Experimenting with the IC-705 indoor VHF station with a DIY halo antenna for 2m. VSWR looks reasonable with the antenna hung up along the top of the office window. Will monitor for a-bit and see if anyone shows up on 2m FT8 here in EN52 Chicagoland. #IndoorStation #FieldDayPrep
#TwoMeters
It seems to work - having picked up a local ham here in NW Chicagoland. Will continue to monitor and see if I can catch any tropo or other propagation… #TwoMeters #FT8
Have heard only the one local station on 2m FT8 since I started monitoring yesterday with my indoor DIY halo antenna. This morning decided to call CQ at 10W and see if anyone hears me. Sent six CQ’s and was heard by three stations (two local and one from 168 miles away)! Will continue occasional CQ’s when around the radio station today. #TwoMeters #FT8

@n8dmt

If I can get my rotator unstuck I will point your direction. I figure at 500 watts you might actually hear me during a ducting event.

@HopelessDemigod Thanks. Curious to see if that might work. Not expecting much on the 10W TX I can send back your way… Will continue monitoring and see who else pops up here on 2m FT8 in the Midwest. Might also try calling CQ at this end. Perhaps a few are just listening. 73

@n8dmt

Two summers ago on a really hot week we were hearing portables from Tennessee, Missouri, and Colorado on 146.520.