8m - am I losing my enthusiasm?

It is some time since I went on 8m FT8, preferring to concentrate on 6m FT8 instead.  Both in 2024 and 2023 my few watts to a low dipole were enough to reach the USA, Canada, South Africa and the Caribbean as well as all over Europe and into Asia. On 6m QRP FT8 I have reached the USA and Canada by F2 this autumn.

If I can do it with just a few watts and low dipole, a station with more power and a small beam at moderate height would find it much easier. 

Stations have worked thousands of miles with just 10mW under ISM rules at 8m. The band would get far more F2 openings than 6m. For Es and MS, I would not expect much difference. Certainly if more countries had 8m available there would be more interest.

When my current 8m TX permit expires in the summer, I do not think it is worth me renewing it. My purpose was to find out what was possible with QRP. I think I now know.

Time for a new challenge!

Does QRP SSB really work?

DXCC with 10W SSB was worked here on 10m back in the 1980s, so DX is rarely chased these days. Interesting to see this video comparing 5W to 45W on 40m SSB. There is a difference, but loads of contacts at 5W.

Getting lighter - NOT amateur radio

It has been getting a bit lighter in the evening for some days but it now starts to get lighter in the mornings too. 

Psychologically this marks an important turning point for me with lighter days ahead. It is slow at first. We are heading in the right direction!

Sunspots - Thursday January 2nd

 Solar flux is 219 and the SSN 173. A=86 and K=3.

Desk calendar in shack

Every year I create a shack desk calendar which, in the main, has photos of where I came from in South Devon, UK.

The clock to the back is a radio clock that someone very generously bought me which allows time synchronisation without a PC.

Failed 630m WSPR experiment

 Yesterday and overnight I tried 630m WSPR RX using the coax to my 2m big-wheel antenna tuned with a ferrite rod ATU. Not a single station was spotted!

 Either I did something wrong or the WSPR activity is way down. 

I might try 160m FT8 today and overnight with the same setup. If the match is good enough I might try 160m FT8 QRP TX.

630m WSPR RX

For the first time this season I am on 630m (472kHz) WSPR RX using my coax outer to my 2m big-wheel antenna via a ferrite rod ATU. I intend to remain on until breakfast.

At the moment I cannot TX on the band because of a fault with my Tigertronics USB interface or lead.

If you can TX WSPR on 630m I would appreciate a signal to test all is working.

UPDATE 1805z:  No spots.

Ely Cathedral - NOT amateur radio

This wonderful photo of Ely Cathedral (the ship of the Fens) was recently posted.

Over the top? - NOT amateur radio

A house in a nearby town raises money for charity by putting Christmas lights up.  Quite a few!! 

I imagine you could find it by looking for the glow in the sky!

Just think of the neighbours and the electricity bill!

Solar activity in 2024

There is now little doubt that we are at, or just over, the peak of solar cycle 25. 

Some were wondering if we would have any sunspots at all, but it turned out to be a decent peak. The E-W F2 MUF exceeded 50MHz several times.  At this time in the month I usually check the solar activity.

See https://www.solen.info/solar/.