630m QRP WSPR overnight

Another average night on 630m 10mW ERP WSPR with 8 spots of me and no DX. 

10m 500uW WSPR (Wednesday)

10m QRPP WSPR  never fails to amaze me. Already today 19 spots of me by EA8BFK (2880km). It seems that if the band is "open", we have a pipe between us.

10m QRPP WSPR (Tuesday)

My 500uW 10m WSPR has been spotted (again) in the Canary Is by EA8BFK (2880km). He has spotted me on multiple occasions for days on end in the early morning. This is almost becoming routine and I have to pinch myself that he is so regularly copying my 500uW (0.5mW) beacon.

UPDATE 1519z: 37 spots of my 500uW 10m WSPR all by EA8BFK.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

Not a bad session with a little DX to Norway. I shall stick with it for longer!

630m QRP WSPR overnight

With 11 stations spotting my 10mW ERP 630m WSPR overnight, it was a mixed time. No real DX but a reasonable number of stations.

10m QRPP WSPR (Sunday)

Today I have high hopes for my 500uW 10m QRPP WSPR. So far, no spots.

Worst night on 630m QRP WSPR overnight

Last night was the worst I have experienced this season. Just 9 stations spotted me and no real DX.

Should I now move on?  Another week maybe.

Theory torn up? - more success with 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR today

Already today, EA8BFK (2880km) has spotted my 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR 24 times, even though A=12 and K=2. It is 1635z. According to my theory, I was not expecting spots today.

This afternoon, I was also spotted by a station in Russsia. I think it is at least 8 stations that have spotted my ultra-QRPP 10m WSPR.

The map shows the spots with 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR over the last few days. Who needs high power? 😀 The map is from WSPR Rocks by Phil VK7JJ.

8m WSPR RX (Thursday)

At present, I am monitoring 40.680MHz USB dial WSPR hoping to spot a station near Bedford or possibly some ON stations via tropo. No luck. 

UPDATE 1906z:  No spots.

10m 500uW WSPR (Thursday)

Although my QRPP beacon is on, no spots yet.  Conditions look quite promising. 

UPDATE 1430z: Many spots by EA8BFK (2880km) and a station in Greece. 

UPDATE 1904z:  Amazing day! 6 stations have spotted my 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR today. See map on WSPR Rocks by VK7JJ. When conditions are good this tiny power is enough.

No 630m overnight

 As I was sleeping at my son's house, I was not on 630m WSPR overnight. This is the first time I have not been TXing on the band for several months. 

I should be TXing on 630m WSPR tonight.

8m decision made - ISM rules!

After thinking hard, I have decided to try 8m WSPR with ISM rules and not apply for a new permit.

Starting in a few weeks I shall be on 40.680MHz WSPR TX with 10mW ERP following IR2030 rules. The WSPR offset is about 1500Hz HF.

In the meantime, I am monitoring 40.680MHz USB dial WSPR and hope to spot some stations by tropo before the Es season really starts.

500uW 10m WSPR (Wednesday)

Already, my QRPP  10m WSPR has been spotted multiple times (some very strongly) in the Canary Islands. It is quite possible that 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR may reach the USA this afternoon.

UPDATE 1910z:   Amazing.  54 spots of me by EA8BFK (2880km). One spot of my 500uW (0.5mW) was an incredible -9dB S/N. This implies he would still have copied me with very low microwatts.

630m QRP WSPR overnight

10 stations spotted my 630m WSPR QRP overnight. Slightly better than previous periods, but no real DX.

630m QRP WSPR (Tuesday)

Once again I am on 630m WSPR with my 10mW ERP. So far, 3 stations have spotted me.

10m QRPP WSPR

Although the sunspot number is 50, according to my predictions yesterday, I have a chance of DX spots on 10m 500uW WSPR today. Time will tell.

UPDATE 1224z:  No spots.

UPDATE 1932z:  26 spots of me today all from the Canary Is.. My theory seems correct. Some of these spots are very strong suggesting even lower power might well have worked. It is almost like a pipe between us.

630m QRP WSPR (Monday)

My 10mW ERP WSPR from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground was turned on about 1840z. After the first transmission, I was spotted by 3 stations.

VY0ERC 10m WSPR beacon

John's blog has a very good piece about this QRP 10m WSPR beacon high up in the Arctic. As John points out, this is a very high latitude and within the auroral zone, which can badly affect FT8 and WSPR signals.

John's blog is always interesting.

See https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/

10m 500uW WSPR (April 1st)

My 500uW 10m WSPR is on, but no spots by 1410z. 

UPDATE 1707z:   Unexpected spots by EA8BFK (2880km). Conditions were good, but not exceptional. I was honestly expecting today to pass with no spots of my 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR. I must see if there is a correlation between solar conditions and being spotted by DX stations on 10m WSPR with exceptionally low power.  My guess (unfounded) would be that this is possible only when conditions are exceptionally stable, although today rather puzzles me. Sadly, I am not great at Excel! I can use it basically, but can't do clever things with it.

UPDATE 1852z: EA8BFK (2880km) has spotted me again!

UPDATE  1900z: I have created a spreadsheet to see if I can discern any patterns.

UPDATE 1935z:  This is the last week with 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR.   Although this is just a few days, it suggests my best chances are when A and K are low.

Back to normal on 10m WSPR?

These last few days have resulted in some exceptional spots of my 500uW (0.5mW) 10m WSPR. Spots from the Canaries have been most days and I have been spotted in the USA by several stations in the last few days. Today, there are no spots at all, which I suspect is the norm. Perhaps I should try 10mW, which I suspect would be enough quite often.

UPDATE 2016z:   3 spots of my 500uW (0.5mW) by EA8BFK (2880km) today. I spoke too soon!