Evening off radio

This evening I closed down quite early.

My usual pattern, at present, is to go on 10m during the day and then switch to 630m (472kHz) during the evenings and sometimes overnight. Tonight, as 472kHz WSPR has failed to turn up any new stations lately, I watched some recorded TV instead. All being well I shall be back on 10m tomorrow. If 10m is very quiet, I may try JT65 and JT9-1 on 20m.
 
With the ENT examination (see earlier post) today has been quite stressful, although the outcome was far better than I could have hoped for.

Stroke update

Today I had an ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) exam by camera of my vocal chords. Thankfully, like my MRI scan last month, the outcome was good.  My vocal chords are working fine and it is the communication between my brain and vocal chords that is not working correctly.  I can speak if I pronounce words carefully and slowly. With time, this should improve.

My other remaining symptoms are giddiness (when moving), sick feeling and extreme fatigue. I am still very clumsy, making amateur radio building and antenna work all but impossible at the moment. With time, all should improve. Recovery is taking a LONG time!

10m - very quiet early and afternoon, but lunchtime Es.

Sunspot count is 136 (with blackouts) and 20-30MHz propagation is described as "normal" yet 10m is very quiet with just G0LRD (25km) spotting me this morning. Let us hope things improve soon. 

UPDATE 1156z:  HB4FL (835km) just spotted by 10m Es at 1154z. I just had to be a little patient.

UPDATE 1735z:  Apart from HB4FL at lunchtime, it has remained quiet on 10m all afternoon with just G0LRD copying me. I will stick on the band a while longer to see if things improve. To be honest, I was expecting better on 10m today.

Back on 472kHz this evening

For the last hour or thereabouts I QSYed down to MF (472kHz). I have been trying my various compromise (strapped feeder) antennas and the earth-electrode antenna. Interestingly G0LRD was copying me only 1dB weaker on the earth-electrode antenna than the best of the "wire in the air" antennas. He is probably off the end of the "loop in the ground" (in the line of the wire,  as for a true loop). For a very short while I was reporting the wrong band as I accidentally clicked the wrong button in WSPRX.

Antenna current measures less on the PAR end-fed with strapped feeders yet this seems the most effective of these antennas. ERP is less than 5mW.

472kHz WSPR unique reports Sept 4th 2014 to 2028z

DH5RAE (995km) is my best DX spot so far this evening. I received him. On TX my best spot so far is from M0MLH (223km).

UPDATE 2100z:  Best spot of my 472kHz WSPR signal this evening is now from  PE1RKT (285km).

UPDATE 2140z: DK7FC continues to put out a huge WSPR signal on 472kHz. He was audible by ear at -3dB S/N a little while ago. He runs 1W ERP.

UPDATE 2200z:  Each TX transmission period gets me 4-5 reports,  which goes to show how effective less than 5mW ERP on 472kHz can be.

10m F2 good this afternoon

FR1GZ http://files.qrz.com/z/fr1gz/FR1GZsat.JPG

FR1GZ (9724km) has been copied several times this early afternoon on 10m WSPR by F2 propagation.  

4X1RF (3519km) has copied me 17 times so far on 10m WSPR today.

If there are South Americans active, I expect to see these later in the day. Long distance propagation seems better on 10m today than yesterday.

Currently there are just 22 active stations in the world on 10m WSPR. It is a real pity it isn't 4 or 5 times this number. I am sure openings are being missed due to the low WSPR activity.  Let us hope activity picks up soon on this special band.

UPDATE 1640z: Since FR1GZ earlier, it has been quiet on 10m with just M0EMM (192km) and local G0LRD (25km).

UPDATE 1645z: There is an absence of South Americans on 10m WSPR, but quite a few USA stations. I hope some South Americans come on soon, as I think 10m will be open in that direction soon.

G4NUA visit

Ted G4NUA

Since my stroke last September, it has been harder to get out, so I always appreciate visits especially from fellow radio amateurs. G3TFX pops in regularly. Today Ted G4NUA called. Ted is usually a regular on our Monday 8pm 2m FM net.

It is always best to make sure it is convenient to visit in case we are out - I have twice weekly gym sessions and we try to get out for walks quite often.

Ted and I chatted for about an hour about amateur radio and his XYL who has been unwell recently. Ted is very fit and looks about 10 years below his age. Years ago we worked together.

10m Es? - this morning

This morning 4X1RF (3519km) has spotted me (strongly) 12 times already on WSPR. This could be F2 or multi-hop Es. The latter is more probable.  CT1JTQ (1843km) is definitely Es. In addition, local G0LRD (25km) was strong and M0EMM (192km) was copied pretty well by tropo and aircraft reflection.

I see VKs were coming into N.Europe by F2 on 10m around breakfast time, but there was no copy here sadly on 10m.Others with better antennas may have done better than me?

Sunspot count today is 92 (stable) and 20-30MHz propagation is "normal". I was expecting F2 on 10m here yesterday, but copied none. Maybe better luck today?

Resistors

From our old friend Steve:

You want some Resis? These seem Good VFM! Paypal ordering too!

 

http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-New-Best-selling-2500-PCS-50-Values-1-Or-4W-0_25W-1-Pencent-Metal-Film-Resistor-Kit-p-40424.html

 

73 Steve G1KQH

http://www.g1kqh.talktalk.net/

10m WSPR - a quiet afternoon

Since the Es this morning it has been very quiet on 10m with just G0LRD and M0EMM copied here. I am still hopeful of some more Es (and F2) propagation before the day is over. It has been very quiet this afternoon - quieter than I was expecting.

UPDATE 1953z:  Still just local G0LRD (25km) and no sign of more 10m Es propagation or any 10m F2.

10m WSPR - Es all morning

CT1JTQ (1843m) has been spotting my 10m 2W WSPR almost all morning. 10m Es has been good again today and I suspect that (with WSPR which allows very weak signals to be decoded) there will be Es seen right through the month and beyond. Yes, I expect the frequency of Es openings to decrease as we move into autumn, but I think there will be some openings every week to somewhere in Europe by Es. The moral is never give up on 10m WSPR: in the years ahead we'll learn a lot about fleeting openings thanks to WSPR. This applies to tropo, aircraft reflection, Es and F2. Magic bands 10m and 6m.