Sunspot count today is 75 (falling a bit) and 20-30MHz propagation "normal". I went on 10m today and was immediately spotted in Finland.
Around lunchtime spots were exchanged with N2OTO (Florida) and this afternoon many USA stations have been spotted or were spotting me. I got excited (at first) to see KH6 in the log only to find out that the station was not in Hawaii, but near the Gulf of Mexico. Darn FCC!!!
21 Sept 2014
20 Sept 2014
6m WSPR DX
As G4IKZ (14km) was looking, I decided to QSY up to 50MHz to see what was happening, expecting to be spotted only by G4IKZ. Sure enough, I got a few spots from G4IKZ but I was nicely surprised to see I had spotted IK1WVQ (1084km) on 6m too at a strong -12dB S/N. This is Es. So, there is life on 6m too.
With this promising start, I shall remain on 6m for a few more hours in case any other Es turns up.
UPDATE 1500z: G6AVK (78km) being spotted at 1428z.#
UPDATE 1620z: Just spots from G4IKZ for nearly the last 2 hours on 6m WSPR. It may get better around teatime? IK1WVQ was spotted twice early afternoon at up to 0dB S/N.
UPDATE 1720z: G8JNJ/A (184km) spotted me at 1652z at -23dB S/N for my best 6m GDX spot today. 6m has pleasantly surprised me today and all the more reason to leave the V2000 vertical in place.
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| 6m WSPR this afternoon |
UPDATE 1500z: G6AVK (78km) being spotted at 1428z.#
UPDATE 1620z: Just spots from G4IKZ for nearly the last 2 hours on 6m WSPR. It may get better around teatime? IK1WVQ was spotted twice early afternoon at up to 0dB S/N.
UPDATE 1720z: G8JNJ/A (184km) spotted me at 1652z at -23dB S/N for my best 6m GDX spot today. 6m has pleasantly surprised me today and all the more reason to leave the V2000 vertical in place.
More low cost parts (via G1KQH)
Once again, I have no knowledge of this supplier or if the goods are genuine, or "ripped off", but the prices are very good. My thanks to Steve G1KQH once again.
Other valuable finds which may prove useful to constructors or groups:5V 100mA regulators per 100 ( I had some of these).Mixed Zeners pack:1N4148sPrecision Ref board (ideal for checking Cal of your DMM) could be used for stable VXO supply:If you put the word “Transistor” in the search on Banggood quite a variety of well known general purpose come up at good prices..Orders seem to take about 7 to 10 days to the UK
No storms here
The thunder and lightning that got quite close earlier today seems to have abated, for now at least. The lightning map now shows storms in the North Sea and Northern France, but not in the UK. This means I can leave 10m WSPR running this afternoon and probably early evening.
See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en . Always worth keeping an eye on this for approaching storms. I find these maps fascinating. Although not perfect, they give a good indication of when antennas and rigs need to be made safer.
UPDATE 1341z: It is raining here now. Storms seem plentiful on the continent, but not in the UK.
See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en . Always worth keeping an eye on this for approaching storms. I find these maps fascinating. Although not perfect, they give a good indication of when antennas and rigs need to be made safer.
UPDATE 1341z: It is raining here now. Storms seem plentiful on the continent, but not in the UK.
10m WSPR - USA again
N2OTO (7088km) in EL96wi square (Miami, Florida) has already spotted me a couple of times. This definitely F2 propagation and not Es. Every day now, the 10m band opens to the USA.
I do hate FCC rules than do away with call USA areas. You now have no idea where a USA station is located: in the past "2" would have been somewhere in/near New York and "4" would probably be Florida or nearby. Also the FCC seem unbelievably slow releasing the 472kHz and 136kHz amateur bands in the USA. Are you all stupid at the FCC?? Get into the real world. The world looks at the FCC and thinks it is daft. When the rest of the world seems "with it" the FCC seems to behave like a backward little baby, slow to grow up, still wanting baby toys to toss out of the pram. Pathetic, truly pathetic.
UPDATE 1223z: PT2WWV (8873km) is spotting me now from Brasilia, Brazil. He was copying me again at 1315z.
UPDATE 1238z: Plenty of European activity on WSPR. I assume this is probably Es, especially as lunch and teatimes are peak Es times. Stations from all across the continent.
UPDATE 1252z: Now spotting ZS1ANF (9720km) weakly at -26dB S/N. This station is just north of Cape Town, which is a beautiful city. We spent a few weeks in South Africa on holiday a few years ago and very much enjoyed it. We experienced no violence, but this can be an issue. You are advised not to go out at night in some parts. We traveled with Saga and never once felt unsafe. I can recommend Saga Holidays. They really are very very good. Excellent hotels, food and travel. No worries and door to door service.
UPDATE 1315z: My last 2 minute 10m WSPR TX transmission resulted in 10 different spots in 3 continents with my 2W to an indifferent antenna. 10m at its best.
UPDATE 1355z: PT2WWV (8873km) has spotted me 5 times today already.
