Return to 8m FT8 QRP (Saturday)

As you may have realised, I have been away for a few days. 

On my return I have been on 8m FT8 TX on 40.680 with my 2.5W and a low wire dipole. A couple of spots from Spain. I shall go QRT at bedtime. 

Sunspots - Saturday June 17th 2023

Solar flux is 157 and the SSN 120. A=38 and K=2.

Hay on Wye - NOT amateur radio

Hay is right on the boundary between Wales and England. It is famous for its bookshops. The last time I was in Hay was at least 12 years ago. Happily despite the pandemic, it seems much the same. 

Rallies this weekend

The following rallies are due to take place this weekend. As always I advice contacting the organisers to check details.

Sunday June 18th - Bangor and District ARS. Contact MI0OBR. 

Sunday June 18th - East Suffolk Wireless Revival, Ipswich, IP10 0PW. Contact Kevin 07710 046846. 

Sunspots - Friday June 16th 2023

 Solar flux is 153 and the SSN 112. A=24 and K=5.

Museum visitors - NOT amateur radio

As I have mentioned before we live right next door to a fully restored windmill. Seven years ago a party arrived by charabang

Sunspots - Thursday June 15th 2023

 Solar flux is 144 and the SSN 107. A=5 and K

Sibling reunion: 20th time - NOT amateur radio

Amazingly, my wife has met up with her brothers and their wives on 20 occasions over 22 years. Until a couple of years ago we took it in turns to host but now we meet up in hotels. This year we met in Hereford. 

8m Q65 tests

 Yesterday I tried some slow Q65 modes with G0KTN. Sadly these too were unsuccessful. 

Oscar 100 - worst yet?

A few days ago I monitored Oscar 100 at European breakfast time and there was ZERO activity!! OK this may be a poor time but nobody at all? I was shocked. 

Sunspots - Wednesday June 14th 2023

 Solar flux is 146 and the SSN 98.  A=6 and K=2. 

Hereford Cathedral - NOT amateur radio

 

This is a photo of Hereford Cathedral. 

8m Q65 experiment failure

My overnight Q65 8m 30A tests overnight with G0KTN failed. I may try another test at a longer TX mode with higher weak signal ability. This will be of a shorter duration overall. 

Sunspots - Tuesday June 13th 2023

 Solar flux is 146 and the SSN 116. A=6 and K=1. 

8m Q65 30A tests overnight

This is a mode I have never tried. Overnight I am doing some tests with G0KTN.  Q65 takes fragments of messages and uses these to build up the message. For these tests the power will be 2.5W. I have no idea if it will work.

UPDATE 2115z: No spots. 

European Es (Monday)

At the moment, Es in Europe is mainly in the east. Things can change quite quickly, so we will see how the day develops.

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

UPDATE 1836z: Things are looking more promising with widespread Es on 6m. Currently I am doing some 8m WSPR QRPP tests at 10mW with HC02 (1808km) in Portugal.  No spots all day.

Blacksmith - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday, our local museum had a free open day.  One of the things was a blacksmith working in the forge. The photo shows some of the things he has made.

6m super DX

At this time of year 6m opens regularly from Europe to the Far East. For a VHF band, this is a very long way. The propagation seems to be linked with the formation of noctilucent clouds in the mesosphere. The best times are in the early morning. As far as I know, this path opens regularly at the end of June into July.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/super-dx

More Google rubbish - NOT amateur radio

This morning I received a second email about Google Adsense. I am none the wiser!! Why can't they write in plain English instead of  crappery? 

8m ISM WSPR tests

Assuming the Es looks promising, I hope to try 8m WSPR using 10mW ERP to replicate those who may beacon legally in the ISM band in the UK without a licence as long as the rules are met. 

Probably I will use a different callsign for these tests that will get reported to WSPRnet. If you can monitor, please do so.

UPDATE 0742z:  On QRPP 8m WSPR at 10mW ERP. 

UPDATE 0950z:  No spots.