10m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

My QRP 10m FT8 was turned on around 0845z. 

So far, 8 stations have spotted me with the furthermost V51MA (8640km). 

UPDATE 1545z:  My QRP 10m FT8 has been spotted by 105 stations. Most are in Europe, 1 in Africa, 2 in South America and 4 in Asia. See map of stations spotting me.

UPDATE 1800z:  115 spots of me on 10m QRP FT8 today.

FT8 on CB

 At the moment there are very few monitors on the CB FT8 frequency and nothing has been spotted, so I am about to stop monitoring.

Sunspots - Thursday July 25th

 Solar flux is 175 and the SSN 160. A=6 and K=1.

FT8 on CB

Apparently there is a group of enthusiasts using FT8 on 27.265MHz CB. I have not monitored this but might well try soon. My endfed Par antenna works well on 11m.

630m QRP WSPR tonight?

It is very unusual for me to try 630m QRP WSPR at this time of year. Assuming things work, I might well give it a try this evening. 

The noise floor will be higher at this time of the year on MF and that might mask my QRPP signal. It's an experiment, so the worst is nobody spots me! 

I wonder if people have moved to different modes on 630m and I should try a different mode?

UPDATE 2030z:  Initial tests were not successful. It is probably something dead simple, so I shall try and find out what is wrong tomorrow.

European Es (Wednesday)

The European Es season is drawing to a close until next spring, although there is a far smaller peak around New Year. I do not know why this happens. This is another Es puzzle (to me at least). 

There have been some (probable) Es openings today, although we can expect fewer Es openings than earlier in the spring/summer. As I have mentioned before Es can occur at any time.

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

8m FSW4-300 RX tests

G0KTN is doing some tests using this slow mode (5 minute transmissions) on 8m. 

Although I do not have my usual 8m dipole up, I am trying to RX Trevor on the endfed used for my FT8 EA 8m QSOs recently. Unlike the EA stations, this would be by tropo. Theoretically this mode is about 6dB better than WSPR2. His station is on from 0800-2000z. 

Worth a try!

It's funny how reports and QSOs are easier with more distant stations on FT8 than on more local stations on WSPR and FSW4-300.

UPDATE 2036z:   G0KTN not copied sadly.

53rd wedding anniversary - NOT amateur radio

Today is our 53rd wedding anniversary. 

In all this time we have never exchanged cards or gifts, preferring to celebrate when we met in 1968. 

What are the secrets of a long marriage? Tolerance and acceptance of each other's quirks. We have been lucky.

10m QRP WSPR (Wednesday)

 

My 500mW 10m WSPR beacon is on this morning. So far, 4 stations have spotted me.

6m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

 

It is very pleasing that activity on 6m FT8 is still good. I suspect most are Es. See the map showing where my QRP FT8 has been spotted this morning.

At the moment solar activity is good although Es is (as far as I know) unrelated to solar activity. I can certainly recall very good Es conditions at all times in the solar cycle.

I am still sure there is a lot to learn about E layer propagation. For example:

• Those long Es openings to the Far East from Europe on 6m every early summer (Mesospheric clouds?).
• An apparent uptick in Scandinavian Es late in the season.
• Long path openings on 6m E layer. Is this some sort of chordal hop?

UPDATE 1355z:  QRT at the moment. 40 spots of me today.