6m Es - a good today

It has been a very good morning for 6m Es today with spots (both given and received) from across Europe and Morocco. SQ9SIM was spotted as early as 0742z and other reports continued throughout the morning.

It has also been good for GDX as well. G3WKW is the best so far at 134km  with low Doppler (-1Hz).

In all, a good day so far.

No 6m Es today?

Well, it is now 2010z and, so far today, not a single station copied here via Es today on 6m. Today must be a quiet day.

Luckily, GDX has been very good, making up for the lack of Es DX.

In my experience, if there are stations active on the band, either GDX or Es they will be heard, even with my indifferent V2000 vertical omni vertical antenna. As far as I know I am not missing much that is active.  Even my 1W ERP is being widely reported - Israel best so far this year with 8 WSPR reports of my 1W ERP signal.

6m - more GDX today

6m GDX has again been good today. M0EMM (192km), G4TZX (146km), G8ECI (122km),  G3XGS (65km),  G6AVK (78km) and G4VXE (136km) copied today. In all, quite a number of GDX stations either copying my 1W ERP or being copied here over the last few days.  Some of these are helped by aircraft but almost certainly copyable by plain tropo. I wonder if there has been a small lift on 6m tropo or if this is range under normal conditions?

Sunspot count is 56 and 20-30MHz propagation "normal".

6m Es and GDX

Well 6m "came good" today with Es to  IK1WVQ and CN8LI as well as GDX in the form of G8JNJ/A (184km) G4FFC (45km) and G4BRK (134km).  I get the feeling that daily Es is now more likely until later in the summer. Tonight I shall have to go QRT as we have thunder forecast, so I need to disconnect antennas. Today has been a good day on 6m.

It is interesting to see just how much variation there is on Es signals.  For example, my 1W ERP signal level with CN8LI varied by 27dB over lunchtime. Strongest was 0dB S/N and the weakest -27dB S/N.

GDX on 6m

During the day a few more G stations have been spotted on 6m WSPR as well as the great DX to CN8 and 4X.

As well as lots of spots from G4IPZ I have been spotted by G4KPX, G0LRD (all locals) and earlier this afternoon by G1IDZ in IO82tc at a distance of 183km. G1IDZ is real GDX at a great range. I would expect this station also had a vertical antenna?

6m GDX

Late evening yesterday and today I have returned to WSPR with 2W to the V2000 vertical on 50.293MHz WSPR. G4IKZ 18km west of me is monitoring with a Moxon antenna and despite polarisation differences gets a strong signal from me. G8EPA (61km) is about -22dB S/N with me. No other stations copied so far. Stations in Holland and Germany are too far for tropo and I have not seen any evidence (yet anyway) of wintertime Es on 6m. I keep hoping to copy some GDX from further afield.

UPDATE WED EVENING:  Having been on 6m ALL DAY LONG and only heard G8EPA  (61km)  I have QSYed back to 10m WSPR and intend to be on with 2W overnight and all tomorrow.

10m GDX and DX

After last evening when even 20m was dead as a dodo,10m WSPR was lively this morning both for GDX and DX. I suspect the GDX (184 and 121km) may have been back scatter although the Doppler (3Hz) suggests possible aircraft scatter. All the more surprising not to get G3WKW the other evening (134km). The DX exchange was with a DL station in the Canary Is (West Africa). This could be F layer or  winter Es.  Sunspot count 134. Later 4X1RF spotted me at just over 3500km. The first USA station (an N2) was seen at 1322z today (7088km). 10m looks in good shape today. It was still open (for me here) to the USA/Canada at 1728z. At the moment (1900) the WSPRnet database is down, so I cannot check if 10m is open to the USA for others.

10m WSPR until around 1300z today.

6m GDX?

I get G8EPA consistently at 61km on 6m WSPR at up to -15dB S/N. This rather suggests that >100km should be possible inter-G on QRP 6m WSPR with a little patience. Anyone out there willing to give it a try?

10m 134km GDX tests this evening

This evening G3WKW and I are trying to span 134km on 28MHz WSPR. I run 2W to a vertical and Bob runs a little more.  Despite Doppler and rig drift problems we managed the path (just) on 144MHz this week.  28MHz may be much weaker but with far less Doppler and rig drift. We shall see. With WSPR about 12-14dB better than CW we have the best chance.

UPDATE 2200z: Nothing at all seen since 1816 (USA) and 1824z (Es).  Will keep looking but not hopeful. No GDX seen at all.