Although I have a separate area for building and for operating, I tend to use FT8 mostly these days and monitor on a separate PC in the lounge. Building and fault finding are much harder now. I can get to the operating spot in seconds.
I still use the shack for FM nets weekly and UKAC operation 2m and 70cm activity. The shack has probably the best views in the house, hence the binoculars!
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/other-amateur-radio/shack .
We are definitely moving from a band that comes alive in the Es season to more a band for F2 DX.
For those with sticking power, there is DX to be found at any part of the solar cycle, although in the quiet years there are often fewer people on 10m making things even harder.
Yesterday, the better stations were calling VK on 10m. As the solar cycle progresses, we can expect more openings, more often, on 10m. It is worth keeping an eye on FT8 or WSPR.
For several days South American stations have been romping in. No doubt those with serious stations will be copying far more than me! As you know, I run QRP to a low wire endfed.
It is used on 6m, 2m and 70cm. Apart from just recently,it has worked faultlessly. Richard G3TFX took it apart, cleaned it, added new coax, and re-erected it. It seems to work like new again.
The photo was taken 8 years ago after it was first erected at this QTH.
A reminder that my new webpages have a grabber. This is mainly on 10m FT8, although occasionally it is looking somewhere else. You can see what I am spotting.
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See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/10m-ft8-grabber .
We walk here most weeks. It is owned by the National Trust, so we get free entry with our annual membership. Every season there is something to see.
When conditions are good, I have worked USA SSB stations with 2.5W from indoors with just a whip!
10m (28MHz) remains one of my favourite bands. At dead of night and in the quiet solar years, it acts more like a VHF band. In the Es season it is good for DX up to 1500km often, and occasionally much further. In the better years there is worldwide DX via F layer. Antennas can be small and simple. Often QRP only is needed.
See https://www.cqww.com/ .
See also https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/10m-operation .
Winter merges into spring and the evenings gradually get lighter in the UK. I think it is the light you notice most. Also the birds sing to...
