Most days, DX from across the globe has been copied on 10m FT8.
If you are after a simple RX to monitor 10m FT8, then my 10FT8R RX may be the answer. You may be able to make yours better or simpler!
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/10ft8r-rx .
John Lewis is one of the most respected store chains in the UK.
Recently, they announced they would be "retiring" (don't you love that?) their long held policy of never knowingly undersold. This basically meant if you could buy it cheaper elsewhere, they would match the price. With the internet, this policy is far more difficult now.
Whilst I understand this, it is yet another example of things getting worse rather than better. In my view John Lewis, like many high street shops, is struggling. I hope they survive.
At about 1900z I QSYed to 40m FT8 RX using the 10m endfed antenna untuned. So far (at 1957z) 221 stations spotted. At the moment 40m seems to be the best all round band day and night. I shall probably leave it on overnight.
UPDATE 2020z: 264 stations spotted.
Yesterday I had an email from OFCOM saying they have approved my application for an 8m permit. They forgot to tell me what the permit will say! Assuming it is what I asked for, I shall be invoiced and will start transmitting before the Es season starts.
It seems this OFCOM department is more efficient than the last. It has taken a few weeks whereas the last department took almost 5 months to tell me to get a different licence!
At the moment I am on 10m FT8 QRP with 2.5W. After a brief period on TX (2 G spots). I am RX only with 4 spots so far, all European. I have also spotted an FR4 earlier, but for some reason this did not appear on PSKreporter. Both G stations were not local. So, this was either normal tropo or aircraft I suspect. In the past, I have copied G stations from across the country on normal propagation on SSB. FT8 is likely to be far more effective.
UPDATE 0916z: Now one station in South Africa also spotted - ZS6KED (8874km).
UPDATE 1026z: Now 25 stations spotted.
UPDATE 1415z: 56 stations spotted.
