Since 0720z, I have been on 8m FT8.
UPDATE 0907z: No spots.
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| 3 spots of my QRP 8m FT8 |
This is a common sound at this time of year. Swifts scream overhead in feeding parties. They are definitely back!!
Basically, I am against wealth and privilege simply as a result of who your parents were. Much wealth came from the slave trade centuries back, which I find abhorrent. That is history. What matters is how we are today.
Overall, I favour a much slimmed down monarchy much closer to the people. Those that work for the UK get the royal purse. Hangers on do not. There is no doubt our history and traditions are worth millions in tourism and help stability.
UPDATE 0841z: Our church bells are ringing.
UPDATE 1400z: A good service and parade that passed (thank goodness) without incident. It rained....again! Why does it always seem to rain on Coronations?! I am old enough to remember the last coronation in 1953 and crowding around a tiny, snowy, picture on a black and white TV in a neighbour's house.
In the last 2 days, my 8m QRP FT8 on 40.680 MHz has been spotted by 2 Gs. I have not managed any Es yet, but I expect this will soon change. So, I plan to go on QRP FT8 on 40.680 MHz (TX first) with a DF of about 1950 Hz.
Assuming the storm risk has passed, I intend to go on 40.680 MHz QRP FT8 after lunch. I usually TX with 2.5W about 1950 Hz high in the first period. I should be on by about 1130z. At 1142z, I turned on my 8m QRP FT8.
UPDATE 1425z: No spots yet.
UPDATE 1527z: After an interruption because of a thunderstorm, I am now back on again.
UPDATE 1535z: Still no spots.
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| Just 1 spot by G7PUA/A |
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| The storms seem to have passed at 1819z |
We are just having a passing thunder storm.
Although the chances of a direct strike are low (thankfully) in the UK, passing storms can cause power surges that can damage equipment.
I am no expert on thunder and lightning, but I know from others that it should always be treated with respect. Whenever there is a risk, I disconnect mains plugs and antennas "just in case". Opinions vary on what to do, but leaving things connected only works if your lightning protection is very good. Most of us have very poor protection.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/other-amateur-radio/lightning-maps .
My intermittent coax plug has been fixed and now on 10m FT8 with the FT817ND at 2.5W. So far spotted by just 1 G station, but spotting stations across the world on RX.
UPDATE 0944z: 12 stations have spotted my 2.5W and 67 stations spotted here.
UPDATE 1000z: Thunder stopped play! All disconnected. See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/other-amateur-radio/lightning-maps .
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| 160m FT8 QRP TX |
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| 160m FT8 RX |
Very late in the day, I decided to switch from 8m to 10m FT8. Just a couple of spots of my 2.5W from the FT817ND. I also discovered that my 10m coax antenna plug is intermittent. This needs investigation. Quite a few stations spotted on RX.
UPDATE 1803z: 4 spots of my 2.5W with the furthermost 9G5AF (5189km).
These rallies have been notified to me. I do not have contact details, but advise checking with the organisers first if intending to travel a long way.
Sunday May 7th - Dartmoor Radio Rally, Yelverton, PL20 6AL
Sunday May 7th - Hamfest Rally,Thorpe Camp Visitor's Centre. No postcode given.
Earlier. I got my first 8m FT8 report for a while. This was Martin's SDR at WESSEXSDR (265km) at a respectable - 17dB S/N.
See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swift/ .
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| Spots of my QRP FT8 on 160m with the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground last evening |
It is not dark here for about 90 minutes, but my 2.5W to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground has been spotted on 2 SDR's in the west country the furthermost WESSEXSDR (265km).
Today, for only the second time, we had a cup of tea in the garden. Despite looking (and listening) for about a hour, no swifts seen or heard. This is a bit early. Hopefully within a few weeks we will hear the screams, look up and see some. Numbers are meant to be down, although locally they seemed as numerous.
For the last couple of hours I have been on 8m QRP FT8 again on 40.680 MHz. No spots.
UPDATE 1641z: No spots.
After returning from shopping, I plan to return to tests on 40.680 MHz FT8.
Later this summer, I want to give 8m WSPR a go, probably at 1W. I am hopeful that more Europeans will give 8m WSPR a go using ISM rules. In many countries a licence is not needed under ISM rules.
On 8m FT8 and WSPR at the same time I can only go on if I am RX only on FT8 at the time.
Many years ago, the RSGB organised some 10m activity contests in the evenings. This must have been 40 years ago at a guess.
Despite using 10W pep and a dipole, I could work stations 150km away consistently. With more power and a small beam, even better results would be possible. These days we have digital modes that can work with very weak signals indeed, so spanning such distances with very simple antennas like dipoles and CB whips should be even easier.
At the moment 10m is a great DX band, but at sunspot minimum, people often desert it, sadly. What I am advocating is that more of us should stick with it in the quieter years when it behaves more like a VHF band.
As a final reminder, Es is good in the Es season at any point in the solar cycle. DX has been worked from the UK by F2 N-S with QRP SSB even when the sunspot count was zero at solar minimum. People often desert it when it is a lack of activity and not poor conditions. I hope FT8 will help at such times.
Since about 0800z, I have been on 10m QRP FT8 with the tiny QDX. Just 3 inter-G spots of me so far. It is a bit early.
UPDATE 0859z: TA9J (3463km) has also spotted me by what I think is F2 propagation. Now 5 Gs have spotted me. No Es apparent.
The May leg of the RSGB organised activity contest on 2m is tonight starting at 1900z. Activity levels are usually good with portables on hilltops.
It lasts (I think) for 2.5 hours although with my QRP, omni antenna and poor voice I am usually on less than an hour.
This really does not feel like a contest. It is more a way to stimulate activity and work squares.
This Thursday, many in the UK vote in local elections.
Admittedly, some enter politics for selfish reasons, but I would like to believe that most do so from a wish that they can do some good. For the first time, voter ID is needed. This may put off some less affluent voters.
Whatever your political affiliation please use your vote. I have known some good and honest people in all political colours. Use your democratic right.
Later this week I expect to resume 8m experiments.
After about 3 weeks I am still awaiting a response from OFCOM about changes to power levels. This is after several chases too. They obviously treat this as a really high priority!!
Perhaps I should just run 10kW and a 10 el yagi??
OFCOM = OFfice for Comatose Old Men?
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/8m-band.
The site below was updated yesterday. The forecast peak of solar cycle 25 has now been pushed back a month to December this year. We can expect conditions to be good for a few years.
Shortly, I shall turn on my QRP FT8 using the QDX transceiver.
UPDATE 1058z: 9 spots of my QRP FT8 today.
10m FT8 is becoming very popular and this receiver allows 10m FT8 reception without tying up the main rig. It is simple, very low cost and works really well.
I could probably convert it into a full FT8 transceiver!
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/10ft8r-rx .
At various times of the solar cycle our largest HF allocation enjoys most propagation modes. At all parts of the solar cycle it experiences Es openings in spring and summer. It is often open when people desert it. This is where FT8 could prove useful in the quieter years.
It is also good for local chats. At one time modified CB rigs were very popular. With these and a CB vertical ranges of about 30km locally were common.
At the moment, it is a great DX band. It is usually better in the daytime, although when it is really good, it is often open for DX in the evenings.
It is wide enough for all modes. Even digital TV has been tried above 29 MHz.
It remains my favourite HF band.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/10m-operation .
