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| 6m - G0OQK with aircraft Doppler - June 28th 20014 |
28 Jun 2014
6m - G0OQK (98km) Saturday WSPR
G0OQK (98km) was on 6m TX again this morning. This is the first transmission I copied from Nick, with clear evidence of aircraft Doppler (see at least 2 traces).
In the shack
This is a photo of me in the shack just before lunch today. Since lunch, I have had to disconnect everything because of an approaching lightning storm. At the last count (flashes to thunder) it was about 2km away but I think the storm is now moving away.
For storm maps see http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en . The storm seems to have moved off: I can still hear thunder (to the east) but no nearby lightning. We have heavy rain, which will do the garden good.
Just a moment ago there was a flash and thunder almost overhead. This showed up on the lightning map. Storms still rolling around. I shall not reconnect the antennas and radio gear for a while yet.
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| G3XBM in the shack today |
Just a moment ago there was a flash and thunder almost overhead. This showed up on the lightning map. Storms still rolling around. I shall not reconnect the antennas and radio gear for a while yet.
27 Jun 2014
Maplin sold
That font of all knowledge :-) Steve G1KQH has just informed me that Maplin has changed hands for £85M. Although not a frequent customer, I do use their shop in the Beehive Centre, Cambridge.
See http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
Not sure what it will mean for the business. One of the two stores in Cambridge is always busy, the other less so. Maybe less profitable shops will close? A bit like Jessops?
Not sure if they still sell them,but I used to buy their small aluminium boxes for QRP projects.
See http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
Not sure what it will mean for the business. One of the two stores in Cambridge is always busy, the other less so. Maybe less profitable shops will close? A bit like Jessops?
Not sure if they still sell them,but I used to buy their small aluminium boxes for QRP projects.
Storms stop play, again
As of mid-afternoon I have gone QRT on all bands, disconnected antennas and turned off all rigs because of the threat of storms. These are also forecast tomorrow. It is a pity, but I believe a wise precaution.
There will be plenty of opportunities to chase Es and GDX on 6m and 10m.
On 2m I was again beacon hunting: there is one heading that allows me to hear (by ear) the GB3VHF, ON0VHF and PI7CIS beacons. I need to look again for the Cornish 2m beacon. Last time I searched I could not find it even on MS pings and I was wondering it was off the air? This search will have to wait until the threat of storms has passed.
For lightning maps: http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en . This shows storms steadily crossing this region.
UPDATE 1910z: It looks like the storms have bypassed our area today.
UPDATE 2030z: Another storm moving this way. May be here during the night? Will leave things disconnected.
There will be plenty of opportunities to chase Es and GDX on 6m and 10m.
On 2m I was again beacon hunting: there is one heading that allows me to hear (by ear) the GB3VHF, ON0VHF and PI7CIS beacons. I need to look again for the Cornish 2m beacon. Last time I searched I could not find it even on MS pings and I was wondering it was off the air? This search will have to wait until the threat of storms has passed.
For lightning maps: http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en . This shows storms steadily crossing this region.
UPDATE 1910z: It looks like the storms have bypassed our area today.
UPDATE 2030z: Another storm moving this way. May be here during the night? Will leave things disconnected.
A contigious 60m band?
OFCOM is consulting on the agenda items for the World Radio Conference WRC2015 which takes place November 2015. See http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/wrc15/ .
The proposal is to support moves to allocate 5250-5450kHz to the Amateur Service on a secondary basis. This would replace the messy channels currently available. I recommend you write to OFCOM to support this move, which would give us a new ham band at 60m - ideal as the current sunspot cycle declines.
If allocated, it could be a few years before available.
The proposal is to support moves to allocate 5250-5450kHz to the Amateur Service on a secondary basis. This would replace the messy channels currently available. I recommend you write to OFCOM to support this move, which would give us a new ham band at 60m - ideal as the current sunspot cycle declines.
If allocated, it could be a few years before available.
Cashback on Yaesu products
It doesn't surprise me but G1KQH has told me that Moonraker (and others?) is offering the FT817ND for just £459.95 after a Yaesu cashback deal. I paid £499 from MLS for cash a few months ago.
