20m FT8 RX (Thursday)

At the moment I am on 20m FT8 RX using the coax to my 2m big-wheel via the ferrite rod ATU on the bench. This is just a tapped coil on a ferrite rod with the tap with the lowest SWR chosen. Calling it an ATU is being kind, HI!!

Stations spotted at 1337z

UPDATE 1212z:  188 spots on 20m FT8 RX so far.

UPDATE 1337z:  243 spots on 20m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 1500z:  310 spots today.

UPDATE 1951z:  356 stations spotted today.

Sunspots - Thursday November 18th 2021

Solar flux is 79 and the SSN 33.  A=12 and K=1. 

More Anglesey Abbey - NOT amateur radio

 

These were taken earlier today.  Looking more like autumn now!

Anglesey Abbey walk - NOT amateur radio

The sun was peeping through the trees at Anglesey Abbey earlier. The whole place looked very autumnal. 

Facebook memory from 2012

This appeared as a Facebook memory for today. It was 9 years ago. 

10m QRP WSPR TX (Wednesday)

As the 10m antenna was free, I put my W5OLF stand-alone WSPR beacon on using 500mW. So far, just a local spot from G4KPX (14km).

15m FT8 RX (Wednesday)

Like yesterday, I am again on 15m FT8 RX using the coax up to my 2m big-wheel as the antenna, ad hoc though it is! After about 15 minutes, 23 stations already spotted.

UPDATE 1204z:   176 stations spotted today on 15m FT8 RX today.

UPDATE 1441z:   343 stations spotted on 15m FT8 RX today. I am amazed how well this "antenna" works. Basically, anything will work. On TX too via an ATU if necessary.

UPDATE 1501z:  Just for fun, I went on 15m FT8 TX with 2.5W and this unusual "antenna". Sadly, no spots of me received after a few minutes TXing! Maybe I am being clobbered by a much stronger station, so I'll QSY and try again. After QSYing about 500Hz HF I was spotted at -20dB S/N by SV1ONU (2409km) and at -15dB S/N by K4EA (6742km). 354 stations spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1606z:  395 stations spotted today. After another brief TX period with 2.5W, I was copied by no stations.

UPDATE 1826z:  424 stations spotted on 15m FT8 RX today.

SPAM - NOT amateur radio

Do I look totally stupid? 

Gmail does a very good job of filtering out SPAM. Just occasionally, something is put in SPAM that is not , so it is worth checking. My guess this is maybe 1 in 1000. Obvious SPAMs are when if you just verify your bank details we will deposit huge sums in your account. Others relate to Bitcoins or sexual prowess. Every day I must get 20-30 SPAM emails. All get binned right away.

If in doubt never click a link that you are unsure about. If possible, hover over the link to see if the link is the same as that which appears. Basically if in doubt do not!!

8m experimental licences in the USA

My understanding is that 7 experimental licences have been approved for the 8m band in the USA. One station has already been copied in the UK. With F2 propagation improving and summer Es, it is highly probable that others in the USA will be copied in Europe. 

My own view is that the chances would be greatly enhanced if all experimental stations and beacons at 8m had an FT8 sequence that allowed all to be monitored with one dial setting. This implies that all are within a few kHz of each other.

In the future, 8m could be a really interesting amateur band. If OFCOM can find 2000000Hz of "precious" VHF spectrum for DATV experiments, I hope they can surely find the odd 50Hz of 8m spectrum for propagation research, especially at lower power.

The more temporary permits that are applied for, and obtained, around the world the more useful research can be done.

Small steps....

See https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/ .

Sunspots - WednesdayNovember 17th 2021

Solar flux is 80 and the SSN 35 (going up again).  A=13 and K=2.