4 May 2014
2008/2009 sunspots
Just looking back and I noticed a graph showing solar activity just 5-6 years ago. When conditions are pretty decent - as at present - it is hard to remember just how dire they were back then. We thought the minimum would never end - it went on for years and years with hardly any sunspots. Next time, around 2019/2020, the minimum may last for many years if we are indeed entering a Maunder minimum. It is possible hardly any sunspots will be present even at the next maximum. Only time will tell. Whatever happens we have to enjoy our bands in an appropriate way.
Early start on 10m WSPR
Switched on 10m WSPR at 0850z this morning.
There are a few EU stations (Spain and Italy) coming in by sporadic-E (Es) as well as FR1GZ (9724km) on Reunion Is in the Indian Ocean.
Sunspot count is 121 with 20-30MHz conditions described as "poor".
UPDATE 1130z: Puzzled why I was spotting lots of stations but no-one was spotting me, I realised I had my external LS output muted (doh!) so no modulation was being applied to the TX! When (easily) fixed I was immediately spotted on 10m by 4X1RF at a strong -5dB S/N on WSPR. What with precise frequency, clock and audio, there are a lot of things to set when running WSPR and similar modes.
UPDATE 1228z: No more spots until 4X1RF spotted me again at 1222z. Conditions do seem poor.
UPDATE 1508z: Mainly Israel and one report from Brazil, so far, on 10m WSPR.
UPDATE 1915z: Looks like we were lucky to see South American openings this afternoon and this evening (just been spotted by CX2ABP). A few Es signals in evidence now too. No sign of North Americans (yet) - maybe later?
UPDATE 2130z: All has gone quiet with 4X1RF last spotting me over 2 hours ago.
There are a few EU stations (Spain and Italy) coming in by sporadic-E (Es) as well as FR1GZ (9724km) on Reunion Is in the Indian Ocean.
Sunspot count is 121 with 20-30MHz conditions described as "poor".
UPDATE 1130z: Puzzled why I was spotting lots of stations but no-one was spotting me, I realised I had my external LS output muted (doh!) so no modulation was being applied to the TX! When (easily) fixed I was immediately spotted on 10m by 4X1RF at a strong -5dB S/N on WSPR. What with precise frequency, clock and audio, there are a lot of things to set when running WSPR and similar modes.
UPDATE 1228z: No more spots until 4X1RF spotted me again at 1222z. Conditions do seem poor.
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| Recent 10m WSPR spot |
UPDATE 1915z: Looks like we were lucky to see South American openings this afternoon and this evening (just been spotted by CX2ABP). A few Es signals in evidence now too. No sign of North Americans (yet) - maybe later?
UPDATE 2130z: All has gone quiet with 4X1RF last spotting me over 2 hours ago.
First 70cm beacon copied - 70cm PI7CIS
This morning, I managed to copy the 70cm beacon at PI7CIS (by ear) using my 5 ele yagi. On my FT817ND dial it was at 432.41536MHz, somewhat lower than the supposed frequency (432.416MHz) , as a result of RX drift at my end and thermal drift of the TX. I would guess it is at least 10dB down on the co-sited 2m beacon. Neither signals move the FT817ND's S-meter. As my first 70cm SSB/CW reception I was very pleased. Conditions may be marginally up in that direction, but not by very much.
It looks like this 70cm beacon is just below the noise floor here normally, so a slight lift is needed to detect it.
It looks like this 70cm beacon is just below the noise floor here normally, so a slight lift is needed to detect it.
3 May 2014
ON0VHF 2m beacon 144.418MHz
The 2m beacon ON0VHF seems to be copyable at all times at a distance of just over 350km. It is located just the far side of Brussels.
Imagine my surprise when I found out it is only running 15W to a single big wheel antenna with a gain of around just 3dBi. At one time I was considering a stacked pair of big wheel antennas here. In theory, properly phased, a pair of big wheels should give omni-directional horizontal gain of around 5dBd, which is similar to a small beam without having to turn it.
Imagine my surprise when I found out it is only running 15W to a single big wheel antenna with a gain of around just 3dBi. At one time I was considering a stacked pair of big wheel antennas here. In theory, properly phased, a pair of big wheels should give omni-directional horizontal gain of around 5dBd, which is similar to a small beam without having to turn it.
