6m - after the storms

I reconnected the V2000 vertical antenna and rigs just before 1500z today as the storms have passed through and gone for now.

No Es seen yet but G8EPA (61km) is my most distant WSPR spotter in this session. Doppler/drift was low at -1Hz so this is probably direct tropo and not (necessarily) involving planes but I cannot be sure. In the other direction I can check his traces on my WSPR software. With WSPRnet I can see Doppler (or drift) on  my signal but cannot tell if the software at the far end is trying to cope with multiple traces as commonly seen with airplanes.

G0OQK (98km) has been spotted a couple of times this late afternoon at around -21dB S/N.

6m - G0OQK (98km) Saturday WSPR

G0OQK (98km) was on 6m TX again this morning. This is the first transmission I copied from Nick, with clear evidence of aircraft Doppler (see at least 2 traces).

6m - G0OQK with aircraft Doppler - June 28th 20014

6m - G0OQK and aircraft

G0OQK (98km) is coming in here regularly today on 6m WSPR. Looking at his traces on my WSPR screen, there is clear evidence of airplane involvement:  most 2 minute transmissions appear with 2 or 3 Doppler shifted lines, suggesting planes along/crossing the path between us.

What I cannot be 100% certain of is if the path would "work" without airplanes As all successful decodes seem to be when there is evidence of planes, I think the path is only possible when there are planes, but honestly I am still unsure.

The last decode at 1124z had drift (probably Doppler) of 3Hz, which is a lot. Sometimes the drift/Doppler was 0Hz. So far this morning Nick G0OQK has been seen 9 times. The other Nick G4IKZ (18km) has seen me countless times, but he is very local.

Interestingly, G4IKZ had 0Hz Doppler/drift on all his spots overnight of G0OQK. The distance is 83km with crossed polarisation (I think).  Perhaps this is evidence of pure tropo? At night few/no planes etc..

G0OQK by pure tropo?

The most recent transmission from Nick G0OQK (98km) was at 1854z. Unlike earlier transmissions this was received as a single straight line on the WSPR software screen with not even a hint of aircraft reflections. I wonder if this was pure tropo?  His signal strength was -20dB S/N.

The alternative explanation is this was just a single plane flying in such a direction that there was no Doppler on the signal. I think this means a plane exactly crossing the path between us. I need to dig out that software G3WKW mentioned to see when planes are optimally placed. A reminder it was http://www.airscout.eu.

6m WSPR - G0OQK spotted (with Doppler) and CN8LI

For the first time G0OQK (98km) has been on TX so this was my chance to see if reception here was pure tropo or aircraft assisted.

Well, looking at his last traces here I can see 2 or 3 traces in each 2 minute burst suggesting reflection from planes. This is far cleaner than I've seen some stations. I guess it says something about the flight paths.  WSPR seems to  decode the transmission with little Doppler, but there is little doubt that Nick's 2W to a V2000 is helped by aircraft reflection. Of course, being in the Chilterns I wonder if it is reflections from gliders?

This suggests almost all (or all?) 6m GDX signals copied here are aided by aircraft reflection and few/none are traditional tropo. For more local stations most signals are tropo but even over 25km paths people frequently see Doppler from aircraft on my traces. I guess it depends whether the direct path, or aircraft reflected path, dominates? For locals, the direct (tropo) path usually dominates.

UPDATE 1510z:  No 6m Es here so far today and just a couple of spots received  of G0OQK (98km).  I noticed more traces of Nick than proper decodes, either Doppler wrong or MS pings too short.

UPDATE 1516z:  My WSPR software decided to close on its own this afternoon (Win 8.1 issue with updates) so I have resync'd the internet clock and restarted the WSPR software. It is now working OK as G4IKZ is spotting me at 1506z. Seeing 50Hz sidebands on the very strong reports from this Nick. Not sure if it is his issue or mine. Not really worried as it only appears, sometimes, on strong signals.

UPDATE 1532z:  I spoke too soon as CN8LI (2113km) spotted me at 1516z just after I spotted G4FFC (45km). There is Es about today.

6m - G0OQK consistent signal reports

Nick G0OQK is 98km away in the Chilterns (IO91pp) and he has spotted my 1W ERP 6m signal countless times today. Doppler is very low so I am wondering if this is tropo (generally) NOT involving aircraft? In the next few days Nick will be on TX so I can check here for a lack of multiple traces on the WSPR screen. If there are lots of traces on his signal it will suggest aircraft reflections.  If (usually) just a weakish single trace it will suggest tropo.

UPDATE 2250z:  No more Es reports from CN8LI since 1918z.  Unless things suddenly change, I think the Es here has ended for the day.