8m QRP FT8

It looks like I need to re-do the antenna and coax for 8m. Someone suggested, (Paul I think) that I might have water in the coax. If this is the case, the minimum would be to redo the coax. Not being great at all on ladders (!) this is easier said than done!

For now, I shall have to remain QRT on 8m, although I must get back on again before the autumn F2 season.

10m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)

So far today, (at 1100z) my 2.5W has been spotted by 47 unique stations with the furthermost FR1GZ (9719km).

Stations spotting me at 1504z

UPDATE  1120z:  53 stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 1245z:  60 stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 1636z:  131 stations have spotted my 10m FT8 2.5W QRP.

Our garden in summer - NOT amateur radio

Usually, our grass turns brown about now. At the moment, it is still largely green as we have had a few useful showers. Our borders are mainly perennials with a few bedding plants to add colour. We are not keen gardeners. I usually cut the grass each week and water when needed.

Coax plug on V2000 vertical fixed

 Following Paul's suggestion, I ordered a PL259 plug and BNC adaptor. This seems to have been correctly fitted with a very low SWR on 6m, 2m and 70cm. All being well, I shall be on the CDARC 2m FM net on Wednesday evening at 8pm.

Sunspots - Tuesday July 11th 2023

Solar flux is 191 and the SSN 181.  A=5 and K=2.

Wild flowers - NOT amateur radio

These wild flowers are about 5m from our house. They are by the path to our local museum and windmill next door.

See https://burwellmuseum.org.uk/ .

10m QRP FT8 (Monday)

It is now 0806z. I have been on 10m QRP for about 15 minutes and already I have been spotted by 15 Europeans by what looks like Es. Nothing outside Europe spotted on 10m FT8 RX. My power is 2.5W.

UPDATE 1026z:  My QRP has been spotted by 74 unique stations around Europe. I have been spotted more times than I have spotted others! Es on 10m looks good.

Stations spotting my 2.5W
10m FT8 today to 1411z

UPDATED 1411z: 121 unique stations have spotted my 2.5W 10m FT8 today. Most look like Es.

Repairing the BNC on the coax to my V2000 vertical

Following Paul's suggestion I have ordered a 50 ohm PL259 plug and adapter to BNC. The soldering on the PL259 looks easier than the BNC plug. Parts are due Wednesday (I hope).

I think the 8m dipole and coax want replacing. I quite fancy trying a vertical halfwave.

UPDATE 0810z:  I have found an angled BNC plug. If my plug does not arrive by Wednesday, I shall try to fit this. I think it is a 50 ohm one.

Sunspots - Monday July 10th 2023.

Solar flux is 181 and the SSN 183. A=8 and K=1.

German postboxes? - NOT amateur radio

We were in Berlin for a week and had a great time. We posted just one physical postcard from the hotel sending our other friends a digital postcard with a collage picture we hoped they would enjoy.

In all our time there we did not see one postbox. 

I know they are yellow. If they were there, they were not obvious! I don't mind as it probably saved me many Euros in postage and postcards. Also, from abroad some postcards take ages. By email, they got them very quickly.