Since 0726z, I have been on 10m WSPR TX with my tiny 500mW W5OLF beacon. It is now 0840z and, so far, 6 unique stations have spotted me. This looks like Es in the main.
22 Jul 2022
8m experiment (Friday)
Much to my surprise I was spotted by 3 unique stations yesterday on 8m FT8. Shortly, I hope to be on 40.680 MHz USB dial QRP FT8 again.
Full FT8 reports and locations (I cannot call this a QSO because of OFCOM - what utterly crass stupidity!!) were exchanged with one station in central Europe.
UPDATE 0937z: Spotted by HC02 (1808km) in southern Portugal.
Es (sporadic E)
July usually marks the end of the main Es season in the northern hemisphere, although Es can occur at any time. Usually the peak months are May, June and July. Some remarkable distances have been spanned on 6m, although I still believe many of these long paths are some sort of chordal E propagation, not involving multiple hops. These very long openings are too frequent for multiple hop Es to be probable. Yes, this may occur on occasions, but I am convinced there is some other mechanism.
One thing I have learnt is experts are frequently wrong! Often they parrot myths that are just not true that they heard years ago.
ISM band access licence free?
The ISM bands were agreed internationally so that things like microwave ovens could use spectrum without the need for a licence.
In different administrations the rules vary, but they may allow access at very low power for serious experimenters and without the need for a licence. It is possible that WSPR or FT8 could legally be sent in the ISM bands without a licence. Callsigns are arbitrary.
Please check what the rules are in your country. It may be a way of many gaining legal access to bands like 8m for serious experimenters.
Chuckle time - NOT amateur radio
21 Jul 2022
Rally
The following rally should be on this Sunday. Always check before travelling far.
Sunday July 24th - Finningley ARS Rally near Doncaster. www.g0ghk.com .
10m QRP WSPR TX (Thursday)
There seems to be plenty of 10m Es this morning with my 500mW beacon being widely copied in Europe.
UPDATE 1004z: 24 unique stations have already spotted my QRP 10m WSPR.
8m experiment (Thursday)
As the storm risk seems to have passed for now, I am again on 40.680 MHz USB dial QRP FT8 TX. So far, spotted by HC02 (1808km) in Portugal. Es seems to be good today.
On the 8m IO group, there has been some discussion about legally transmitting in the ISM band without a special permit. This may be legal at low power in some places. If this is the case, many more people could legally use FT8 and WSPR on the 8m band. You may have to create a special callsign for things like PSKreporter or WSPRnet. It is definitely worth checking if you can operate a "telemetry" beacon legally on 8m.
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