today on 6m FT8 RX.

6m FT8 today

This is becoming a habit! Just before breakfast I call CQ on 6m FT8 (2.5W, omnidirectional vertical antenna). Almost without fail, I get spotted by a couple of Gs, often quite distant, even though on TX for at most 3 minutes. The rest of the time I am RX only on 6m FT8. So far today  (0912z) just 3 G spots, no Es.

UPDATE 1548z:  Just 13 Gs spotted so far today on 6m FT8 RX. No Es evident here.

UPDATE 1612z: It pays to check. An EA1 was spotted but not shown on PSKreporter maps. More recently ON8DM (239km) has been spotted. Currently (only on PSKreporter maps) 15 different stations in 2 countries. With the EA1, that is 16 different stations in 3 countries so far today on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1816z: Now 27 unique stations in 3 countries so far. Best DX is IT9RZR (2063km). Apart from the IT9 and the EA1 earlier, very little Es on 6m here today. QRT shortly.

6m FT8 RX today

So far today, 19 different stations in 9 countries with best DX LZ2FP (1995km).

UPDATE 1609z: 35 uniques in 13 countries so far today on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 2115z: Time to go QRT. 38 different stations in 13 countries today on 6m FT8.

6m FT8

Yet again, after a very brief TX period before breakfast (2.5W, 1 local spot), I have been RX only ever since. So far, 12 different stations in 3 countries spotted with best DX spotted F5NBQ (746km).

UPDATE 1000z: Now 17 different stations spotted in 3 countries.

UPDATE  1840z: Countless stations in 14 countries and 2 continents on 6m FT8 RX so far today.

6m FT8

After a very brief period calling CQ before breakfast (2 local spots with 2.5W TX), I have been RX only since. So far (0840z) 10 different stations spotted in 2 countries with best DX F6FUZ (791km).

UPDATE 1403z: So far today on 6m FT8 RX 73 different stations in 12 countries, all European. Best DX is SV9CVY (2675km) on Crete.

UPDATE 1705z: I have lost count of the number of stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX but 18 different countries spotted so far today.

UPDATE 2137z: Time to go QRT. 21 countries spotted today on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 2155z: Now QRT.

6m FT8 RX

Although I have only been on 6m FT8 RX since late afternoon, 7 Gs spotted so far. No Es in evidence.

6m FT8

Today, I don't have a great deal of time, but I went on 6m FT8 from before breakfast. After a very brief period on TX, with spots from a couple of Gs, I have been RX only with 7 unique stations in 2 countries spotted.

UPDATE 1025z: 8 stations in 2 countries spotted today, so far, on 6m FT8.

6m FT8 RX again

As this is the Es season, I am sticking with 6m FT8 again today. The number of stations on FT8 is staggering.  Very early on I went on TX (2.5W) calling CQ. I was spotted by a couple of Gs. Since before breakfast I have been RX only.

Although Europe and North Africa on 6m Es are "easy", I am keeping a watchful eye for more distant E layer DX on 6m. With FT8 I am sure it is just a matter of time before the USA, Caribbean and South America are spotted on 6m FT8 even with my basic V2000 vertical antenna.

For Es, I find polarisation is unimportant. All my 6m JT65 "real" DX (well outside Europe) last spring/summer was using the V2000 omni antenna. With FT8 this year I expect results at least as good. With 15 second overs, even the briefest of openings should be copied.

So far, just 10 UK stations spotted on 6m FT8 with the best DX GS3PYE/P (576km) on Islay, Scotland.

UPDATE 0925z: More stations being spotted now. Currently 14 uniques in 3 countries with best DX CT1EKD (1644km).

UPDATE 1247z: Now 58 unique stations in 10 countries spotted on 6m FT8 today, so far. Best DX is currently IW8PQU (1940km).

6m FT8

After a brief period 3 hours ago calling others with 2.5W FT8 (2 reports with best DX 181km), I am now RX only. So far (0916z), 23 unique stations spotted in 6 countries, mostly by Es on 6m FT8.

UPDATE 1335z: So far today, 13 countries spotted on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1756z: Currently 22 countries spotted on 6m FT8 today. As for unique stations, I have lost count! Best DX SV9CVY (2675km) on Crete.

Stations spotted on
6m FT8 to 1915z

UPDATE 1918z: Lots of Es on 6m FT8 today. I briefly called CQ on 6m FT8 and my 2.5W was spotted all over including southern Spain.

UPDATE 2104: QRT at 2045z.