15 Dec 2019

More on 2m FT8

This mode continues to "blow me away". On 2m FT8 if I call CQ with 2.5W to the big-wheel I frequently (probably every time they are on) get copied at great range, irrespective of conditions. Some DX is copied every day as a result of aircraft reflections, but most DX is there all the time, so is what I call "flat band tropo". As a example (at 0952z) 22 stations in 5 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX including Eire, Germany and Scotland.

UPDATE 1121:  Now 41 stations in 7 countries spotted this morning on 2m FT8 RX. 2m!

UPDATE 1206z: The map shows the stations spotted here on 2m FT8 RX this morning.
UPDATE 1328z:  Now 55 stations in 8 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1457z:  In the last day, 93 stations in 9 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX with best DX being DF7IW (612km).

UPDATE 1632z: A recent 2.5W CQ with the big-wheel omni antenna was spotted by 5 stations in 3 countries (no QSOs) with the best DX being GI6ATZ (479km).

UPDATE 2100z: In the last 12 hours 75 stations in 9 countries spotted on 2m FT8 RX. A recent 2.5W CQ was spotted just by a couple of Gs.  Soon be time to go QRT on 2m FT8.

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