Spots of my 10mW 6m FT8 today |
PY1EME's 6m antenna |
6m FT8 RX spots - despite the 15dB pad! |
Simple QRP projects, 10m, 8m, 6m, 4m, FT8, 160m, WSPR, LF/MF, sub-9kHz, nanowaves and other random stuff, some not related to amateur radio.
Spots of my 10mW 6m FT8 today |
PY1EME's 6m antenna |
6m FT8 RX spots - despite the 15dB pad! |
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?
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?
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.
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.
Stations spotting my 2.5W 6m FT8 today |
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.Furthermost was OV3T (694km) in Denmark.
The map shows the stations spotted here.
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.
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.
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.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.
This morning, I am on 40.680MHz FT8 receive. No spots at 1017z.
UPDATE 1252z: No spots today.
UPDATE 1642z: ZR1ADI (9777km) in South Africa was the only spot today. I guess this is TEP.
My 2.5W FT8 to the V2000 vertical antenna is on, but just 5 English spots so far.
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.
This morning, I am on 6m FT8 with my 2.5W to the V2000 vertical omni antenna. So far, 6 English stations spotting me. No DX evident here.
UPDATE 0946z: Now spotted by 11 stations including stations in Norway and Sweden.
For the first time in months I was not on 630m QRP WSPR, when I was at home, last night. Gradually, the number of spots I had received had b...