My TX beacon has been on since lunchtime.
UPDATE 1646z: So far today, spotted by 50 stations with the furthermost F61695 (9729km) in the Indian Ocean. This is far fewer than yesterday.
30 Oct 2024
6m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)
UPDATE 1519z: Furthermost is a spot of me by V51MA (8460km) in Namibia. 38 spots of my QRP, mostly in Europe. No sign here of any stations in North America.
UPDATE 1653z: 43 spots of my QRP 6m FT8 today. Although I shall be on for a few hours yet, I do not think I shall see any USA stations on 6m today.
What is DX?
DX means different things to different people.
To some, it is working a new country in the Pacific. To others it may be being copied in the antipodes with a few milliwatts of WSPR. To some it may just be working a few kilometres with ultra-simple gear. Thank goodness we are all different.
Just because we do not understand what "turns people on" we have no right whatsoever to judge others.
FT8 in the quiet years
It seems odd to be talking about the "quiet years" when solar conditions are so good.
However, in about 5 years' time there will be few sunspots and many will (wrongly) assume the higher HF bands are dead.
In many cases this is not the case and a casual listen around 27MHz will prove this is due to a lack of activity and not poor conditions.
Hopefully FT8 users will stick around on bands like 10m, 12m and 15m and prove the bands are open far more often than is assumed. I well remember working a surprised LU when I was running 10m SSB QRP when there were no sunspots at all at sunspot minimum some years ago.
FT8 is well monitored and works with very weak signals. Who knows by then we may have an even better mode!
In my experience, N-S paths remain open for DX at all points in the solar cycle. I agree you have to be more patient, but that is half the fun.
Yaesu FTX-1F all mode, all band QRP transceiver
It was expected "early 2025", but since then I have heard nothing further. Several dealers are accepting deposits, but I have heard no news about price or specs..
Does anyone know anything?
It looks like Yaesu's answer to the FT817/818 series and the ICOM IC-705. Without the detailed specs and prices, it is hard to know how this will do.
I imagine much of the software and hardware is based heavily on other Yaesu SDR transceivers to reduce development costs.
I hope the price is well below £1000 so it is competitive against many other products now around, especially as the Japanese Yen is far weaker than it was against the US dollar and UK pound.
29 Oct 2024
Why? - NOT amateur radio
Apparently Israel has passed a law preventing UNRWA operating in Israel. Why?
Our bungalow - NOT amateur radio
Our local museum and windmill are just across the way from us. We have just been to an end of season "mini party" for all volunteers. One photo shows our bungalow (and a bit of the windmill!). It was taken on our way home. The other shows the party.
Last ones? - NOT amateur radio
We like to eat fruit with our breakfasts . This includes blackberries if they are in season. We have a bush very close to us and I thought I had picked my last of this year a few weeks ago.
To my surprise I collected some today which will do for breakfast today and tomorrow. It has been very mild of late.
If you do not believe we are living in a warming world, open your eyes. We have lived in this part of the UK for over 50 years and it is definitely milder. Some may argue about causes, but it is definitely warmer.
AM station
When I started in amateur radio most people were on AM (amplitude modulation) even on HF.
In recent years there has been a bit of an AM revival especially on the lower HF bands. At one time AM was very popular as the gear can be simple and it is an effective mode.
Its main drawback on HF is it is wider than SSB and power is wasted in the carrier. On the plus side RX gear can be extremely simple yet effective. See my Fredbox and Sixbox transceivers.
I saw this AM station on the internet. It made me feel quite nostalgic.
Sadly, many have never used AM or experienced it.
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