27 Oct 2023

10m 500mW WSPT TX (Friday)

My stand-alone 10m QRP WSPR TX beacon has been on much of the morning. 3 stations have spotted me. This all looks like F2.

UPDATE 1308z: 19 stations have spotted me today.


UPDATE 1334z: 24 spots of my QRP so far with the furthermost FR1GZ (9724km)


UPDATE 1535z:
37 spots of me today.

That DX 8m QRP contact yesterday


Yesterday, as reported, I managed to have my first 8m two-way FT8 QSO across the Atlantic. I was using 2.5W and Eden, ZF1EJ, 5W. 

630m WSPR overnight


Overnight I was on 630m WSPR using my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground with 10mW ERP. 15 stations spotted me. OH1LSQ was on, but didn't spot me. The table shows the stations spotting me in the last 12 hours.

Sunspots - Friday October 27th 2023

Solar flux is 126 and the SSN 57. A=23 and K=3. 

26 Oct 2023

630m WSPR (Thursday)


I have QSYed to 630m QRP WSPR for the evening and night.  8 stations have spotted me so far - all in the UK.

UPDATE 2118z:  12 stations have spotted me.

NanoVNA - very tempted

The NanoVNA is a palm sized vector network analyser  I have the TinySA, which is its brother spectrum analyser. Like many things out of China, there are many clones, so you have to be sure you are buying originals and not copies. One of the things it can do is plot SWR against frequency, so you can check if your antenna is spot on.  It can also be used to check trap frequencies.

See nanovna.com .

UPDATE 1555z:  Ordered from Mirfield Electronics.

Rallies this Saturday

The following rallies have been notified to me. Both are meant to take place on Saturday, October 28th. I always advise checking first before travelling any distance.

-  Essex CW Boot Camp, Witham, CM8 2HE.  Contact g0ibn1@yahoo.com.

-  Carrickfergus Amateur Radio Group Rally Carrickfergus, N.Ireland. No contact details given.


8m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

My 2.5W FT8 has been on since breakfast, but no spots yet.



UPDATE 1410z:
5 stations have spotted my QRP (3 in the Caribbean) and 1 QSO with ZF1EJ (7761km). One of my best days on 8m! I suspect ZF1EJ has an antenna somewhat better than mine!

10m 500mW WSPR TX (Thursday)

 My 500mW 10m WSPR TX beacon has been on since breakfast. Getting spotted in the Canary Is..

UPDATE 1322z:  35 stations have spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon today with the furthermost VK6JR (14528km).


UPDATE 1514z
: 50 spots of my 10m WSPR QRP so far. Yet again, the German research station in Antarctica, DP0GVN, has spotted my QRP.

630m WSPR overnight

OH1LSQ (1733km) spotted me 3 times overnight on QRP 630m WSPR TX. 14 stations spotted my 10mW ERP.