10m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

 After a brief session on 10m QRP FT8 with about 5W with 86 stations spotting me with the furthermost JA5AFW (9330km), I have QSYed to 6m FT8.

Thursday plans

 At various times I expect to try 6m and 10m QRP FT8 with the IC705.

Archetypal Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

This is archetypal Cambridge. King’s College chapel on an autumn afternoon with bikes on King’s Parade.

There are fewer visitors at this time of the year.

US prefixes

At one time if you heard a W7 you could be sure he was on the west side of the USA. Yesterday, I was copied by an N4  .... who was on the west side of the continent. 

If, like me, you are in Europe it is much harder than it once was. I presume this saves the FCC a few dollars in admin..

Sunspots - Thursday November 28th

 Solar flux is 214 and the SSN 141. A=8and K=1

Visiting Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

Being a resident of a nearby village, I often take Cambridge for granted. Some people travel across the planet to see places I can see for free at any time. There are many videos about the city on YouTube. This is just one.

17m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

My 17m QRP FT8 (about 4W) was turned on at about 1618z.  Within a few minutes, I was spotted by 33 stations, See map.

15m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

At about 1545z I QSYed to QRP 15m FT8 with the IC705. So far, 50 spots of me in 4 continents. It's too darn easy!  Someone called me so I had a quick QSO.

UPDATE 1556z: 63 spots of me. See map.

FT8 versus WSPR

It is hard to compare these two as I run 500mW on WSPR and about 5W on FT8 from the IC-705. However FT8 is about 10dB less sensitive than WSPR. My feeling is there is far more activity on FT8 than WSPR. Certainly I get far more spots with FT8.

Starting out, I believe FT8 is better. It also allows 2-way QSOs.

Old bookshop - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows Trinity Street in Cambridge, UK. In the right foreground is a bookshop that has been a bookshop for centuries.