2m FT8 QRP

Most of the evening I have been on 2m FT8 QRP (2.5W and the big-wheel antenna). It is now 2133z and for the last hour I have been vertically polarised. Spotted by G0LRD (26km), but much weaker. Over this short path the cross-polarisation is evident. Nothing spotted on RX so far. With aircraft or other scatter I would have expected the polarisation to have had little effect.