FT817 drift on 6m

G0LRD compared spots of his signal from G4IKZ and from me and noticed greater drift on my reports than from Nick G4IKZ. I think Nick uses a K3 with GPS disciplined reference.

Although I have a loaned 0.5ppm TCXO fitted (thanks to Bob G3WKW). the issue may be drift as the rig cools going from TX to RX. There is definitely Doppler shift (and multiple traces) on most of the GDX  signals I copy, much of the apparent drift may, in reality, be in my rig. 0.5ppm is still 25Hz at 50MHz .

10m rigs

http://images.nevadaradio.co.uk/large/banners/Liberty-bannerV3.jpg

For WSPR, 5W or less is quite enough on 10m, even with my "compromise" 3 band PAR antenna. In the quiet years ahead, a bit more power would be helpful on SSB, AM, CW and FM.

I am now getting very tempted to buy a Lincoln President II (version 3) which can run up to 31W pep on SSB. Probably it would run far less most of the time. Nevada have reduced their price by £10 to £249.95, I hope that includes free delivery for cash.

This is a dedicated 10m radio, although it can also cover CB bands with a simple (but illegal) internal wire cut.  If I bought one, I would only use it on 10m only: I have no interest in CB.  I think the latest mods turn this into a good rig. On my original Lincoln President - sold years ago - some impressive DX was worked in quieter years even from the car on SSB. 

Yes, it is a glorified CB rig, but with some very useful features for amateur use and about half the price of the lowest cost amateur radio transceivers. There are other contenders too but these seem to have fewer useful features.

As my main interest (outside the 6m Es season) is 10m, this may be a wise buy.

6m - an excellent WSPR start today

PA0O (440km) is coming in well today, I suspect by Es rather than tropo, although skip would have to be very short, suggesting good 2m Es?

4X1RF (3519km) had already spotted my 1W ERP signal twice by 0828z, incredibly early. His spots remain my best DX reports this Es season. This is the 4th day he has copied me. I am assuming it is multi-hop Es, but it is a long way to Israel!

On HF 20-30MHz propagation is "good" and sunspot count 154 (high).

IK1WVQ is very strong on 6m this morning  at +10dB S/N.

UPDATE 1048z:  GM4FVM  (428km) has been spotted (and is spotting me) several times this morning. Also spotted was HB9TJM (764km).

UPDATE 1100z:  EA4UC (1349km) also spotting me. GM4FVM is quite strong currently (-13 to -15dB S/N).

UPDATE 1155z:  SQ9SIM (1325km) being spotted via 6m Es now. A good day on 6m.Fingers crossed for some "super DX" later?

UPDATE 1300z:  Just increased the TX cycle from 5% to 17% ,so I am on TX more than earlier.  The Es seems to have gone rather quiet at present.

6m - Es this evening

No super-DX seen, with the best DX this evening being a spot from OH7AI  at exactly 2000km at 2000z. I am still hopeful of transatlantic multi-hop Es but had no luck as yet. Still using 1W ERP from a vertical V2000 antenna. This is being written at nearly 2200z.

2m UK Activity Contest - July 1st

This evening, with a VERY strained voice, I took part in the 2m July 1st UKAC contest from home, working 10 stations in a little over an hour before I had to stop. I was running 5W from the FT817ND to a hand rotated 3 el beam. Best DX was 240km up to the North York Moors. I heard IO95 (Northumberland) and Wales and other squares, but my voice was too poor to carry on past 2036z. Had I been fitter, I'd probably have turned the beam south and worked more squares and stations. Contests are hard for me at present. My voice is so poor.

2m stations worked tonight - 5W 3el

6m -WSPR - GDX this morning, Es this afternoon

Apart from local G4IKZ (18km), G8JNJ/A (184km), G4NRG (58km), all copied me overnight or this morning. I spotted M0EMM (192km, IO82sq   four times since 2232z last night. There was drift/Doppler of up to -4Hz suggesting planes were involved in this long across-G path.

Sunspot count today is 124 with 20-30MHz propagation described as "good".

UPDATE 1116z:   No 6m Es here yet today.

UPDATE 1257z:   Es to/from CN8LI (2113km) all of 7 times so far since 1200z.

UPDATE 1700z:  Es to YO3IRZ (2078km), I and GM this afternoon on 6m. Still no sign here of any "super DX" from across the Atlantic.

UPDATE 1950z:   OZ and SQ9 spotted on 6m WSPR Es since tea. Otherwise GDX only.

6m - more Es tonight

EB3EPR (1248km) has just spotted me on 6m WSPR at 1904z.  Still no sign of super-DX here. I am still hoping to copy,or be copied, transatlantic on 6m.

4X1RF (3519km) has just spotted my 1W ERP again on 6m at 1916z. Best DX for over a month.

UPDATE 2120z:   Will leave WSPR running overnight in the hope of super DX by multi-hop Es (probably a faint hope!).  Earlier this evening v2.12  decided to close (Win 8.1 updates?) so will reset clock etc before going to bed. Best DX recently is G0LRD (25km)! Incidentally, it looks like G4IKZ (who is in Hardwick, Cambs) is more like 22km (not 18km) from me: using longer grid locators puts us further apart.

6m - transatlantic WSPR

KC1AWS tells me he was spotted in Morocco on 6m at 1700z at 5607km. I have asked Gary (in the USA) to keep looking for Gs on 6m. Gary was surprised to be copied so far away. Gary just uses a horizontally polarised PAR antenna with no gain (it's a bit like a halo). Well done Gary!

I have just QSYed back to 6m from 10m WSPR   :-) .

Just exchanged 6m spots with CN8LI (2113km) and also with G4NRG at 58km (GDX of sorts).

UPDATE 1900z:  No CN8LI spots here since 1756z.

10m WSPR - Es and F2

Since lunchtime, there has been Es spots on 10m from Italy, France and Spain. All were spots of me, none of others. I am a bit surprised and wonder if it is WSPR-X was not uploading my spots of others? Looking at the WSPR screen there were a couple of signals that should have decoded and uploaded.   I have now reverting to the standard WSPR software v2.12.

10m is easier than 6m for WSPR with Es is easier to find. Best Es DX today is 1336k.

UPDATE 1630z: Interestingly, within minutes of running the V2.12 software again, I decoded CX2ABP (11127km) running 5W by F2. He was -25dB S/N.This is a decent distance in line with solar predictions for today. At this strength, my 2W would be in the noise at his end. It may have just been co-incidental but it looks like V2.12 uploads everything whereas WSPR-X V0.3  r3058 maybe a little hit and miss? EA5CYA  has also just been decoded OK. Odd no decodes all afternoon with WSPR-X but instant results reverting to V2.12. Maybe it is a Wn 8.1 issue? I'll be sticking with V2.12.

UPDATE 1725z:    Yet more Es -  EA4GDE now being spotted with 200mW.  Since returning to V2.12 all spots have been of others.

First 10m WSPR spots today

Just been spotted by "local"  M0MVB on 10m WSPR at 30km at 1116z at -24dB S/N and 1128z at -23dB S/N.  At least WSPR-X is working.

No Es seen here yet, but it is early days still.

7 spots of M0MVB by 1240z, but still no Es or F2 on 10m here.