Brother here - 70cm contest missed. Now on 6m.

Back garden

For the last few days I have had my brother and his wife staying here from Devon, so last night I missed out on the 70cm UKAC contest. Today I am back on 6m. Sunspot count is 149 with "good" 20-30MHz propagation with a danger of blackouts. My brother and his wife have gone home today.

Brother trimming our front hedge

G4IKZ (18km) is back on 6m so I can tell that my 6m WSPR is getting out even without Es yet. Note the false (?) decodes +/-50Hz when I am very strong. Not sure whose end this is, but it is not operationally an issue.

Nick's 6m spots of my 1W ERP WSPR signal so far today.

First 1.5hrs on 6m today

6m so far on WSPR

Just semi-locals on 6m today so far.  Maybe there will be Es about later? My locals G4IKZ and G4KPX don't appear to be on 6m today.

UPDATE  1746z:  Just the semi-locals still all afternoon, with no sign of 6m Es here today, well not yet! Will 61km be my best DX today?

UPDATE  1754z:   Just a few minutes later on 6m WSPR and OZ7IT (853km) in JO65df square was booming in at -8dB S/N by Es.

UPDATE 2105z:   No further Es seen here this evening on 6m.

10m WSPR yesterday

10m unique WSPR spots yesterday

Quite a productive day on 10m yesterday with both Es and F-layer DX about. Best DX spot of my 2W was from FR1GZ on Reunion Is. and my best spot was of CX2ABP (11127km) in Montevideo, S.America who uses 5W.

This morning I have returned to 6m but G4IKZ, my faithful local reporter is not on!

10m DX

Did not go on this morning but this afternoon I decided to go on 10m rather than 6m.  Sunspot count is 144 and the 20-30MHz forecast "normal" so I was hoping for some F-layer propagation.

My hunch was right as I exchanged WSPR spots with FR1GZ at 1238/1240z. FR1GZ  is 9724km away on Reunion Is in the southern Indian Ocean. At 1330z CX2ABP (11127km) was spotted in Montevideo.  Both definitely F2 propagation.

UPDATE 1352z:  Now a couple of German stations by Es. Also a spot from IZ1034SWL. 10m tends to be more productive than 6m.

UPDATE 1613z:   No more F2 DX this afternoon (so far) but spots from Italy and Spain and I have spotted stations in Italy and Germany by Es. Will stick with 10m this evening to see what turns up.  More from S.America would not surprise me.

UPDATE 2000z:  CX2ABP has been spotted very many times this evening at up to -15dB S/N. I suspect he is currently on TX only as no spots in the other direction.

Evening Es on 6m

Just CN8LI (2113km) at 1724z at -6dB S/N this evening via 6m Es. Otherwise very quiet on 6m.  Most spots were by G4IKZ (18km) who has been spotting me all day. A few spots from G4KPX (14km) too.

Why I like WSPR

 These are some of the reasons I like WSPR mode:

• About 100 stations (or more) can co-habit in a 200Hz wide WSPR sub-band on each band, time and frequency sharing. In reality, usually far fewer stations on worldwide per band.
• Low power is all you need 1mW to 5W is quite fine. I tend to use 1-2W, but have been spotted at DX distances with a few mW. Some even use uW power levels!
• If there is an opening everyone has a fair chance (anyone can be spotted at great ranges)
• Simple antennas work. No need for beams on HF.
• Can monitor activity (your own and that of others) in the lounge by visiting website www.WSPRnet.org on any PC or tablet.
• Speaking not needed (saves my stroke damaged voice).
• Highly sensitive (12-14dB better than 12wpm CW?).
• Can do other things whilst WSPRing.
• Automatic - requires no manual intervention once running.
• Ideal for accurate comparative measurements (e.g antennas, rigs).
• Ideal for propagation experiments.  
• About QRSS10 equivalent.
• Works from VLF to UHF (watch stability on higher bands).
• A QRP man's dream mode.
• For 2-way QSOs use JT9-1 (about 2dB worse than WSPR).

Disadvantages:

• Needs accurate timing (usually sync'd to internet time).
• Need good frequency accuracy.
• Usually needs a PC (not always e.g Hans Summers Ultimate 3 and similar kits).
• Needs careful interfacing to rig to avoid loops and 50, 100Hz sidebands.

Download WSPR software at http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wspr.html .

First 6m Es today

Just exchanged WSPR spots around 1144z on 6m with CT1GVN (1798km) This is the first 6m Es seen here in a couple of days. Signals are strong both ways.

UPDATE 1251z:  Exchanging strong (Es) 6m WSPR spots with DL4MFC (916km). 9 spots exchanged so far by 1320z.

UPDATE 1304z:  Currently 44 WSPR stations active on 6m worldwide (same as active on 10m). 6m is a good band at this time of the year - Magic Band!

UPDATE 1422z:   No more 6m Es here since 1354z.  Probably will have to wait until teatime for more?

UPDATE 1655z:  Still no more 6m Es here since 1354z. 

VHF/UHF beacons

In the next few days I must continue my search to find out which beacons will be good propagation indicators. I am surprised how well some (long way away) beacons can be copied nearly all of the time.

Access to the shack will be more limited these next few days as I have to walk through the guest bedroom to get there and we have visitors staying. I have still to hear the GB3MCB 2m beacon in Cornwall and I am wondering if it is operational? By ow I would have expected the odd MS ping, at least.

I am looking forward to a more complete 70cm beacon network again. At the moment there are very few operational 70cm beacons in the UK. GB3UHF at Fairmile in Kent should be very useful when it becomes operational as I can peak the beams using the 2m GB3VHF beacon first.

During the last solar peak I remember copying a 6m beacon in NW Canada on just a whip antenna!

Sunspots and HF conditions

Today the sunspot count is 155 (good) but 20-30MHz conditions are expected to be poor. Mind you they were meant to be poor yesterday yet CX2ABP was a decent signal on 10m WSPR last evening.

So far this morning 6m has been disappointing with just locals spotting me and no Es seen, as yet.  It was quiet on 6m yesterday , which was why I spent most of the day on 10m.

We are now in basically summertime conditions so we can expect F-layer DX to be mainly N-S with fewer E-W openings on 15, 12 and 10m. Of course Es livens the summer months and some quite exceptional DX is possible on rare days. This is one of the pleasures of summertime DXing, you can never be sure, even on 6m or even 4m. The latter is band I've rarely used.

Late return to 6m tonight

After 10m, I have returned to 6m hoping for some GDX or even very late Es. However, it looks like I am the only G station transmitting WSPR so I am unlikely to copy any GDX unless a few more G stations come on. I shall leave the kit running so we'll see who copies me. In some evenings I have copied Gs to around 200km away by a mix of tropo and aircraft reflection when Doppler is favourable.

UPDATE  2214z: G4IKZ copying me still, but no-one else so far.

UPDATE 1135z (next day): G4IKZ(18km) and G4KPX (14km) only spotting me this morning. No GDX, No Es.