Chinese X108 QRP transceiver can now be ordered

G1KQH has told me that the 9-band multmode transceiver, the X108 from China, can now be ordered on-line.

http://www.wouxun.us/item.php?item_id=346&category_id=65

Personally, I'd prefer the FT817 but, even with shipping to the UK, taxes and duty , the price is attractive, even if the product looks rather ugly (to me). It still looks "back shed" design to me. Personally I'd rather wait until the Chinese are really there with their designs. Others may disagree, but the industrial design of this product certainly lets it down.

Also, this is a kit, but with very little soldering.

10m - very early F2 propagation

FR1GZ (9724km) was being spotted on 10m WSPR as early as 0614z, which is very early. I have already seen him 3 times with the last one (so far) at 0738z.  He has not spotted me yet, although I am running less power (2W rather than 5W).

G8JNJ/A (184km) has been seen a couple of times (0018z and 0828z) for good 10m GDX with low Doppler.  
G7EOB   (76km) was also spotted with -2Hz Doppler (planes?) at 0518z, again 10m.

Sunspot count today is 52 and 20-30MHz conditions described as "normal".

UPDATE 1055z:  No more F2 DX since breakfast time, just Spanish and Italian stations on 10m Es and  G8JNJ/A at 1014z (184km with 1Hz Doppler).

10m WSPR and Es

When 10m is in good Es shape it is really easy to work all around Europe and further sometimes. With WSPR (some 12-14dB better than CW) it is even easier. At the moment I QSYed to 10m WSPR for a change from 6m where I was copying and being copied by the same stations.

1000 visits a day

This blog seems to receive an average of around 1000 visits a day. Sometimes it is less if I've not had much to say. I thank you all for your continued interest.

It has not been easy of late because of my stroke and the fact that (presently) I am doing far less building than in the past because of my poor health. I hope to be back to near normal health again soon (later this year?) with a similar level of experimentation as in earlier years. Right now, I'm still too wobbly to solder and climb ladders. People have been very kind. My voice is still poor so digital modes are best e.g WSPR, JT65 and  JT9.

For now, I write about what I can still do and the things that interest me. I hope you stick with me until the sun shines fully in my life again. At the moment it seems to be hiding in the clouds.

10m WSPR results so far today

These are the unique reports sent and received on 10m WSPR today. In most cases there were multiple reports each way and this list shows these just once. In all, a widespread Es opening on 10m plus some useful distances on GDX signals.

10m WSPR unique reports today

Currently HB9JOI (835km) is coming in here on 10m WSPR at a colossal +12dB S/N signal with 2W, stronger than the locals! Such is Es when the skip is just right.

UPDATE 1840z: IK1WVQ is coming through at -2dB S/N which is also big.

UPDATE 1845z:  Best 10m DX here today is still a spot from EA1KV (1304km). This is far less than on 6m.

SAQ - historic 17.2kHz CW transmission this Sunday.

A reminder that the historic alternator TX on 17.2kHz VLF will be sending a message this Sunday twice. They usually QSL via the amateur QSL bureaus. See http://alexander.n.se/in-english/saq-transmission/ for more details of this and other transmissions.

Some years ago I copied the transmission, QSLed and am the proud owner of one of their QSL cards. It is not hard to copy in Europe unless you have local noise problems. A small tuned loop is all the antenna needed. There are even a software receiver available free on the net capable of receiving the transmissions with a suitable antenna connected to the PC. The SM6LKM software receiver is excellent and covers 0-22kHz. It makes a very useful VLF receiver. I describe it on my YouTube Channel G3XBM.  See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDxRhQYg7lQ.

QSYed down to 10m WSPR

In view of the quiet conditions on 6m, I have moved down to 10m WSPR instead just after 1330z. EA1KV (1304km) has spotted me 4 times already at good strength by Es. I am really hoping for some F2-layer DX but conditions don't look too favourable today.

EA1KV was spotted by me at 1414z at -3dB  S/N. Very strongly. I also spotted him at 1422z.  No other Es stations yet seen on 10m. No locals or GDX either.

UPDATE 1512z:   EA5CYA recently spotted by me. 10m is open to Spain at least. PA0O also spotted at 440km. Wondering if this is Es? Very short skip if it is. Doesn't look like tropo or aircraft.

UPDATE 1535z:  V53ARC is being spotted at good strength by DK6UG, so there is F2 propagation N-S on 10m today. I wonder if I'll see him here later?

UPDATE 1609z: EA1KV, DJ3LE (100mW) and PA0O all being spotted. This looks like a widespread EU Es opening on 10m. Still no sign of V53ARC here (yet) from Namibia.

UPDATE 1642z:  Just spotted (and been spotted by) M0MVB (30km) for my first "local" on 10m. With 3Hz Doppler on his signal, it is pretty likely planes were involved. Interestingly, there was zero Doppler on my signal with him.

6m Es - path to CN8LI again open

My first Es copy by CN8LI (2113km) today on WSPR was at 1124z this morning when he gave me a strong -12dB S/N report. I suspect we'll exchange lots more spots later by Es.

Sunspot count today is a modest 37 and 20-30MHz propagation forecast to be "fair" only. There may be some F2  propagation on 10m later, but probably not today.

Most 6m spots so far are from local G4IKZ (18km) and a few from G0OQK (98km - last spot 0846z 0dB Doppler). Still not certain if G0OQK is copyable by tropo without the presence of planes. I suspect not, but would be happier if I could receive G0OQK by tropo alone.

At the times of writing, there are only 31 station active on 6m WSPR in the entire world. There are even fewer on 10m (29). These are very low indeed in my view.

UPDATE 1320z:   No more reports from CN8LI since 1124z.

More lightning maps

In an earlier blog post comment, a reader pointed out that on the latest version of these maps there is more detail: the maps show where the lightning flashes are being detected, so giving an idea of intensity.  See http://www.blitzortung.org/Webpages/index.php?lang=en. These maps really tell you a lot. It shows no thunder or lightning at present in the UK. Over the Alps it is still intense and now in Russia as well.

G0LRD tells me this data is also available on the maps I linked to if "stations" are selected.

6m - overnight

Just resync'd the internet clock and will leave WSPR running on 6m overnight looking for very long distance, multi-hop Es (ever hopeful), GDX and near continentals by tropo or aircraft reflections. Just got to hope the software does not stop working on my Win 8.1 machine in the middle of the night!

There is some debate about tropo versus aircraft reflection on 6m. David G0LRD is of the view that most of my 6m WSPR GDX is tropo, whereas I feel it is because of aircraft reflection, but only when the Doppler is low enough. Sometimes you have to wait hours and hours for  this.

I'd much prefer it if these relatively long (for me) GDX paths were pure tropo, but feel the evidence points to aircraft reflections. The debate and evidence gathering continues, HI.