70cm FT8

Last evening was the 70cm activity contest. It never fails to amaze me what I can spot with just a 144MHz big-wheel omni antenna. 

The map shows the stations received here last evening.

70cm QRP FT8 (Wednesday)

Although the activity contest does not start until 2000z, I think there is a European 70cm FT8 contest earlier. I put my IC-705 on 5W FT8 at about 1900z. Already my station has been copied as far away as 150km has spotted me and I have spotted 2 stations on RX in Germany at 479km.  All this was with just a 144MHz big-wheel omni antenna!

UPDATE 2025z: My signal has been copied in Holland by PI4VPO (263km).

70cm activity contest (UKAC)

 

Every month I put an entry in for this contest. Because of my poor voice, I usually stop on for about 30mins. Even this is hard with 10W and a 144MHz big-wheel omni antenna. I am always surprised to work anyone at all. 

If my voice was better and I stayed on longer I am sure a lot more stations would be worked. 

The map shows the stations worked.

Nearly forgot! - 70cms activity contest (February)

Usually I submit my (pathetic!) entry for this activity contest the next day.  My score is always near the bottom as I run low power to a 2m omni antenna and only stop on for about 30 minutes because of my poor voice. I remembered just now. 

I get the feeling interest is waning. 

The map shows the stations worked - all two of them!

70cm activity contest yesterday

Last evening I took part for about 20 minutes in the 70cm activity contest (UKAC). 

As usual, I was running 10W to my 144MHz big-wheel omni. 

3 stations were worked, with the furthermost a portable in Wales.

ARRL VHF Manual

Yesterday, when my old work colleague visited he brought out a copy of this ARRL book that had my name with the date December 1971 inside. I must have given it away sometime in the 1970s. 

I spent some time last night trying to find an article about a very old 70cm AM portable super regen transceiver. It was not there, so must have been in an earlier edition.

If anyone knows what I am talking about I would not mind a photocopy of the article by email for old times sake. 

Many trying to build it could have been being very disappointed unless it was exactly copied. From bitter experience at 70cm inductors and capacitors can be very different from their marked values and RF grounding can be critical.

70cm activity contest

It is a dead certainty that I have never even come close to winning the AL section of this contest! Why? 10W to a 2m big-wheel omni antenna and well less than an hour of operating.

The results were published earlier and I remain 51st out of 92 stations in the low power (AL) section. I am certain that if my voice allowed me to stop on longer, a much better score would be possible. I only really take part because of the activity. It is also good for my voice.

70cm activity contest (UKAC)

 This evening is the November 70cm activity contest organised by the RSGB. I go on briefly with my 10W SSB and the 2m omni big-wheel.

UPDATE 2019z:  2 stations worked, then I gave up! Furthermost was G4CLA (105km).

70cm FT8 activity contest

This evening starting at 1900z is the 70cm FT8 activity contest. 

It always surprises me how far away stations can be copied. I usually work a few locals, but spend most of the time on RX. I use a 2m big-wheel omni antenna only. 

I wonder if with 70cm FT8 we can tap into some kind of troposcatter?

All this makes me wonder how effective 70cm FT8 would be with a decent beam and reasonable powers.

UPDATE 1936z:  Lots of stations spotted with the furthermost DJ6TA (493km). The more I think about 70cm FT8 is a very under-used band!

UPDATE 2135z:  The map shows the stations spotted on 70cm FT8 this evening.

70cm activity contest

Every month the RSGB holds a 70cm activity contest on a Tuesday evening.  Because of my voice, I rarely stop on very long. Also, I suspect this contest is attracting fewer entries, people preferring FT8. The map shows the QSOs I managed with 10W and a 2m big-wheel omni antenna.

Last Tuesday on 70cm QRP SSB

Once a month I try my luck with 10W pep on 70cm in the activity contest UKAC. Because of my poor voice I rarely stop on more than 30 minutes. 

Also, I only have a 2m big-wheel omni antenna. Talk about making things hard, HI! 

In all I made 3 QSOs with the furthermost G4CLA (105km). He must have great antennas and ears.

70cm FT8 activity contest

Last night was the September 70cm activity contest (UKAC). I usually TX for a short while and then go RX only. I usually do not submit an entry for this contest, coming on for the activity. 

It never fails to amaze me what distances can be spotted at any time on 70cm. My antenna is just a 2m omni big-wheel. Imagine if I had a 70cm yagi on a mast! It is a great pity 70cm is underused. Especially with FT8, I would expect it to be a great band for working Western Europe and the UK.

70cm activity contest entry

Often I forget to submit my entry into this UKAC session. With my pathetic score I shall never even be close to winning, but it is good to show my support. 

It is great to see the activity. The "real" stations were working some serious DX.

70cm activity contest

 This is this evening starting at 1900z. I usually go on for a short time with 10W to the 2m big-wheel.

UPDATE 1956z: I did not stay on long, but worked 3 stations with the furthermost G4CLA (105km). It was a miserable evening with lots of rain.

70cm Moxon antenna

A reminder that 70cm antennas do not have to be expensive. 

This is a Moxon made from an old coat hanger. It took me about 30 minutes to assemble and worked some useful DX when out portable on QRP SSB. 

Antennas do not have to be pretty to work!

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/antennas/70cm-moxon .

70cm UKAC activity contest

I do not submit a log for this but enjoy the activity. It is much easier to copy and work DX on 70cm FT8 than SSB. After working a couple of locals, I was RX only for the rest of the evening and  copied stations all over from France 🇫🇷  Netherlands 🇳🇱 and Germany 🇩🇪 as well as the British Isles. Not bad with 2.5W and a 2m omni antenna.

This underlies just how good FT8 could be on 70cm. If only more would use the band and mode outside contests!

The map shows the stations copied - with a 2m omni antenna!

70cm activity contest yesterday evening

With 10W SSB and a 2m big-wheel omni I usually struggle in the 70cm UKAC (activity contest), but I usually manage a few contacts. Last night was different. 

Firstly, the impression I had was there were fewer people on.  This could partly be due to the holiday season and people being away.

Also those that were on I could not work. After about 20 minutes I just gave up having worked nobody! Perhaps the combination of higher local noise and fewer people make all the difference to QRP stations like mine.

I should be on the 70cm UKAC next month. We'll see.

Nearly forgot!

Just now I sent off my entry for the 70cm activity contest last Tuesday. It would appear that interest in this contest is waning. I managed 1 QSO, then I gave up. 

Looking at the waterfall on my RX, it would appear there were fewer people active. This is a pity, although it is far easier on 70cm FT8.

Much as I enjoy FT8 and WSPR, I am sure these will be partly to blame for the slow death of amateur radio as we knew it.  

As a youngster, I discovered amateur radio by listening to locals on 160m AM and DX on 15m AM. These opportunities no longer exist as people can chat in a multitude of ways for free without a licence using the internet. Talking to friends across the world even by video is commonplace.

It is my view that amateur radio as we knew it will cease in the next 20 years.

Low cost 70cm QRPP modules

Before anyone tells me I know Baonfeng and Quansheng handhelds are available at very low cost, but I wonder if any experimenters are experimenting with low cost modules designed to send digital signals at short range?  

Many are available on Amazon.

70cm UKAC on Tuesday last

It is my view that interest in this contest is waning at the expense of FT8. Overall, I do not stay on long with my 10W pep to the 2m big-wheel omni antenna, but I get the feeling it is mainly the dedicated people who come on. If my voice was better and I stayed on longer far more could have been worked. 2 stations were worked.