GB3ANG (Angus 2m beacon)
Have now turned the beam about 20 degrees further north and looking for GB3ANG. Unlike GB3NGI this one seems a little low in frequency, as if the stability is not as good. I have had 2 brief periods of copy and these may have been off an aircraft or by MS. This beacon is considerably weaker than the one in Northern Ireland and below the noise floor here. Being just below the noise floor means it will be a useful indicator of conditions to Scotland: if the beacon is audible it will suggest a lift in that direction.
10m - South America
At the moment I am spotting CX2ABP (11127km, 5W)) on 10m WSPR. The band is open(ing) to that part of the world, although there are no signs yet of North Americans. Maybe these stations will appear later? No other South Americans yet seen. Just 4X1RF (Israel) and DK6UG (Germany) around closer to home.
On 2m, beacon GB3NGI (530km) is still coming in here just above the noise - callsign and QTH locator can be copied. I have not listened for other beacons yet. Quite amazed the Northern Ireland beacon near Ballymena is so consistent here. I don't think conditions on 2m tropo are above average? Should I expect to copy some beacons at 530km regularly? Seems like this is a good one. Not sure about GB3ANG (near Dundee) yet - will have to beam further north to see.
Based on these 2m CW beacons, WSPR or JT9 at similar ranges should be possible for stations with even small beams. I did have a quick try on 10m JT9 (supposed to be just 2dB worse than WSPR but fully 2-way) but no stations seen. A 2W CQ brought no replies.
On 2m, beacon GB3NGI (530km) is still coming in here just above the noise - callsign and QTH locator can be copied. I have not listened for other beacons yet. Quite amazed the Northern Ireland beacon near Ballymena is so consistent here. I don't think conditions on 2m tropo are above average? Should I expect to copy some beacons at 530km regularly? Seems like this is a good one. Not sure about GB3ANG (near Dundee) yet - will have to beam further north to see.
Based on these 2m CW beacons, WSPR or JT9 at similar ranges should be possible for stations with even small beams. I did have a quick try on 10m JT9 (supposed to be just 2dB worse than WSPR but fully 2-way) but no stations seen. A 2W CQ brought no replies.
GB3NGI - there again today
A few moments ago I came into the shack to start 10m WSPR (immediately spotted by 4X1RF).
I turned on the other rig to 144.482MHz CW and the GB3NGI N.Ireland beacon (530km) was immediately copied and is still there keying away with callsign, QTH locator and a dash. Maybe this is audible more often than not? It may be GPS locked as the frequency is very accurate. Here it is spot on 144.482MHz dial.
Someone asked about the noise floor here on 2m. Well, currently I am lucky as on any beam heading man made noise is very low, not lifting the FT817ND's S-meter at all. For reasons I don't understand it is quieter here than at the old QTH which was on the village edge. Maybe the slightly greater distance from other houses is helping? I can hear the odd whistle as I tune through the beacon band. These are very weak though.
Back on 10m, nothing around yet apart from 4X1RF. Conditions 20-30MHz are meant to be "good". Not here as yet! On 10m WSPR RX only a few wispy traces, none decoded.
I turned on the other rig to 144.482MHz CW and the GB3NGI N.Ireland beacon (530km) was immediately copied and is still there keying away with callsign, QTH locator and a dash. Maybe this is audible more often than not? It may be GPS locked as the frequency is very accurate. Here it is spot on 144.482MHz dial.
Someone asked about the noise floor here on 2m. Well, currently I am lucky as on any beam heading man made noise is very low, not lifting the FT817ND's S-meter at all. For reasons I don't understand it is quieter here than at the old QTH which was on the village edge. Maybe the slightly greater distance from other houses is helping? I can hear the odd whistle as I tune through the beacon band. These are very weak though.
Back on 10m, nothing around yet apart from 4X1RF. Conditions 20-30MHz are meant to be "good". Not here as yet! On 10m WSPR RX only a few wispy traces, none decoded.
Ultimate 3 Beacon
So far today I have not yet been on the radios at all. No 10m WSPR, no 2m/70cm beacon hunting.
