For about 15 minutes (it is now 1918z) I have been on 472kHz WSPR RX using the FT817ND and the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. No spots yet.
UPDATE 1940z: 5 different stations spotted so far this evening. Furthermost was LA8AV (1012km). Next was SM6BGP (994km).
The sharper, and more efficient, indoor loop in very hard to tune on 10m. My eyesight is not as good and I find it harder to get it spot on tune than I did. At the moment I am using the loop with thinner wire which is less efficient, but easier to peak. In the past, I cut coax cable to tune. Maybe I should consider than again. Once the length is established in does not need to be adjusted as long as I stick with FT8.
Just one station in the Canary Is spotted so far today on the poorer loop on 10m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1610z: The plug was intermittent on the sharper link. Now fixed. Just a single spot of my 2.5W TX from G0VQH (13km). On 10m FT8 RX 77 spots with best DX spotted PU5BOY (9961km).
Recently I replaced my electric lawnmower. The battery does not last as long. Our kettle switch is temperamental after 7 years. My wife was going to replace her National Trust bag, but the new one has fewer pockets. My underpants are now thinner. My wife's coat has fewer pockets and is thinner.
Get the picture? We seem to make goods poorer so we are encouraged to throw the old ones away and buy new instead. This is a model of existence that cannot continue.
Assuming it is the PA, that is a job for later today. I have taken a photo so that I know what was there and don't forget to connect something. Years ago this would have been trivial for me.
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/mflf/472khz_tvtr
UPDATE 1021z: PA changed and still no antenna current! Oscillator running OK, so something else must be wrong. Further investigation needed when I am less exhausted. I guess the first thing to try is running the transverter into a dummy load to check there is output on 472kHz. Another thing I can try is using the FT817ND with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground on 160m. This measured some antenna current on the antenna current meter. If this is zero, it gives me some clues. It was so much easier when my brain was not foggy and I had a clear head. The best way I can describe it is like trying to fault-find after drinking 8 pints of beer.
UPDATE 1130z: No antenna current on 160m suggesting something else is amiss.
This may be an artifact of getting older, or a strange after-effect of my 2013 stroke, but I seem wiser. Often I seem to be able to "read" situations better. Now, this could just be how I see things! Quite often I say to myself phrases like, "you shouldn't have said that" or "you should not have done that". Quite often my hunches turn out to be right.
At about 0805z, I turned on the 10m FT8 QRP gear. At the moment (0845z) I am RX only. I understand that VK6 was worked from the UK on 10m FT8 yesterday. I am still just using 2.5W to the poorer indoor loop.
UPDATE 0901z: Nothing spotted so far today.
UPDATE 1133z: Swapped to the better 10m indoor loop. 27 stations so far spotted today on 10m FT8 RX.
Today is my wife's birthday. Before you ask, NO I am not pregnant and don't you be so darn cheeky! 😀😀
