Day off amateur radio operating

As I had my U3AC course on Human Evolution in Cambridge , I have decided not to be active on amateur radio today.  I may go on 472kHz WSPR this evening. 10m WSPR, even at 500mW, is becoming quite easy of late with good DX to be had with no real effort.  Even on 472kHz my genuine 5mW ERP has spanned over 1000km already.

I am beginning to feel like I need a whole new challenge,  but I just wish I felt better inside: my remaining stroke systems are getting me down.

Tuesday Sunspots

Sunspot count has climbed further to 93 (with blackouts) and 20-30MHz propagation is forecast to be "normal".  We should expect some decent F2 propagation on 10m today. Already, well before noon, Europeans were being spotted in the USA. FR4OZ was being spotted in GM before 0900z by F2.

10m 500mW success

Running 500mW to my end-fed PAR tri-band antenna, I have so far been spotted by 4 stations on 10m WSPR. Best DX is UA3ARC (2436km) and 4X1RF (3529km). The band has not yet opened to the USA yet at the time of writing. Yet again I am spotting Karen RA3APW's 100mW Moscow WSPR beacon strongly (-14dB S/N) at 2443km.

UPDATE 1345z:  USA stations are now spotting my 500mW and also being spotted by PY3FF (10440km) at a decent -19dB S/N.  500mW seems quite enough to be noticed around the world on 10m WSPR even with my less than ideal antenna.

UPDATE 1610z:  Dropping power to 500mW really seems to have made very little difference to the stations spotting me. I may be less strong, but that is all. Apart from quite a few stateside spots (best DX in that direction is KD6RF (7547km), my best DX spot is from PY3FF at 1250z.

UPDATE 1630z:  These are the unique stations reporting my 500mW so far today on 10m WSPR. Quite a decent selection.

10m WSPR unique reports today with 500mW TX

HF conditions and sunspots

Although the sunspot count is up to 86 (with blackouts), the 20-30MHz propagation forecast is only "fair".  Conditions on 10m are therefore hard to predict. With such a high sunspot count I would hope we'd see some decent F2 openings, but 10m is a fickle band and it can be hard to tell. As yet, I have not started up on 10m.

UPDATE 1012z:   Both PY3FF (10440km) and CX2ABP (11127km), plus several Europeans, coming through on 10m WSPR already.  Conditions on 10m are good!  So much for 10m propagation being just "fair".  Today I am running 500mW on 10m WSPR. So far just locals spotting me.

UPDATE 1036z:  No more South Americans seen since the earlier spots.

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.