QSYed to 630m (472kHz) WSPR

At about 1846z I moved from 10m down to 630m WSPR for the evening and night. It is getting a bit late in the season for new MF stations, but I remain ever hopeful. At some point I really must count all the spots with 5mW ERP on 472kHz WSPR this DX season. As you will recall, I am only using the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. I have managed to hear stations all over western Europe with this "antenna".  It has reached Norway and Germany on TX.

Before too long I shall  move to 6m WSPR as activity on MF will drop off and the Es season will  really be with us on 6m. In previous years I have got to Israel, 4X1RF (3519km), several times on 6m WSPR with just 1W ERP to an omni vertical antenna. Mind you, 6m is more of a daytime band, so I will have to think about a band at night - maybe 40m.

I may try an E-field probe on 136 and 472kHz next season. These are tiny, but effective, RX antennas if carefully positioned in the garden. I suppose I could even do several bands scanning on RX. My old work colleague Bob G3WKW has used a Raspberry-Pi as a 10mW WSPR TX beacon switching across several bands. He has achieved some remarkable results - all credit to him.

UPDATE 1918z:  G4GIR (53km) is a newcomer on 472kHz WSPR - well he's new to me, I think. We just exchanged spots. Also in the RX log already is LA8AV (1035km) in JO59cs. I do like 472kHz WSPR - even with my set-up I seem to get very decent results. It is a great pity more don't join in the fun. As I have said many many times, if I can get out OK then anyone can! My "antenna" proves you do NOT need lots of wire in the air and a ground the size of a football pitch. No, a very small system works. The transverter I use was homebrew and is shown in the latest edition of the RSGB book "LF Today". It is also on my website at http://www.g3xbm.co.uk . This is very simple and several versions have been built. No, before you ask, I do NOT do a PCB for this. It has an output of 10-15W although my measured ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" is very low. To a half decent antenna just think what you could achieve!

WSPR on 472kHz already this evening