8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

Today, I had every intention of not going on 8m at all. 

Instead I was going to make an attenuator for 10m WSPR and concentrate on that. However, I am currently on 8m FT8 TX using my usual 2.5W. I have been on since about 0855z, ad already been spotted by HC02 (1808km) in Portugal.

UPDATE 1040z:  On 8m FT8 TX, spotted by 4 stations. On 8m FT8 RX 2 stations spotted.

OFCOM publications

 Just a reminder that OFCOM updates the records it holds on licences and similar matters every week.

Saturday plans

If the Es looks encouraging today, I hope to try mW 10m WSPR TX. This means adding attenuation very close to the transceiver. 

Sunspots - Saturday June 10th 2023

 Solar flux is 164 and the SSN 152. A=4 and K=1. 

Rallies this weekend

The following have been notified to me, but do check first  if the details are correct.

Sat June 10th - Rochdale and Ditrict Amateur Radio Summer ally, Norden, Rochdal, OL12 7QR. No contact details.

Sun June 11th -Mendips Rally. Farrington Gurnesy, BS39 6TY. Contact mendipsrally@hotmail.com

Sun June 11th - Junction 28 Radio Rally, Alfeton, DE55 7BD. Contact secretary@snadarc.com

Orchids - NOT amateur radio

 

We saw these orchids this morning in a meadow near Cambridge. When we went last year, they were dead.

Sunspot peak in November?

 I had not noticed but the solar peak is again shown as November this year. We will see. 

Es so far

We are about half way through the Es season in the northern hemisphere. Although there have been some good openings at times, the impression I have is that overall things have been below average. 

8m FT8 (Friday)

 Although I have been on 8m FT8 since before breakfast, no spots. 

UPDATE 1124z: Just spotted by EA3ERE (1153km).

UPDATE 1552z:  4 unique station spots including a new one G3WCS (223km) in north west England. Is this some kind of back scatter? It is too close for Es and the report is far better than I would expect for tropo. It also looks too weak for aircraft scatter. Nothing from Hugh HC02 today in Portugal. If open to him, he is a very reliable reporter.

UPDATE 1905z:  Best day ever on 8m with spots by 9 unique stations as the map shows. Not bad for 2.5W FT8 to a low dipole.

10m 500mW WSPR (Friday)

Spots of me to 1420z

Before breakfast my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was turned on. So far 6 spots. These look like a mix of F2 and Es spots. Tomorrow I intend to do some QRPP tests on 10m WSPR TX. 

UPDATE 1420z: 18 spots pf me so far with the furthermost F61695 (9729km) (see table).

UPDATE 1641z:  25 spots of me so far on 10m QRP WSPR today. Several of these would have copied me at low mW level with a quiet noise floor.

UPDATE 2036z:  55 unique station spots of me today. QRT soon. Quite a decent day.