Based on the favourable change in exchange rate much lower prices should be expected soon. And, of course, the replacement for the FT817ND is nowhere to be seen.
BTW, I recommend you don't buy patch leads from Moonraker - the ones I bought were useless at both ends with intermittent joints. I guess they just buy these in, but it would be good if they actually checked some as well! All I am saying is Moonraker (and others?) should periodically do quality checks on products they sell. There really is no excuse in the 21st century for selling poor quality goods. I did complain to Moonraker who offered me money back or exchange. Exchange for the same quality? No thanks. Andrew G6ALB kindly replaced the coax connectors at both ends - a decent solution. I guess buying a rig from them is low risk. Patch leads? Definitely dodgy unless you know the supplier checks stock for quality.
Based on the favourable change in exchange rate much lower prices should be expected soon. And, of course, the replacement for the FT817ND is nowhere to be seen.
BTW, I recommend you don't buy patch leads from Moonraker - the ones I bought were useless at both ends with intermittent joints. I guess they just buy these in, but it would be good if they actually checked some as well! All I am saying is Moonraker (and others?) should periodically do quality checks on products they sell. There really is no excuse in the 21st century for selling poor quality goods. I did complain to Moonraker who offered me money back or exchange. Exchange for the same quality? No thanks. Andrew G6ALB kindly replaced the coax connectors at both ends - a decent solution. I guess buying a rig from them is low risk. Patch leads? Definitely dodgy unless you know the supplier checks stock for quality.
6m - G0OQK and aircraft
G0OQK (98km) is coming in here regularly today on 6m WSPR. Looking at his traces on my WSPR screen, there is clear evidence of airplane involvement: most 2 minute transmissions appear with 2 or 3 Doppler shifted lines, suggesting planes along/crossing the path between us.
What I cannot be 100% certain of is if the path would "work" without airplanes As all successful decodes seem to be when there is evidence of planes, I think the path is only possible when there are planes, but honestly I am still unsure.
The last decode at 1124z had drift (probably Doppler) of 3Hz, which is a lot. Sometimes the drift/Doppler was 0Hz. So far this morning Nick G0OQK has been seen 9 times. The other Nick G4IKZ (18km) has seen me countless times, but he is very local.
Interestingly, G4IKZ had 0Hz Doppler/drift on all his spots overnight of G0OQK. The distance is 83km with crossed polarisation (I think). Perhaps this is evidence of pure tropo? At night few/no planes etc..
What I cannot be 100% certain of is if the path would "work" without airplanes As all successful decodes seem to be when there is evidence of planes, I think the path is only possible when there are planes, but honestly I am still unsure.
The last decode at 1124z had drift (probably Doppler) of 3Hz, which is a lot. Sometimes the drift/Doppler was 0Hz. So far this morning Nick G0OQK has been seen 9 times. The other Nick G4IKZ (18km) has seen me countless times, but he is very local.
Interestingly, G4IKZ had 0Hz Doppler/drift on all his spots overnight of G0OQK. The distance is 83km with crossed polarisation (I think). Perhaps this is evidence of pure tropo? At night few/no planes etc..
10m, then 6m, WSPR
Overnight, I remained on 10m but the only spots were by Es were from Norway, France, Spain and Germany plus G4KPX( local). No Es "super DX" here sadly!
At around 0904z I moved back up to 6m WSPR. with 1W ERP. G0OQK (98km) was spotted 3 times (so far) with moderate drift or Doppler , G4IKZ (18km) was spotting me at good strength and OH7AI (2000km) spotting me by Es at 0928z at -21dB S/N for the best DX so far today.
Sunspot count is 72 and 20-30MHz propagation "normal" so I'd expect F2 DX N-S today on 10m.
At around 0904z I moved back up to 6m WSPR. with 1W ERP. G0OQK (98km) was spotted 3 times (so far) with moderate drift or Doppler , G4IKZ (18km) was spotting me at good strength and OH7AI (2000km) spotting me by Es at 0928z at -21dB S/N for the best DX so far today.
