6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

In a few moments, I again expect to be on 6m FT8 QRP with the FT817ND and the V2000 vertical. Yesterday was a good Es day. I somehow doubt this will be the case today! 

UPDATE 0723z: Gear turned on at 0715z. Spotted by GB0SNB/SDR (65km). I spotted an ON on RX, but this has not appeared on PSKreporter maps. Often, my very early RX spots do not appear. Not sure why this is. 

UPDATE 0816z: Just been spotted by M1ABK (70km). Still nothing on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1011z: 3 stations have spotted me on QRP TX and I have spotted 4 on RX. All UK. No sign of any Es.

UPDATE 1700z:  Quite a good 6m day considering the lack of Es. 12 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX and 8 stations have spotted my QRP with the furthermost SP5QWB (1405km). Was the SP by Es?

That 4m transverter

Jason (in a comment on an earlier post) may well be correct. I was puzzled why the FT817ND was flagging "HI SWR" when I went to TX on the 4m transverter. 

Somewhere way back in the mists of time I did do a mod to my original FT817 to add 5V to the RF line from the rig. Of course, this is not there on the FT817ND, so the relay will not switch over to TX.

At some point before the next Es season, I must do this mod on the FT817ND. I cannot recall what I did, so I shall have to photograph and copy exactly the original mod.  

As it stands, I can monitor on 4m, but not TX.

I guess an RF detector could be added to the transverter to switch on the 5V TX. This would avoid the need to doctor the FT817ND inside.

UPDATE 0830z:  Anyone know if the 5V TX is present on the RF connector of the unmodified IC-705? If so, I could just use the IC-705 with the 4m transverter instead! Guess I should just try it. 

UPDATE 0838z:  Tried it with the IC-705 Still high SWR, so guess +5v not there either. Pity.

UPDATE 0852z: Just found this from when the transverter was first designed and made, " I also did the FT817 DC switching mod to put 5V DC on the antenna pins when on TX. It was easy to do, with care, and made the transverter switching so much easier. Don't understand why it was not there as standard for the sake of 1 capacitor and 1 resistor."

UPDATE 1714z: If the mod is within my capability, I shall do the 5V TX mod. I must note that I should use the front BNC for 4m.

Click bate - NOT amateur radio

 In the last few weeks I seem to have lots of adverts telling me (from the photo) that adding things like cola or toothpaste to the car fuel tank has "taken Brits by storm" and saved lots of money. Curiosity encourages many people to click to view. This is pure click bate and I HATE this!! 

137 kHz in 2011

 This was in 2011.

Sunspots - Saturday September 3rd 2022

Solar flux is 130 and the SSN 71. A=8 and K=4.

Sunspot cycle 25 peak

The latest predictions still show the peak of the current cycle exceeding that of the last one. The last had 2 peaks separated by about 2 years, with the second peak greater than the first.

See https://www.solen.info/solar/images/cycles23_24.png .

East Anglian Churches blog - NOT amateur radio

When we visit a local church (usually with our grandson ringing bells these days!) we try to update our churches blog. This week we visited Dullingham, which is about 8 miles from us.

See http://eachurches.blogspot.com/ .

6m QRP FT8 (Friday)

In the end I decided to give 6m QRP FT8 ago this morning. 

The gear was turned on about 0943z.  

So far 3 G spots of me with the V2000 vertical and FT817ND with the furthermost M1ABK (70km). Nothing spotted on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1216z: Spotted by 8 stations with the furthermost HA2NP (1482km). 39 stations have been spotted on 6m FT8 RX. Plenty of Es I assume. 1 QSO with a station in Croatia. These maps are now old!

UPDATE 1253z: 54 stations spotted on RX and 9 stations have spotted my QRP. 2 QSOs.

UPDATE 1608z:  20 stations have spotted my 6m FT8 QRP and I have spotted 70 stations on the band. The maps below are from earlier in the afternoon.

UPDATE 1645z: The Es opening seems to be over.

6m FT8 RX

6m FT8 QRP TX

10m FT8 QRP

When I turn things on, I may give 10m FT8 QRP a go. Only if this is promising might I give 8m FT8 QRP a go.

It is some time since I last tried 6m FT8. Maybe that is worth a go?

4m TX fault

Yesterday, I tried my 4m QRP transverter on TX with the FT817ND. It said "HI SWR" on the FT817ND. Not sure what was going on, but it is probably something simple, like a dry joint. 

I was very pleased with the results yesterday on 4m FT8 RX with just the 40 MHz antenna.

If the fault really is trivial, I am undecided about the erection of a 4m halo. Such an antenna would give me access to 4m.