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  • [G3XBM] 40m FT8 RX

    From G3XBM via rec.radio.amateur.moderat@21:1/5 to All on Fri Feb 25 12:26:46 2022
    XPost: rec.radio.amateur.moderated, rec.radio.amateur.equipment, uk.radio.amateur
    XPost: free.uk.amateur-radio

    Roger G3XBM's (Mainly) Amateur Radio Blog

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    40m FT8 RX

    Posted: 25 Feb 2022 01:33 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/40m-ft8-rx_25.html


    Since yesterday afternoon, 1018 stations have been spotted on 40m FT8 RX.
    I am still on 40m FT8 RX today.


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    Sunspots - Friday February 25th 2022

    Posted: 24 Feb 2022 10:50 PM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/sunspots-friday-february-25th-2022.html


    Solar flux is 92 and the SSN 23. A=7 and K=2.

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    10m antennas

    Posted: 24 Feb 2022 10:24 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/10m-antennas.html


    One of the beauties of 10m is antennas are small. A half wave dipole is
    only about 5m long. A halo is even smaller. 27MHz CB verticals can work
    very well too.

    Some years ago I wanted a simple antenna for the band and the Homebase-10
    was born.
    See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/antennas/homebase10-10m-halo.

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    40m FT8 RX

    Posted: 24 Feb 2022 02:02 PM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/40m-ft8-rx.html


    It is now 1648z. About an hour ago I QSYed to 40m FT8 RX using the untuned
    10m antenna. I guess the untuned 10m antenna is just like sticking an attenuator in, which is no bad thing on 40m. So far, 206 stations already spotted on 40m FT8 RX.
    UPDATE 2202z: 684 stations spotted on 40m FT8 RX with the furthermost WP3R (6851km).

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    10m sideband

    Posted: 24 Feb 2022 02:33 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/10m-sideband.html


    Before my 2013 stroke, I had every intention for designing and making a
    very simple rig for 10m sideband. Several ideas were already on the table,
    but I never had time to do this. Since my stroke I have found it almost impossible to design and make things.
    Times have moved on and a synthesised VFO is probably the way to go
    nowadays. Also, for a single band like 10m, a phasing SSB rig would
    probably be fine, even if the LSB suppression was not perfect.
    In my view, 10m will be a great DX band for many years. I hope somebody
    else (not me) will take my ideas and design a simple, low cost 10m sideband rig. I can imagine a nice, simple and easily reproduced sideband rig for £20-40 being possible. Imagine, working the world on a simple sideband rig
    you made.
    See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/10m-simple-sideband .

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    10m FT8 QRP (Thursday)

    Posted: 24 Feb 2022 07:33 AM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/10m-ft8-qrp-thursday.html


    Today I decided to go on 10m FT8 QRP with 2.5W. The gear was turned on at 1002z. So far (ar 1014z) my signal has been spotted in Kenya by 5Z4VJ
    (6858km). No QSOs . On RX 2 spots so far.
    UPDATE 1447z: A brief QRP transmission just before 1400z resulted in no
    spots of me. On 10m FT8 RX today 60 stations spotted so far. I get the impression that 10m conditions are not as good as they have been?
    UPDATE 1532z: A brief 10m FT8 QRP transmission just now resulted in nobody spotting me! On RX 63 stations have been spotted.

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    Sunspots - Thursday February 24th 2022

    Posted: 23 Feb 2022 11:25 PM PST http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/2022/02/sunspots-thursday-february-24th-2022.html


    Solar flux is 96 and the SSN 38. A=6 and K=3.

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