8m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

My 40.680 MHz FT8 (2.5W to wire dipole) is active. G4FKI (60km) has spotted me. On RX I have spotted G9PUV(158km) and S57TW (1236km).

UPDATE 1401z:  16 stations have spotted me on 8m QRP FT8 (see map) and I have spotted 32. 1 QSO with a station in the Canary Is.. I have never before seen 8m so busy.

UPDATE 1500z: 34 stations spotted here today on 8m FT8.

6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

My QMX+ is again on 6m FT8 to the V2000 vertical omni antenna. At 1008z, spotted by 15 stations in England.

UPDATE 1145z:  Spotted by 27 English and Welsh stations. 

UPDATE  1417z:  5 spots of me from the USA and Canada on 6m QRP FT8. 46 spots of me overall. It is good to see F2 E-W opening up on 6m. I suspect this is as the SSN is currently high.  Next year I hope the E-W MUF reaches 8m if not 6m.

UPDATE 1449z:  84 stations have spotted my QRP, which is the most this year, with lots from the USA. 

Stations spotting my 6m QRP FT8 today

UPDATE 1712z:  133 spots of my 6m FT8 QRP, most in the USA. See map.

UPDATE 1933z:  Now QRT with 136 stations spotting my 6m QRP FT8 today. This must go down as one of my best days ever on 6m QRP FT8. 

6m QRP FT8 (Friday)

 

Already my 6m QRP FT8 is being spotted in Asiatic Russia and Canada. In total, 58 stations have spotted me by 1227z.

UPDATE 1651z:  65 stations have spotted me today. I was expecting lots of USA and Canadian via F2, but nothing here apart from the station in Newfoundland. I guess this could have been F2 or even Es. I reckon my output is about 3W.

At last! 6m F2 "across the pond"

 When I returned from Cambridge after lunch, I turned on my QRP 6m FT8.

For the first time in many years this autumn, 6m was filled with USA and Canadian signals on 6m FT8. This looks like F2 propagation.  

Even my 6m FT8 QRP was reaching Canada and the USA. See map. On RX there are several USA stations active.

UPDATE 1550z: My QRP 6m FT8 spotted by 4 Canadian and 1 USA stations today. No QSOs sadly.

UPDATE 2045z:  Spotted by 76 stations so far.

6m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

My  QMX+ has been on since lunchtime.

UPDATE 1519z: Furthermost is a spot of me by V51MA (8460km) in Namibia. 38 spots of my QRP, mostly in Europe. No sign here of any stations in North America.

UPDATE 1653z: 43 spots of my QRP 6m FT8 today. Although I shall be on for a few hours yet, I do not think I shall see any USA stations on 6m today.

FT8 in the quiet years

It seems odd to be talking about the "quiet years" when solar conditions are so good. 

However, in about 5 years' time there will be few sunspots and many will (wrongly) assume the higher HF bands are dead.

In many cases this is not the case and a casual listen around 27MHz will prove this is due to a lack of activity and not poor conditions. 

Hopefully FT8 users will stick around on bands like 10m, 12m and 15m and prove the bands are open far more often than is assumed. I well remember working a surprised LU when I was running 10m SSB QRP when there were no sunspots at all at sunspot minimum some years ago. 

FT8 is well monitored and works with very weak signals. Who knows by then we may have an even better mode!

In my experience, N-S paths remain open for DX at all points in the solar cycle. I agree you have to be more patient, but that is half the fun.

6m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

My 6m QRP FT8 with the QMX+ has been on since just before breakfast. 29 stations have spotted me, mostly in the UK. 

UPDATE 1036z: 33 stations have spotted my QRP. No signs of F2 here.

UPDATE 1200z: My QRP 6m FT8 has been spotted by 38 stations and 49 have been spotted here. All were European.

UPDATE  1810z:  QRT shortly. Spotted by 49 stations all in Europe. No F2 evident here on 6m.

15m QRP FT8 (Monday)

 At about 1840z, I QSYed to 15m. So far (at 1851z) 11 stations have spotted me, all "across the pond".

UPDATE 2102z: 51 stations have spotted my QRP 15m FT8 this evening. See map.

6m QRP FT8 (Monday) with the QMX+

Since returning from shopping, I have been on 6m QRP FT8 with the QMX+ and V2000 omni vertical antenna. So far, 29 stations have spotted me with plenty in mainland Europe as the map shows. I am hoping I get some spots in the USA on 6m FT8 - you never know!

UPDATE 1615z: 37 stations have spotted me today on 6m QRP FT8. Nothing from the USA.

10m QRP FT8 (Monday)

This morning, I am on 10m FT8 with my QDX transceiver. Stations coming in from across the world and I have been spotted (at 0900z) by 6 stations so far.

UPDATE 0957z: 42 stations have spotted me. Now RX only. On RX 152 stations spotted. I may try 6m QRP FT8 with the QMX+ later after shopping.

8m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

My 8m QRP FT8 was turned on about 1000z. G9PUV (158km), EI2IP (607km) and S57TW (1236km) spotted on RX and my signal has been spotted by 4X1TI (3633km).

You get the distinct impression that 8m has "come of age".

UPDATE 1048z:  3 stations have spotted me today on 8m QRP FT8 TX:  G4FKI (60km), S51WX (1296km) and 4X1TI (3633km).

