17 Sept 2020

2m FT8 (10W to big-wheel omni antenna)


At about 0940z I QSYed to 2m FT8. Already 41 stations have spotted my 10W in 6 countries (see map). 22 stations in 4 countries spotted on RX (at 1018z). 1 QSO so far on 2m FT8.

UPDATE 1113z: Now spotted by 45 stations and 2 QSOs. It could be aircraft scatter, but this seems too random. I personally think some other scatter mechanism is responsible for the spotting of some of these. Just now, again, I was spotted in 5 countries. A very useful resource is the grabber at G0LRD. David monitors WSJT-X on 144.174MHz. See http://82.71.9.63:8080/cap/. It was G0LRD who erected my 2m Wimo big-wheel some years ago. I see he has one now!

UPDATE 1235z:  63 stations in 8 countries have spotted my 2m 10W FT8. 3 QSOs today on 2m FT8 TX with 10W. 46 stations in 7 countries spotted today on 2m FT8 RX. As I mentioned earlier in the week, 2m seems far from dead. I guess there is now far more FT8 and far less SSB and FM.

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