Leaving 8m?

Never thought I would say this, but I am seriously thinking of quitting 8m. 

I thought this would be the year when lots of stations would come on 8m. This could either be at very low power under ISM rules without a licence or by gaining temporary permission from a national authority, perhaps for the Es season or until the next solar peak has passed. At the moment (I may be wrong) it looks like just the old faces are active with few new people.

This next week is critical. Unless I see many more coming on to 8m TX, I think my experiment has to close for now, sadly. My only "new" thing will be working more stations or getting FT8 reports.

If I leave 8m, I shall concentrate on 10m FT8 QRP.  I may also try FT8 on 4m during the Es season.

10m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

At about 1300z I QSYed to 10m FT8 with 2.5W. 8m seemed hopeless. My QRP has been spotted by a local and I have spotted 3 stations so far. 

UPDATE 1542z:   As there was a little bit (I think) of 10m Es, I have gone QRT on 10m and QSYed to 8m QRP FT8 ever hopeful. Several spots on RX and on TX (2.5W) 3 spots including a couple of Italians.

Yesterday's walk - NOT amateur radio

 

Yesterday we walked to Wicken Fen passing this boat.

BBC Weather - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, the cloud was meant to burn back to reveal the sun and light clouds according to the BBC weather app. It was cloudy all day. 

Today (according to the BBC), the cloud should have again burnt back to reveal the sun by now. Of course, it is still cloudy. 

Sorry, but as a forecast it is hopeless!! 

OK the UK weather is complicated, I know, but if you are unable to make an accurate forecast, just don't bother and I shall just look out of the window.

BBC =  better by cod (i.e. with a wet fish).

UPDATE 1046z:  Sun has appeared!

10m WSPR TX with 500mW

At 0630z my QRP 10m TX beacon was turned on.

UPDATE 1040z:  No spots. 

UPDATE 1633z:   On 10m QRP WSPR again, but just spots by local G4KPX (14km).

UPDATE 1905z:   DX today (actually the ONLY station spotting me!) was G4KPX (14km). All in all, a really awful day. Tomorrow has to be better!

UPDATE 2045z: QRT.

8m early start

At 0629z my QRP 8m FT8 was turned on. This is far earlier than normal.

UPDATE 1047z:  No spots.  It is now days since I have copied anyone or anyone has copied me on 8m FT8!  By now, I was expecting daily, good, Es. Conditions have been disturbed, but I was hoping for better. At the moment, 2023 is less promising than 2022. I shall stick with it a bit longer.

UPDATE 1150z:  Still no spots. Unless I get some spots by 1300z, I propose to QSY to 10m QRP FT8.

UPDATE 1540z:  As there was (I think) a bit of Es on 10m, I have gone back on 8m FT8 QRP, ever hopeful. No spots.

UPDATE 1625z:  Disappointed. Been on 8m FT8 much of the day, but with no success on RX or TX. I shall stick with it until dark, but seriously poor. What disappoints me most is the apparent lack of interest by Gs to, what could be, a really interesting part of the spectrum. Unless things seriously improve, I suspect I can learn little more. I was hoping for lots of interest this spring/summer. It would appear people prefer talking about fish tanks on 40m with commercial rigs than real research👎👎

UPDATE 2050z:  QRT.

Sunspots - Sunday May 14th 2023

  Solar flux is 144 and the SSN 134.  A=11 and K=3.

How do they do it?

Banggood is selling a handheld SSB transceiver covering 40, 20, 15 and 10m for just £95.93.  

I have no idea how they do this for this price and I have no idea of how well it works. I have never heard of this before.

6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

This is probably not a great idea!  

At about 2000z, I decided to QSY to 50.313 MHz QRP FT8 using my vertical omni V2000 antenna. On RX there were signs of a weak signal, but nobody was decoded and nobody has spotted me. 

I shall turn things off when I go to bed. I was hoping to reach a few locals.

UPDATE 2007z:  No spots. QRT .

BBC weather - NOT amateur radio

BBC weather rant time. 

Today the BBC was saying the clouds would burn back and we would have sunshine and light cloud as they are saying right now!!! 😉 It has been full cloud all day. I know BBC weather is a joke, but I object to my money being wasted on super-computers when looking out the window is free and just as good!! 

Rant over. I feel better 😁😉