Sunspots - Monday November 5th 2018

Solar flux is 67 (low) and the SSN still zero. A=16 and K=5. So, conditions are far from good.

10m FT8 again

Yesterday was a real surprise, with lots of Europeans and a South American spotted on 10m FT8 RX. So, today I am again on 10m. After a very brief CQ (2.5W QRP), I am again on 10m FT8 RX. Unsurprisingly, no spots on TX or RX.

UPDATE 1029z: 4 eastern Europeans spotted so far with YO3FGO (2081km) as best DX.

UPDATE 1104z: 3B9FR (10041km) on Rodriguez Is in the Indian Ocean is currently the best DX. I am wondering if we are seeing E layer linking with F layer further south? I am seeing lots of Europeans on 10m FT8. Certainly this mode is proving 10m is often "open" when in the past it would have been missed. I have said many times, never give up on 10m. Even at sunspot minimum there is still DX on the band.

UPDATE 1453z: Plenty of Europeans spotted. Apart from the 3B8 and FR4OO (9722km) on Reunion Is, no "real" DX spotted today on 10m FT8.

UPDATE 1820z: No South Americans yet, but this is sunspot minimum!

UPDATE 2120z: I had to QSY to the East Cambs 2m FM net at 2000z so went QRT on 10m FT8 at that time. No sign of South Americans here. I then came back on MF WSPR.

472kHz WSPR

As is my usual routine, I have QSYed to 472kHz (630m) WSPR. Quite a few new stations spotted on RX, although just the usual ones have spotted me.

Pipit - 15m QRP CW transceiver

Way back in the 1980s I designed and built this tiny transceiver for 15m CW. For months it was the only rig I used. It worked remarkably well with just a simple, low dipole. Output was 800mW. The very first contact was over 4000 miles! Later the case was used to house another transceiver, the Tenner for 10m CW. Looking back, I should never have got rid of this rig. If my health was better, I should rebuild it.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/15m_pipit

More Cambridge- NOT amateur radio

Another typical Cambridge street scene. Bikes, bikes and even more bikes!

10m FT8 - not as good as yesterday?

All morning, I have been monitoring 10m FT8 RX. So far 4 Gs and a couple of eastern Europeans. No "real DX" as yet. Mind you, copying these stations proves there is life in the 10m band.

UPDATE 1301z: Now EA1FA (1083km) in northern Spain spotted.

UPDATE 1325z: A 2.5W CQ just now on 10m FT8 was spotted by no-one!

UPDATE 1636z: 14 EU countries spotted on 10m FT8 RX today. No DX outside Europe.

UPDATE 1725z: First 10m FT8 RX South American today has just been spotted: CX7SS (11022km) in Uruguay.

UPDATE 2015z: Now QRT on 10m FT8. In the end just the one CX from South America. Still, this is sunspot minimum.

Cambridge streets - NOT amateur radio

Central Cambridge is unique. Most railings have posters and bikes. It has been this way since way back, certainly in all the time I have been here. I first came in 1970.

Sunspots - Sunday November 4th 2018

Solar flux is 67 and the sunspot number still zero. A=4 and K=1.

Spotted in Norway again on 472kHz WSPR

Last night was probably the best yet on 472kHz WSPR with 18 unique stations spotted on RX and my 10mW ERP spotted by 9 different stations. I think this was the 3rd time I have been spotted in Norway on 472kHz this autumn.

472kHz WSPR RX last night

472kHz WSPR TX (10mW ERP) last night

Transformative effect of FT8

There is an ongoing debate about FT8, some saying it is great and some hating it. In this country (the UK) some liken it to Marmite, the yeast extract in a jar that some love and others hate.

Yes, there is a danger that real chats will become a thing of the past and casual listeners will not chance upon amateur radio as many of us did years ago. On the other hand all FT8 operation is concentrated with a few kilohertz on each band and it is widely monitored, so the chances of receiving a station are far greater than on SSB and CW. Also, FT8 works with weaker signals than those on SSB or CW. I like it. It is hard to believe I was copying VK on 10m FT8 earlier at sunspot minimum with a very much compromised antenna. In the past most would have given up the band as "dead" and moved more LF.

See https://www.flexradio.com/ft8-tipping-point-for-ham-radio/?utm_source=amateur-radio-weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter