More 10m GDX, Es and F2

During the afternoon G4FFC (45km) and M0BOB (74km) were both copied on 10m WSPR. These are both outside local range and I would class these as GDX (just). Both show some Doppler so may be helped by aircraft reflection.

On F2 FR1GZ (9724km, Reunion Is) was being copied until 1512z, so good F2 propagation. I wonder if we'll see South Americans later?

Es disappeared (here) at 1404z but may return this teatime.

UPDATE 1740z:  EB3EPR (1248km) spotted me at 1736z and 1746z so Es is back (it is teatime!).

10m F2

FR1GZ (9734km, on Reunion Is, south Indian Ocean) is still coming through here on 10m WSPR at -27dB S/N at 1444z  and again at 1504z at -25dB S/N.  F2 propagation N-S is still there when HF conditions are good.

Sunspot count today is "only" 80 - a year from now this will sound amazingly high - although 20-30MHz conditions are forecast to be "good".

F2 on 6m is very rare except at high sunspot peaks and in latitudes nearer the equator. TEP involving F2 over the equator is more common, but it requires stations to be in the right places to work.  On 6m the paths from CN8 to FR1 were open by TEP this spring. Also 4X to FR1  and VK to JA.

On 10m TEP should be more frequent. Sometimes F2 links with Es further from the equator, allowing TEP to be extended to stations in higher latitudes.

WSPR software had stopped working

LB9YE on www;qrz.com

For about an hour my WSPR software was not working on 10m. It happened sometime between 1130z and 1230z. All is now fixed: the internet clock was resync'ed and the WSPR software closed and restarted.  I have no idea what I missed in that hour.   Pretty sure this is a Windows 8.1 issue as it never happened with the old XP PC before it died. It is not a big deal - one has just to keep an eye on things, which one should always be doing. Biggest issue is if this happens overnight. It has not yet.

UPDATE 1254z:  On 10m  LB9YE (1533km) is still being spotted (many times), as he was before the software crashed. Now also SI9AM (1503km at 1252z) - looks like a good Es opening to Scandinavia. LB9YE seems to be a very consistent signal today and last evening on 10m.\

UPDATE 1340z:  SI9AM still being spotted. 10m open to Scandinavia still.

G4DAY on 10m WSPR - GDX

G4DAY (142km) was again spotted at 1104z. It seems this sort of range is possible on 10m GDX. Doppler was a very large (4Hz) suggesting aircraft reflection or even back scatter?

G4DAY is using 10W and that may help. He was -24dB S/N with me, suggesting my signal (2W) would be buried in the noise at his end. WSPR usually decodes down to about -30dB S/N.

10m Es, F2 and GDX

On 10m G4DAY (142km) was copied twice in the early morning and again at 0940z.

Es has been plentiful this morning.   Looking at the WSPR screen earlier there was lots of MS about with several traces of intermittent (non decoding) signals on 10m WSPR, presumably UK or EU signals reflecting off meteor trails. Es so far includes DL6UG, DL6NL, EB3EPR, EA5CYA,  LB9YE and HB9JOI.

Also spotted FR1GZ (9724km) by F2 propagation at 1038z, 1122z and again at 1128z.

10m is a far more productive band than 6m. Interestingly, G4DAY (10W) was being spotted by Es several times in the night suggesting Es propagation was there but not good enough to allow my 2W to be decoded. For some Es and GDX it seems 10W helps.

Back to 10m (from 6m)

In the last few minutes I have moved back to 10m WSPR from 6m. On 6m I was still getting GDX spots but no Es. On 10m there is still Es about and already I have been spotted by SA6BSS (1059km) and am spotting LB9YE (1533km), decent DX across Europe.

I have reset the clock on internet time and will leave 10m running through the night. We'll see how early the first 10m Es and F2 start appearing, as long as the PC does not crash!

Sunspot count was 159 today (pretty good) with 20-30MHz propagation "normal". Let us hope tomorrow will be similar and we get some F2 propagation on 10m.

In praise of the FT817(ND) and QRP

FT817ND QRP transceiver

I have owned an FT817 practically since it was first released in the UK back in 2000. The FT817ND was bought this spring as a second QRP rig along with a Z817 auto-ATU.  The transceivers are mostly used at home. They are ideal for digital modes.

In my view, the FT817ND is the very best rig available. My FT817ND was just under 500 pounds for cash, brand new with 2 yrs warranty. The nearest rig (about 5 times larger!) was the FT7 10W radio which did not cover WARC bands, much of 10m , 6m, 2m or 70cm.

The FT817ND could be further improved in several ways but if 5W (or less) is all you need, then this is an excellent radio. The KX3 is no doubt a better radio but is far more expensive (here in the UK) and is less suited for home use in my view. For the price of one fully loaded KX3 you can buy two FT817ND's in the UK.

If you have never owned an FT817ND you don't know what you've been missing.

As a plug for QRP, going from 100W to 5W is about 2-3 S-points. So if 100W would have been 59 you'd still be 56 at least with 5W. What's all the fuss about high power? I have worked THE WORLD on SSB with just  2.5W to simple wire antennas (no beams!).

My FT817's have been used on VLF,  LF and MF with home-brew transverters and on all HF and VHF bands working some impressive DX.

There is a myth that QRP is "hard". Let me tell you that is rubbish. Sometimes power helps, but that is rare. Mostly QRP is just plain good fun - making the hobby all new again. The most I use these days is 5W, and more often far less. QRP is great fun.

Go for it!

6m Es teatime - CN8LI (Morocco) right on time!

1642z and CN8LI (2113km) has just spotted my 1W ERP again on 6m WSPR via Es. This is the teatime peak in Es - right on cue.

UPDATE 1736:  CN8LI has spotted me 5 times (so far) this teatime at up to -14dB S/N. That makes 7 times so far today. When the propagation is there, signals are often strong.  Doppler was -2Hz on his strongest report - moving Es clouds?  G8JNJ/A was spotting me (184km) at 1724z.

UPDATE 1940z:  CN8LI has been gone now since 1708z.  I think the Es has gone and just GDX currently. G0OQK is a new GDX spotter (I think) at 98km at 1846z. There have been so many GDX reports that I am forgetting which stations are new ones.

What is GDX?

This was a question I was asked earlier today. Someone thought it was an exotic digital mode. It is not.

GDX means "best DX in the UK" , nothing more.

If you live in the UK it is probably a phrase you know. If you live outside the UK then it may be a phrase you've maybe never heard of before or were too embarrassed to ask.

In the same way ODX means "best overall DX".

UPDATE 1545z:  Just 6m locals and GDX this afternoon. No Es here since CN8LI lunchtime.  May be more teatime?

Spotted by CN8LI (2113km) twice on 6m WSPR

CN8LI (2113km, Morocco) spotted my 1W ERP twice around 1200z today on 6m. This is the first real DX (Es presumably) today.

G4HBA (189km) is the best GDX so far today. He was spotted at -27dB S/N at 1138z when running 10W with 2Hz Doppler, so maybe some aircraft reflection?

Recent 6m WSPR spots today