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Roger G3XBM's (Mainly) Amateur Radio Blog
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2m FT8 activity contest
Posted: 02 Feb 2022 01:08 PM PST
http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/2m-ft8-activity-contest.html
If you are interested, there is a 2m FT8 activity contest from 1900-2100z tonight, organised by the RSGB. See the RSGB website for more details.
Activity is very high.
UPDATE 2102z: 4 QSOs although I spent much of the time I was on RX. On RX
150 stations spotted (remember this is 2m!!) with the furthermost EA2XR (1024km) in northern Spain.
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10m WSPR TX and RX
Posted: 02 Feb 2022 06:54 AM PST
http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/10m-wspr-tx-and-rx.html
At the moment, I am on 10m WSPR. On TX I am using 1W for 20% of the time
with the rest on RX. So far, 1 station spotted here and I have been spotted
by 6 unique stations.
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Working DX
Posted: 02 Feb 2022 06:19 AM PST
http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/working-dx.html
DX means different things to different people.
To some, it is trying to work all countries available today on SSB, perhaps with the full legal power (or more!) and a big beam on a tower. To others
it is working across town with uW powers.
Back in the 1980s I owned a Yaesu FT7. This was an HF only 10W rig. I
worked DXCC with it and simple antennas (mostly dipoles) on SSB.
These days I am on RX more than TX. I still prefer QRP! If DXCC chasing is
your "thing" fine.
See
https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/commercial-rigs/yaesu-ft7 .
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10m FT8 RX (Wednesday)
Posted: 02 Feb 2022 05:52 AM PST
http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/10m-ft8-rx-wednesday.html
My 10m FT8 RX was turned on about 0930z. So far (at 1002z), 61 stations
spotted with the furthermost VK1MA (16904km).
UPDATE 1351z: 311 stations spotted.
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160m FT8 RX overnight
Posted: 01 Feb 2022 11:18 PM PST
http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/160m-ft8-rx-overnight.html
With 487 stations spotted on RX overnight with the non resonant 10m antenna
and several stations in the USA and one in Japan, it was a good session on
160m FT8 RX.
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Slightly better solar cycle?
Posted: 01 Feb 2022 11:12 PM PST
http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/slightly-better-solar-cycle.html
According to the updated solar data, it looks like this solar cycle is very slightly better than the last cycle. What does this mean? Expect the next
solar cycle to be very similar to the last one.
See
https://www.solen.info/solar/images/comparison_recent_cycles.png .
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Sunspots - Wednesday February 2nd 2022
Posted: 01 Feb 2022 11:10 PM PST
http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/sunspots-wednesday-february-2nd-2022.html
Solar flux is 129 and the SSN 88. A=7 and K=3.
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160m FT8 RX (Tuesday)
Posted: 01 Feb 2022 01:39 PM PST
http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/160m-ft8-rx-tuesday.html
I have just QSYed to 160m FT8 RX. 3 stations spotted so far including 2
Germans calling a station in the Far East. It is still daylight here.
Probably things will get lively after dark.
UPDATE 1652z: 15 stations spotted on 160m FT8 RX using the untuned 10m wire antenna with the furthermost RD9D (3664km).
UPDATE 1917z: 146 stations spotted.
UPDATE 2140z: 327 stations spotted.
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10m FT8 RX (Tuesday)
Posted: 01 Feb 2022 08:26 AM PST
http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/10m-ft8-rx-monday.html
At the moment I am on 10m FT8 RX. It is now 1052z and, so far, 47 stations spotted. Furthermost is VK6AS (14459km).
UPDATE 1243z: 137 stations spotted on 10m FT8 RX today.
I quite enjoy 10m FT8 RX as I can monitor propagation on a different PC in
the lounge whilst doing other things. I suppose with remote software I
could TX too from the lounge. PSKreporter allows me to see who is being
spotted by my system.
UPDATE 1358z: 195 stations spotted.
UPDATE 1530z: 296 stations spotted.
UPDATE 1624z: 351 stations spotted. QRT soon and move to 160m FT8 RX.
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15m QRP
Posted: 01 Feb 2022 01:49 AM PST
http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/15m-qrp.html
A good DX band is 15m. This is mainly a daytime DX band, but evening
openings are increasing as the sunspot count and solar flux go up. These
days I am on RX far more than TX.
This was not the case when the Pipit transceiver was designed and built.
This would have been over 30 years ago! For several months it was the only
rig I used despite only being 800mW. These days there is more FT8 activity,
but you cannot beat the thrill of getting heard thouasnds of miles away and having solid QSOs.
See
https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/15m-qrp-cw-pipit .
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