We are just entering the Es season in the northern hemisphere. DX out to about 1500km with low power is common on the lower VHF bands. The photo shows my V2000 omni in 2020. On 6m even QRP SSB is enough to work DX.
4 May 2023
Sporadic E (Es)
We are just entering the Es season in the northern hemisphere. DX out to about 1500km with low power is common on the lower VHF bands. The photo shows my V2000 omni in 2020. On 6m even QRP SSB is enough to work DX.
3 May 2023
160m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)
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).
UPDATE 2108z: 11 stations have spotted my 2.5W to the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground on 160m FT8.
Still waiting - NOT amateur radio
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.
8m QRP FT8 (Wednesday)
For the last couple of hours I have been on 8m QRP FT8 again on 40.680 MHz. No spots.
UPDATE 1641z: No spots.
Plans for today (Wednesday)
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.
2 May 2023
10m inter-G?
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.
10m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)
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.
UPDATE 1510z: 29 spots of me today with the furthermost FR4NB/QRP (9722km) on Reunion Is in the Indian Ocean.
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