QSY down to 472kHz

At 2020z I QSYed back down to 472kHz WSPR and was immediately exchanging spots despite running just 5mW ERP from a very indifferent antenna and ground system.

472kHz is a most interesting band and I urge more people to give it a try, even if just on receive initially. Here, the FT817 is used directly on RX and certainly hears stations right across Europe.  I am able to hear from LA to I to EA and right across the continent between.

UPDATE 2045z:  M0PPP is putting in a massive -2dB S/N 472kHz WSPR signal currently. G8VDQ (93km) is a new station in the last 2 weeks copied here this evening.

472kHz spots so far this evening (to 2052z)

Trying 6m WSPR again today

Well, I must be a masochist! I am yet again trying 6m WSPR in the hope of some GDX, Europeans or even some TEP. As yet, nothing at all - dead.  I am using 30dBm ERP from my vertical V2000 VHF/UHF antenna.

UPDATE 1130z:  So far on 6m it has been totally dead with not the slightest hint of signals - no MS pings, no aircraft Doppler from possible GDX - absolutely nothing seen at a.ll.  It looks as if today will be as bad as the other recent days when I tried 6m WSPR. A pity, but I'll keep trying.

UPDATE 1404z:  Still absolutely nothing at all on 6m WSPR.  I'll keep going for this afternoon, but I really am getting nowhere on the band.  It suggests the Europeans on 10m are probably F layer backscatter otherwise I might have expected some Europeans on 6m Es too.There are no stations at all copyable on 6m.

UPDATE 1635z:  6m still absolutely DEAD here still.  Will continue to try until after tea time.

UPDATE 1715z:  I have (reluctantly) concluded, again, that out of season 6m WSPR is a total waste of time. Today is the 5th day in recent weeks I have tried and not a single station has been seen on the screen (even those not decoding ) or spotted me. I think it is time to call it a day on 6m WSPR. Tomorrow iI shal try on a different band.

UPDATE 1930z:   That's it then.  After 5 DAYS of trying on 6m WSPR I am now going QRT as I have been spotted by no-one and no-one has spotted me. It was a dead loss and total wasted effort. QSYing shortly to MF.

Kempton Park Rally

Sunday 9 NOVEMBER : WEST LONDON RADIO & ELECTRONICS SHOW (Kempton Rally)
Kempton Park Racecourse, Staines Road East, Sunbury on Thames, TW16 5AQ. TI, free CP, OT 9.50/10am. TS, FM, B&B, SIG, C, DF, WIN, LEC. Paul, M0CJX, 08451 650 351, info@radiofairs.co.uk. www.radiofairs.co.uk.

Distance from Cambridge : 75 miles
Estimated Journey Time  : 1 hour 40 mins

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Sunspots today

The sunspot number today is 107 and 10m daytime conditions are forecast to be "fair".  If recent days are typical, this means 10m should be good for some F2 propagation, including North America after lunch.

MLS are moving

From Steve G1KQH comes news of the up-coming move by Martin Lynch and Sons to new, and larger, premises in the New Year. I dealt with MLS earlier in the year and found them very helpful.

Martin Lynch & Sons to move premises early in the new year.

Join then at the Farewell to Chertsey party:

http://www.hamradio.co.uk/hogroast.php

Last spots of my 10m WSPR at 50mW in the USA

KU4QI (6406km) was the last to spot me today at 1648z. Since then, just local G4IKZ (18km) has been spotting me.

I think it is time to QSY to MF (472kHz) WSPR for the night.

UPDATE 2036z: have now QSYed to 472kHz WSPR.  DK7FC (669km) is, as always, putting in a very decent signal here. Just G0LRD (25km) spotting my 5mW ERP so far.

UPDATE 2200z:  8 unique stations seen so far on 472kHz WSPR this evening so far.  Several have been spotted many times.

Unique stations spotted on 472kHz WSPR so far this evening

W5OLF WSPR kit

Jay has been working on new versions of his little WSPR beacons. All being well I should receive a 10m 500mW out version in the next few weeks.

Jay is writing the manual(s) and has asked me for my feedback, which I shall, of course, provide. The new version is a single board (again) but transmits continuously, randomising the TX frequency on each TX burst to minimise interference to/from others. It needs several minutes to thermally stabilise but uses the uP to generate everything needed such as the WSPR tones, so no PC is needed. The transmission is started manually on the start of an even minute with a push button. The PA can be separately enabled.

This should be fun. I'll give more information when it arrives and I get a chance to try it on the air.

Plenty of stateside 10m WSPR spots at 50mW

I think the 10m band has now closed here for the day to the USA with 50mW on WSPR. In the end,  there were plenty of USA spots at this power level. As I said yesterday, 500mW will seem like high power! 28 spots (if I counted right) since 1150z and I was only on 20% or less TX.

Tomorrow, I may try a different band completely for a change.

Inspecting antennas - by radio controlled quadcopter!

Some years ago I went to a BBQ where someone had a wi-fi controlled quadcopter remotely controlled from an iPad. It was very impressive with its on-board cameras for navigation and filming what was happening down below.

I see AE5X has a video showing the inspection of his antennas (from above) using one of these. My antenna farm is trivial by comparison and can be pretty well examined at ground level.

See http://www.ae5x.com/blog/various/youtube-de-ae5x/ .

First 10m WSPR 50mW stateside reports today

At 1312z, W3CSW (5886km) and WG2Z (5600km) were the first USA stations to spot my 50mW WSPR signal today, at -26dB S/N and -21dB S/N respectively.  Others are now following. KB9AMG (6300km) has spotted me twice now. At the moment there seem to be fewer USA spots with my 50mW on 10m WSPR than yesterday? Early in the day I guess. Things may change.

UPDATE 1536z: W3CSW is now copying my 50mW 10m WSPR at -19dB S/N, implying he would probably copy me on 5mW or even less if his noise floor is low.