8m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

 At about 1340z I switched to 8m QRP FT8 on 40.680 MHz. So far, no spots. I gather there is some TEP. 

UPDATE 1625z: Spotted by EI9KP (649km), I am pretty sure this is not Es . He spots me regularly. As the time varies, I do not think it is aircraft. I suppose it could be random MS, but think this unlikely. It is too far for tropo.

UPDATE 1906z:  The jury is out on the propagation to EI9KP , but it is most likely aircraft scatter. What I had not thought about is that there could be many aircraft on the path.

Classic Car Day - NOT amateur radio

Every year, the museum next door holds a classic car day. It was filled with vintage cars and motorbikes. 

Like radio amateurs, most are geeks!! A very good turn out. The weather was warm and dry.

Getting maudlin - NOT amateur radio

This must come with old age. 

As we get older, we know our time is limited. Certainly it is highly likely that our health will fail. So, every chance to do a walk is a gift to be enjoyed. 

Today we saw, a green woodpecker, blackberries, Ely cathedral and lots more.

TINY Shetland ponies - NOT amateur radio

It is hard to get an impression of size from this photo of Shetland ponies seen on our walk earlier. We walked around the village of Reach.

10m QRP FT8 (Sunday)

My 2.5W FT8 was turned on at 0524z. No spots at 0532z. 

UPDATE 0932z:  28 stations have spotted my 2.5W FT8.  124 stations spotted on RX with the furthermost  YG9EDE (12436km).

Sunspots - Sunday August 20th 2023

Solar flux is 151 and the SSN 104. A=8 and K=3.

8m QRP FT8 (Saturday)

My QRP signal has been copied in Portugal this evening by Hugh HC02, although this has not appeared (yet) on PSKreporter. I went on 8m FT8 as Hugh was getting G9PUV well.

10m QRP WSPR TX (Saturday)

 As I am on 8m QRP FT8, I am on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW TX beacon. The beacon was turned o at about 1814z. Already spotted in the Canary Is.. I presume this is F2 propagation.

8m - am I wasting my time?

To be honest, I am disappointed in the interest shown in 8m. This is between 10m and 6m and especially around sunspot maximum (like now) there is a lot of useful research that radio amateurs could do. 

Instead, we have had fewer active TX stations on 8m this summer and the FCC is not renewing the few USA permits I understand. In Belgium higher class amateur licencees will be able to TX on 8m. One station in Greece has been granted special access for a limited time. EI, ZS, S51 and 9A I think have amateur bands and a few Caribbean stations (I think) have been given access to 8m.

In most countries everyone is able to run very low power beacons in the 40-66-4.70 MHz ISM bands without a licence, I think. We know from Australia that just 5mW WSPR can be copied 5000km away. As far as I know, few have tried 8m WSPR ISM beacons, instead preferring to talk about tomatoes with commercial rigs on 80m. Self training is interpreted as testing weedkiller. 

Amateur radio is meant to be about self training and research! I despair for the future. At this rate, the hobby will be gone by 2040.

Weather last night - NOT amateur radio

We had 11mm of rain overnight, but no thunder. It is now sunny.