Monday plans

 As yesterday was so successful, I think I shall do the same as yesterday i.e. 500mW 10m WSPR TX and 2.5W 8m FT8. Let's hope for more E-W F2 propagation on 10m and 8m,

Plans for Saturday

 Several things to do today!

• Get the primroses planted.
• Go on the CQWW contest at some point.
• Get both the QDX and QMX+ working with the newer Windows 10 PC.
• 8m QRP FT8.

Plans for Tuesday

 My intention is to go on 10m FT8 with my Windows 10 PC and QDX. This is conditional on:

• Being able to get my USB connection to "see" the QDX. I am told there is a known issue with how Windows recognises devices connected to the USB port.
• Being able to upgrade PC protection without going to Windows 11.

Apparently there is a fix for the first by connecting and powering up the QDX first. There is not an issue with Linux, just Windows.

Plans for Monday

 You can tell it is October in the UK! Drizzle, cold and miserable. 

As I am in Cambridge much of the day for my U3A courses I do not expect to do much radio today.

Saturday plans

Although conditions again look disturbed, my plans currently are to try 8m QRP FT8 and 500mW WSPR TX.

Plans for Monday

Currently my plans for Monday are to go on 6m QRP FT8 with the V2000 vertical (2.5W) and 10m 500mW WSPR with my stand-alone TX beacon.

Monday plans

 At the moment I plan to go on 6m QRP FT8 and QRP 10m WSPR.

I can’t imagine European Es being as good as yesterday.

Plans for Monday

 In a few moments I shall probably try QRP 6m FT8  with the QMX+ and 10m QRP WSPR with my 500mW W5OLF beacon.

Monday plans

 In a few moments I intend to have another go on 22m (HiFer band) with ISM power using WSPR. This evening my plan is to QSY to 630m QRP WSPR.

Plans for Sunday

In a few moments, I expect to again go on 10m WSPR with my 10mW ERP. After lunch I shall probably  try the 22m (HiFer) band with ISM conditions. I shall probably use my G3XBM call still as I know that works with WSPRnet.

Plans for Sunday

 Today, I shall try 500uW 10m WSPR again and 8m QRP FT8.

Reflections on 2023 and plans for 2024

Looking back on 2023, the stand-out things are my 8m QSOs with 2.5W and a dipole with stations in the Caribbean and my 0.5mW WSPR tests on 10m.  At the moment, I have no firm plans for next year.  What is clear is that I prefer WSPR and FT8. There are several reasons.

1. My voice is poor and it is a strain to talk.

2. DXCC was worked back in the 1980s with QRP SSB on 10m. DXCC is no longer a priority.

3. I prefer experimenting to just talking with stations.

4. One-way signals (looking on the internet to see when I am being received) are as important for me than two-way QSOs.

Everyone is different and I can totally understand that working DXCC and new countries is important to some. It is just that, for me, it is no longer important. When I was fitter going out in the wilds on 481THz or VLF was good fun. These days I try to do experiments from home.

Plans for today

 When I get back from my U3A course in Cambridge after lunch, I shall try 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR and try to better match my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground using the NanoVNA as a guide. Let's hope WSPRnet is working!

Plans for Saturday

 After lunch, I shall probably go on 10m WSPR TX with my 500mW TX beacon and 40.680 MHz (8m) FT8 with my 2.5W and dipole. F2 is good at the moment, so there is a good chance of being copied (again) in the USA, Canada and in the Caribbean on 8m QRP FT8.

Friday plans

Shortly, I hope to turn on my 10m 500mW WSPR TX beacon and my 8m 2.5W FT8. Tonight, I shall probably try 630m QRP WSPR. 

Tuesday plans

Later, I shall probably turn on my 500mW 10m WSPR TX beacon. I may stay on 630m QRP WSPR in the daytime as an experiment and give 8m a miss.

Sunday plans

Probably on QRP 8m FT8 and 10m 500mW WSPR TX during the day, switching to 630m QRP WSPR after dark. 

Plans for today (Monday)

After lunch, I expect to be on 10m QRP WSPR TX and 8m QRP FT8. At the moment, European Es does not look great.

Plans for today (Sunday)

My current plan is to try 10m FT8 with 5mW. Based on the 10m QRPP WSPR I might get some spots.

Progress report

 Some weeks ago, these were my aims. Some have been achieved.

Done

• Put Spectran software on the shack PC.
• Been on 80m and 160m with the earth-electrode "antenna".
• Local 481 THz tests.

Not done

• QRSS tests on 136 kHz.
• 481 THz QRSS tests with Spectran.
• Yet to restart 8m tests.