Since about 0950z, I have been on 40.680 MHz FT8 (DF about 1950 Hz, TX first). It is now 1038z and no spots.
UPDATE 1153z: Spotted by S50F (1205km).
UPDATE 1402z: Now EI1CAH (690km) also spotting me.
UPDATE 1822z: 6 stations have spotted my 2.5W 8m FT8 to a low dipole today. There are some notable stations missing this year. G9PUV and EI9KP have not been seen on 8m TX this year. G3WCS appeared briefly earlier in the spring, although I have not spotted him recently. So far, today has been a good day with plenty of Es on 8m. 
Stations spotting my 2.5W to
a low dipole on 8m FT8 today
As the indications are that we could have a decent day in Europe with Es, my proposal is still to try 8m FT8 on 40.680 MHz and 10m QRP WSPR with my 500mW beacon. I shall probably turn these on in the next 10 minutes. Later, I might try 8m WSPR on 40.680 (DF about 1550 Hz)
See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/.
Today seems to have been the best Es day in Europe this season.
Even on 4m with an 8m dipole (tuned via an internal auto-ATU) I have been spotted widely in Europe and I have spotted 4m FT8 stations all over Europe.
So, assuming Es will be as good tomorrow, I hope to try 8m QRP FT8 on 40.680 MHz. I may also try some 8m WSPR.
I am convinced that very low powered 8m stations operating on WSPR using ISM rules will be widely copied across Europe.
In many countries a licence is not needed for beacons on the 40.66-40.70 MHz ISM band as long as national rules are followed. In many countries this means 10mW ERP. On 10m WSPR just uWs have spanned Europe. We know from Australia that 5mW of 8m WSPR has spanned 5000km.
As my 10m antenna is free, I am on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW WSPR TX beacon. Already, a couple of Es spots.
 |
| Spots of my 500mW 10m WSPR today |
As I have no 4m antenna, I am using my 8m dipole, tuned via the auto ATU in the FT-710 So far just spotted today by G3SHK (200km) and no Es.
UPDATE 0935z: One G QSO with a station in the UK near Coventry - G4AEH (124km) and again a spot of me by EA6SA (1423km).
UPDATE 1030z: 3 spots of me with 2 QSOs, the furthermost being EA6SA (1423km). Several spots of Spanish stations plus ZB2GI (1848m).
I have just received an email from Google AdSense and I am none the wiser! In my view it is total rubbish. To my mind, it was total gobbledegook.
Please may I have this in plain English?
For once, a good weather forecast for a Bank Holiday weekend!
The following rallies have been notified to me, although I always recommend checking the details with organisers before travelling.
Saturday May 27th - Barry Amateur Radio Society Rally , Sully, CF64 5SP. Contact Steve 07368 140795.
Sunday May 28th - Durham and District ARS Radio Rally, Bowburn Co. Durham, DH6 5AT. Contact dadars@gmx.com
Both FT8 and WSPR have been given a try on 40.680 MHz. Apart from Hugh HC02 in Portugal, I have had few spots this season. My impression is there are fewer people on than last year.
I know Es has been less good until recently and things could change. For those experimenting on 8m, the more stations on the better, with widespread monitors, even if unable to TX.
Some quite odd antennas may well be good enough with Es, so if you have a RX capable of monitoring 40.680 MHz, that is probably all you need.
If 28 MHz looks promising, it may be worth monitoring 40.680 MHz.
This is the real boundary between HF and VHF and a lot may possible.
When on 4m FT8, I am on 10m WSPR QRP TX with 500mW.
UPDATE 1620z: I was wondering why I had got no 10m WSPR spots in the last hour. It helps if you turn the beacon on!! Guess who had forgotten? Doh!
Using my 8m dipole tuned via the auto-ATU in the FT-710, I am on 70.154 MHz FT8. So far, 4 Gs have spotted me with the furthermost G4HGI (244km). No Es yet and nobody spotted on RX.
