160m FT8 (Monday)

 As my earth-electrode "antenna" is now matched, I am currently using it on 160m FT8 with 10W from the FT-710. No spots, although I am not surprised in daylight. I must double check on the 160m FT8 frequency in Europe. I have never tried FT8 on topband. I have used WSPR in the past. Currently I am on 1840 kHz FT8, which seems right.

UPDATE 1120z: This looks a useful resource for digital modes in Europe. See https://www.pa8s.nl/knowledge-base/frequencies-for-digital-modes/ 

Spots of me at 1814z

UPDATE 1814z:  Back on 160m FT8 with the earth electrode "antenna" in the ground. Running about 10W from the FT-710. 7 spots of me with the furthermost SM3PXO (1485km). Still daylight here for another hour. Oh yes, it works!!

UPDATE 1856z: 15 stations in 7 countries have so far spotted my 10W FT8 on 160m this evening in the daylight. And the antenna is invisible to my XYL!

UPDATE 2005z: My first FT8 QSO on topband with GM8IEM (753km). Although I was in beacon mode and not answering calls earlier, I see I was called by several stations including one in Denmark. 21 stations have spotted me tonight Now QRT on 160m FT8.

Museum open again - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, after what has seemed a long winter, our local museum and windmill next door reopened. The weather was sunny and pleasant. Parking near our house is not usually an issue. It was yesterday!!

Monday plans

My main aim today is to match my earth-electrode "antenna" on MF. I I can do this, I can try it on FT8 or WSPR TX on 160m or 80m.

Later, I may try 10m QRP FT8 again with the QDX, although it does not teach me much - I know less than 5W of FT8 can get spotted across the planet. All these stations could be worked, but I do not have the energy to chase these!

UPDATE 1021z: After adding more turns to the primary of my 3C90 transformer I can get a perfect match on 160m and 80m with my earth electrode "antenna" with the auto-ATU in the FT-710. I shall try 160m WSPR or FT8 tonight!

2m activty contest (UKAC) last week

 Last Tuesday was the activity contest organised by the RSGB. My incredible score (I am joking!!) has just been submitted as I almost forgot. Tomorrow evening is the 70cm activity contest.

The impression I am getting is interest in this contest is waning with the FT8 contest on the following evening doing better. This is pity as it is a very "un"contest contest with people happy to see the activity levels up. I have been taking part for several years.

The stations contacted are shown on the map.

Earth-electrode "antenna"

My earth-electrode "antenna" has been reinstalled. 

Much to my surprise I am unable to tune it using the internal auto-ATU suggesting the impedance is greater than 150 ohms. 

I shall have to try a new matching transformer to bring it in range of my auto-ATU. This make take a few goes. I want a good match at MF.

Sunspots - Monday April 10th th 2023

Solar flux is 140 and the SSN 52. A=6 and K=3. 

Rain Gauge - NOT amateur radio

One of my wife's Christmas presents was a rain gauge. We record the rain that has fallen each day and total up the month. February was very dry and, so far, in March, we have already had more than the whole of February!

2m Fredbox QSO

This was in 2011 and shows me in QSO with the 10mW 2m AM Fredbox. Many years ago I had a cross channel QSO with it handheld. These days it is hard enough having an FM QSO on 2m!

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/homebrew/fredbox. 

Grand master? - NOT amateur radio

Playing chess with one of my grandsons

There is no way I am good at chess! 

A very useful app is https://www.chess.com/ where you can play against others online or against the computer. 

The more successful chess players think well ahead - unlike me!

8m band

This is midway between 10m and 6m. It is only allocated to the Amateur Radio Service and in a few countries it has been allocated for experiments only to a handful of stations. In some cases this is very reluctantly. 

It is my view that others could gain access without a licence in the ISM band from 40.66-40.70 MHz as long as local conditions are fully met. You need to convince yourself of the legality. In the UK this means 10mW ERP. On WSPR, this can go a very long way. In Australia 5mW of 8m WSPR has spanned 5000km!

In the next few months in the Es season 10mW ERP will definitely allow UK stations to be copied across Europe on 8m WSPR.

With sunspot numbers high at the moment, the F2 MUF exceeds 42MHz on occasions so very long distances are possible at times with FT8 or WSPR even with QRP.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/8m-band .