Later, if I feel well enough, I may make a start on my Ultimate 3 Beacon Kit. It would be good to get this running but I have been waiting until I felt a bit better (less giddy). Now is maybe the time? Perhaps I'll start on an easy board today.
Later, if I feel well enough, I may make a start on my Ultimate 3 Beacon Kit. It would be good to get this running but I have been waiting until I felt a bit better (less giddy). Now is maybe the time? Perhaps I'll start on an easy board today.
2 May 2014
2m - GB3NGI Ballymena beacon
This beacon is about 530km from me yet it appears to be on the edge of copy at all times - wait a few minutes and out of the noise pops the callsign and QTH locator. This appears to be a high powered beacon at an excellent site. Its 4 el beam aims towards England so is just about optimum. This is another useful propagation indicator and at a good distance too.
I am still in the process of finding out which 2m beacons are always there, which are usually below the noise floor and which ones can be expected to be copied in reasonable lifts. At the moment it looks like this:
GB3VHF (Kent) always there
ON0VHF (Belgium) always there
PI7CIS (Holland) always there
GB3NGI (N.Ireland) just below noise (peaks copied)
GB3ANG (Angus, Scotland) just below noise (peaks copied)
GB3MCB (Cornwall) below noise - not yet copied
Others - still TBA.
As a reminder, I am using a barefoot FT817ND with a 3 el 2m yagi (5m AGL) fed with 17m of low loss coax. My site is on top of our local"hill" (20m ASL) next to the windmill with a decent take-off in nearly every direction.
On 70cms SSB/CW I have still yet to hear anything - no beacons or stations yet, but I am still looking. The antenna is a 5 el with the same low-loss Westflex coax feeder.
I shall be active in the next 2m and 70cm UKAC contest sessions (next 2 Tuesday evenings) trying to find out how well the station works.
I am still in the process of finding out which 2m beacons are always there, which are usually below the noise floor and which ones can be expected to be copied in reasonable lifts. At the moment it looks like this:
GB3VHF (Kent) always there
ON0VHF (Belgium) always there
PI7CIS (Holland) always there
GB3NGI (N.Ireland) just below noise (peaks copied)
GB3ANG (Angus, Scotland) just below noise (peaks copied)
GB3MCB (Cornwall) below noise - not yet copied
Others - still TBA.
As a reminder, I am using a barefoot FT817ND with a 3 el 2m yagi (5m AGL) fed with 17m of low loss coax. My site is on top of our local"hill" (20m ASL) next to the windmill with a decent take-off in nearly every direction.
On 70cms SSB/CW I have still yet to hear anything - no beacons or stations yet, but I am still looking. The antenna is a 5 el with the same low-loss Westflex coax feeder.
I shall be active in the next 2m and 70cm UKAC contest sessions (next 2 Tuesday evenings) trying to find out how well the station works.
More 2m beacons
This morning (around 1100z) I positively identified - full calls and QTH locators by ear - GB3ANG (Angus,Scotland) and ON0VHF (144.418MHz, 350km - Belgium). As yet, I'm not sure if I can copy these in totally flat conditions, or not, but certainly ON0VHF is a very solid signal and is still there now hours later. It is weaker than the Kent VHF beacon, but not too much. This should be a very useful marginal signal.
Tuning through the beacons there are a lot of very weak carriers that are not beacons, so it is important to listen for callsigns and QTH locators to be sure of the beacon ID. I am still exploring beacons and beam headings, so it will be some time before I know what can be copied at any time on 2m. On 70cms I have hardly started looking.
UPDATE 1900z: ON0VHF is still audible, so I think this beacon will be a very good propagation indicator in that direction. Likewise PI7CIS (2m).
Tuning through the beacons there are a lot of very weak carriers that are not beacons, so it is important to listen for callsigns and QTH locators to be sure of the beacon ID. I am still exploring beacons and beam headings, so it will be some time before I know what can be copied at any time on 2m. On 70cms I have hardly started looking.
UPDATE 1900z: ON0VHF is still audible, so I think this beacon will be a very good propagation indicator in that direction. Likewise PI7CIS (2m).
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