Possible IARU-R1 8m and 5m proposals?

Yesterday, I think on Facebook, I read about the possibility of a proposal being made to the IARU about the possibilities of allocations at 8m and 5m in Region 1.

8m especially could be really interesting sandwiched between 10m and 6m.  Even very limited access at low power would be worthwhile as this is a band where real radio science could occur especially with Es and MS.

Already, these allocations are available in Eire and a few other countries have given special permission for  some to access 8m.

It requires someone to write the paper.

10m WSPR TX (500mW to the indoor loop)

Since about 0800z, I have been on 10m WSPR. No spots of me yet.

UPDATE 0835z: Just G8NXD (447km) spotting me so far today. Odd range.

UPDATE 1945z: 12 spots of my 10m 500mW WSPR

6m FT8

For about 20 minutes (now 0816z) I have been on 6m FT8 with the usual 10W and V2000 vertical omni antenna. So far, 29 stations have spotted me all within Europe. On RX 11 stations spotted here. Although some are calling Japanese stations, none are being spotted here.

UPDATE 0930z:  2 QSOs and 63 spots of me so far (all European apart from Canary Is.). On 6m FT8 RX 76 stations spotted.

UPDATE 1134z: Now 144 spots of my 6m FT8 10W with best DX being EA8BFK (2881km).

UPDATE 2040z: Now 338 stations have spotted me today on 6m FT8 with the best DX spot being by D4VHF (4518km) in the Cape Verde Is.. QRT soon.

Sunspots - Friday June 19th 2020

Solar flux is 68 and the SSN 0. A=4 and K=0.

2m FT8

At about 1325z I switched to 2m FT8 (10W and the big-wheel omni antenna). So far, 12 stations in 4 countries have spotted me with best DX DF6PW  today on 2m FT8(562km).  It is currently 1343z.

UPDATE 1455z: Currently 16 stations in 5 countries spotting me with 1 QSO. Just 3 stations spotted here on 2m FT8 RX so far today.

UPDATE 2118z:  19 stations spotted me today on 2m FT8.  Now QRT.  2 QSOs.

Dead fox cub - NOT amateur radio

Every month my brother does part of the bird count on the Kingsbridge Estuary in Devon. On this month's count he spotted this dead fox cub.

Rallies

The following rally announcements came to me earlier. The Ballygilbert one does not say cancelled which I find odd. Definitely worth checking before travel.

As before, this is how I received the messages and the background may make these hard to read on some screens

Saturday 20 JUNE : BANGOR & DISTRICT ARS RALLY

Ballygilbert Presbyterian Church Hall, Ballyrobert, Co Down BT19 1UM. Doors open 11am to 3.30pm. Entrance fee is £3. More from Norman Newell by email to normannewellgi3ymy@hotmail.com.


Sunday 21 JUNE : CANCELLED next date 20th June 2021

17th WEST OF ENGLAND RADIO RALLY. Cheese & Grain venue, Market Yard, Bridge Street, Frome, Somerset BA11 1BE. Doors open from 10am to 2pm. Adult admission £3, accompanied children under 14 are free. There will be inside and outside trade stalls and an RSGB bookstall. A cafe serving hot & cold food will be available. Shaun, G8VPG on 01225 873 098 or by email to rallymanager@westrally.org.uk www.westrally.org.uk


A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Pixie and Micro-80 transceivers

Some years ago I built a Micro-80 transceiver for 80m CW.

More recently I got a Pixie kit for 40m, which was very inexpensive and came with free airmail from China. It went together easily and enabled me to have a QSO with a local ham. It got put away thereafter as it was really an exercise to check out my building skills after my stroke in 2013.

On all these simple, compromise, rigs it is the receiver which is often the weakest link. They often have little selectivity and can easily be overloaded. These days there is far more FT8 activity and both SSB and  CW have suffered. Typical Pixie powers are 300-500mW. This power is more than enough to work plenty assuming you can copy the other station!

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

10m WSPR TX (500mW to the indoor loop)

Since about 0800z, my 500mW WSPR beacon has been on. Nobody has spotted me yet.

UPDATE 2133z:  6 stations spotted my 10m WSPR today. Now QRT.

6m FT8

At about 0800z I turned on my 10W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna. Spotted all over Europe by 15 stations. On 6m FT8 RX, 18 stations spotted. Although several Japanese stations were being called by Europeans on 6m FT8, these were not spotted here. No QSOs yet.

UPDATE 1025z: Now 1 QSO on 6m FT8, 45 spots of me and 107 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX with best DX A45XR (5843km) in Oman.

UPDATE 1232z:  Best spot of my signal was by VE1PZ (4501km). In all, 65 stations have spotted me.  On 6m FT8 RX 130 stations have spotted me today on 6m FT8 with best DX W7JW (6805km).