9 Aug 2014

WSPR disappointment (so far) on 472kHz

Results to date suggest my ERP is at least as good as in previous seasons yet (up to now at least) very few stations have spotted me. I think there are fewer WSPR stations active? My best DX so far, and my daylight range on TX, suggest many more reports should be possible. Where is everyone?

I hope 472kHz isn't going to disappoint as 6m WSPR did. On 6m WSPR there was a real lack of transatlantic stations.  On 472kHz WSPR there seem to be fewer WSPR stations full stop.

I shall leave the kit running again tonight and hope I get some nice surprises.  Of course, it could be the local noise floor is higher than it was for many stations and they've just given up on the band? At the moment I'm lucky: my sensitivity is rather low, but my noise floor is very low too. This may not last.

UPDATE 2110z:  Since returning to 472kHz WSPR I have spotted just 10 unique stations and been spotted by 8 unique stations. Some years ago on 500kHz I was spotted by nearly 100 unique stations. My setup is not that different. OK this was over several months and in the autumn/winter seasons, but there do seem to be fewer different stations active. I'll certainly stick with 472kHz WSPR to give it a fair chance though.

UPDATE 2134z:  Currently there are 32 stations shown as being active on 472kHz WSPR. 24 of these are European. This is a good number.
472kHz WSPR stations active in last 10 minutes

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