20 May 2024
6m 10mW FT8 (Monday)
19 May 2024
6m QRPP FT8 (Sunday)
Spots of my 10mW 6m FT8 today |
PY1EME's 6m antenna |
6m FT8 RX spots - despite the 15dB pad! |
18 May 2024
8m FT8 QRPP under ISM rules
My 10mW 6m FT8 tests have already exceeded my expectations. I am very tempted to try 8m FT8 (not WSPR) at 10mW ERP on under ISM rules. Perhaps I should try to mend my 8m dipole tomorrow?
6m 10mW WSPR (Saturday)
Once again, I am on 6m with my 10mW WSPR. Although I have been copied locally, I have yet to get any Es spots.
I am trying to simulate what would happen with ISM powers in the UK on 8m, which is open to all without a licence in the UK. I remain convinced this is enough power on WSPR to allow Es spots from Europe on 8m.
With FT8, conditions would have to be exceptional to be copied I suspect.
UPDATE 1234z: My experiment has worked. Quite a few European spots of my 10mW 6m WSPR. Some reports suggest even FT8 might have worked. Starting next week I shall try 6m QRPP FT8 at 10mW. It is my conclusion that 10mW ERP WSPR on 8m (available to all in the UK without a licence) would work under Es conditions.
UPDATE 1548z: I decided to try 6m FT8 at 10mW this afternoon i.e. earlier than planned. Already spotted by 14 stations across Europe (see map). Perhaps the shorter TX period of FT8 catches shorter openings than the 120 seconds of WSPR?
7 May 2024
6m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)
My 6m QRP (2.5W to the V2000 vertical) is on and 4 stations have spotted me at 0816z.
UPDATE 0838z: 7 stations have spotted me. All of these are in England.
UPDATE 1430z: 40 stations have spotted me. Plenty of Es.
6 May 2024
6m QRP FT8 (Monday)
5 May 2024
6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)
My 2.5W FT8 to the V2000 vertical omni antenna was turned on at about 0915z. So far, just one local spot.
UPDATE 0950z: 9 spots of me.
3 May 2024
6m QRP FT8 (Friday)
Stations spotting my 2.5W 6m FT8 today |
UPDATE 1529z: 45 stations have spotted me today. Now switched to 10mW 6m WSPR.
2 May 2024
6m QRP FT8
My 2.5W to the V2000 vertical has been on for about 40 minutes and has been spotted by 7 stations. Some look like Es.
On 6m FT8 RX I have spotted a station in Norway.
UPDATE 1021z: 19 stations have spotted me and I have spotted 20 stations. Definitely Es.2m FT8 activity contest yesterday evening
Furthermost was OV3T (694km) in Denmark.
The map shows the stations spotted here.
1 May 2024
2m FT8 activity contest (Wednesday)
After working a local, I am now RX only on 2m FT8. The furthermost copied is DK0TR (617km). With FT8 I am sure we are able to tap into some kind of scatter. My own 2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna was copied by by 14 stations with the furthermost G7RAU (461km) in Cornwall.
28 Apr 2024
2m QRP FT8 (Sunday)
For a change, I am on 2m FT8 with my 2.5W to the big-wheel omni antenna. I cannot believe conditions are "up" at all. 2m FT8 seems very busy. There is an MGM contest on. Furthermost is EI9KP (649km)
27 Apr 2024
6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)
My 2.5W to the V2000 vertical has been on for several hours. At 1150z, 7 stations in England had spotted me.
UPDATE 1418z: 11 spots of me so far, all in England.
20 Apr 2024
6m QRP FT8 (Saturday)
At about 1620z, I QSYed to 6m FT8. At 1630z, 4 stations had spotted my 2.5W FT8 to the V2000 vertical omni antenna.
UPDATE 1800z: 9 stations have spotted my QRP. On RX, the furthermost is EA9ABC (1873km) in North Africa.8m FT8 RX (Saturday)
Currently, I am monitoring 40.680MHz USB dial FT8.
UPDATE 1348z: No spots.
UPDATE 1621z: Locally I can see ZS1TX, ZS3/V51PJ and ZR1ADI were spotted but these did not appear on PSKreporter. For some reason, these spots were not uploaded.
19 Apr 2024
8m FT8 receive (Friday)
This morning, I am on 40.680MHz FT8 receive. No spots at 1017z.
UPDATE 1252z: No spots today.
17 Apr 2024
8m FT8 RX
UPDATE 1642z: ZR1ADI (9777km) in South Africa was the only spot today. I guess this is TEP.
16 Apr 2024
6m QRP FT8 (Tuesday)
My 2.5W FT8 to the V2000 vertical antenna is on, but just 5 English spots so far.
15 Apr 2024
14 Apr 2024
6m QRP FT8 (Sunday)
My 2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna was turned on at about 0755z. So far (at 0806z) 4 English stations spotting me.
UPDATE 1143z: 9 spots of my QRP including one from Germany.
UPDATE 1535z: 13 spots of my QRP 6m FT8 today (see map).