UPDATE 1144z: A QSO with ZR1ADI (9777km) on 8m QRP FT8 earlier. The map shows where my 2.5W 8m FT8 has been spotted this morning.

UPDATE 1222z:  Spotted by WW1L (4976km). I am tempted to try 6m, but have decided to stick with 8m today.

UPDATE 1455z: Spotted by 9 stations today. I think that is it, although I shall leave the gear on until teatime.

UPDATE 1506z: I totally fail to understand the really backward stand by the FCC, OFCOM and the RSGB towards amateur access to 8m. Just 5kHz at low power, narrow digital only,  would open the radio community to free propagation research. A few enlightened administrations have seen sense, whereas the UK and USA seem so backward (and frankly stupid).

UPDATE 1706z:  11 stations spotted my 8m QRP FT8 today. QRT.

10m QRP FT8 with the QDX (Sunday)

My gear was turned on at about 0845z. At 0912z spotted by 47 stations.

UPDATE 0922z: Puzzled why I was seeing no RX spots of mine on PSKreporter and the RX spectrum looked all "watery" and indistinct. I reset the QDX and PC and all was well again. Not sure if it was the QDX or PC. 49 spots on RX and 58 spots of my QRP FT8 on the QDX.

UPDATE  0952z:  79 spots of my QRP 10m FT8 so far, See map. Think I should QSY to 8m.

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday) - 6m instead

One of my intentions was to try QRP 8m FT8 today. Instead, I am sticking with 6m in the hope of some transatlantic 6m F2 propagation.

QMX+ and new PC working on 6m FT8

The QMX+ works fine with my "newer" Windows 10 PC. 

Stations spotting my QRP 6m FT8 today

UPDATE 1730z: 35 stations have spotted my 6m QRP FT8 so far. The furthermost is Sardinia. See map.

UPDATE 1753z:  QRT.

6m QRP FT8 (Friday)

 My gear has been on for about 15 minutes. So far, just 5 G stations have spotted me (at 1155z) and I have spotted 2 G stations here.

UPDATE 1814z:  7 G spots of me today on 6m FT8 TX. On RX the furthermost is DK5EE  (565km).

6m 2.5W FT8 (Tuesday)

 My gear was turned on about 0810z. So far, just one G spot.

UPDATE 1025z: Several stations spotted in Europe but only 7 G spots of my 6m FT8 QRP so far. See map of where I have been spotted.

UPDATE 1514z:  Just one station from "across the pond" spotted on 6m FT8 today - WA1NLG (5244km). My QRP didn't make it. 24 stations spotted - mostly UK, but some in continental Europe.

Tuesday plans - 6m F2?

Later today, my plans are to go on 10m QRP WSPR and 6m QRP FT8.  Yesterday 8m was good, so there is a chance 6m may have some F2 openings. If it is going to happen (e.g. openings by F2 across the Atlantic) now is probably the best time. It has happened in the past and I recall Ws coming in on 6m by F2  propagation coming in like locals.

8m QSO success (Monday)

After trying for a long time without success, I have had an 8m QRP FT8 QSO with G4FKI (60km). I am not sure if he has changed polarisation. 

UPDATE 1025z: EI3KF (574km) has spotted my QRP 8m FT8.

UPDATE 1222z:  Quite a good day with three 8m QRP FT8 QSOs and Southern Africa and the Middle East spotted on 8m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1243z:  Spotted across the Atlantic again on 8m QRP FT8 this time by VO1SIX (3933km).

UPDATE 1625z: My 8m QRP FT8 was spotted by 15 stations today, with many "across the pond". See map. Now QRT on 8m.  Pretty sure this is my best day on 8m. Remember this is just 2.5W FT8 to a low wire dipole.

Monday plans

Later, I think I shall go on 10m QRP WSPR and either 8m or 6m QRP FT8. 

8m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

 On the "old" PC I seem to be getting less out on 8m FT8 from the FT817ND despite a low SWR and the power slider on WSJT-X being at maximum. So the output is probably 2W or less to the dipole. 

Despite this, it is being spotted by EA8DJR (2994km) in the Canary Is. I called him, but he failed to hear me. I suspect this is F2 rather than Es propagation. With me he is very strong. I was quite surprised to spot him on 40.680 MHz FT8 this morning.

UPDATE 1002z:  He called and we worked. EA8JF (2832km) has also spotted me on 8m FT8.

UPDATE 1013z:  Now also spotted strongly by EA8RH (3029km). F2 (I guess) is good on 8m this morning.

UPDATE 1038z:  With stations in Italy and Spain being granted amateur radio access to the 8m band activity seems to have increased. I just wish more PTTs would see the value.

UPDATE 1206z:   G4KFI (60km) spotted. I think my QRP is too weak for him to spot me. I think we are cross polarised, so on inter-G this is probably very important.

UPDATE 1243z:  UW8SM (1751km) spotted. I think this station is genuine.

UPDATE 1255z:  4 stations have spotted me today. See map.

UPDATE 1424z:   Spotted in Denmark on QRP 8m FT8 earlier. As conditions seem quite good, I wonder if I shall be spotted "across the pond" on 8m QRP FT8 today? UPDATE MONDAY:  No.

UPDATE 1800z:  CX3DMP (11112km) spotted as well as stations in the Canary Is, Italy Ukraine, UK and Slovenia.