10m WSPR QRP TX (Saturday)

At the moment I am on 10m WSPR TX using 500mW from my pack of cards sized W5OLF stand-alone 10m WSPR TX beacon. So far at 0957z,  9 spots by local G4KPX (14km).

UPDATE 1322z:   6 stations spotted so far today.

Sunspots - Saturday November 13th 2021

Solar flux is 83 and the SSN 39.  A =4 and K=1. 

Wet day - NOT amateur radio

 

This was the view along Trinity Street in Cambridge earlier. It has been raining, but had stopped when the photo was taken.

6m FT8 (Friday)

 After a very brief TX period with 2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni, I am now RX only on 6m.

UPDATE 1826z:    So far today 10 stations spotted on RX and 1 station spotted me first thing in the morning on TX. Al are G.

10m WSPR QRP TX

When not using the 10m antenna I keep forgetting that I can go on 10m WSPR TX with my W5OLF 500mW WSPR beacon. It is on now. 

So far, just local spots from G4KPX (14km).

UPDATE 1835z:  6 unique stations spotted today. Furthermost was EA8BFK (2880km).

Next QRP rig?

Maybe I should consider this as my next QRP radio? 😁

G3XBM history

In one way or another, I have been interested in radio since 1961. A potted history is at this website. 

Sunspots - Friday November 12th 2021

Solar flux is 85 and the SSN 39.  A=4 and K=2.

Mind boggling - NOT amateur radio

 It is estimated the Milky Way galaxy (ours) has between 100-400 billion stars and probably at least as many planets. It is estimated there are 2 trillion galaxies in the visible universe. That is a huge number of stars! There are about 6-7 billion humans on earth. Intelligent life has existed on Earth for a very tiny fraction of the time life has existed here.

Yet, we are conscious of our existence at this moment on this planet and we would not be here if just one ancestor had done something different.

Truly mind boggling.

70cm FT8 (Thursday)

More in hope than expectation, I am on 70cm FT8. After a very brief period on TX, I am RX only. Using 2.5W and the omni V2000 vertical.

No spots. Am I surprised?

Will TX briefly throughout the day and evening.

It is a pity 70cm FT8 is not really popular as I am convinced it could be really really good.

UPDATE 1035z: Still no spots. on RX. No spots of me after a brief period on TX just now.

UPDATE 1358z:  No spots given or received.

UPDATE 1420z:  3 stations spotted including 2 PAs and 1 QSO. Furthermost was PD2NBE (280km) on RX.

UPDATE 1540z:  5 stations (including 3 PAs) spotted on 70cm FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 1832z:  7 stations spotted in 3 countries.

UPDATE 2133z: 3 stations have spotted me with the furthermost G0KTN (211km).