At the moment I am on 10m FT8 with 2.5W. So far, 10 stations have spotted me. On RX at 1442z, 40 stations have been spotted.
As we are now in the Es season, I shall probably try 4m FT8 from tomorrow. There are now quite a few countries on 4m, which is very different from the 1960s when really just the UK and Eire were on. I was surprised how quiet 4m was outside of the Es season.
A good website showing which countries have 4m allocations is http://www.g0che.co.uk/4m_alloc.php .
Currently I am on 10m WSPR with the 500mW W5OLF beacon.
UPDATE 0852z: No spots. I am getting a bit suspicious something is amiss.
UPDATE 1112z: The coax is faulty. High SWR. Must investigate.
At the moment, I am on 40.680 MHz FT8 (TX first period, DF about 1950 Hz).
UPDATE 1111z: No spots.
As Es propagation in Eastern Europe is looking good today, I am changing my plans. I was going to go on 10m FT8, but instead will try 8m FT8 and 10m WSPR.
See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .
If you were like me, you will recall the old shortwave interval signals of old. I remember the sound of Radio Moscow and VOA on the shortwave bands. These days, the shortwaves are a lot different with far fewer English language broadcasts.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/sw-interval-signals .
On QRP WSPR with my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon.
UPDATE 2039z: Surprisingly, no spots. I checked the timing!!
As Es in Europe looks promising, I am on 40.680 MHz WSPR at 2W (DF 1560 Hz, TX 20%).
UPDATE 1436z: No spots.
UPDATE 2037z: 5 spots by HC02 (1808km).
For the first time in several weeks, I have not been active on 8m FT8 or WSPR today.
There are two reasons:
1. There seem fewer people active this Es season. I was expecting more to be on with Es being good and nearing sunspot maximum. I was hoping some would apply for, and be granted, special permission to use 8m for a limited time only to carry out useful research. I was also expecting many to come on with the ISM rules that might apply in their country.
2. Many stations have "worked" or exchanged reports with the active stations on 8m. Unless new people or countries come on the band, there is little more that can be explored.
My intentions is to go on 8m FT8 or WSPR when it is good, but not otherwise.
It is interesting that not a single signal has been spotted today from outside Europe on 10m FT8. At the same time, I have spotted plenty from Europe on 10m FT8, presumably by Es propagation.
I am no expert on HF propagation, but it would seem F2 propagation is upset by poor by solar conditions, but not Es. If Es does suffer, the effect is much smaller.
D2UY in Angola has been a good indicator of propagation. Not seen this station today on 10m FT8.
In the last few days, I have found this site extremely useful. In a few seconds, I can get a "snapshot" picture of Es conditions in Europe. It gives me a good idea of what bands may prove useful. Of course, Es can change very quickly so this is not perfect, but it is a useful guide.
See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .
My tiny QDX was turned on at 0622z i.e. quite early. No spots yet.
UPDATE 0816z: 7 spots of me from Eastern Europe and I have spotted 4 stations. No DX yet.
 |
| Stations spotting me today |
Several stations in Europe have worked VK8AW on 6m. This is amazing.
I am not sure of the propagation mechanism. TEP might be involved for some of the path. This sort of DX has been worked on several days.
As the previous post explained, I had no intention of going on 8m today! Then I saw 10m was open to Iberia, so QSYed to 8m FT8. At 1040z, no spots.
UPDATE 1055z: Spotted on 8m by HC02 (1808km) in southern Portugal. Hugh has been pretty dedicated - thank you Hugh.
Originally, I was going to be on 10m QRP FT8 all day. Then I noticed Es on 10m to Iberia, so I QSYed to 8m QRP FT8 and 10m QRP WSPR with my 500mW beacon. Several spots from Portugal of me on 10m WSPR plus a local.
UPDATE 1103z: Still just the 2 stations spotting me. It will be interesting to see if the Es moves and I get spots from others. Certainly to Portugal the Es seems a bit poorer now although this could just be QSB.
UPDATE 1108z: Now being spotted in Luxembourg by LX1DQ (504km).
