Wonderwand loop on HF

http://www.wonder-wand.co.uk/WonderWand/WW_Photos_files/TCL-ad01.jpg

Rather than go QRT because of the approaching storms, I decided to try my Wonder Wand Tunable Compact Loop antenna indoors on 20m WSPR. The loop is about 0.5m diameter. In my case, more for convenience, it goes to the rig via my Z817 ATU. SWR is perfect 1:1 on the tuned frequency. No TX spots seen yet at 2W, but no shortage of RX spots across Europe so far. The loop is just above the rigs in a far from ideal, indoors location.

WSPR spots so far today on 20m with the indoor Wonder Wand Compact Loop

UPDATE 0916z: My first TX spot on the indoor Wander Wand Compact Loop came from DJ6LB at -28dB S/N.

UPDATE 0944z:  Second TX spot was by DJ7KA at -26dB S/N.

UPDATE 1010z: I QSYed to 15m and am getting lots of spots on TX at just 2W.  Best DX report on 15m is from SM6WZI (1007km) at -6dB/-9dB S/N (i.e. strong) - it is amazing this tiny indoor antenna works so nicely. So far 6 TX spots of my 2W in just 8 minutes on 15m. Incredible. Sorry about the poor photo of the loop, but you get an idea of the set-up. It will work even better on 10m and 6m as the loop is larger electrically. Set-up is totally un-optimised: the loop just happens to be where it is.

UPDATE 1230z:  Now QSYed to 10m and the best DX on the Wonder Wand Compact Loop indoors is now LB9YE (1489km) at -25dB S/N with 2W.

 

10m WSPR spots with 2W today with indoor loop

Storms ever nearer

Currently, there are violent storms over North London and East Midlands, and they are moving towards us in East Anglia. Not sure of the pace yet, but looks like we could have storms within hours. For now, I shall keep antennas disconnected and the PSU disconnected from the mains, just in case. 10m and 6m can wait. Or I  may use an indoor wire loop instead?

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en  .

Approaching storms

Although the nearest electrical storms are some way off (West Country and over the Cherbourg Pennisula) they are likely to be here tomorrow. As a precaution, I shall disconnect all rigs and antennas before bedtime. Probably they won't be here until later in the day, but better to be safe than sorry.

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .

SPAM comments WILL be deleted!

In the last 24 hours on both my blogs I have had SPAM comments from someone in India extolling the virtues of yoga and meditation. Nothing wrong in the right context, but the comments are totally out of context and therefore SPAM.  Both have been deleted as soon as noticed.

A word of warning to potential SPAMMERS: similar irrelevant and totally off topic comments will always be treated as SPAM and deleted.  Go away or expect such comments to be immediately deleted.

10m - evening Es

Quite out of the blue IK1WVQ (1084km) was spotted just now at -12dB S/N. Es just happens - sporadically. Also copied was G8JNJ/A (184km) by GDX. There have been watery, Doppler affected, signals visible for hours, without decodes.

HAARP - stay of execution?

It looks like the HAARP (supposedly auroral research) facility in Alaska may remain until May 2015 although non critical (movable) kit is already being moved out. It remains to be seen what happens after next year. HAARP is also known for its generation of ELF radio signals as a result of ionospheric heating. The peak power of the facility on HF was massive.

10m - tropo?

In the last few hours, I have spotted PB0AIC several times with low(ish) Doppler at 288km.  This is far too short for Es (unless the skip is extremely short, suggesting a 2m Es opening?) so I wonder if this is pure tropo? The distance exceeds most GDX  (usually possible with aircraft reflections) out to around 200km.  I have spotted PA stations before on 10m now.

Recent WSPR spots today

10m Es and GDX already

Since resyncing the clock and restarting the software around 0830z, G3JKV (123km) has been spotted several times as GDX and LA3JJ (993km) and I have exchanged WSPR spots once via Es. Strange how later in the Es season, it seems to favour more northerly latitudes.

Sunspot count today is just 11 (low) and 20-30MHz propagation described as "fair". We'll be lucky to catch any real DX by F2 today I think. This is the lowest sunspot count in a long time. Although there will still be good days, I think we are "on the slide" now and have passed the peak of this cycle.

As Es conditions worsen, I seem to be spending more time on 10m now than 6m. With patience, both bands will still be good for Es for some time yet.  Last summer I was still regularly working Es DX on 6m right into September.

I was in hospital from mid-Sept to January, so have no idea of 6m conditions during that period. In my current (wobbly) state of health, digital modes (no talking) are easier on my voice than SSB or FM.

UPDATE 0930z:  TF3HZ (1837km) in Iceland spotted at  -26dB S/N via Es.

10m - real F2 DX at teatime (and later)

LU8EX (11208km) running 5W was spotted at 1726z this evening on WSPR at -25dB S/N. This is clearly N-S F2 propagation, much to my surprise today. Even though the sunspot count was just 25, it goes to show there can still be very decent DX around. going N - S. I assume my lower power was buried in the local noise at his end. And/or there was no propagation when I was TXing.

10m unique WSPR spots today, so far - duplicates not shown

LU8EX is just NW of Buenos Aires, Argentina.  It is still possible other S.Americans will be seen before the day is over.

UPDATE 1925z:  LU8EX has now been spotted 5 times at up to -13dB S/N (strong),  No other S.Americans seen so far this evening. At this strength I am surprised not to have been heard in Argentina.  Maybe LU8EX has no WSPR RX capability or a very high noise floor?

UPDATE 2025z:  No further F2 sen here after 1902z (LU8EX).

10m - Es

At 0930z, 10m opened to Scandinavia with SM6WZI (1007km) copied. Later,, SI9AM (1503km) was copied 4 times. I will see if it opens again later.

UPDATE 1712z:  By teatime, the  10m band was pretty productive WRT WSPR via Es. Best Es DX spot was Z35BY (1956km) in Skopje. Also spots seen to/from Italy and some GDX.