5 Feb 2020

17m FT8

At about 0715z I switched to 17m FT8. I am again using the magnetic loop antenna on the windowsill. No spots yet.

UPDATE 0900z: 12 RX spots so far and a 2-way QSO with RD4D (3089km).

UPDATE 0930z: 28 spots so far with RZ9U (5270km) as the best DX so far on 17m FT8 RX with the little magnetic loop.

UPDATE 1020z:  So far today, 49 stations spotted on 17m FT8 RX. On TX I see I was spotted in Eastern Ukraine by D1DX (2676km). Is this a prefix for the Russian occupied areas?

UPDATE 1024z: According to PSKreporter, 9 stations have spotted my 17m FT8 TX so far today.

Stations spotting my 10W
FT8 to 1122z today
UPDATE 1135z: So far today, 22 stations have spotted my 17m FT8 10W to the tiny magnetic loop antenna (thin copper wire and about 50cm across on the windowsill!). Best DX is a spot by OD5YA (3466km). Magnetic loops definitely work! In the garage I have a thicker loop which I have not used for about 7 years. This is probably at least 3dB better than the loop I am currently using.

UPDATE 1146z: 23 stations have, so far, spotted my 10W FT8 on 17m (see log).

UPDATE 1301z: 101 stations spotted so far on 17m FT8 RX today, with best DX spotted being BG9NJY (7657km) in China. 34 spots on TX.

USA spots of my 10W FT8 to the tiny
magnetic loop so far today (16 spots so far)
UPDATE 1526z: 58 stations have spotted my 10W 17m FT8 to the tiny magnetic loop today including 16 from North America.

UPDATE 1655z: 19 stateside stations have spotted me today with my 10W 17m FT8 to the indoor magnetic loop. 145 stations have been spotted today.

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