At around 0920z I moved from 10m up to 6m to see what's doing on 6m WSPR. At first just the usual (strong) spots from local G4IKZ (18km) but I've now, at 1038z, been spotted by OH5RM (1860km) on Es. I run 1W ERP on 6m WSPR with a V2000 vertical antenna.
UPDATE 1120z: G3WKW (134km) in IO91og has been spotted a couple of times, -20/-24dB S/N, presumably with the aid of aircraft reflection.
UPDATE 1200z: No further Es or GDX spots since OH5RM , just spots by local G4IKZ.
30 Jul 2014
10m - transatlantic yet again by Es
Just before midnight local time here KZ8C (6290km) was spotted running 5W WSPR on 10m. This is the 5th transatlantic Es opening I have caught on 10m this summer. Despite letting WSPR run through the night, no other transatlantic DX was seen and no EU Es either, just wispy traces from G8JNJ/A (184km) - partial decodes of Martin's QTH locator through the night, but no full decodes. Signals had all the hallmarks of aircraft reflection or MS - several traces in each burst , Doppler and short duration.
This morning (early) I am seeing EU Es DX from SI9AM (1503km) Sweden and IK1WVQ (1084km) Italy by 0702z.
Sunspot count today is 160 (good) and 20-30MHz conditions are expected to be "normal". We may see F2 propagation. but none was seen here on 10m yesterday, surprisingly. This may be a lack of active WSPR stations rather than a lack of F2. WSPR is the ideal mode to check for fleeting band openings. I would never have noticed KZ8C without WSPR. I just wish more people would use it, and in more places.
UPDATE 0918z: OH1W (1646km) spotted me at 0848z. I think I'm switching to 6m now!
This morning (early) I am seeing EU Es DX from SI9AM (1503km) Sweden and IK1WVQ (1084km) Italy by 0702z.
UPDATE 0918z: OH1W (1646km) spotted me at 0848z. I think I'm switching to 6m now!
29 Jul 2014
Same callsigns?
One of the drawbacks of WSPR (currently) is you tend to get spotted, or spot, the same stations over and over again. I am even seeing the same stations being spotted on 10m and on 6m.
It would be very nice if there were a lot more active stations, so spots came from a variety of stations. I am even seeing this on JT65 and JT9-1.
Perhaps people think these "new fangled" digital modes are hard and so only a limited number of people (currently) use them. Let me say, if even I can use these modes then anyone can! All these modes are great with low power and have really opened my eyes as to how far very low powered signal can be detected.
It would be very nice if there were a lot more active stations, so spots came from a variety of stations. I am even seeing this on JT65 and JT9-1.
Perhaps people think these "new fangled" digital modes are hard and so only a limited number of people (currently) use them. Let me say, if even I can use these modes then anyone can! All these modes are great with low power and have really opened my eyes as to how far very low powered signal can be detected.
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| 10m unique WSPR spots this afternoon (duplicates not shown) |
Over priced KX3 options
Steve G1KQH has spotted the price of "after-market" mics on eBay. Under £5.
"The price of a Microphone:
Someone is having a good laugh at stitching folk up with those KX3 Mics. The whole KX3 price is through the roof but there are plenty on the bands?"
I stand by my assertion that, sadly, the KX3 is overpriced, certainly over here in the UK. I know that it is a truly exceptional radio with a first class specification but, as I have said before, for my sort of operating - mainly from home and occasionally /P, the FT817ND is FAR better value and it covers 432MHz all modes too. I cannot fault the FT817 although I appreciate the KX3 is better on RX. My FT817 has worked the world on SSB and always with simple wire antennas. I have worked a lot of continents with whips on the rig indoors too.
Back on 10m WSPR
For the next several hours I have gone back to 10m WSPR. This means I can monitor progress in the lounge. So far, SI9AM (1503km) from Sweden, running 200mW, is coming in pretty well by Es. I am running about 2W ERP on 18% TX duty cycle, so mostly listening/looking.
Sunspot count today is good at 143 and the 20-30MHz forecast is "normal", so I am hopeful of some F2 propagation on 10m today.
UPDATE 1435z: OH6GKW (1839km) and I have just exchanged WSPR spots on 10m.
