It is now 0945z and I have been on for about 45 minutes. So far, the only spot of me is by 4X1BG (3532km). Nobody has been spotted on 8m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1754z: My own QRP 8m FT8 was spotted in Israel and Kazakhstan I have spotted 5 stations including 1 in the USA and 1 in Canada.
A recent posting on an IO group reminded me of this most useful archive on radio history.
Today, I guess these well kept thatched cottages are owned by the wealthy who can afford them. In the 1800s, they were probably worker's hovels.
Been on for about 30 minutes (it is now 0945z) and, so far with the 500mW 10m WSPR beacon, 3 unique stations have spotted me. No surprises!
UPDATE 1156z: 7 spots of me so far today. USA also spotting me again.
UPDATE 1615z: 29 unique stations have spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR today with the furthermost being FR1GZ (9724km).
Only been on for a short while, but been spotted by 4X1BG (3552km) and I have spotted G4APG (88km).
UPDATE 1008z: A reminder that I believe anyone in the UK may legally put 10mW ERP beacons on without a licence on the 8m ISM bands as long as the technical requirements and IR 2030 are met. As encouragement, an Australian 8m WSPR beacon at 5mW was copied over 5000km away! See https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2023/01/successful-low-power-tests-on-40-mhz.html . It would be good to see many WSPR beacons on 8m this Es season.
UPDATE 1150z: ZS6OB (9099km) spotted on 8m FT8 RX.
.JPG)
Although you made not build this, I hope it gives you some ideas.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/10m-tenner-qrp-cw .
Been on 8m FT8 (TX first) for about 90 minutes. So far, 2 spots from Eastern Europe with the furthermost RA4FER (2992km). This is almost certainly F2 propagation.
UPDATE 1016z: Not sure if there are now more people monitoring 8m FT8 or it is just that conditions are better so more people can copy my QRP. Until yesterday, there were very few reports of me from the east.
It is now 1005z. 9 stations have so far spotted me. The majority look like F2 propagation.
UPDATE 1220z: 13 stations have spotted my 10m QRP WSPR beacon today. USA starting to spot me.
UPDATE 1342z: 26 spots of my 500mW QRP 10m WSPR. so far today.
After breakfast I hope to be on 8m QRP FT8 TX on 40.680 MHz as well as 10m QRP WSPR TX with 500mW from the W5OLF beacon. There might be some F2 backscatter on 8m.
This "special operation" (in the West we call it war) is almost a year old. It seems President Putin was surprised by the reaction especially when the West did nothing when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. He probably thought he could just walk in and the war would be over in days.
I have nothing at all against the Russian people: they have been fed a line by state media. At the height of the cold war many Russians were worked on amateur radio and, in a small way, barriers were broken down. After all, they were just people like us.
This war has to stop. It will. Let us all hope that everyone is able to think it a victory.
In the end, wars rarely solve problems. Most can be traced to earlier grievances. In the end, true justice for all is the only way.
Until today, I did not realise that 4m has to be enabled on this rig. As it comes, both 70 MHz and UK 5 MHz bands have to be enabled. I thought these already were!
A very helpful phone call and email from Steve Venner at MLS explained how to do this (it was very easy), and I now have power on 4m. It is also meant to enable 60m UK allocations with the same mods although I have not yet checked.
I have still to test the rig fully. Steve is also checking the AESS functionality on the MLS demo rig. I must say, Steve was very helpful.
Apart from the AESS function, I am very pleased with the rig so far.
I traded in my IC-705, but have not yet received a credit on my card. I guess they have to check it all first. It is mint. It was a very good rig.
UPDATE 1529z: The 2m big-wheel and feeder does match on 4m (I am pleased to say) using the internal auto-ATU on the FT-710. No doubt a dedicated 4m antenna would be much better, but this is a start. I have not even started on the DSP and filter options! I hope to go on the 4m activity contest (March 15th) with this compromise antenna. I think this is a Tuesday.
As usual, OFCOM has updated the information it holds on licences etc.. See the OFCOM website for details.
Been on with my 500mW WSPR TX beacon about 10 minutes. No spots yet.
