10m FT8 again

After a night on 472kHz (630m) WSPR, I have again gone on 10m FT8 but no spots on RX or TX as yet.

UPDATE 1551z: No spots still.

10m FT8 today

Although I was out for several hours I left the RX running on 10m FT8 RX. There were quite a few spots from Europe today, although nothing further spotted so far.

UPDATE 1635z: No spots outside Europe today on 10m FT8 RX. 15 spots today, so far. Plan to stay on 10m for a few more hours then try MF WSPR.

UPDATE 1555z: A single spot from the Canary Is now.

UPDATE 1812z: The first South Americans came through at 1652z on 10m FT8 RX today.

10m FT8

Although I have been on 10m FT8 for a while, no spots as yet on RX or TX.

UPDATE 1845z: Several Iberian spots plus ZS6WB (9094km) on 10m FT8 RX today. No other spots. After another hour I shall QSY to 472kHz WSPR.

10m FT8 again

Rather later than usual, I have returned to 10m FT8. After a brief QRP CQ call, I am now RX only. Just a spot of G8KHF (98km) so far.

UPDATE 1542z:  Odd. The only other spot so far today on 10m FT8 RX is ZS6WB (9094km) in South Africa.

UPDATE 1615z: Another spot, this time from central France - aircraft reflection? No South Americans yet tonight on 10m FT8 RX.

Slow start on 10m FT8

Been on 10m FT8 for about 30 minutes and the only station spotted so far is 2E0XXO (121km) in Lincoln. An early CQ (2.5W FT8) was spotted by no-one!

UPDATE 1430z: It picked up. Lots of EU stations spotted and a CT1 worked (2.5W FT8). VY2HH (4445km) on Prince Edward Island, Canada spotted on 10m FT8 at 1413z at a strong -10dB S/N.

UPDATE 1852z: Already 6 South Americans spotted on 10m FT8 RX as well as Kuwait and Ghana. A great day. 5 continents spotted on 10m FT8 RX today. 10m near sunspot minimum!

10m FT8 CQs earlier (2.5W)

10m FT8 RX today

10m FT8

At the moment, I am back on 10m FT8. Best DX on RX is MU0WLV (374km) on Guernsey earlier. So far just G and MU stations spotted. An earlier CQ (2.5W FT8) was spotted by EI7GL (595km). Aircraft reflection?

UPDATE 1525z: Several stations in Portugal and Italy spotted this afternoon on 10m FT8 RX. Lzst night South Americans came through on 10m from 1800z. Last year on this date I was copying stations on 10m FT8 RX from every continent except Antarctica.

UPDATE 1715z: 10 stations in 4 countries so far on 10m FT8 RX today. All EU.

UPDATE 2057z:  I went QRT on 10m at about 1950z. No South Americans were spotted here on 10m FT8 today. Today was the quietest day for some time on the band. In the end, 10 EU stations spotted in 4 countries.

10m FT8 again

Rather than 10m WSPR, I have again opted for 10m FT8 today. An earlier CQ was spotted by no-one and, as yet, no-one spotted! Not a great start I have to admit. 😕

Nonetheless, I shall stick with the band and put out the odd QRP CQ on 10m FT8 now and again. In the past few days, the best DX came through in the early evening.

UPDATE 1317z: Apart from a couple of German stations spotted this morning, all very quiet on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1410z: Surprise, surprise! A recent QRP CQ (2.5W) on 10m FT8 was spotted by GW4BVE (237km). No QSOs though. Tropo or aircraft?

UPDATE 1652z: G4CJC (74km) in north London spotted on 10m FT8 RX. No DX. A CQ earlier (2.5W) got no spots! Will we see South Americans tonight?

UPDATE 1949z: Only a single South American this evening here on 10m FT8 RX - PU5FGR (10026km). I am not sure if this was just a poor night or the end of the propagation for the season. At 2000z I shall go QRT on 10m as I think that is it for today. Just 6 stations, 4 countries, 3 continents today on 10m FT8 RX.  I'll try  again tomorrow.

Now 10m FT8

Every time I have looked recently, 10m FT8 has been "open" to South America early evenings. So, I have QSYed from 2m FT8 to 10m FT8. We'll see. My antenna is not too brilliant either, so I'm sure others will do much better.

UPDATE 1615z: Just a spot of G4DJB (128km) so far on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1750z: Several South Americans and the Falkland Is stations now coming through. 12 stations in 7 countries in 3 continents spotted today on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 2000z: Now QRT on all bands. Yet again, loads of South Americans (14 in all) spotted on 10m FT8 RX today.

RadCom article

Much to my amazement, my short article on FT8 has been published in November RadCom. I was hoping to see it in a few months, but this took me totally by surprise!

2m FT8

It never seems to fail! Yet again a CQ (2.5W to the big-wheel omni) was copied by 2 Cornish stations on 2m FT8 at around 460km.

At the moment on 2m FT8 RX 4 stations spotted in 4 countries with best DX DL2PK (448km).

UPDATE 1325z: 27 stations in 7 countries so far on 2m FT8 RX today. Best DX is DJ6GK (607km).

UPDATE 1620z: Another great day. Now QSYed to 10m FT8 RX.

Stations spotted today on 2m FT8 RX with a big-wheel omni antenna

Return to 10m FT8

At about 1535z I went QRT on 2m and returned to 10m FT8. A brief CQ was called (2.5W) but no spots. So far no spots on RX.

UPDATE 1751z: 2 South Americans spotted so far on 10m FT8 RX. This never seems to fail.

UPDATE 2025z: In total 3 South Americans spotted on 10m FT8 RX. Is this conditions worsening?

