At 1135z, I turned on 17m FT8 QRP with 2.5W and the tiny indoor loop antenna. So far today (after 5 minutes only) 15 stations spotted on RX, but nobody has spotted my QRP on TX.
UPDATE 1252z: 75 stations in 4 continents spotted on RX. 3 stations have spotted my QRP on TX with the furthermost UW5ZM (2317km).
Surprisingly, these have been pretty effective: not as good as chatting in person over a real meal, but better than nothing. Zoom allows everyone to see and hear everyone.
We even had a deaf member last night. Lipreading with Zoom was a challenge and a lot of use was made of the typed "chat" feature!
Southgate News has some feedback on a Freedom of Information request made to OFCOM asking for data on the age of radio amateurs. As no age records need to be kept now, the released data is only partial.
I think it is fair to say that many (most?) UK radio amateurs are old. It is also well known that most are men.
Recently, our local church has lost several members who have either died or moved away. What will amateur radio look like in 20 years' time?
At some point I would like to get on 4m again. With a few watts and a halo antenna much of Europe should be workable in Es openings.
Although in the UK OFCOM is consulting, it is likely that it will make safeguarding the public from harmful EMF a condition of our licence.
What this means is that if were ever investigated, we may have to prove we are safeguarding the public.
With very low power, this is very unlikely to be a problem. However, with full legal limits and big beams this could be a problem, although antenna height may well help. There are spreadsheets on the RSGB and OFCOM websites to help. Many are awaiting the final rules.
The bottom line will be that if you cannot show proof e.g. a printed out spreadsheet with results for your station, you could be closed down. Forearmed is forewarned.
See the OFCOM website for more details.
Since trials were carried out some months ago, it has gone very quiet on this. Putting swabs up noses and down throats can be distressing for some. Just spitting down a tube would be far easier, and quicker.
I am also puzzled that vitamin D and zinc supplements are not ever mentioned. Vitamin D supplements are very low cost and have strong evidence of effectiveness. I have never, ever, heard vitamin D supplements mentioned ever. Why not? If this is a "quick win" why are we not encouraged to take these? I know of several friends who are taking these.
Recent QRP FT8 operations on 2m and 70cm have got me thinking. On the face of it, aircraft and tropo scatter might actually be better on 70cm than 2m.
Certainly for aircraft scatter, the smaller wavelength at 70cm might mean better scattering. I am no expert and may well be wrong. By my argument 23cm might be better still!
Certainly, path losses would be higher on 70cm, but antenna gain at each end can be easier as you go up in frequency.
What are your views?
As an experiment, I am on 2.5W FT8 on 2m, but using the V2000 vertical antenna instead of the big-wheel horizontal. This will mean weaker reports locally as most stations will be horizontally polarised, but I would expect less difference on more distant stations spotting me. Indeed, I am weaker on the grabber at G0LRD.
So far, at 1032z, I have been spotted by 6 stations on TX with the furthermost G4TRA (185km). 2 stations spotted on RX.
UPDATE 1115z: 5 stations spotted on 2m FT8 RX with the furthermost being G4BNM (222km).
UPDATE 1312z: I am puzzled. Although I have been spotted by 6 stations on QRP TX, I have spotted 16 stations on 2m FT8 RX with the furthermost PE1KWE (307km), which is far more stations than normal. It is almost as if vertical is better!
UPDATE 1358z: 20 stations spotted on 2m FT8 RX with the furthermost GI6ATZ (479km).
UPDATE 1458z: 27 stations spotted on RX and 8 stations have spotted my QRP on TX. 2 QSOs.
UPDATE 1916z: 35 stations spotted on RX. 14 stations have spotted my QRP mostly at "tropo" ranges rather than aircraft scatter or troposcatter.
UPDATE 2222z. QRT now. 38 stations spotted on RX.
