Dahlias - NOT amateur radio

We live a short drive from Anglesey Abbey. At this time of the year the dahlias there are usually at their best. The colours in this one are stunning.

10m FT8

Since breakfast, I have been in 10m FT8 RX. As yet, just M0LHS (212km) spotted. No DX as yet.

UPDATE 1436z: Plenty of southern Europeans spotted.

UPDATE 1954z: Nothing outside Europe spotted. 17 stations in 6 countries spotted on 10m FT8 RX.

2m FT8

Overnight, I stayed on 2m FT8 RX. G4VXE (136km) was spotted calling CQ earlier. My own CQ call (2.5W to an omni) was spotted by G0CER (205km).

Sunspots - Thursday September 6th 2018

Solar flux is 67 today and the sunspot number 0. A=11 and K=1.

2m FT8 DX

A few moments ago I called CQ on 2m FT8 running 2.5W to my big-wheel omni antenna.

5 stations spotted me with the best DX G7RAU (461km) in Cornwall in IN79 square on the Lizard. I am now on 2m FT8 RX only. FT8 continues to amaze me.

FT8

There is little doubt in my mind that FT8 is transformative.

For several days I have been on 10m FT8 and every day South America has been spotted. Today 10m was open widely across Europe using this mode.

I think FT8 is "winkling out" short openings that hitherto would have been missed. In the past a casual CQ on SSB or CW might easily have been missed, but all FT8 activity is within a few kHz. Just a 15 second opening is spotted by an army of people across the globe. Not only that, but FT8 works with signals weaker than SSB or CW.

The result is 10m FT8 is still useful, even at this low point in the solar cycle.

Fungus - NOT amateur radio

At the weekend, this tree in Norwich was covered in this fungus. On the grass were hundreds of smaller toadstools as well.

10m FT8

This looks more promising than yesterday with already 4 stations spotted in 4 countries since breakfast. Best DX spotted so far is IZ7XWO (1682km).

UPDATE 1036z: Although this is Sept 5th, it looks more like May! Plenty of Es thanks to FT8.

UPDATE 1918z:  Best DX is PU2MMD (9581km) in South America. Sunspot minimum? Poor conditions? 10m?

Sunspots - Wednesday September 5th 2018

Solar flux is 68 today and the SSN 0.  A=9 and  K=3.

2m FT8

After about 45 minutes this evening on SSB in the 2m UKAC, I am now on 2m FT8, saving my voice. A CQ call (2.5W) was spotted across England by 3 stations. Best DX on TX was M0JDK (135km) who is currently the best RX DX.