10m WSPR QRP (Sunday)

As usual, I am on 10m WSPR TX with my W5OLF WSPR beacon (500mW).  Already, after about 20 minutes, 4 Es spots! 

UPDATE 0832z:   Already 13 unique stations spotting me on 10m QRP WSPR!

UPDATE 0932z: 26 spots of me with the furthermost EA8BFK (2880km).

Spots of me to 1113z

UPDATE 1443z: 55 unique spots of me today with the furthermost FY5KE (7110km) in South America, who has already spotted me 5 times today on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 2100z:  QRT soon. In all, 57 stations spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR today with FY5KE (7110km) spotting me 38 times.

UPDATE 2107z:   QRT.

6m wide open

Since about 0805z, I have been on 6m FT8 RX after a few CQ calls with 2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna (5 spots of my QRP). On RX so far, 24 stations spotted. I see some in southern Europe are working Japan on 6m FT8..

UPDATE 0935z:  145 stations spotted so far today on 6m FT8 RX with the furthermost OD5ET (3463km).

UPDATE 1328z:  379 stations spotted today. Mainly Es spots in Europe and North Africa. See map.

UPDATE 1814z:  607 stations in 3 continents spotted on 6m FT8 RX today with the furthermost 9K2HN (4567km) in Kuwait. The most easterly was UN7LZ in Kazakhstan.

UPDATE 2055z:  619 stations were spotted. Nothing transatlantic. QRT shortly.

Roots - NOT amateur radio

It is a little odd (perhaps not) that we are drawn to the place where we lived as a child. I was brought up in the South Hams in Devon. Before 10 I lived in Salcombe and then Kingsbridge. Everywhere on the photo was "home". It still is! 

Yesterday

 Yesterday I was again on 10m WSPR TX (500mW) and 6m FT8 RX. On 10m WSPR TX I was yet again spotted in South America and yet again transatlantic signals were spotted on 6m FT8 RX. 

My feelings are that the Es season is drawing to a close, but, when good, Es on 6m can still be very good and 10m F2 will continue to get better as the months progress.

This autumn I expect the USA to be again romping in on 10m. I hope there is some AM just above 29MHz.

When the pandemic ends - NOT amateur radio

The world after the end of the Covid-19 pandemic may be very different. 

Many would like things to go back to as it was, but this is unlikely. 

People will be nervous of big crowds, but I suspect far greater structural changes will occur. Some things may only change slowly, but I suspect we will look back on these days as catalysts.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/non-amateur-radio/covid-19-aftermath .

Sunspots - Sunday August 1st 2021

Solar flux is 76 and the SSN 0.  A=6 and K=2 . 

R(e)ally good news

Quite often I report that a rally has been cancelled or postponed, so it is good to report on rallies that are on for a change.

Yesterday I had an email suggesting the Kings Lynn Rally and Wiltshire Radio and Car Boot Sale are taking place this Sunday August 1st.

I suggest you ensure this is correct before setting out.

50th wedding anniversary

A few days ago I showed us with our grandchildren. 

The photo shows us with our sons and their children in our back garden. The windmill is behind on the right.

FT7 HF transceiver

 I got mine second hand in 1979. It was a 10W SSB and CW rig covering all bands from 80-10m (no WARC bands then!), but with limited 10m coverage. With it, and wire dipoles, I worked DXCC QRP SSB on 10m. It ranks as one of the very best radios I have ever owned.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/commercial-rigs/yaesu-ft7 .

6m FT8 RX

After a very brief period with 2.5W TX (3 G spots), I am again on 6m FT8 RX with the V2000 vertical omni antenna. So far, nobody spotted on RX.

UPDATE 0901z:  3 RX spots so far with the furthermost DK8NE (702km).

UPDATE 1202z:  62 stations spotted so far, all in Europe and Africa, probably Es.

UPDATE 1412z:  74 stations spotted on RX today. As far as 6m is concerned, there is still Es about, but there seems to be less of it.

UPDATE 2107z:  124 stations spotted on 6m FT8 today with the furthermost KP4EIT (6834km) in Puerto Rico. I am convinced this is E layer, but not multi-hop Es. We have some other E layer propagation that we do not yet understand. Now QRT.