146-147MHz to full UK radio amateurs soon

Today, OFCOM announced that 146-147MHz will be temporarily released to full UK licencees from Oct 31st this year, by NoV.  Personally, I would have preferred other parts of the spectrum to have been released instead as 2m is never that busy, at least it is very quiet usually around here. If you  plan to operate 146-147MHz in the UK you will need to get an NoV via the RSGB. Note that this is temporary.

I wrote to OFCOM suggesting officially allowing UK amateurs access legally to sub 8.3kHz, re-releasing the 73kHz band and a new allocation around 40MHz (ideal for Es experiments). In OFCOM's release they say I asked for a new band at 400MHz. I did not.

Japan on 10m WSPR

JO3VSR (9403km) using 5W was copied on 10m WSPR at 0854z this  morning at a strong -16dB S/N.   In addition, lots of stations across Europe have been spotted. Conditions on 10m are still pretty good.

UPDATE 0924z:  4X1RF (3519km) just spotted on 10m WSPR.

Sunspot activity

The sunspot count today is 65 (slipping lower gradually) and 20-30MHz propagation forecast to be "normal".  F2 long distance 10m propagation is probable.

I think we are seeing the slow post-peak decline now. It will be some years before conditions on 10m hit rock bottom though. This autumn and winter should still be very good on the higher HF bands.

472kHz WSPR - instant success

Since QSYing back to 472kHz (630m) I have met with instant success: up to 5 reports per 2 minute WSPR TX transmission. No new reporters as yet, but lots of support on 472kHz this evening. Last time I looked there were 59 stations active, a new record.   G3ZJO seems to be receiving better and putting out a stronger signal recently.

6m WSPR today so far - a non-event?

Well, I am trying! Despite the low level, apparently, of activity on 6m WSPR, I have been active most of the day on RX and TX. So far - it is now 1510z - I have spotted and been spotted by precisely nobody at all! No locals, no GDX, no surprise Europeans, nothing at all. I have checked and double checked that all is working and antennas are connected. All are. Today was just a bad day with nothing, so far at least, to show for my efforts. I even advertised my presence twice on the "chat" facility on WSPRnet. A station on the south coast of the UK said he was also trying 6m. I'll keep trying for a few more hours. Things just might change.

Even on 472kHz last night I was frequently getting 4 reports a call with just 5mW ERP. On 6m I am using an ERP of around 1W (30dBm) but it is doing me no good it seems!

There are just 16 spots for 6m in the worldwide WSPRnet database today. Not the best of days clearly!

UPDATE 1615z:  Just looked at the 10m database on WSPRnet. Although there is some transatlantic activity, it is not exactly great. Looks like today has been quite poor generally.

UPDATE 1922z:  Still no reports in/out on 6m.Will be QSYing to 472kHz WSPR shortly.

UPDATE 1924z:   Well, that was a waste of time on 6m today. Not a single report given or received all day on 6m, and others seemed to be having a bad time too. QSYing now to 472kHz WSPR.

Simple,but good,DC transceiver kits

At under $30 the Hendricks Kits DCxx series of direct conversion transceivers look good value. See http://www.qrpkits.com/. With a decent mixer, these rigs should do better than many. The image below is actually on the Hendricks Kits site. Link to image will be removed if this is a problem.

http://www.qrpkits.com/images/DXxxB5.jpg

Ploughing a lonely furrow on 6m WSPR

There are very few active stations on 6m WSPR, but I am giving it a try!  The best I can hope for are some locals, some GDX, and just maybe a fleeting bit of Es into somewhere in Europe. The latter is a low chance I think but not zero. I shall probably stick around on 6m until after teatime. In the Far East there has been 6m TEP JA-VK but the UK is a bit too far north.

On 6m I am using a vertical with about 30dBm ERP. This is usually OK for GDX out to about 200km off planes.

Sunspots

Today's sunspot count has fallen to 61 and 20-30MHz propagation is forecast to be "poor". I am currently on 6m and I have not checked out 10m today. Long distance F2 propagation may be more problematic on 10m today.

Time to QSY to 472kHz, 6m tomorrow?

10m has been in good shape again today, but at the moment it is getting too predictable, even a little boring! Every single day it opens to the USA and frequently much further.

So, I shall be QSYing down to 472kHz quite soon this evening where there are already 37 active stations on WSPR.

Tomorrow I may well try a different band, possibly 6m.

UPDATE 1940z:  G3WCB sent this screen shot of my signal last night to the RSGB's LF group. I am the signal near 693. Weak but clear.

10m to the USA

10m WSPR opened to the USA just after 1200z here today. The 10m band has opened to the USA every day now for weeks and weeks by F2.

UPDATE 1355z:  As well as all the  USA stations, there is a wide spread of stations from across Europe too. FZ5ZX and TJ3TS are also coming through reliably from the Indian Ocean and Africa respectively. Not sure if FZ5ZX is a Reunion Is local or a visitor? FR4OZ (9733km) was spotted at 1444z. He is a new station to me, the third on Reunion Is. He claims to be using 5mW but I think this is an error. Otherwise he was putting in a remarkable signal at -3dB S/N. I find it hard to believe 5mW somehow.