3 Mar 2024

HF QRP FT8

It is some months since I have given HF FT8 a try. I have a QDX which can give 5W FT8 from 20m to 10m. My end-fed Par antenna has a lowish SWR from 17m to 10m. 

Assuming I can get it working, one thing to try as the sunspots decline (not yet we hope!) will be to send FT8 in sequence on all bands from 17m to 10m.  I have no idea of the antenna pattern on various bands, but it might give me some indications of band openings. 

One of the things I have noticed in the past is people leave the higher HF bands. Maybe with FT8 now, some may stay around. Often it is a lack of activity and not poor conditions. On SSB an isolated call may be missed. Not so with FT8 with lots of people monitoring. 

Incidentally, I can highly recommend the QDX. It is tiny (about the size of a pack of cards) and can run all the modes on WSJT-X.

A very nice addition would be a QDX covering 10m, 8m, 6m, 4m and 2m. Even 10m-4m would be very useful.

See https://qrp-labs.com/qdx.html .

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