15 Jan 2022

70cm FT8 in the last day

Conditions are up on 70cm. 

In the last day I have stuck with FT8. In all, 43 stations spotted with the furthermost being F8DLE (735km). 

Remember this is with a vertical omni antenna! It is also 70cm!

Sunspots - Saturday January 15th 2022

Solar flux is 110 and the SSN 112. A=15 and K=3.

14 Jan 2022

8m NoV

The wait goes on and on and on! 

I have chased OFCOM twice this week and heard absolutely nothing, except their computer generated reply which is about a month out of date. 

Maybe I shall hear next January? Oh there's another pig flying by.....

Someone at OFCOM please give me an answer!

70cm FT8 (Friday)

At about 1615z, I QSYed to 70cm FT8 from 10m. At first I called CQ with 2.5W and the V2000 vertical omni antenna, but now I am RX only. On TX, no QSOs, but I was spotted by 3 stations with the furthermost being G4RQI (194km).  On RX 2 stations spotted, both Gs.

UPDATED 1736z:  10 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost DC8UG (557km).

Cold and frosty - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows Anglesey Abbey earlier. It was cold and frosty. 

10m FT8 RX

Shortly, I hope to go on 10m FT8 RX. Sunspot count is over 100 and maybe there will be some decent DX again. 

It is a bright, sunny morning here, whereas the BBC weather again says clouds and no sun. We are off for a walk shortly.

UPDATE 0925z: 10m gear turned on at 0915z. So far, 23 stations already spotted on RX including 2 in Australia.

UPDATE 1236z:  176 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX.

70cm FT8 yesterday

No contests, but conditions above average, so I thought I'd give 70cm FT8 a go. To my surprise 25 stations were spotted on RX and several spotted my 2.5W FT8 to the V2000 vertical omni antenna. 70cm FT8 has definitely come of age! 

Sunspots - Friday January 14th 2022

Solar flux is 106 and the SSN 111. A=3 and K=1.

13 Jan 2022

8m NoV - STILL no response from OFCOM

Five days ago I chased OFCOM. Since then I have heard absolutely nothing. What a shower!! If this is how they treat all customers there is no hope....

70cm FT8 QRP (Thursday)

For a change, I am on 70cm FT8, outside of a contest. It is now 1630z and I have been on the band for about 30 minutes. Already I have spotted PA3EOU (337km) and my 2.5W to the vertical V2000 omni has been spotted by G0KTN (211km). I must try 70cm FT8 more often.

UPDATE 1827z:  6 stations in 3 countries spotted.

UPDATE 2235z:  24 stations spotted on RX. My brief transmission resulted in 1 QSO and 5 people spotting me.