6m FT8

Yesterday was a good day on 6m FT8. I went QRT at bedtime so missed the chances of any transatlantic DX overnight. As yet I have not turned things on (0604z).

UPDATE 0748z:  Turned on 6m gear a little while ago (10W, V2000 omni). Loads of Es already. Already spotted by 16 stations, many in southern Europe.  27 stations spotted here. Mostly Es.

UPDATE 0904z:  This is the best day yet this Es season with 126 stations already spotting me with the best being 4Z5AV (3622km). Several Asian stations spotting me today. On 6m FT8 RX 177 stations spotted here with best so far being 9K2OW (4639km). Something tells there will be transatlantic propagation later: I can feel it in my bones. People keep calling or working me!

UPDATE 0924z: Now 158 stations have spotted my 10W to the omni vertical antenna on 6m FT8 with the best being 9K2OD (4637km) in Kuwait. 223 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX. Several QSOs.

Spots of my 10W FT8 on
6m this morning to 1002z

UPDATE 1002z: Now 202 stations spotting me today on 6m FT8.  On RX 343 stations so far spotted with the best being A71EM (5190km) in Qatar.

UPDATE 1148z: So far today I have been spotted by 309 stations and I have spotted 610 stations this morning. Quite incredible for a VHF band. Quite a few QSOs already today.

Homemade recordings - NOT amateur radio

Some months ago I chanced upon a recording made in the 1960s. It is of my own voice recorded on the plastic lid of a coffee tin made with a school friend! This is pure analogue. My problem is I no longer have a means of playing it.

To this day, I find this fascinating, that just a large horn a piece of plastic or metal and a very loud shout is capable of recording my voice. 60 years later, my teenage voice is still imprinted.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/record

Sunspots - Monday May 18th 2020

Solar flux is 70 and the SSN 0. A=3 and K=0.

More from our walk - NOT amateur radio

On our walk earlier we also saw these.

Poppy - NOT amateur radio

We saw this poppy on our walk earlier.

WRC-19 final outcomes

There is a publication available summarising the final outcomes of the last world radio conference in 2019 which looked at spectrum issues globally.  As you might expect quite a bit is about satellites.

It is clear that the main focus is now on microwave frequencies with far less on HF.

See https://www.itu.int/en/itunews/Documents/2019/2019-06/2019_ITUNews06-en.pdf

Yesterday's walk - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday we went on a delightful walk around the village of Dalham. The photo shows where we went.

We have done far more walks since the lockdown than we ever did and it has helped us to see the beauty all around us and to live in the moment. It has also kept us fit!

6m FT8

Overnight I stayed on 6m FT8 RX but no transatlantic DX was spotted.

A few moments ago (0620z ish) the TX was turned on but only Gs spotting my 10W so far today.

UPDATE 1315z:  111 stations have spotted my 10W FT8 so far today.  I have lost count of the QSOs today.

Stations spotting me to
1900z on 6m FT8 TX
with 10W 

UPDATE 1901z:  Now 204 stations have been spotted here on 6m FT8 RX.  My 10W 6m FT8 has been spotted by 141 stations in the last 12 hours! Quite remarkable considering the V2000 vertical omni used fed with low cost CB coax. Absolutely not a DXers station. All EU stations, most by Es.

DX Summit

You may find this helpful. Filters can be set so spots on certain modes or bands can be searched.

See: http://www.dxsummit.fi

Sunspots - Sunday May 17th 2020

Solar flux is 69 and the SSN 0.  A=4 and K=1.