Whenever I go on 8m, I forget the 10m antenna is available and that I can go on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW beacon. Just now I remembered!
So far, several spots by EA8/DF4UE (2876km).
UPDATE 1822z: 4 unique stations have spotted me today. Two were in Austria and two in the Canary Islands. On PSKreporter one German also spotted me. I am puzzled as I thought everything appeared on WSPRnet. Overall, a pretty miserable day on 10m WSPR.
Someone very kindly sent me a 3 element yagi, that needs a proper test - thank you so much.
Some people take the band very seriously with high power and big antennas. With these, some incredible distances can be regularly spanned on SSB. As you can tell, I am just "dabbling". I want to try 23cms without doing much!
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/vhfuhfmicrowaves/23cm .
Later, I expect to go on 40.680 MHz QRP FT8. The Es has started and every day has seen me spotted across Europe with 2.5W and a low wire dipole.
Time and again I am amazed by the things that had to happen for me to be here on this planet, at this time, in this country. I am the result of generations and generations of ancestors. If just one had not existed I would not exist.
The number of planets in the universe is huge. Some estimate this as 100 billion billion billion billion The number of planets with sentient life is probably huge. On the Earth now there are around 8 billion humans. Yet I exist.
Exactly what is human life? What exactly is self awareness? Why am I here now, in this country, on this planet?
Some would say there is a religious element. Whilst I understand this, to me the explanation is too small and too Earth centred.
We always think of time going from the past into the future? Is this an illusion?
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Sunday May 14th - Braedhead Rally, G51 4BN. Contact admin@braeheadradiorally.com.
It is now 1140z and I have been on 40.680 MHz QRP FT8 for about 50 minutes. So far, one spot from Poland by Es. So far this year 3 countries have spotted me via Es.
As far as I know, conditions last night were normal on 70cm.
No, FT8, has transformed VHF/UHF, making DX possible at any time with very modest stations. If activity was higher people would be making DX QSOs at any time, irrespective of conditions.
The map shows the activity on 70cm FT8 well before the UK contest starts!
My antenna is just a 2m big-wheel omni too!
At about 1530z, my 8m FT8 was turned on. I am on 40.680 MHz with a DF of about 1950 Hz TXing in the first period. No spots.
With SSB bandwidths my noise level on 160m is around S9. On FT8 (50 Hz bandwidth) I have no trouble getting across Europe with 2.5W and my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. Last night my CQ calls were answered by stations in France and Germany.
If you have noise issues try FT8 (50 Hz) or WSPR (6 Hz).
This time, activity seemed better. In fact, I have never ever seen it busier!
UPDATE 2116z: 12 stations have spotted my 2.5W QRP 160m FT8. (see map).
Several times in the last few days I have had to ring about house insurance. After about a minute of time wasting drivel I was asked to say in a few words what my call was about.
Clearly they were using voice recognition or AI. Without fail my few words were not understood! When asked was I asking about car insurance "is that right?" I replied "no!!".
In the end I was put through to a human being. I hate AI. With a poor voice, I am on to a loser every time!!!
A few moments ago, I swapped to 10m FT8 instead of WSPR. I am running 2.5W. Both on TX and RX, spots received. Either the band has just woken up or most are now on FT8 rather than WSPR!
UPDATE 1405z: 5 stations have spotted me with the furthermost being 4X1UF (3513km). On RX, all over copied.
UPDATE 1704z: 8 spots of my QRP.
As we approach the late spring and summer in the northern hemisphere we are entering the Es season. This usually means propagation out to about 1500km is possible on all modes, often with very strong signals. Es is good at any point of the solar cycle at this time of year.
Most days at this time of year 10m and the low VHF bands will open to somewhere. Not every day is good. Some days will be disappointing. Often antennas like CB whips work perfectly well. Usually a few watts is quite enough whatever the mode.
For a change, I am on 8m WSPR in the WSPR window just above 40.680 MHz. Yesterday, my 2W 8m WSPR to a low dipole was copied in Germany and Portugal.
UPDATE 1207z: No spots.
UPDATE 1848z: About an hour ago, I went back on 8m WSPR. No spots.
As this is the second Tuesday in the month, at 1900z tonight should be the 70cm UKAC activity contest organised by the RSGB.
As I can only run 2.5W to a 2m big-wheel and my voice is poor, I usually stay on for much less than 1 hour.
As I recall, activity last time was down with many preferring the FT8 activity contest that is usually on the Wednesday. Usually, the activity contest sees SSB activity higher than usual.
Since about 0800z I have been on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW beacon.
UPDATE 0842z: No spots yet.
UPDATE 1208z: No spots. Bad Es day?
UPDATE 1251z: Still no spots, so probably swapping to 10m FT8.
