6m 10mW FT8 (Tuesday)

Once again, I am on 6m with 10mW FT8. Unless things improve, I am not too hopeful.

UPDATE 1356z:  Just 2 spots of my 10mW 6m FT8 today from Portugal.

European Es

Looking at the maps of Es reports, it would seem, at the moment. that Es is not as good as the last few days. As with all things sporadic E (Es), things can quickly change.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

Sunspots - Tuesday May 21st

 Solar flux is 200 and the SSN 124. A=7 and K=1.

Our green - NOT amateur radio

In our quiet part of the village is this delightful green. One of the trees has half its leaves of a different colour.

6m 10mW FT8 (Monday)

Once again I am on 6m FT8 with 10mW and the V2000 vertical omni antenna.  At 1545z, 20 stations (see map) have spotted me with the furthermost EA8/DF4UE (2875km).

It never fails to amaze me how little power is needed with 6m FT8.

10m 500uW WSPR (Monday)

 Although my 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR beacon has been on all day, I am surprised to not get any spots. On 6m FT8 I have had lots of spots with 10mW. I shall try a re-sync.

UPDATE 1808z:  No spots all day.

UPDATE 1851z:  OE3GBB (1233km) has spotted my QRPP.

8m experiments

Experiments at 6m (as opposed to 8m) have FAR exceeded what I expected and convinced me that 8m WSPR at 10mW ERP would definitely be spotted by Es. The fact that 10mW FT8 on 6m reached Brazil yesterday was amazing with an omni antenna.

I may try 8m FT8 at 10mW ERP as soon as my 8m antenna is mended. At this rate, it would not surprise me if this spanned Europe as well. Judging by results at 6m, it certainly should. The only difference is the dipole, which is a bit lower in height than the V2000 used on 6m. I would expect this to (maybe) make a few dBs difference.

630m QRP WSPR

For the first time in months I was not on 630m QRP WSPR, when I was at home, last night. Gradually, the number of spots I had received had been dropping off. I shall be back on in the autumn and may try occasionally in the coming months, but not every night.

A new night-time challenge calls! I am still undecided what form this should take.

Swifts - NOT amateur radio

Although I both saw and heard swifts in Ghent, Belgium last week, yesterday was the first time this year I had heard swifts screaming in a feeding party overhead in England. It is too soon to comment on numbers although I spotted 5 overhead. 

Swifts are part of the UK sky in late spring and early summer.

Sunspots- Monday May 20th

 Solar flux is 201 and the SSN 156. A=9 and K=1.