8m GB3MCB beacon

This is being copied in Eire by EI9KP by weak tropo, but after several days I have had no sign here in East Anglia. I only have a low dipole and it is obviously too weak for tropo and with MS or aircraft, I almost certainly need more time for a decode on FT8. 

I shall try again when there is a decent MS shower, hoping the Doppler doesn't kill the FT8!

Plans for today

 Although I suspect my chances are low, I am continuing to monitor the beacon GB3MCB in Cornwall on 40.050 MHz FT8.

As the 10m antenna is free I shall probably go on 10m QRP WSPR TX with my 500mW W5OLF beacon.

UPDATE 0825z: 10m QRP WSPR TX turned on and PC manually re-synced "just in case".

GB3MCB 8m beacon in Cornwall

This beacon on 40.050 MHz began operation this weekend. 

It is situated in mid-Cornwall near St Austell. It should be very useful to indicate when 8m is open across the Atlantic. It has an FT8 sequence, so can be monitored with WSJT-X free software. The antennas are crossed dipoles.

Initially, it is operated under a test and innovation licence. In my view both the RSGB and OFCOM should have just granted them an NoV to the amateur licence as this truly helps propagation research and self training. The RSGB should have made the case and OFCOM agreed.

OFCOM and the RSGB -- just wake up!!!  You are making yourselves look unbelievably stupid! Surely the whole purpose of our hobby is self training and radio research. Is it any wonder we cannot find RF engineers in the UK if there is no support?   

8m need not be "more of the same". It is uniquely situated in the radio spectrum, on the HF/VHF boundary, to offer radio amateurs a real chance to contribute to radio propagation research. Instead, both the RSGB and OFCOM appear to be obstructive.

I am still totally puzzled why OFCOM seems so against even 5 kHz (just 5 kilohertz!!) at 8m being allocated to the amateur service by NoV. They could insist on narrow digital only and make us secondary users with limited power. It just seems so short-sighted. Like the Chinese trying to stop Covid or King Canute trying to stop the tide - there are some things in life that make no sense.

UPDATE 0804z:  No spots overnight.

UPDATE 1556z: Still not a sign of that beacon. My feeling is that this is a complete waste of time.  I thought I might see the odd MS burst, but nothing. Maybe I should remain on until the morning? Probably the 15 second TX period is too long for random MS. In a shower I might have better luck.

8m Cornish beacon

According to the beacon keeper, the 8m beacon at GB3MCB on 40.050 MHz should be operational next weekend subject to the rigger and weather. They also have permission for a 5m beacon.

As yet, I have not checked on modes. I hope to copy it by MS, scatter, and maybe tropo.

The probable modes are CW and PI4. 

In my view, ALL beacons should include an FT8 sequence as this mode is (I think) as good as PI4 and is included free with WSJT-X and other software packages making 24/7 monitoring easy.

Cornish 8m beacon

I gather the GB3MCB beacon cluster has got approval to add 8m and 5m beacons. I don't think these are active yet, but the 8m beacon will be interesting to monitor on PI4. I expect it will beam towards the USA. 

For me in East Anglia  the most likely propagation will be random MS or aircraft. I think tropo is unlikely.

Cornwall beacon

I understand that the people who run the GB3MCB beacon have (at last) been granted permission to install 8m and 5m beacons. These will run 24/7 and they should really help with transatlantic propagation research. 

It is a pity this approval by OFCOM took such an age. Still, I suppose they had to be woken up first, then trained to understand something about RF, told where Cornwall is.....

Me sarcastic?

GB3MCB (144.469MHz)

You may recall I had not copied this 2m Cornish beacon, even on MS pings here in East Anglia and was wondering why.  Well, it turns out it is off air because it interferes with a local repeater.  I was actually quite pleased to read this - my kit was not deaf after all. On 2m I use the FT817ND with a 3el beam.The QTH is on an East Anglian "hill" i.e. a small bump. In UKAC Tuesday evening contests I can usually work 200km+ with 5W from home.  In the last UKAC 2m contest I worked a /P station in Scotland, which was much further.

UPDATE 5.10.14 0932z:   According to the beacon keeper, they plan to turn the 2m beacon back on at GB3MCB when coax has been replaced and antennas re-sited. It is a small group though and funds are tight.

Cornish 2m beacon GB3MCB

I have still to copy this beacon on my FT817ND and 3el from a decent site!  Beam heading is right, so I guess it must be too weak to copy except in lifts. I could copy GB3CTC years ago, weakly but 100% of the time, from a poorer site in this village on a 5el with more lossy coax.  Is GB3MCB much weaker in East Anglia or is it me? I am listening on 144.4690MHz with a 250Hz filter, so very surprised not to have had even a brief ping to ID it by. Is the beacon GPS locked? Is the 2m beacon transmitting even? I am beginning to think it is off-air.

By contrast GB3NGI (further away in N.Ireland) is nearly copyable all the time.