When on 8m, I keep forgetting that my 10m antenna is free and I can go on 10m 500mW WSPR TX with my beacon. 10m WSPR QRP TX was turned on at about 1530z.
This is a subject I have discussed before. These are my current views. I may well be proved wrong.
Amateur radio as a service is changing. In my view, the future is about deregulation and as long as you don't interfere with others, it may be allowed. Access to all (current) amateur bands will be open to all.
Does it bother me? Not really. Experimenters will continue to experiment and those that want to natter about gardening can just get on with it.
Cynic, me?
The "special operation" by Russia against Ukraine is now in its second year. At one time the Ukrainian people had a certain respect for Russia. Indeed many in both nations have relatives in the other country. All respect by the Ukrainian people for Russia has gone. The Ukrainian people HATE Russia.
In my view, this war/invasion is totally and utterly stupid. What good can ever come of this? Every country has the right to determine its own future. By free and fair elections the people can choose their own future without external interference. I sincerely hope peace can be created.
Mine is the version covering 20m to 10m. Other versions are available.
Just imagine a good multi-band transceiver with case with change for less than $100. Every amateur home should have one! If your soldering skills are normal this should be a straightforward build.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/qdx
My gear (2.5W and a low dipole) was turned on at 0810z. In the last few days I have been spotted on every day without any Es DX and I spotted a newcomer to 8m G3WCS in IO83 square.
I just wish the RSGB and OFCOM would see the value of a very narrow band around 40.680 MHz by NoV for the Amateur Radio Service instead of both being so "anti". 5kHz would be so useful for research. Instead, we have to pay to do useful research!! Madness.
Sorry, I have no sympathy with this position. Yes, I know weather radar may use some of these frequencies, but I gather these are at night to minimise interference to/from other services. The ISM band is protected by limits and international law. The RSGB should be actively fighting for us on our behalf. Instead, they seem to be meekly accepting OFCOM's position rather than causing a fuss. Yes, protect our existing bands by all means (personally I would prefer more, narrower bands BTW), but please understand that some of us wish to contribute to genuine research and not talk on 80m with commercial gear about growing carrots . Rant over.
Keeping within the law, I hope as many as possible will operate legally within the 8m ISM allocation 40.66-40.70 MHz with WSPR or FT8 beacons without a licence.
UPDATE 0834z: No spots.
UPDATE 1258z: Just G3WCS (223km) spotted on RX. No spots of me on 8m FT8 TX.
UPDATE 1437z: No 8m FT8 spots of me today so far. Disappointing.
UPDATE 1450z: At last! Some Es with a spot of me by HC02 (1808km) in Portugal. Thank you Hugh.
Back in the 1960s, I was invited by a friend to a Billy Graham crusade, that was televised to a cinema in Plymouth. Evangelical Christianity was not for me, but one thing has stuck with me to this very day. This was the difference between being clever and being wise. Many are clever, but not many are wise. My Auntie Kitty was not clever, but she was wise.
Some people are graced with wisdom. They can see beyond the obvious and discern what lies beyond. They have an inner sense of the ultimate truth that lies beyond the surface. These people have real wisdom.
The ultimate message is you do not have to be clever to be wise.
Wisdom is a gift.
Following correspondence with OFCOM here in the UK, it is my view that anyone at all may use the 8m ISM band 40.66 - 40.70 MHz for beacons without a licence as long as they comply with the technical requirements and IR2030. In the UK this means 10mW ERP .
At times this will cross Europe on WSPR, possibly even on FT8. In your own country, rules may be different. If you are unhappy, seek your own legal advice as I am not a legal expert. In the UK callsigns and locators are not required by law in the ISM bands, but I advice using a callsign and QTH locator that can be reported on WSPRnet.
What this could mean is many more stations beaconing on 8m.
This is NOT the Amateur Radio Service.
As I see it, it is a legal way to do experiments and research on 8m.
When I was first involved with amateur radio it was 1962.
My first venture into radio was when my dad bought me a Heathkit Electronics Workshop for Christmas 1961. This allowed you to make a variety of circuits without soldering. That first Christmas I was DXing on Medium Wave. I joined the RSGB shortly afterwards. My first G8 call was in 1966 and I became a G3 in 1967, taking my Morse test in the famous Liver building in Liverpool.
My first serious TX activity was when I moved to Cambridge in the early 1970s. My first outings were on 2m AM, then 70cm AM with a simple homemade QRP transverter. In those days most people were crystal controlled, so it was "tuning high to low" to get a contact.
These days, people rarely come on just for a chat. Times are changing.
A reminder that OFCOM updates the information it hold on licences etc. every week. See the OFCOM website for the latest data.
Incidentally, I enquired about changes to my T&I 8m licence. A month later, I am still awaiting a response. They say they are incredibly busy. At this rate, the Es season will be over before they respond! I know from work days how this can feel, but a response email would take just a few minutes!