Sunspot count is 72 and 20-30MHz propagation "normal" so I'd expect F2 DX N-S today on 10m.
26 Jun 2014
G0OQK - 6m WSPR GDX via planes
G0OQK (98km) has just spotted me on 6m WSPR with a large 4Hz Doppler, suggesting reflection/scatter from aircraft somewhere along the path. I am surprised that the software decoded with this much Doppler. My signal was not strong at -28dB S/N.
I hope G0OQK comes on TX again soon as I'd like to see his trace on my software to see if he can be decoded by pure tropo. It seems to me that planes have to be around for the path to "work" and even then the Doppler has to be low enough, ideally much lower than 4Hz. There was a successful decode of G0OQK on 6m a few days ago with 0Hz Doppler but I think that was an aircraft crossing our path and not pure tropo. I'd like to think the path between us can be worked without the help of planes.
UPDATE 1750z: Apart from a single spot of me by G0OQK, all recent 6m WSPR spots have been by local G4IKZ (18km). I may go back to 10m.
UPDATE 1840z: Returned to 10m but it is very quiet with no Es, no GDX and no locals being copied on WSPR. Earlier JT65 attempts on 10m (called CQ) were no good. I had success with JT9-1 on 20m.
UPDATE 2112z: 10m "woke up" briefly here at 2012z with an Es opening to OE3ODW. Just a couple of 2 minute WSPR slots and he was gone.
As G0LRD has pointed out, drift on 6m (and higher) is as likely to be TX drift as aircraft reflection. Looking for multiple lines in any 2 minute slot is the only sure way to know if there was Doppler, and this only works with several planes with differing Doppler shifts. What we can never know is if a single line, drifting maybe, is TX drift on a direct (tropo) path or aircraft reflection.
I hope G0OQK comes on TX again soon as I'd like to see his trace on my software to see if he can be decoded by pure tropo. It seems to me that planes have to be around for the path to "work" and even then the Doppler has to be low enough, ideally much lower than 4Hz. There was a successful decode of G0OQK on 6m a few days ago with 0Hz Doppler but I think that was an aircraft crossing our path and not pure tropo. I'd like to think the path between us can be worked without the help of planes.
UPDATE 1750z: Apart from a single spot of me by G0OQK, all recent 6m WSPR spots have been by local G4IKZ (18km). I may go back to 10m.
UPDATE 1840z: Returned to 10m but it is very quiet with no Es, no GDX and no locals being copied on WSPR. Earlier JT65 attempts on 10m (called CQ) were no good. I had success with JT9-1 on 20m.
UPDATE 2112z: 10m "woke up" briefly here at 2012z with an Es opening to OE3ODW. Just a couple of 2 minute WSPR slots and he was gone.
As G0LRD has pointed out, drift on 6m (and higher) is as likely to be TX drift as aircraft reflection. Looking for multiple lines in any 2 minute slot is the only sure way to know if there was Doppler, and this only works with several planes with differing Doppler shifts. What we can never know is if a single line, drifting maybe, is TX drift on a direct (tropo) path or aircraft reflection.
JT9 QSO
As my vocal chords are still not right, I am trying to limit myself to digital (keyboard) modes like WSPR, JT65 and JT9. This afternoon I worked SV1BHF on JT9 on 20m when using 5W. No great DX but I see from PSK reporter I was copied in the USA as well. CQs by me on 10m and 6m in JT65 went unanswered. I have now gone back to 6m WSPR.
We had our 3rd Virgin Media broadband outage this afternoon. I reported it (someone already had) and it was quickly fixed (under 3 hrs) but it is annoying when it happens. Still, the broadband is fast now with claimed speeds up to 50MB. Even over wi-fi it was almost 30MB, so can't complain.
We had our 3rd Virgin Media broadband outage this afternoon. I reported it (someone already had) and it was quickly fixed (under 3 hrs) but it is annoying when it happens. Still, the broadband is fast now with claimed speeds up to 50MB. Even over wi-fi it was almost 30MB, so can't complain.
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