It is that time of year when 6m opens from Europe to Japan on 6m. This morning I see that Spanish stations are calling JA on 6m JT65. This path opens every year on 6m around this time. The conventional view is this is multi-hop Es. Sorry, but I don't go for this. It may have something to do with E layer ionisation as a result of noctilucent clouds?
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/noctilucent .
5 Jun 2017
4 Jun 2017
20m? No, 6m!!
The photo shows the results so far on 6m JT65. It looks more like 20m, but this was 6m VHF today. Quite amazing conditions. And my antenna is a humble V2000 omni vertical fed with lossy CB coax.
UPDATE 2018z: WA1EAZ (5274km) in the USA was the first USA station spotted on the band here this year.
10m WSPR TX
The 500mW WSPR beacon has been running all day. Lots of European Es spots (see photo of the unique stations so far), although no reports from further afield.
UPDATE 1702z: So far, 20 unique stations spotting me on 10m WSPR with best DX 1734km
QRP and QRP Club
Oleg's usual update:
Dear Club 72 members and friends,
Weekly QRP Rendez-Vous Report (June, 4, 2017) Visitors of the week: UF6V/UA1CEX, US5ERQ, OH6NPV, UR0ET, RU3NJC, SM7RYR, US3EN, EW6FA, RV3GM, DK1HW, HB9DAX, IK2RGV, IK5SRD, ON6WJ/p, EA2EFI, UR5IFM, R1CAF, UA4NU, UY1IF, R1CAN New Visitor - EW6FA, Victor you are welcome to QRP Rendez-Vous round tables! See full Visitors and Frequenters lists on the Club 72 web page, please. Comments... see full version of the WQR Report including pictures on the blog page - http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/ Thanks all for comments and pictures! See you on the next QRP Rendez-Vous! 72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72" This is a periodic Newsletter of the Club 72. Don't reply to Newsletter address! Send any requests or news to mr72@club72.su please. |
Sunspots and 10m - Sunday 4th June 2017
Solar flux is 77 today and the sunspot number is 22. A=9 and K=1. Both 10m and 6m are alive with Es.
Re-installed WSJT-X V1.7
My version of this program started to do odd things, so I deleted it and re-installed it.
Currently I am on 6m JT65 (beacon mode transceiver, 1W ERP) and 10m WSPR (500mW, 100% TX using the stand-alone beacon).
UPDATE 1522z: Best DX on 6m JT65 RX is TY2AC (5109km) in Benin, W.Africa and 3J3AGK (7646km) in China.
Currently I am on 6m JT65 (beacon mode transceiver, 1W ERP) and 10m WSPR (500mW, 100% TX using the stand-alone beacon).
UPDATE 1522z: Best DX on 6m JT65 RX is TY2AC (5109km) in Benin, W.Africa and 3J3AGK (7646km) in China.
3 Jun 2017
No storm risk
As the nearest storms are a long way away, I think I'll leave my 10m WSPR TX and 6m JT65 transceive running overnight.
See https://www.lightningmaps.org/?lang=en#y=52.2238;x=-4.5678;z=5;t=3;m=sat;r=0;s=0;o=0;b=0.00;n=0;d=2;dl=2;dc=0;
UPDATE 2135z: With nothing great happening I have decided to turn things off and save the electricity. I know, in the morning someone will tell me I missed the best transatlantic 6m conditions in years!
See https://www.lightningmaps.org/?lang=en#y=52.2238;x=-4.5678;z=5;t=3;m=sat;r=0;s=0;o=0;b=0.00;n=0;d=2;dl=2;dc=0;
UPDATE 2135z: With nothing great happening I have decided to turn things off and save the electricity. I know, in the morning someone will tell me I missed the best transatlantic 6m conditions in years!
WSPR versus JT65
For the last couple of years I have been comparing WSPR versus JT65 on 10m and 6m. Theoretically, WSPR is a little better, but I seem to get much better results with JT65. Maybe it is because the TX period on JT65 is shorter, so transient openings are seen? Maybe there is more JT65 activity?
With my little 500mW 10m W5OLF WSPR beacon, I can be on 10m WSPR TX whilst using the shack PC and FT817 for 6m JT65. These use different antennas.
I really ought to try PSK31 too. Later!
UPDATE 1758z: Today on 10m WSPR no spots at all. On 6m JT65 plenty of Es spots given and received. Best DX on 6m JT65 RX was 4X4DK (3582km).
With my little 500mW 10m W5OLF WSPR beacon, I can be on 10m WSPR TX whilst using the shack PC and FT817 for 6m JT65. These use different antennas.
I really ought to try PSK31 too. Later!
UPDATE 1758z: Today on 10m WSPR no spots at all. On 6m JT65 plenty of Es spots given and received. Best DX on 6m JT65 RX was 4X4DK (3582km).
Manchester Terror Attack - NOT amateur radio
Sadly Manchester was the centre of a terrorist attack which killed 22 and injured many more, mainly children and young girls. It was a pointless, evil act, carried out by someone who could not care less about those he injured or killed. My wife's nephew knew one of the victims, so the pointlessness of this evil act hit us on a personal level. Look, evil in the form of terrorism will never, ever win. As for vestal virgins awaiting the perpetrators in Heaven, I think the very opposite awaits!
See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-40141450 .
See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-40141450 .
"Real" DX on 6m
At the moment, F2 worldwide 6m DX is rare and we rely on Es to get decent ranges. Es tends to peak in the late spring and summer. "Real" DX, by which I mean ranges well in excess of normal Es ranges, seems to occur when Es is good, although I am not a great believer these are due to multi-hop Es. OK, some might be, but I think some of the distances suggest some kind of chordal hop Es. I am frequently wrong!
UK to Israel even with my poor antenna and lossy coax and QRP every summer for several years? Also, occasional reception at much greater ranges on 6m?
I'd be interested to hear your views, especially from real experts with far more knowledge than I'll ever have. These long distance Es paths have puzzled me for years. They do happen most seasons, if not all Es seasons.
UK to Israel even with my poor antenna and lossy coax and QRP every summer for several years? Also, occasional reception at much greater ranges on 6m?
I'd be interested to hear your views, especially from real experts with far more knowledge than I'll ever have. These long distance Es paths have puzzled me for years. They do happen most seasons, if not all Es seasons.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
