6m success - at last!

After weeks (on and off) I managed to exchange WSPR spots with G6AVK (78km) today on 6m. No great DX sadly but I was pleased that we exchanged reports on the band. I was hoping to catch some mid-winter Es, but no luck yet. The 6m WSPR (30dBm ERP vertical) will be running throughout the day and maybe overnight.

Return to 6m and 10m WSPR

I am determined to catch some wintertime 6m activity! At about 0810z both the 10m 500mW beacon and the 6m FT817 based (30dBm ERP vertical) were turned on. Spots on 10m but quiet so far on 6m.

UPDATE 1520z:   On 10m, my 500mW WSPR has been spotted in Australia, South Africa and the USA so far today.   On 6m, my 1W ERP has been copied by G6AVK (78km). I have also spotted him on 6m WSPR. No great DX on 6m but my first 6m WSPR spots for some time.

UPDATE 1742z:  No 6m WSPR spots since 1330z. Only G6AVK spotted.

Going QRT on MF and 10m at bedtime tonight

As staying on overnight resulted in no great surprises, I shall be closing my station when I go to bed this evening. 10m will be restarted after breakfast. MF (472kHz) may be restarted too, or I may try 6m one more time

UPDATE 2315z:  Now QRT.

Last 10m WSPR spot from the USA

The last USA spot of my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was by W3CSW (5886km) at 1706z.

It looks like the stateside openings are now shorter on most days, no doubt because of the shorter days in the northern hemisphere. Still, 10m has opened to the USA and Canada on 10m WSPR for months now every afternoon.

CX2ABP/D on 10m WSPR (11080km)

Best DX spot of my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was by CX2ABP/D (11080km) a few times over lunch and early afternoon. The USA stations have been spotting me since 1326z. The first USA station to spot me was WA2PJI (5550km).

Unique 10m WSPR spots (500mW) to 1525z today.

Results overnight on MF (630m) and 10m WSPR

Overnight was a waste of time! On 10m WSPR I was spotted by a few OZ and DL stations an hour or so before breakfast with just local G4IKZ (18km) spotting me through the bulk if the night. On 472kHz WSPR I was spotted by the same usual stations and I spotted the usual suspects! In all, no new reports following an overnight session on 2 bands.

Even this morning, 10m is disappointing with mainly Europeans. Best DX spot with my 500mW WSPR-AXE-CW beacon is EA8/DL9XJ (2981km).  So far, 10m is disappointing today, although I expect it will open to the USA later.

Falling sunspot numbers?

Sunspot number for Dec 27th 2014 has fallen.to 92 and 10m propagation is forecast to be "fair".  Although we'll still get good days, we must now expect sunspot numbers to gradually decline as the years go by towards the next sunspot minimum. Usually the decline downwards tends to be faster than the climb after the minimum, although many are predicting that the next maximum (cycle 25) will be miserably low.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/  .

See also http://sc25.com/ .

See also http://www.swsc-journal.org/index.php?option=com_article&access=doi&doi=10.1051/swsc/2012008&Itemid=129 .

Staying on 10m and MF through the night

I've decided to stay on 10m and MF WSPR through the overnight period to see what spots turn up on both bands. Last night there were OZ stations on 10m around 0300z and MF is always interesting overnight.

472kHz WSPR today

I have been on 472kHz all day, and intend to stay on all evening and overnight. I am TXing for about 20% of the time and 80% on RX. These are the unique stations spotted here in the last 12 hours. Currently it is 2012z.

Unique 472kHz WSPR spots received here on earth-electrodes

On TX, with 5mW ERP, these are my unique spots so far today.

Unique 472kHz WSPR spots received from 
others (5mW ERP) on earth-electrodes

Sunspots and 10m - Dec 26th 2014

Sunspot number today is 100 and 10m conditions are forecast to be "fair". So far today no DX spots of my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon have been received from further than the USA. No spots from South Africa or Reunion Island for example.

UPDATE 1922z:  Still no further DX after the USA stopped spotting me a few hours ago. I think it will be locals and, maybe, the odd European by wintertime Es for the rest of the evening on 10m. I may go QRT shortly on 10m, although I am still running 5mW ERP from the short baseline earth-electrode "antenna" on 472kHz, MF.