I do hate FCC rules than do away with call USA areas. You now have no idea where a USA station is located: in the past "2" would have been somewhere in/near New York and "4" would probably be Florida or nearby. Also the FCC seem unbelievably slow releasing the 472kHz and 136kHz amateur bands in the USA. Are you all stupid at the FCC?? Get into the real world. The world looks at the FCC and thinks it is daft. When the rest of the world seems "with it" the FCC seems to behave like a backward little baby, slow to grow up, still wanting baby toys to toss out of the pram. Pathetic, truly pathetic.
UPDATE 1223z: PT2WWV (8873km) is spotting me now from Brasilia, Brazil. He was copying me again at 1315z.
UPDATE 1238z: Plenty of European activity on WSPR. I assume this is probably Es, especially as lunch and teatimes are peak Es times. Stations from all across the continent.
UPDATE 1252z: Now spotting ZS1ANF (9720km) weakly at -26dB S/N. This station is just north of Cape Town, which is a beautiful city. We spent a few weeks in South Africa on holiday a few years ago and very much enjoyed it. We experienced no violence, but this can be an issue. You are advised not to go out at night in some parts. We traveled with Saga and never once felt unsafe. I can recommend Saga Holidays. They really are very very good. Excellent hotels, food and travel. No worries and door to door service.
UPDATE 1315z: My last 2 minute 10m WSPR TX transmission resulted in 10 different spots in 3 continents with my 2W to an indifferent antenna. 10m at its best.
UPDATE 1355z: PT2WWV (8873km) has spotted me 5 times today already.
10m WSPR, sunspots and storms
Just turned on 10m WSPR about 12 minutes ago. Already being spotted by CT1JTQ (1843km) several times and I am spotting IK1WVQ (1084km). I would have thought Portugal and N.Italy would have been much the same distance. Not so. Portugal is much further. I assume this is Es? G0LRD (25km) and I are exchanging WSPR spots at around -14 to -16dB S/N.
Sunspot count today is 91 and 20-30MHz propagation "normal". We should expect some F2 DX later.
The thunder storms are, currently, well south of here. I am still watching the lightning map though. Last night I went QRT but heard no storms overnight.
UPDATE 0942z: Now EA5CYA is being spotted. Still plenty of EUs around on 10m either Es or F2 backscatter. A great pity I am spotting the same stations . Where is everyone else?
UPDATE 0954z: 4X1RF (3519km) has spotted me for the first time today. I think this is F layer propagation.
Sunspot count today is 91 and 20-30MHz propagation "normal". We should expect some F2 DX later.
The thunder storms are, currently, well south of here. I am still watching the lightning map though. Last night I went QRT but heard no storms overnight.
UPDATE 0942z: Now EA5CYA is being spotted. Still plenty of EUs around on 10m either Es or F2 backscatter. A great pity I am spotting the same stations . Where is everyone else?
UPDATE 0954z: 4X1RF (3519km) has spotted me for the first time today. I think this is F layer propagation.
19 Sept 2014
Storms and lightning
Although dry here at present, a look at the lightning map shows there are nasty storms not that far east of this QTH. I shall have to watch the maps carefully and disconnect antennas, PSUs and PC if it gets close. Currently, these are configured for 472kHz use.
UPDATE 2200z: Storms are too close for comfort, so going QRT on 472kHz WSPR overnight and unplugging antennas and PSUs. Although I have spotted, and been spotted, by a wide variety of stations, not one is new.
UPDATE 2200z: Storms are too close for comfort, so going QRT on 472kHz WSPR overnight and unplugging antennas and PSUs. Although I have spotted, and been spotted, by a wide variety of stations, not one is new.
Back on 472kHz
After messing about on 10m and 20m earlier, I have now QSYed down to 472kHz WSPR. So far M0MLH (223km) and G0LRD (25km) have spotted me and G3WCB (101km) spotted here. As before, I am seeing the same old stations.
Using the PAR triband end-fed (strapped feeders) as a compromise MF antenna with very low ERP.
UPDATE 1812z: DK7FC (669km) copied on 472kHz WSPR. Stefan is always a good signal with his 1W ERP station. This is considerably higher ERP than I use.
UPDATE 1850z: F5WK (436km) copied at 1842z.
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| Recent 472kHz WSPR spots |
UPDATE 1812z: DK7FC (669km) copied on 472kHz WSPR. Stefan is always a good signal with his 1W ERP station. This is considerably higher ERP than I use.
UPDATE 1850z: F5WK (436km) copied at 1842z.
JT65, JT9-1 and WSPR
After brief outings on 10m and 20m JT65 and JT9-1 (nothing worked but W and LU seen on 20m JT65) I returned to 10m WSPR. I changed power to 500mW on 10m WSPR and was spotted by local G0LRD and 4X1RF. For now I have settled on 1W WSPR and 4X1RF, G0LRD, DK6UG and DK8FT are all copying this level just fine so far. I think the DKs were by Es, although I think the 4X is F2 propagation. So far today, 4X1RF has spotted me 8 times at output powers between 2W and 500mW.
10m WSPR wakes up
Just when I was about to write off 10m WSPR, it springs into life with spots from CT1JTQ (1843km) and 4X1RF (3519km) - the latter 4 times already by 1008z. 10m continues to be a band filled with surprises, quite unlike other HF bands.
By the way, outside the sun is trying to shine too.
By the way, outside the sun is trying to shine too.
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