10m QRP FT8 (Friday)

Change of plan!

I think my SignaLink USB (or lead) has developed a fault after over 20 years. After a brief period on 10m WSPR with my beacon, I am on 10m QRP FT8 with the QDX.  At 1031z, I have been spotted by 91 stations. 

The QDX is about the size of a pack of cards i.e. tiny.

Also, I am having issues booting up my QMX+ rig today.  It  keeps coming up with a dim display and not initialising. 

Without the SignaLink interface or QMX+ I am unable to use FT8 at 8m or 6m, which is a pity. I suppose I could use the IC705 at 6m for FT8. At present I was using the QMX+ for 6m and the FT817ND (dealer modified) for 8m.

UPDATE 1415z: Spotted by 303 stations on 10m FT8 TX. See map.

Friday plans

Today I shall probably go on 8m QRP FT8 and 10m QRP WSPR with my beacon.

Black Friday - NOT amateur radio

This gets on my nerves. It is yet another way to get us to part with our money by extending the time during which we spend. In my view, this rarely really saves us much money. A few years ago we knew nothing of this nonesense.

Sunspots - Friday November 8th

 Solar flux is 239 and the SSN 164. A=9 and K=1.

15m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

For a change, I am trying 15m QRP FT8 with my QMX+ transceiver. Within a few minutes I was being spotted by 48 stations and I had spotted 38. 

The map shows the stations spotting my 15m QRP at 2150z. 223 stations have spotted me.

Almost forgot - 2m UKAC submission

Not quite sure why I bother as I know I shall be well down the results! 

Last Tuesday was the 2m leg of the RSGB organised activity contest (UKAC). Despite running 10W and an omni I submit my results, despite stopping on for very little time. Conditions seemed a bit "up". 

The map shows the stations worked in 30 minutes.

Microwave meeting on Saturday in Scotland

 The following is due this Saturday. Check before going far.

• Saturday November 9th - 12th Scottish Microwave Round Table, GMRT Museum of Communication, Burntisland, Fife.  Contact gm4hwo@gmail.com . 

Years ago (many!) I attended a Microwave Round Table at Martlesham in Suffolk. It was very good.

10m QRP WSPR (Thursday)

As my 10m antenna is free, I am on 500mW 10m WSPR TX with my stand-alone beacon. No spots yet.

UPDATE 1141z:   My little beacon is now being spotted by 12 stations. Now being spotted in the USA.

UPDATE 1213z: Now being spotted by 32 stations with many in the USA.

6m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

At about 1110z I QSYed to 6m QRP FT8 with the QMX+. So far, just 11 English stations have spotted me.

UPDATE 1139z:  Now spotted on 6m FT8 QRP by 21 stations including one in southern Italy.

UPDATE 1257z: My first 6m spots from the USA and Canada today with QRP FT8 were at about 1230z.

UPDATE 1427z: 50 spots of my QRP 6m FT8 today.

QMX+

These last few days I have been using my QMX+ rig to good effect on 6m and 10m QRP FT8.  I reckon my output is about 3W. 

At first the PC does not want to recognise the QMX+ so I have to do a reset. SSB is promised with a software release. 

It works really well and has been copied "across the pond" on 6m QRP FT8 and around the planet on 10m QRP FT8. with simple antennas.

See  https://qrp-labs.com/qmxp.html .

Lunch - NOT amateur radio

 

My wife goes in to Cambridge for her U3A so I prepare lunch . Avocado 🥑 with prawn.

10m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

My QMX+ has been on since just before breakfast. My QRP has been spotted by 140 stations (furthermost Japan) and I have spotted 284 stations (at 0900z) with the furthermost FK8HM (16470km) in New Caledonia.

UPDATE 0942z:  346 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX. The map shows the stations spotted here.

UPDATE 1032z: The map shows the stations spotting my QRP 10m FT8 so far today. Worldwide.

Sunspots - Thursday November 7th

 Solar flux is 260 and the SSN 155. A=10 and K=1.

USA Elections - NOT amateur radio

The people of the USA have voted and chosen Mr Trump again. I wish them well although I am quite surprised.

6m QRP FT8 (Wednesday) with the QMX+

Just after 1200z, I went on 6m FT8  with my QMX+ and V2000 vertical. At 1215z just English stations were spotted.

UPDATE 1315z: 2 stations spotted on RX and my QRP FT8 has been spotted by 16 English stations.

UPDATE 1730z:  53 stations have spotted my QRP FT8 today including several "across the pond".

10m QRP WSPR (Wednesday)

 Change of plan!  

For some reason my PC is not working with the SignaLink USB so I am just on QRP 10m WSPR TX.

UPDATE 1738z: 52 stations have spotted my QRP beacon.

Wednesday plans

Probably the same as yesterday. 10m QRP WSPR TX and QRP 8m FT8.

Sunspots - Wednesday November 6th

 Solar flux is 245 and the SSN 149. A=11 and K=3.

2m activity contest (UKAC)

A reminder that the November 2m activity contest (UKAC) is on tonight starting at 2000z. Although I usually submit an entry, there is no need to do so. Many just come on to enjoy the activity. Because of my poor voice and low power I do not stop on long. 

See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/contest_rules.pl?year=2024&contest=2mukac .

UPDATE 2038z: 4 stations worked with my 10W and omni, then I stopped as it was too hard with my poor voice. Best DX was GW1YBB/P. I have no idea (yet) how far this was.

10m 500mW WSPR (Tuesday)

 My beacon is active.

UPDATE 1427z:  65 spots of me so far today. See table.

UPDATE 1534z:  75 stations have spotted my 10m QRP WSPR beacon today. Furthermost is F61694 (9729km) in the Indian Ocean.