It is now 0835z. About 15 minutes ago I turned on my 15m FT8 QRP gear using 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop antenna on the shack windowsill. Already I have spotted 8 stations on RX and I have been spotted by 3 on TX.
UPDATE 1835z: Spotted by 11 stations on TX with the furthermost being EA8AXT (2996km). 265 stations have been spotted on RX with the furthermost YB2DX (12050km). I continue to be amazed just how well this loop does considering how small and thin the wire is!
At some point we will be allocated some frequencies at 40MHz. In the coming Es seasons I can see many more applying for limited access to the band. These may be spot frequencies with limited power. Small first steps.
There is a beacon which may be worth checking in the Es season S50ZMS. This is ideally placed for Es to EI and the UK.
Hopefully, my transverter works. I shall try later.
Whatever happens, I intend to be on 472kHz (630m) this evening. If the transverter works I shall go on TX. Otherwise RX only.
In both cases, I shall be using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground, that gave good results on 160m FT8.
UPDATE 2044z: I tried my transverter again and still no sign of any 472kHz output, so I decided to go on 472kHz WSPR RX only. Just LA8AV (1012km) spotted so far. If I was fitter I might be able to fault find. With my health as it is, I think this is beyond me sadly.
Before too long we will all be driving cars that are powered by non-polluting energy. We must also ensure that these energy types are also not produced from polluting sources and are sustainable.
In the end there needs to be a breakthrough in battery technology and energy storage so that fuels like electricity produced by solar and wind can be stored.
For now, oil prices are a bellweather of the economy. Oil prices have doubled in the last few months and fuel at the pumps has gone up in price. I guess this suggests more optimism for the year ahead.
At the moment, the UK is doing quite well on the vaccination of vulnerable people. I think we are 3rd in the world. Much of what we have done in the last year was poor and this is one area where we have done well.
As long as the rates of virus circulating in the world are high, there is a chance of importing a variant that spreads easily, is more deadly and evades vaccines. There is an adage "until the world is vaccinated we are all at risk".
I hope all the world is vaccinated soon.
In a few moments I shall be turning on my 15m FT8 QRP using 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop antenna.
UPDATE 1112z: 15m FT8 gear now on. 13 stations already spotted on 15m FT8 RX and spotted by SV2BRA (2154km) on QRP 15m FT8 TX.
UPDATE 1152z: 30 stations spotted on 15m FT8 RX and 2 spots of my 2.5W to the indoor loop on TX with the furthermost RZ4HO (3291km).
UPDATE 1449z: 73 stations spotted so far today on 15m FT8. |
| Stations spotted on 15m FT8 today |
As reported last evening, 31 stations across Europe spotted my 2.5W FT8 to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground on TX.
