472kHz activity

This evening, I am sticking on 10m in the hope of the band reopening for real DX or opening very early tomorrow morning.

By now, I usually QSY down to 472kHz, where there is a lot of activity this evening with 49 stations listed on WSPRnet a few minutes ago.

UPDATE 2230z:  Late change of plan. I have QSYed to 472kHz WSPR after all.

10m WSPR - is that it?

The last USA station was K4RCG (5995km) at 1932z. Unless the band opens again, I suspect that the worldwide openings may have ended for the day. With Australia, Reunion, Uruguay, Israel, the USA and great swathes of Europe in the log, it has been a good day on 10m WSPR.

FR1GZ WSPR

Just took a look at http://wsprnet.org/drupal/wsprnet/spots for FR1GZ spots both given and received. It is amazing that he has so many real DX reports in the log. I guess this is partly because Reunion Is is very remote. Already he has been spotted here 14 times and he has spotted me 3 times so far today.  Many of his reports are greater than 16000km .

RSGB president request

Today I was asked if I could provide a photo of my 8.97kHz TX so the RSGB president could use it at a convention in Northern Ireland. I was happy to oblige.

If anyone else needs to use photos from my website at www.g3xbm.co.uk or this blog I am usually happy to say "yes" but it is polite to ask first.

"Poor" 20-30MHz conditions?

Sunspot count has fallen to 160 today and 20-30MHz conditions are supposed to be "poor" yet on 10m VK3KCX (16883km) has been spotted 6 times on 10m WSPR today, spots have been exchanged with FR1GZ (9724km) multiple times, CX2ABP (11127km) has spotted my 2W WSPR more than once and 4X1RF (3519m) has been spotting me multiple times and 10m is wide open to the USA! 10m really is a truly fascinating band.

There is no shortage of Europeans on 10m WSPR either. Not sure if they are being copied by F2 backscatter or Es.

VLF receivers

To detect VLF amateur signals it is pretty essential to use a good receiver (with frequency locking so extremely narrow bandwidths can be received for hours or days on end) and Spectrum Laboratory software. Spectrum Lab has options to lock to one of the powerful MSK signals near 20kHz and this transforms stability.

For reception of natural VLF emissions it is somewhat different as signals tend to be stronger and of much shorter duration. There are several VLF natural receivers on the net. See http://www.vlf.it/romero2/explorer-e202.html for a typical example.

10m WSPR - recent results

Good conditions continue on 10m with WSPR. These are recent results around teatime. There are plenty of USA spots both ways. Currently I use 2W ERP and a Par 3-band end-fed antenna. In recent days 10m has been open to the USA every day.

Recent 10m WSPR results at teatime today.

UPDATE 2000z:  Maybe  this is like last night and the USA have only disappeared for now to return later, but in the last hour G0LRD (25km), G0VQH (15km) and M0MJH (5km) are the only stations spotting me. It is as if "the big DX switch" has been turned off.

UPDATE 2140z:  Still no further DX this evening.I have just noted that 20-30MHz conditions are now described as "poor". Again, I'll leave WSPR running overnight to see what happens WRT Europeans in the early (before breakfast) hours.

6m TEP WSPR

Looking at wsprnet I see VK4TVL and JH1GYE have been spotting each other at a range of 6243km on 6m WSPR earlier today. This is clearly 6m TEP. None noticed on WSPR between the Med and southern Africa or USA to South America. No transatlantic F2 on 6m WSPR seen.

10m - USA today

The first station in the USA, K4RCG (5995km) was spotted at 1218z.  Since that time, there have been lots of USA stations spotted and spotting me. 4X1RF (3519km) has also been spotting me from the other direction.

10m WSPR - excellent start

HB4FL spotted me many times before breakfast starting at 0430z. I was also being spotted in Italy before breakfast. Writing this at 0922z, I see EA is now being spotted. I assume this is Es?

VK3KCZ (16883km) has been spotted a couple of times, so far, although he is running 10W (high power for WSPR).

Sunspot count today is 200 (good, but expect blackouts) and 20-30MHz propagation "normal". Some decent F2 openings are likely on 10m.