Sunspots and 10m propagation - Sunday April 19th 2015

Sunspot number has climbed to 114 (K=2) and 10m propagation is expected to be "good" which is the first time for weeks.

This morning my 500mW 10m WSPR is being copied by locals G4IKZ (18km) and G4KPX (14km) but no DX stations yet. I am very hopeful that USA stations will spot me later on 10m WSPR and was hopeful of some decent 10m DX reports this morning too.

UPDATE  1227z:  I was surprised and disappointed to get no DX spots at all on 10m WSPR this morning. Although I still hope for some USA spot later, I am beginning to doubt this. Is it just getting too late in the spring, or have people gone down a few bands?

UPDATE 1320z:  Still only locals spotting me on 10m WSPR - very disappointing

Sunspots and 10m - Sat April 18th 2015

Sunspot number has risen to a very respectable 92 (K=2), but 10m propagation remains "fair" only. I have the feeling I could get spots from the USA later this afternoon. So far this morning, lots of spots from locals G4IKZ (18km) and G4KPX (14km)  and a few spots from UA4UK (2814km). No other DX yet spotting my 500mW 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 1256z:  This morning it was mainly locals spotting me, but RA6WF (3628km) spotting me a few time was, like UA4UK (2814km), most probably single hop F2 propagation. I am still expecting a brief 10m USA opening later.  No earth shattering 10m DX this morning on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 1500z:  16 spots (so far) on 10m WSPR spots this afternoon by EA8BVP (2986km) and at lunchtime by EA1FAQ (1249km). The EA1 is almost certainly Es judging by the time and distance, although I suspect the EA8 is single hop F2 propagation. I am still hopeful of a few USA spots later.

10m USA spots

Only local spots by G4IKZ (18km) all day, apart from one spot by 4X4TAU (3564km) at 1018z.   No sign at all of spots from the USA, and I feel this is unlikely to happen.

UPDATE 1556z:  Still no sign of USA spots here on 10m.  Still transmitting, ever hopeful.  Only 39 stations are shown on WSPRnet as being active in the world. We need a few more!

UPDATE 1955z:  This is another day without any spots from stations in the USA. No USA spots at all and only one station other than locals all day. Will be going QRT on 10m WSPR quite soon.

Sunspots and 10m - Friday April 17th 2015

Sunspot number is 85 (K=4) today and 10m propagation is expected to be "fair". Based on yesterday, I am not expecting my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon to be spotted by USA stations today. But, as always, 10m may surprise us!

So far this morning local G4IKZ (18km) and just one spot of my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon from 4X4TAU (3564km) not long ago. No further DX spots reported.

10m WSPR - quiet

EA8BVP (2986km) has just spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon, but apart from this only local G4IKZ (18km) copying me this morning.  In summary, 10m WSPR has been very quiet with no sign of what I'd call real DX. I think EA8BVP was F2 single-hop, but this could have been Es

UPDATE 1300z:  a few spots from EA8BVP, quite a lot from G4IKZ and nothing else, well so afra at least.

UPDATE 1532z:  A few Italians spotting me on 10m WSPR this afternoon. I think these were by Es. It is early in the season but 10m is probably the band with a good chance of catching early openings - 6m, 4m and 2m would be progressively later I think.  2m Es openings tend to be rare, whereas they are much more common on the lower frequencies.

UPDATE 1700z:  Still no sign of spots from stations in the USA on 10m WSPR. Somehow I think I shall not be copied in the USA today. If it does open, it will be a very short opening on 10m today. It looks like the good times of daily USA F2 10m openings have ended at least this spring. I am still hopeful of 10m USA openings in the autumn. This year I must not forget the CQWW SSB contest in late October!

Sunspots and 10m propagation - Thursday April 16th 2015

Sunspot count has dropped back to 85 (K=5) and 10m propagation is expected to be "fair" today. So far, just local G4IKZ (18km) spotting my 500mW WSPR on 10m.  Things feel subdued on 10m.  I am not expecting to be spotted in the USA on 10 today.

10m USA - not today, well not yet at least

It is now 1648z and there is no sign of 10m opening to the USA and my 500mW WSPR beacon being spotted. Of course, it is possible the band may open to the USA later, briefly. Local M0MVB (30km) was spotted several times this afternoon.

UPDATE 1945z:  No sign of 10m WSPR spots today of my 500mW beacon.  It is now getting quite late so it is very unlikely my 10m WSPR beacon will be spotted across the Atlantic this evening. Just in case, I am wrong (and I frequently am wrong!) I'll leave the 10m beacon running. I may QSY from 6m to 630m though on the other rig.

6m WSPR - no luck today so far

6m WSPR has again been a disappointment. No spots given or received so far today on the 6m band.  F2 propagation is, so far, absent for me even on 10m, so I guess the only hope on 6m is some Es (unlikely) and tropo/aircraft reflection.  I shall probably stick on 10m and 6m for the rest of the day whatever.  Es (if it occurs at all) is normally best around lunch and teatime, so rather too early in the day for this mode I guess anyway.

Lawns need cutting, so WSPR can run in the background.

UPDATE 1022z:  With just a handful of stations shown as active worldwide on 6m WSPR, I shall be lucky to see any 6m spots today!

UPDATE 1315z:  Still no 6m spots today.

UPDATE 1950z:  At last a 6m spot! My 1W ERP was spotted weakly by G6AVK (78km) about an hour ago. As the drift was quite high, this looks like tropo with aircraft reflection.

Sunspots and 10m propagation - Wed April 15th 2015

Sunspot number has climbed to 97(K=3) but 10m propagation is forecast to remain "fair" only.

