Although the officially released version is 2.7, my friend Steve G1KQH has pointed out that there is a release candidate of version 3.0. This is designed for experimenters and beta testers and may be unstable. It is usually released as a "proper" version some months later.
16 Sept 2025
10m 3W FT8 (Tuesday)
My gear was turned on just before breakfast.
UPDATE 0830z: 9 stations spotting me. Some Es?
UPDATE 1347z: Back on 3W 10m FT8 after a spell on 6m QRP FT8. Just a single spot from a local.
15 Sept 2025
Noise floors
Most times I have no issues with QRP, but we all know that in many built-up areas noise can be an increasing problem. Over the years we have more gadgets in our homes which can produce RFI. Over time this is likely to get worse.
Weak signals can sometimes be masked by this noise, meaning QRP signals would be harder to spot. It will be interesting to see if QRP operation gets more difficult in the years ahead.
With narrow modes like FT8 (50Hz wide only) and WSPR (6Hz wide needed) this can be less of a problem as we can avoid noise on certain frequencies. Often man-made noise can drift.
Often people are surprised how low the noise floor can be when out /P.
Windy!!
For this early in the autumn it is unusually windy here.
Winds in October are common, but it is very unusual to get strong winds here when the trees are still with green leaves.
It would not surprise me if we see some trees in the UK uprooted.
10m 2W FT8 (Monday)
UPDATE 1030z: Spotted by just 1 local and a station in Israel. Power increased to 3W and re-synced clock. One station in Zambia on RX, but not on PSKreporter.
UPDATE 1826z: Just 6 stations spotted me all day. See map.
Really low cost HF radios
There are some very low cost radios available (I presume) from China. This review was on YouTube and the writer on YouTube feels the quality is improving. This is available from Banngood for about £60!!
14 Sept 2025
10 years time?
It would appear that amateur radio is mainly a hobby for older men, often with more disposable income than many. The hobby still attracts very few women and few young people. This may be different as I write this with a UK bias.
If we extrapolate to the next solar maximum in about 2035, many current amateurs will be dead, incapacitated, in care homes and NOT buying new rigs. The inevitable consequence is amateur radio is no longer a profitable business for many manufacturers or dealers. They will leave our market or go out of business, As I have said before, many magazines depend on a very few dealers to stay viable. I can see some magazines and dealers folding or magazines being published less often, digital only or smaller physically.
Many will say we have to attract and keep younger people. Perhaps.
There is little doubt that amateur radio is changing.
My own view has been for some time that amateur radio as we knew it will disappear. PTTs will want to wash their hands of it, so deregulation will be the order of the day.
My prediction? Amateur radio will combine with CB, amateur radio will become deregulated, fewer magazines , fewer dealers, manufacturers and national societies. Experimenters will continue in some other way.
10m 2W FT8 (Sunday)
UPDATE 1948z: Spotted by 54 stations. This looks like F2 propagation. See map. Furthermost is Reunion Is.. Now QRT.
The impression I am getting is "appliance operators" are moving down in frequency as the higher HF and 6m bands are now too hard without Es.
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