UPDATE 0950z: First spot of the day from Finland. Presumably by F2?
At the moment, I am again on 8m QRP FT8. Time will tell if anyone sees me. I am TXing first.
UPDATE 1005z: Just exchanged FT8 reports with OD5KU (3468km) and copied EI2IP and 4X1BG (3532km) in Israel who was incredibly strong! Obviously the F2 MUF is above 40.680 MHz!
UPDATE 1058z: 4 stations have spotted me this morning. Until this morning, I had never been spotted in Asia on 8m QRP FT8. Now spotted by 4 Asian stations with the furthermost UN7MVB (3446km).UPDATE 1132z: QRT at the moment so rig cools. Hopefully, the USA will copy me on 8m FT8 later, despite the QRP. Incidentally, I have never copied a transatlantic 8m station.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/homebrew/sixbox .
At the moment I am on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW beacon. So far today, 8 unique stations have spotting me.
UPDATE 1246z: 11 unique stations have spotted me.
At the moment, I am trying to reach G9PUV (158km) by F2 backscatter on 8m FT8. I am copying Paul, but he is not copying my QRP signal. My 8m QRP FT8 is reaching SV1DH (2410km) in southern Greece as well as another station in Greece. I suspect this is F2 propagation.
UPDATE 1230z: Although I copied G9PUV Paul quite well, he was unable to decode my 8m QRP FT8. I am not sure if he copied anything at all from me, but it was not enough to get an FT8 decode. So, we failed. Now RX only.
Whilst I am all for skilled people earning a decent wage, I hope these people really earn this. Many who play the markets are no more than gamblers.
£260k a year in 2011 sounded stupid money even then! No wonder locals cannot afford properties where they come from. Angry? You bet! I cannot see how these stupid salaries are ever fair. Don't get me started on footballers pay.
See https://qrp-labs.com/ .
Apparently the green stripes on the left of UK car registration plates indicate the car produces zero emissions from the exhaust pipe. This can only be achieved with electric vehicles (EVs) I think. Maybe hydrogen vehicles can as well, but these are very rare.
Until my son came to stay recently, I did not know this. I (wrongly) assumed the green could be on all new cars, but this makes a great deal of sense.
It still seems to me that non emission vehicles have a long way to go. The main issue is improving the range between charges and making batteries from materials that can be made with cheap, easily available materials. Until these issues are cracked, I cannot see a turning point soon.
These days CRT TVs and photographic films look ancient. Let's hope this soon happens with non emission vehicles. Surely the age of fossil fuel is drawing to a close. The planet badly needs this. If these breakthroughs occur, there really will be a tipping point. I am surprised it has not happened already.
See https://www.carwow.co.uk/blog/green-number-plates-explained#gref.
My wife says I am expecting triplets!
OFCOM is consulting about its 28 GHz allocation to Arqiva. See the OFCOM website for details.
This station in Israel seems to be legal with an experimental permit for the 8m band.
At the moment, I do not know further details e.g. power, frequencies, times etc.. I copied him yesterday on 8m FT8. Robbie Phelan EI2IP worked him on SSB on 8m.
I really hope people in other countries apply for, and get, special permits, if just for the time around the sunspot maximum. With the MUF now exceeding 41 MHz quite often, this year could be excellent.
 |
| Central Cambridge earlier |
After a few minutes on QRP FT8 TX, I am on 40.680 MHz FT8 RX. So far (at 0918z) no spots.
Just before 0900z my 500mW WSPR beacon on 10m was turned on. Spots from a local and an Italian so far.
UPDATE 1512z: 29 unique stations have spotted my QRP 10m WSPR today.26z:
UPDATE 1626z: 35 stations have spotted my 10m QRP WSPR with the furthermost F61695 (9729km).
UPDATE 1921z: 36 stations have spotted my 10m QRP WSPR TX. QRT soon. Spots of my 10m WSPR QRP are shown on the map from wspr.rocks.
My current plan is to go on 10m WSPR TX with 500mW from the W5OLF beacon and 8m FT8 RX.