UPDATE 0823z:  So far just local G4IKZ (18km) spotting me on 10m WSPR, but it is still very early. Obviously conditions are not right yet or my 500mW is too low.

UPDATE 1015z:  Still just G4IKZ spotting my 500mW 10m WSPR. WSPRnet shows 49 active stations worldwide on 10m WSPR.  Several would normally be in single hop F2 range.

UPDATE 1100z:  CT1JTQ (1843km) and EA8BVP (2986km) now spotting me on 10m.  Could be Es but probably single hop F2?

UPDATE 1312z:   Just G4IKZ for ages now on 10m WSPR.  I suspect CT1JTQ and EA8BVP may be Es?

USA 10m WSPR spots today

Well, 10m did open to the USA, but quite late with KD6RF (7547km) spotting my 500mW WSPR at 1730z. Since then, there have been a few others too.

UPDATE 2132z:   The last USA station to spot my 500mW 10m WSPR was KZ8C (6290km) at 1902z. This turned out to be a short-lived affair. Signal report was not bad at -19dB S/N but the opening just died to the USA. G4IKZ, CT1JTQ and EA8BVP have all spotted me since.

Sunspots and 10m propagation - Tuesday April 14th 2015

Sunspot number is 68 today (K=1) and 10m propagation is expected to be "fair". Not quite sure how 10m will be today.

UPDATE 1003z:  G4IKZ (18km) and EA8BVP (2986km) are the only stations spotting me on 10m this morning. I am still using my 500mW WSPR-AXE-CW 10m beacon. I have just switched from 630m to 6m on the FT817 and PC, running 10m and 6m together but on different rigs.

10m - no USA (yet) again but more Europeans by Es?

On 10m WSPR EA8BVP (2986km) has spotted me a few times.  In addition, spots from SA5 and OZ suggest more Es.  Still no sign of spots from the USA, well not as yet. I have doubts the 10m band will open to the USA at all today.

UPDATE 1926z:    Although the better stations in Europe are spotting USA stations on 10m, no-one has spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon today in the USA. Time is running out.

Sunspots and 10m propagation - Mon April 13th 2015

Sunspot number today is a respectable 64 (K=2) and 10m propagation is expected to be "fair". So far this morning on 10m WSPR, my 500mW beacon has been spotted by local G4IKZ (18km) only, although it is still early. 

If the 10m band is in "fair" condition, I'd expect a few real DX spots, as long as there are active stations! At the moment (0934z) there are only 29 stations active on 10m WSPR in the whole world according to WSPRnet.  I really do hope people stick with 10m when the going gets tough. On 6m lack of WSPR activity has been a real killer. I am sure WSPR will be an excellent tool for finding short 10m openings.

As I have said before, even at the depths of the solar minimum I have worked South Americans (greater than 11000km away) with real QRP SSB. If there are to be 10m openings then WSPR will find them.

UPDATE 1114z:  Still only local G4IKZ (18km) spotting me on 10m WSPR this morning. I think we are seeing the effects of fewer active stations on 10m now and the end of springtime conditions. I have serious doubts we'll see any USA spots today on 10m WSPR. However this is 10m and anything is possible!

10m Es already?

This lunchtime my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon was being spotted by stations in Austria and Italy.  As this is classic Es time (around lunch and teatime) I am wondering if this is Es (sporadic-E) propagation?

UPDATE 1448z:  I see that my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon has,also been copied by F5OWL (1110km) a couple of times. This make me thing we did have some 10m Es around lunchtime. Still no reports received today from outside Europe.

UPDATE 1734z:  Still no sign at all of any spots of me by USA stations. It is getting late now so the possibility is reducing. I was expecting to be copied in the USA today, but this is 10m and anything is possible!

Another quiet start on 10m WSPR

All morning it has been pretty quiet on 10m WSPR with just a single spot from 4X4TAU (3564km) at 0958z. The remainder of spots have been from a local G. Certainly quieter than I expected today.

Sunspots and 10m - Sunday April 12th 2015

Sunspot number has climbed again to 74 (K=1) and 10m propagation is expected to be "fair" today. Early 10m spots were from local G's - G4IKZ (18km) and G4KPX (14km). I have the feeling 10m will open to the USA this afternoon.

USA 10m WSPR spots??

Yet again, my 500mW 10m beacon is being copied by absolutely no-one in North America, or for that matter anywhere else at all!  Unless thinks improve I think this will be one of my worst days in months on 10m.  Of course, things could rapidly change on 10m and 6m, so definitely worthwhile sticking around longer on both bands awaiting some surprises.

Especially on 10m, I've found that whatever I forecast turns out to be rubbish!

Sunspots and 10m - April 11th 2015

Sunspot number is 34 today (K=4) and 10m propagation is expected to be "poor".

So far, on both 6m and 10m I have drawn a total blank with no-one copying me and me copying no-one too.

Late "on parade" today

Today our "London" grandchildren went home so I have only just turned on the 10m and 6m WSPR kit. It takes about 20-30 minutes for the 10m 500mW WSPR-AXE-CW beacon to fully settle from a cold start as the PA has to warm and the frequency of the reference stabilise. Both sets of WSPR kit were turned on at 1440z. The 10m beacon should have stabilised fully now. The 6m kit should also be warmed up fully now.

As said before the little ones take priority. They are still very very little and their innocence sadly will not be there to be enjoyed for ever. At the moment all our grandchildren are delightful. We are very very lucky.

10m - quiet day on WSPR

Today was the quietest day on 10m for some time. 4X4 and EA8 and just a single spot from FR4 was all to show today. As we approach summertime, I suspect such conditions will become more commonplace.

10m WSPR spots - all spots today! Things are getting tougher.