Sunspots

The sunspot count today is 60 with a risk of blackouts. 20-30MHz propagation is "normal" so I'd expect (on 10m) USA stations and more distant stations by F2.

As mentioned earlier, I am not on 10m WSPR today, instead concentrating on 472kHz WSPR.

Recent 472kHz spots of my 5mW ERP signal.

472kHz - PA3ABK/2

PA3ABK/2 (306km) is always an excellent signal on 472kHz WSPR. Today I stuck with 472kHz WSPR during the day and PA3ABK/2 running 500mW ERP is still around the -10/-11dB S/N level - a very good strong signal all the time here.

Sadly, overnight my 5mW ERP 472kHz WSPR signal was again reported by stations in the UK and The Netherlands who have reported me already. No new overnight reports. Briefly OR7T was active (I spotted him) but he was not on overnight on RX. I think Rik should be able to copy my pipsqueak signal.

W5OLF WSPR kit?

My soldering skills are rather "challenged" since my brain bleed 13 months ago. I have an un-built Ultimate 3 kit waiting for my better health. Several kind people have offered me help to build and test it: you know who you are and thank you!  The kindness of fellow QRPers knows no bounds. It is so lovely to find how many really kind people there are around. There are far more good people in the world than bad ones.

Some years ago W5OLF sold a very simple, single board, few parts, WSPR TX which I think I could manage to build. I could not find it advertised. Anyone know if it is it still available?

UPDATE Oct 19th 2014 1208z:  Good news - Jay tells me (by email) that kits are still available.

Extra SAQ 17.2kHz VLF CW transmission on Oct 24th?

Message from SAQ (sic). There appears to be some confusion over the time. If I get clarification I'll let you know later.   The transmissions are CW from the World Heritage transmitter that dates from about 90 years ago. It is run up on special occasions only.

There will hopefully be a transmission with the Alexanderson alternator on 17.2 kHz on “United Nations Day” October 24, 2014 at 10:00 UTC. Start up and tuning from about 11:30 UTC.

There will be a message written by students in Denmark.

We are not hundred percent sure we have access to the antenna this day because of other organization using it.

Returned to 10m WSPR

Having returned to 10m WSPR my first spot from the USA was at 1244z from KK4ZUU (5933km) near Washington DC. First of many I expect today. At the moment there are fewer USA stations on 10m than I was expecting, but it is early days still.

UPDATE 1255z:  More USA stations coming through no.

UPDATE 1257z:   FR1GZ and PY3FF (10440km) also audible. My old work colleague Karen RA3APW must be back in Moscow: his 100mW 10m WSPR beacon is really booming in here at -6dB S/N.

WSPR - V4.0 r4171

For the last few days I have been using this latest beta version of WSPR software. It appears to work stably but I miss the real-time scrolling waterfall that was on WSPR-X, which I gather is no longer being developed.  The version V4.0 r4171 I have is the best available, or so I am told.

At the moment I am trying this software on 12, 15 and 17m with the "strapped feeder" antenna via the ATU.

UPDATE 1632z:  Have now gone back to 472kHz WSPR.

UPDATE 2150z:  29 unique stations spotted on 472kHz WSPR in last 2 weeks. I need to check the all time number, which is higher. Right across Europe! The 2 USA stations are band reporting errors and were NOT on 472kHz!

Blogging errors

Please pardon my blogging errors. On most posts I make at least one spelling or grammar error, but I try to correct the mistakes as soon as I notice. Maybe it is an after-effect of my brain bleed that I react too slowly? Sometimes it is the next day (or later) before I notice the error. Although a lot better than I was, I still feel giddy walking and I tire easily. Slowly, oh so slowly, things are getting a little easier, but this is far longer than I ever expected. Patience!

Sunspots today

Sunspot count today is down again, this time to 39 but 20-30MHz propagation remains "normal" so some decent F2 propagation is likely. I expect the USA to be audible around lunchtime onwards. These days, it is the norm. South Americans are usually copyable on WSPR as long as there are active stations.

First Spanish station logged on 472kHz

At 2352z last night EA3NE (1198km) in JN11an square in Spain was copied at -30dB S/N on WSPR. He is NW of Barcelona.  This is with a totally unmodified FT817 (original version) and my "strapped feeders" compromise antenna.

On TX, sadly no new reporters yet again. I think on RX I have now received most of the active stations on 472kHz WSPR.

Unique 472kHz WSPR spots on RX overnight

Back on 472kHz WSPR

This evening I have returned to my 5mW ERP WSPRing on 472kHz.  As yet, just the same stations are spotting me and being spotted. All being well, I shall leave things running through the night. Hopefully the PC will not decide to close down at 3am as it did last night. G3ZJO is a better signal now and he seems to be receiving better. I am on the "strapped feeders" antenna tonight rather than the earth-electrode. Incidentally, SP5XSB has been very pleased with MF results with his low milliwatts ERP signal from his earth-electrode antenna.

UPDATE 1922z:  F1AFJ (607km) is already being spotted here at -30dB S/N (just) at 1922z.  He is some way down in France JN06ht square. Half an hour later he was 6dB stronger

UPDATE 2145z:  F5WK (436km) has been spotted here 21 times already this evening on 472kHz WSPR. His signal has averaged about -21dB S/N so far, peaking at -17dB S/N. He is located in the Pairs area and claims to use 500mW ERP.