HF and VHF FT8

Although not a great mode for chats, there is no doubt that FT8 has really taken off. DX that was once unimaginable is possible, even with QRP and small antennas.  I suspect many put their receivers on FT8, maybe endlessly call CQ, and leave it to see what comes through, looking later. Fewer people will just talk in the future, which is sad. There is even an automatic mode, so you can be gardening whilst your PC is having a QSO!

Certainly for me, real 2m DX is possible every day even with QRP.

The danger is people leave modes like FM, SSB and CW and move instead to FT8. Casual listeners will not "find" amateur radio as we did years ago.  How people "find" our hobby is important for the future.

One of my first experiences was accidentally hearing a local amateur on 160m AM. What are the chances of this today?

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/hf-ft8

2m FT8 for the day

It never fails! A CQ (2.5W to the big-wheel antenna) was copied by 3 stations including 2 in Cornwall. It seems Cornwall is nearly always within reach. I suspect this is my limit under "no lift" conditions on 2m FT8. With SSB or CW I'd struggle to get half as far!

On 2m FT8 RX, just 2 spots so far - a G in Kent and GM4FVM (428km).

I shall probably return to 10m FT8 later.

UPDATE 0936z: 9 stations spotted in 3 countries so far today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1021z: 15 stations in 5 countries so far today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1149z: Now 19 stations in 6 countries spotted today on 2m FT RX.

UPDATE 1530z: Now 35 stations in 7 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX.

10m FT8

Yet again, I am on 10m FT8 for the day. A brief CQ earlier was spotted by no-one at all and as yet no stations spotted here. So far, not a great start!

UPDATE 1002z: Still nothing spotted on 10m FT8 this morning!

UPDATE 1117z: So far today on 10m FT8 RX just a couple of Gs spotted with the best DX G0OYQ (177km). Disappointing so far today.

UPDATE 1250z: Best DX on 10m FT8 RX is EA7AAF (1647km).

UPDATE 1701: 4 Spanish stations and a German spotted on 10m FT8 today. No South Americans spotted yet today on 10m.

UPDATE 1757z: The first 2 South Americans on 10m FT8 RX came through here at 1715z. Best  DX is currently PY4XX (9252km). It seems that every time I look at 10m FT8 RX I spot South American DX. So far today, 4 South Americans (all in Brazil) spotted.

UPDATE 1945z: About to go QRT on the band. In all, 5 South Americans spotted on 10m FT8 RX.

10m FT8

Yet again, I have decided to go on 10m FT8 for the day. An earlier 2.5W CQ was spotted by no-one!

On RX just one station copied so far, probably by aircraft reflection (but it could be tropo) F8NHF (297km).

UPDATE 1515z: 26 Europeans spotted so far on 10m FT8 RX, but no South Americans.

UPDATE 1518z: The first South American has just been spotted on 10m FT8 RX! PY1VOY (9365km).

UPDATE 1620z: Loads of South Americans plus St Helena spotted on 10m FT8 RX with best DX LU7XZ (13366km).

10m FT8 RX today to 1620z

UPDATE 1740z: 28 South Americans spotted already on 10m FT8 RX!!

10m FT8

Although I am on 10m FT8 for the day, so far only 1 G spotted, although it is early.

UPDATE  1400z: Several Europeans now plus South America and Newfoundland amazingly!

UPDATE 1458z: No further South Americans spotted yet on 10m FT8 RX. I suppose the reception of VO1HP (3744km) earlier only proves the band was "open" in that direction briefly, perhaps just 15 seconds, but at least this proves there was propagation. Without FT8 this would probably not have been possible. FT8 works with weak signals, is widely monitored and all activity is concentrated in a few kilohertz of the band.

UPDATE 1502z: 4 continents spotted today already on 10m FT8 RX at close to the sunspot minimum. Imagine the next maximum on 10m FT8!

UPDATE 1845z: Lots and lots of South Americans now coming through with LU8XAF (13414km) as the best DX on 10m FT8 RX.

10m FT8 (mostly RX)

There is more activity on 10m FT8 than 10m WSPR. I think the shorter time periods help. So I am trying 10m FT8 today. So far, 3 stations spotted in 3 countries with best DX on 10m FT8 RX F1RAD 867km).

UPDATE 1228z: 6 stations in 4 countries spotted so far today on 10m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1423z: Plenty of South Americans and the Falkland Isles coming through on 10m FT8 RX. It seems every day I try 10m FT8 I get real DX and this is near sunspot minimum! Best DX on 10m FT8 RX is VP8LP (12773km).

UPDATE  1452z: Even more South Americans and Falkland Is stations being spotted here now on 10m FT8. Sadly my 2.5W QRP CQ on 10m FT8 was spotted by no-one just now!

UPDATE 1529z: Currently 13 stations in South America spotted today on 10m FT8 RX.

Today on 2m FT8

My earlier CQ (2.5W to the omni antenna) was spotted by 3 stations. So far today 3 UK stations spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1017z: 12 stations in 3 countries spotted today so far on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1548z: now 18 stations spotted in 6 countries on 2m FT8 RX with best DX, so far, DD3SF(576km). A comparatively poor day! To think, before FT8, this would have been remarkable for me!

UPDATE 1815z: Now 30 stations in 7 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX today.

2m FT8 RX yesterday

Stations spotted here yesterday on 2m FT8 RX

It seems impossible to realise this is 2m!

Every single day it seems these results are possible even with my big-wheel omni and no beams and no lifts. There is no doubt that FT8 has transformed DX on this band.

In the past if I worked Germany on 2m I would have popped the champagne. Yesterday morning my 2.5W FT8 CQ was copied in Germany and I did not even tell the XYL.

So far on 2m FT8

A before breakfast 2m FT8 CQ (2.5W to the omni) was spotted by several stations including DK1VC (503km).