6m FT8 and FT991A bugs?

I think my FT991A has some bugs.

Yesterday I mentioned that I could not adjust the bandwidth to 3000Hz on 2m FT8 using USB digital. Now, the power on 6m FT8 is far lower and it looks like the audio to the PC is "different". On a different rig (my FT817ND) all seems fine. The antenna is the same.

Unless I can prove this is "finger trouble", I am afraid the rig is going back. This is a pity as the rig suits me well.

UPDATE 0845z: Back to the FT817ND. On 2m FT8 I have been spotted by 3 stations in 2 countries using 2.5W and the big-wheel omni antenna. On 2m FT8 RX the best DX so far is ON3ML (236km).

15m Pipit QRP CW transceiver

It is amazing to think this was first designed and made in the 1980s! It worked some impressive DX in its day and worked very well with just a low wire dipole. At one time I used a borrowed trap dipole from G3TFX for 10m and 15m and even this worked well.

With just this rig on the bench, it looked quite empty! I am pretty sure this has been on the blog before, but it may give some people some ideas. You definitely don't have to spend much or have high power to have good fun! This rig was 800mW output. If you bought all parts new you'd probably get change from a £20 note.

The USB position just chose a VXO frequency in the SSB part of the band so I could have cross mode QSOs. Most QSOs were CW around 21.060MHz.

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

2023 WRC threat to 23cm band?

Southgate News reports that the 23cm band could be threatened at the 2023 WRC (World Radio Conference). The main issue is possible interference to Galileo satellite systems.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2019/august/threat-to-amateur-radio-23cm-band.htm

Sunspots - Sunday August 18th 2019

Solar flux is 66 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=2. Basically still poor.

What is it? - NOT amateur radio

This insect, about 2cm long, was climbing up our front wall here in the UK earlier. I think it is a cricket, but really I haven't a clue! If you know what it is, please let me know.

Old friends - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, a couple of my wife's friends from her school teaching days popped around. The photo shows them in our lounge. My wife is on the right. They normally get together each year in the summer.

Iran tanker Grace 1 - NOT amateur radio

As Gibraltar has received assurances from Iran that this vessel will not break EU sanctions, they say it can sail. It was impounded as it was thought bound for Syria.

However, the USA now wants to seize it. I am not party to the USA's intelligence, but this looks like President Trump is out to show how tough he is in the run-up to the next elections. He may impress some, but not me. So far his foreign policies have seemed poor to me. Others may disagree.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-49379144

6m FT8 - amazing

Just now I called CQ on 6m FT8 TX. 7 people copied me with the best being 4Z5LX (3633km) in Israel. On RX 3 stations spotted with 2 probably being by Es. The Es season is far from over.

6m dead did someone say? Rubbish I say!

UPDATE 0937z: 31 stations spotted so far this morning on 6m FT8 RX with best DX being 5B4ALX (3259km) on Cyprus.  A recent CQ call got lots more Es spots, but no QSOs.

Stations spotted today on 

6m FT8 RX to 1135z.

UPDATE 1135z: Now 43 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX today as the map shows.

UPDATE 1812z: A recent 6m FT8 CQ was spotted by 4 Gs and nothing further.  Best was G0GGG (211km). The Es seems to have stopped for the day here.

UPDATE 1852z: Just now, I called CQ again on 6m FT8. Just 1 G spot by G1IDZ (182km).

Heathkit HW8

One of my favourite transceivers was the Heathkit HW8 QRP CW rig.  I bought this ready built from a local who later bought it back!

This rig covered the main HF bands and produced about 1.5W. It had a direct conversion RX. For a while it was my only rig.

You occasionally see these for sale and lots were modified, although mine was fine just as it was.  I liked it and worked some good stuff with mine using just low wire dipoles.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/hw8

6m propagation at this time of year

According to "the experts" the main northern hemisphere's Es season should be over. In my experience, 6m is good for European DX (even with QRP SSB) way beyond now and way into September.

With FT8, which can work with stations well below CW levels, stations are in the same few kilohertz of band. If 6m opens, even briefly, there are plenty of monitors able to catch the opening.

On CW or SSB, you have to have stronger signals and know where to look. Also, it is harder to look back at what happened over the day.

FT8 only occupies 50Hz of bandwidth and a single transmission only takes 15 seconds. If the band opens, even briefly, the chances are someone, somewhere, will notice. This why I like FT8.  I agree it is not a chatting mode, but it is an ideal Es mode.

When the band opens with F2 propagation, which it will do nearer sunspot maximum, FT8 should be ideal for brief openings, especially TEP ones N-S.