2m FT8

When the Es season is finally over (today there are still Es spots on 10m and 6m), I shall probably return to 2m FT8, which seems to be the mode of the moment. Unheard of DX (for me) seems to be spotted here almost every day, even with my simple omni antenna! Many of these signals come in via aircraft reflections. The 15 second periods help. FT8 works with signals much weaker than SSB or CW.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/2m-ft8

Norwegien amateur radio rules

There are rule changes in Norway according to Southgate News. It looks like they can use 1000W on their primary allocations.

See https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&ie=UTF8&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&sl=no&sp=nmt4&tl=en&u=https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2009-11-05-1340&xid=17259,15700023,15700124,15700149,15700168,15700186,15700190,15700201&usg=ALkJrhhYzEJKBi_urMj2QBqeNoGzZxIShA

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

Yet again my only spot today so far has come from EA8BFK (2880km) in the Canary Islands. As yet, no signs of Es spots from Europe.

UPDATE 2000z: Just 4 spots in 3 countries all day. I get the impression there is far more 10m FT8 activity than 10m WSPR.

Sunspots - Monday August 13th 2018

Solar flux is 67 today and the SSN still firmly zero. A=5 and K=2.

6m FT8

Well, no Es on 6m here today yet. So far, just 1 GW and 1MM spotted. sadly my own 2.5w CQ call was not copied by anyone.

UPDATE 0837z: I spoke too soon! EA1SI (1071km) spotted.

UPDATE 1645z: Plenty of Es on 6m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 2017z: The Es on 6m FT8 RX today made it appear like 20m! Now QRT.

QRT

The big plug has been pulled and everything disconnected until the morning. Yet again I am "blown away " by what can be spotted on 2m by FT8.

Local museum and windmill - NOT amateur radio

About once a month, my wife and I volunteer across the road at our local museum. We live directly opposite.

It is open Easter-October on Thursdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays 11am-5pm. It really is splendid. It is open at other times for special visits  e.g. school trips and visiting groups.

We normally help in the tearoom or kiosk. In the kiosk a wide variety of gifts such as these books are stocked.

10m WSPR TX (500mW)

A few moments ago, I switched on my 10m WSPR beacon. Even on a good day, it usually takes 20 minutes  before spots appear.

UPDATE  1247z: IZ3LCH (1149km) has spotted me 18 times so far over lunch.

UPDATE 1332z: Another Italian is also spotting me in N.Italy.

2m FT8 ....and a puzzle

When I switched to 2m FT8 last night I had a horrendous noise band in the middle of the passband. It was also there on 6m. I feared this was something external (maybe a new TV in the neighbourhood), so some investigation was needed.

Although it was still there in the morning I was still receiving signals. To cut a long story short, it totally went when I turned off NAR on my FT817ND. It was not there anywhere on 2m USB (which of course uses the wide setting). It is now set with NAR turned off, as it was originally. Not quite sure how this got turned on, but WSJT-X clearly did not like it!

Best DX spotted on 2m FT8 RX is S57LM (1239km) at a cracking +5dB S/N. Not bad with my big-wheel horizontal omni antenna. Signal reports suggest a mixture of tropo and aircraft reflections.

UPDATE 0939z: 8 stations in 5 countries spotted since last night. on 2m FT8 RX.  Even my brief CQ call on 2m FT8 got a spot from 194km, despite just 2.5W to the horizontal omni antenna.

UPDATE 1305z: 17 stations in 7 countries, so far, on 2m FT8 RX today.

Sunspots - Sunday August 12th 2018

Solar flux is 67 today and the sunspot number zero. A=10 and K=4.