25 Oct 2017

10m FT8

Amazing again!  Already loads of Europeans copied and 5 continents spotted on 10m FT8 RX when the sunspot count is low. FT8 - pure magic! This proves it is often a lack of activity rather than conditions on 10m. With FT8 all users are in a narrow slot, which helps.

UPDATE 1746z: 65 countries spotted in the last week on 10m FT8. No North Americans today so far.
10m FT8 RX today - dead?
UPDATE 2138z:  I've been on 630m WSPR for some hours now. When I left 10m FT8, there were still loads of South Americans coming through. And to think 10m is meant to be "dead".

Sunspots - Wednesday October 25th 2017

Solar flux is 77 today and the sunspot number is 23. A=18 and K=4.

24 Oct 2017

Late night on 10m FT8 RX

For a change, I decided not to switch to 630m WSPR, but stick instead on 10m FT8 RX. I shall be on overnight, so that I am on very early in the morning. XE1XJB (8919km) in Mexico was spotted quite late.

OFCOM and mobile radio repeaters

See http://ofcom.cmail19.com/t/ViewEmail/i/76988C81CE021D152540EF23F30FEDED/59D1BD3EA2F08127C67FD2F38AC4859C

10m FT8

So far today only 3 continents on 10m FT8. Best 10m FT8 DX, so far, is F5MYK/MM (9767km) near Mauritius.

UPDATE 1712z: With 16 unique stations spotted in North America today and loads in South America, today is again a great day on 10m FT8, proving that a lack of activity on 10m is often the problem rather than poor conditions.

Sunspots - Tuesday October 24th 2017

Solar flux is 77 today and the sunspot number is 23. A=6 and K=2.

Overnight on 630m WSPR

In the last day my 10mW ERP was spotted by 12 unique stations and I spotted 12 unique stations.  In all, 31 unique stations have spotted my QRPP over the last two weeks.

CQWW SSB Contest

A reminder that the BIG one is next weekend. Before my stroke I used to fill pages of my logbooks with 10m SSB contest exchanges. Nowadays my voice is not too good, so I tend to be on far less. This is a good chance to work new countries. I have yet to send in an entry!

Best days for QRP tends to be Sunday as most "big guns" have worked lots by then and are scraping around for points.

See https://www.cqww.com/

23 Oct 2017

630m WSPR transceive

Currently, I am on 630m WSPR transceive. I shall be on this evening and overnight with 10mW ERP.

UPDATE 1846z:  A new one tonight: M0NKA (154km) in IO92ak spotted my QRPP signal.

SAQ VLF transmission tomorrow?

It looks like there is a VLF CW transmission on 17.2kHz tomorrow.

See http://alexander.n.se/seek-you-for-peace/?lang=en