2m FT8 again

Yet again I am on 2m FT8. An earlier CQ call (2.5W) this morning was spotted by G7RAU (461km) in Cornwall. He seems to spot me every time!

Already this morning I have spotted a couple of stations in Brittany. Yesterday was typical with DX previously unheard of on my simple system within reach.

The map shows what I spotted in the last day on 2m FT8. Antenna is just the big-wheel omni.

UPDATE 1647z: A quieter day so far with 10 stations in 3 countries spotted here on 2m FT8 RX. Best DX is F6DBI (501km).

UPDATE 1956z: Yet again, 2m FT8 RX has surprised me today. Time now to go QRT. The map below shows the stations spotted here in the last day. Remember I just use a  big-wheel omni, no big beams!

Chaos - NOT amateur radio

Our son is a good cook, but he does leave a disaster area in his wake! The photo shows him in our kitchen last week. 15 minutes cooking and 30 minutes clearing up after him.

Hamsphere - float your boat?

Every once in a while I get Hamsphere newsletters.

Hamsphere is a "virtual" form of amateur radio. The ionosphere is simulated - it is not real. Some of these simulations are very good and they may be of interest to you. I have to admit that they do not "float my boat" much. Especially when HF is poor, I can understand the attraction, but to me this not real.

Network radios to me are a better alternative, as these allow contacts via distant repeaters that are real. Best of all is real amateur radio, actually advancing radio science by pushing the boundaries. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to do this.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/virtual/hamsphere

New HF SSB/CW rig coming from QRP-labs?

There are rumours on the streets about a new, single band, SSB/CW QRP transceiver from Hans Summers. Time will tell.

See https://www.qrp-labs.com/

Late start on 10m WSPR TX (500mW)

At 1028z I started up my 10m WSPR TX beacon. This is much later than usual. Normally it takes about 15-20 minutes for the crystal to stabilise, assuming there are any Es spots. So, the earliest I can reasonably expect to get any spots is 1045z. Any spots before then (unlikely) are likely to show quite a bit of drift.

UPDATE 1625z: Plenty of Es this afternoon on 10m WSPR. 6 unique stations spotting me this afternoon, either in Italy or Germany.

UPDATE 1727z: 47 spots today on 10m WSPR. The latest Es spot was over an hour ago.

2m FT8

For a change today I am on 2m FT8. An early 2-way QSO was hadt  with PA9CC (394km) in JO32 square. This was with 2.5W to the big-wheel horizontal omni. My call was copied by G7RAU (461km) in Cornwall. 2m FT8 continues to amaze me: unheard of DX is within reach even with my low ERP.

UPDATE 1030z:  5 stations in 4 countries spotted so far on 2m FT8 RX. Best DX on RX so far is DM1CG (459km).

UPDATE 1230z: I gave a brief CQ again just before lunch (2.5W to the big-wheel omni) and was again spotted by G7RAU in south Cornwall on the Lizard peninsula. So far today, 8 stations in 5 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1630z: So far today, I have spotted 17 different stations spotted in 6 countries. The impression is that some are by aircraft reflection and some are by tropo.

UPDATE 2145z: Time to go QRT on 2m FT8. Today 29 stations in 6 countries spotted and a QSO with a PA early this morning with just 2.5W and a big-wheel omni. And these are flat conditions on 2m. FT8 really is amazing.

Sunspots - Wednesday 15th August 2018

Sunspots at last!

Solar flux is 69 today and the sunspot number 12. Yes 12, not zero!! A=4 and K=1

70cm actvity contest

As usual, I entered the RSGB's 70cm activity contest this evening using 5W and my 2m halo. Only 2 QSOs were made! If I want to make a serious entry, I need more power and a "real" 70cm antenna.

"Successful" HAARP WSPR test?

Well, not in my book.

Southgate News carries news of this test using WSPR around the end of July and start of August. The report mentions the hundreds of WSPR reports from all over the USA and Canada. Using 1GW ERP this is distinctly average.

OK, apparently D-layer absorption was high on 80m, but I would have expected reports from elsewhere too.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2018/august/successful-haarp-wspr-research-campaign.htm#.W3LXXPZFzIU

6m FT8 RX

Although I guess these could be aircraft reflections, they are probably mostly Es, certainly the more distant spots.

I have been on 6m FT8 RX since before breakfast and spotted 15 stations in 8 countries so far. Again, a promising start to the day at 0952z. Best DX on 6m FT8 RX is DM5BB (903km).

As yet, I have not tried 6m FT8 TX today.

UPDATE 1317z: Es from all over Europe. Best DX on 6m FT8 RX is IT9BCC (1889km).

UPDATE 1900z: Now going QRT, but  still plenty of Es on 6m FT8 RX today as the map shows.