At the moment I am trying MSK144 on 50.280 MHz in a test with OZ9FZ.
UPDATE 2122z: Nothing so QSYed to 4m FT8 RX.
Simple QRP projects, 10m, 8m, 6m, 4m, FT8, 160m, WSPR, LF/MF, sub-9kHz, nanowaves and other random stuff, some not related to amateur radio.
At the moment I am trying MSK144 on 50.280 MHz in a test with OZ9FZ.
UPDATE 2122z: Nothing so QSYed to 4m FT8 RX.
As it is the Geminids MS shower, I am on 144.360 MHz MSK144 RX using the 2m big-wheel omni antenna. I am hoping to copy some DX on 2m, probably early morning. I am told this is the best place to look.
UPDATE 2212z: DL2NBU (791km) spotted strongly.
This normally peaks in mid December. Usually, the ionised trails result in enhanced VHF propagation during short bursts. MSK144 is often a good mode as signals may be strong, but short lived. Better equipped stations experience better bursts for longer.
This time, I may try 8m MSK144 during the shower.
See https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-geminid-meteor-shower/ .
After a period on 40.680 MHz FT8 QRP TX, I have switched to 40.013 MHz MSK144 RX hoping to spot the Irish beacon EI1KNH/B. My best chance (I think) is early morning.
This morning I am doing MSK144 tests with Paul G9PUV nearby Brighton. I am copying him, but he is not copying me.
UPDATE 0801z: Sadly he did not copy me. At times he was very strong, presumably by random MS bursts. I guess with his much higher power they were long enough for me to decode Paul. Being much weaker, it would need a very long burst for me to be decoded at his end. We tried. I am sure with a proper MS shower or Es backscatter, we have a chance. Currently FT8 RX on 8m on 40.680 MHz USB dial.
UPDATE 1314z: No FT8 spots. I see both S50B and ZS6WAB are monitoring. I think I have a very modest station, so my "experiment" is really to see how 8m does with a QRP station and small wire antenna.
UPDATE 1345z: Now on 40.680 MHz USB dial FT8 TX again. 2 local spots so far. I have still to have a 2-way exchange of reports on 8m.
UPDATE 1530z: For about the last hour, I have been on 8m 40.680 MHz FT8 RX. No spots. I must see if I can see the Irish beacon EI1KNH near Dublin on 40.013 MHz sending FT8 for part of its cycle. I may just be possible to copy this beacon by tropo, but I expect it will be strong on MS pings just as the old Rosemarkie beacon GB3RMK was on 6m. Even with my poor 6m antenna it peaked on random MS pings every few minutes.
UPDATE 1652z: The EI1KNH 8m beacon is not copyable by tropo.
At about 1900z I QSYed to 6m MSK144 RX on 50.280MHz, hoping to catch the tail end of the Ursids meteor shower. For the antenna I only have the V2000 vertical omni. No spots as of 2140z unsurprisingly.
I shall leave it running overnight, just in case, but I am not too hopeful.
I think this is the correct frequency in Europe.
Overnight I went on 6m MSK144 RX, hoping to catch the tail end if the Geminids meteor shower. I think I was too late or was monitoring on the wrong frequency for Europe as nothing, at all, was copied. I was on 50.260MHz RX. Disappointing.
It was very pleasing to see my short article about the use of the ISM bands for QRPP beaconing in the latest SPRAT. In the UK this means 10...