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Roger G3XBM's (Mainly) Amateur Radio Blog

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8m antenna erection

Posted: 30 Mar 2022 07:03 AM PDT http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/03/8m-antenna-erection.html


In the next 48 hours, I hope to erect a wire dipole for 8m. Years ago this would have been trivial, but I am not good on ladders since my stroke in
2013.
Putting this up requires a minimum of 2 ladder climbs. Luckily, both are
not very high, so I hope to manage these.
I am really looking forward to experimenting on 8m TX.
My floored loft has not been visited by me in 8 years!! There is quite a
bit of amateur gear in one of the boxes.
UPDATE 1352z: Small steps! As I get very tired these days I am doing this
is small steps with rest in between. So far I have (1) cut the 8m dipole to length, (2) drilled the hole from the outside into the shack for the coax,
(3) lowered the 10m antenna so I can attach the 8m dipole to it and (4) shortened the length of the nylon insulator that holds the 10m antenna in place. Now I need a rest!

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10m FT8 QRP (Wednesday)

Posted: 30 Mar 2022 07:29 AM PDT http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/03/10m-ft8-rx-wednesday_30.html


All being well, I hope to be on 10m FT8 RX after breakfast. Yesterday was a good day on 10m.
UPDATE 0825z: My 10m FT8 was turned on 0811z. Initially I was on QRP TX
with 2.5W for a few minutes (just one spot from Israel, but no QSOs). So
far, 20 stations spotted at 0829z. AH7C in Hawaii was spotted. I guess this
is via the long path. This is the first time I have seen Hawaii on 10m for
many years.
UPDATE 1000z: 81 stations spotted so far today.
UPDATE 1218z: 223 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1315z: 309 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX. 6 stations have spotted my very brief QRP TX periods.
UPDATE 1425z: As part of my 8m dipole erection, most of my 10m antenna is
on the ground. Despite this, I am still getting plenty of DX spots - 37 in
the last 15 minutes!

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Yaesu FT7

Posted: 30 Mar 2022 12:07 AM PDT http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/03/yaesu-ft7.html


One of the best rigs I have ever owned was the Yaesu FT7. I owned this
from 1979 and it was a 10W rig really aimed at mobile use.

The receiver was exceptionally quiet. It had no memories, no synthesiser
and did not cover the WARC bands and 6m as none of these existed back then.
It was not small. In fact, it was considerably larger than the FT817/8 that covers more modes and bands.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/commercial-rigs/yaesu-ft7

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Sunspots - Wednesday March 30th 2022

Posted: 29 Mar 2022 11:19 PM PDT http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/03/sunspots-wednesday-march-30th-2022.html


Solar flux is 149 and the SSN 124. A=8 and K=1.

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8m UK permits

Posted: 29 Mar 2022 08:18 AM PDT http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/03/8m-uk-permits.html


It looks like at least 4 UK stations will be on 8m TX this summer. OFCOM
has issued permits (or is about to) to the first bunch of applicants.
Others may follow.
In the coming Es season, it is highly likely that some, or all, will be
spotted in Europe. Especially with FT8, there is a good chance of stations being copied by other modes too.
I hope others across Europe apply for special access as well. 8m, being
between 10m and 6m, is at a very interesting part of the radio spectrum for experiments. It is mid-way between HF and VHF.
The ZS6WAB 8m beacon has been copied in Europe (including in the UK) on
several occasions.
All being well, my first 8m transmission will be April 2nd.

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10m FT8 QRP (Tuesday)

Posted: 29 Mar 2022 01:03 PM PDT http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/03/10m-ft8-qrp-tuesday.html


It is now 0823z and I have been on 10m FT8 RX for about 10 minutes. So far,
21 stations have been spotted.
UPDATE 0834z: 25 stations spotted with the furthermost YC3ERZ (12282km). UPDATE 1148z: 148 stations spotted with the furthermost VK6BAS (14442km).

UPDATE 1444z: 255 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today. My QRP (2.5W) TX
about 30 minutes ago resulted in spots around Europe, but no QSOs.
Stations spotted at 1637z
UPDATE 1637z: 365 stations spotted today on 10m FT8 RX. UPDATE 2002z: 625 stations spotted. The band is still open.

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Sunspots - Tuesday March 29th 2022

Posted: 28 Mar 2022 11:49 PM PDT http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/03/sunspots-tuesday-march-29th-2022.html


Solar flux is 156 and the SSN 125. A=10 and K=2. These are good numbers.

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South Americans?

Posted: 28 Mar 2022 08:04 AM PDT http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/03/south-america.html


Recently I have been on 17m and 15m FT8 RX with the tiny indoor loop
antenna. Whilst plenty of stations have been spotted across the world, it
is noticeable that I'm seeing very few from South America.
Now, I am no expert on propagation and this may just be when I am on. I am pretty sure it is not antenna directivity as I get plenty on 10m FT8.

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RadCom articles - lost?

Posted: 28 Mar 2022 08:23 AM PDT http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/03/radcom-articles-lost.html


Last October, I submitted 3 articles to RadCom. One was published, but the other 2 seem to have disappeared down a black hole. Today, I chased them.
It is fine to not publish them, but it is also good to know why. As I
recall, they were short fill-in articles, but it was so long ago I cannot recall what was in them!
With Giles Read dying suddenly they must be in a pickle in the short-term. UPDATE 1500z: The articles have been found.

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15m FT8 RX with the tiny indoor loop (Monday)

Posted: 28 Mar 2022 10:13 AM PDT http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/03/15m-ft8-rx-with-tiny-indoor-loop-monday.html


At 0855z, I turned on my 15m FT8 RX. No spots yet. I think conditions are disturbed.
UPDATE 1000z: No spots on 15m FT8 RX on PSKreporter. As I lost the
internet connection for a while I may have not uploaded some of the recent spots (there are a few).
UPDATE 1224z: I have restarted WSJT-X as I am seeing plenty of spots
locally, but none were appearing on PSKreporter. Since restarting, plenty
of spots appearing!
UPDATE 1402z: 81 stations spotted so far on 15m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 1710z: 169 stations spotted.


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10m QRP WSPR TX (Monday)

Posted: 28 Mar 2022 02:04 PM PDT http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/03/10m-qrp-wspr-tx-monday.html


At 0752z, I turned on my W5OLF 10m WSPR beacon which runs 500mW as the 10m antenna was not being used. No spots yet today.
UPDATE 0957z: Just G spots from locals G2XV (18km) and G4KPX (14km).
UPDATE 1540z: Still no DX today on 10m FT8 RX.
UPDATE 2100z: In the end EA8BFK (2880km) copied me. QRT soon.

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