70cm FT8 activity contest

Starting at 1900z is the RSGB organised UKAC 70cm activity contest. 

A brief 2.5W TX period to the 2m big-wheel omni antenna resulted in nobody copying me. 8 stations have already been spotted prior to the contest (booking their spots?) with the furthermost PE1ITR (360km).

UPDATE 2150z:  45 stations spotted. 2 QSOs, spotted by 5 stations on 2.5W QRP to the 2m big-wheel.

70cm activity contest results

The RSGB has just published the latest update to the results of the 70cm activity contest (UKAC). Even though I only made a small handful of contacts, my position is up!

See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/vhfresults.pl?Contest=432MHz%20UKAC&Date=&year=2022 .

2m activity contest results

The results for this activity contest have just been released. This year, I am donating my points towards the Cambridge Radio Club (CDARC). 

As I usually run 10W to an omni antenna for much less than an hour, because of my poor voice, I doubt my points help much! 

Most activity is on SSB and activity levels are usually very high.

See https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/vhfresults.pl?Contest=144MHz%20UKAC&year=2022 .

2m activity contest this evening (UKAC)

A reminder that the first Tuesday of each month is the 2m activity contest (UKAC) organised by the RSGB. This starts at 1900z. The purpose is to drum up activity. In my opinion, activity levels on SSB are always high.

This is a chance to work a few new squares even if you do not submit an entry. I have always found this very friendly.

UPDATE 2035z: Used the IC-705 for the first time on SSB. Same number of QSOs but quite a different technique when you can see the whole SSB band in one go. Just look for the signals and QSY there. 

432MHz activity contest

Every month the RSGB organises an activity contest on the second Tuesday of the month on 70cm. Better stations were working Germans. As usual I was on with my poor voice, 10W and 2m big-wheel omni antenna.  In 40 minutes I managed 4 SSB QSOs out to 105km. .Then I gave up!

2m activity contest

The first UKAC 2m activity contest organised by the RSGB was last night. I was on for about 50 minutes with 10W and the big-wheel omni antenna. 

In my view, conditions were poor and activity low. There were no portables (presumably because of lockdown). My best DX (lost before we could complete) was G4RRA in Devon. Had we completed, this would have been a good contact. It is much easier on FT8!

2m and 70cm activity contest results

Both the 2m and 70cm activity contest results, run every month on Tuesday evenings and organised by the RSGB, have been published. 

These show very credible scores in the low power (AL) sections, considering I usually stay on for under an hour and just use a 2m big-wheel omni antenna. No beams or rotators here!

See the RSGB contest website for details.

2m activity contest tonight

The next leg of the 2m UKAC acitivy contest starts tonight at 1900z for 2.5 hours. I usually use 10W and the big-wheel omni antenna and stay on for about an hour as my voice is poor.

Unlike many contests, this is good humoured. Although I usually submit a log and enter the contest, there is no compulsion to do so. Many just come on as there is plenty of 2m SSB activity.

UPDATE 2050z:  In all, 9 stations worked tonight. I stayed on one hour.

70cm activity contest (UKAC)

Tonight is the 70cm leg of the RSGB's activity contest starting at 1900z. It lasts for 2.5 hours. As usual, I shall be on briefly using 5W SSB to my 2m halo. Despite this being a poor 70cm antenna, it matches well and I usually make a few contacts. My voice usually asks me to stop after about 30-45 minutes, HI.

UPDATE 2002z: Just a single QSO with G4CLA (105km). Heard a few others but I could not hang around.

Low WSPR activity levels

At the moment, in the entire world, there are just 20 active WSPR stations on 10m and just 16 on 6m.  These are very low levels of activity: Es and F2 openings are being missed as there are no stations active in the target areas.

UPDATE 1425z:  No new Es on 10m since switching down to 10m from 6m WSPR.

UPDATE 1505z:  Now just 5 stations on 6m and 25 stations on 10m in the world on WSPR.  Pathetic levels of WSPR activity.