Sunspot count today is good at 143 and the 20-30MHz forecast is "normal", so I am hopeful of some F2 propagation on 10m today.
UPDATE 1435z: OH6GKW (1839km) and I have just exchanged WSPR spots on 10m.
More JT65 and JT9-1 operation
Over the lunch period I operated JT9-1 and JT65 on 20m. Although I got plenty of reports of my CQ calls on JT9-1 (via PSKreporter) not a single QSO. When I went to JT65 on 20m I had a decent 2-way QSO with EA3KU (1307km) in JN00 square. Seems JT65 operators outnumber JT9-1 operators by about 10:1.
100kHz - 1.7GHz SDR
This data was passed to me by Steve G1KQH (again). It looks like an SDR in a screened box with proper interfaces. It comes from Hong Kong. Price is £36.99. I have never played with SDS dongles.
See
See
28 Jul 2014
Near miss - 11742km on 10m JT65
This evening CA3SOC (Chile) was calling CQ on 10m JT65. I called and called him - he called CQ about 14 times - but I was unable to raise him. At the start he was -16dB S/N but in the end was down to -22dB S/N. I was copied in Sweden at the same time, but that was no compensation.
Earlier in the afternoon I worked an E74 on PSK63, my first ever QSO on PSK at that speed. I am finding real-time keyboard operating in PSK modes quite "challenging". Whenever I use the keyboard e.g to write this blog, I make lots of errors that need correcting. This is hard on PSK31 and PSK63 in real time. JT65 and JT9-1 are a lot easier. Currently I am using Digipan software which is simple and basic for PSK modes. I am using WSJTX V1.3 r3673 for JT65 and JT9-1.
Earlier in the afternoon I worked an E74 on PSK63, my first ever QSO on PSK at that speed. I am finding real-time keyboard operating in PSK modes quite "challenging". Whenever I use the keyboard e.g to write this blog, I make lots of errors that need correcting. This is hard on PSK31 and PSK63 in real time. JT65 and JT9-1 are a lot easier. Currently I am using Digipan software which is simple and basic for PSK modes. I am using WSJTX V1.3 r3673 for JT65 and JT9-1.
PSK Reporter maps
See https://pskreporter.info/pskmap.html.
This is a really useful resource when using modes like JT9-1 and JT65. Even if you get no replies, the map gives a good idea of where your signals are reaching. As an example, I recently transmitted JT65 on 20m and worked OE5DML. As the map shows, my signals were widely received including in the USA.
This is a really useful resource when using modes like JT9-1 and JT65. Even if you get no replies, the map gives a good idea of where your signals are reaching. As an example, I recently transmitted JT65 on 20m and worked OE5DML. As the map shows, my signals were widely received including in the USA.
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| https://pskreporter.info/pskmap.html |
10m - JT65 QSOs first thing
Well, I've had success on 10m digital with a couple of JT65 QSOs on 10m. Managed to work CT1AYO and LY3OO on 10m JT65 early this morning.
No success this time in JT9-1 on 10m. I listened for a while - heard nothing - so put out some CQ calls in JT9-1, but sadly without success. It was a case of lack of activity. Currently I am monitoring (i.e. not TXing) on 50.276MHz JT65.
Tried 7.076MHz JT65, but the 40m band was very noisy.
Although PSK reporter maps show I've been copied outside Europe, I have still to work anyone outside Europe this summer since I started on digital 2-way modes a few days ago. It will certainly happen as JT9-1 is only about 2dB worse than WSPR. JT65 is about 4dB worse. So, on many stations, I should be in range, even with my compromise antenna system on 20m and 10m.
No success this time in JT9-1 on 10m. I listened for a while - heard nothing - so put out some CQ calls in JT9-1, but sadly without success. It was a case of lack of activity. Currently I am monitoring (i.e. not TXing) on 50.276MHz JT65.
Tried 7.076MHz JT65, but the 40m band was very noisy.
Although PSK reporter maps show I've been copied outside Europe, I have still to work anyone outside Europe this summer since I started on digital 2-way modes a few days ago. It will certainly happen as JT9-1 is only about 2dB worse than WSPR. JT65 is about 4dB worse. So, on many stations, I should be in range, even with my compromise antenna system on 20m and 10m.
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