Over 1000km on 5mW ERP on 472kHz!

Last night, for the first time, my 5mW ERP WSPR signal broke the 1000km barrier with 2 spots of my signal from Norway by LA4ANA (1042km). He was spotted here 9 times too. Conditions must have been good. I need to recheck how many stations have received my 5mW ERP on 472kHz WSPR as I was also copied by GW0EZY (251km) at 2252z last night. Several (nearer) stations should be able to copy me too, but they need to be active!

472kHz WSPR - LA4ANA copied already

LA4ANA (1042km) has already been spotted here this evening at 1812z right on the limits of copy (-31dB S/N) with his 50mW ERP.  This is a new station I believe on the band from this QTH.

33 unique WSPR spots (of others) in last 2 weeks on 472kHz WSPR

I am still hopeful of some new reporters of my 5mW ERP overnight.

UPDATE Oct 20th 2014 0908z: LA4ANA was spotted here 9 times last night. A couple of new reporters of my pipsqueak 472kHz signal too. A good night on MF for me.

10m WSPR in good shape again

Although I have remained on MF all day, I have been checking WSPRnet to see how 10m WSPR has been shaping up. Well it appears, with USA stations exchanging spots with Europeans and LU8WAG exchanging spots over 13000km. Good F2 propagation on 10m again today.

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!