Sunspots and 10m - Dec 31st 2014

Sunspot number today is 102 and 10m propagation is expected to be "fair".  My 10m 500mW WSPR beacon has only been spotted out to about 2400km so far (EU and near Russia).

I am also on 630m (472kHz) WSPR but will probably QSY to 6m soon.

"Jack Jones" - the answer is NO!!!

I have been repeatedly asked by a pirate called "Jack Jones" to add a permanent link to this website promoting his pirate TX below our 7MHz band. I am not a supporter of pirates and any such comments will be deleted at the earliest opportunity.

So the answer to your request is NO. I do NOT support pirates.

6m WSPR today

6m has been disappointing again today with spots exchanged only with G6AVK (78km). I am leaving things running on 6m for a few more hours, ever hopeful.   I could run the PA at 3dB more but don't fancy the almost 2 minutes TX slot with my MkI FT817 PAs.

6m WSPR exchanges today so far

UPDATE 1925z:  Time to go QRT on 6m and QSY to 630m (472kHz) WSPR. Went QRT at about 1930z. Now QRV on 472kHz WSPR with shot baseline earth-electrode "antenna".

LD-5 QRP rig

Steve G1KQH,  has found the price of the LNR Precision 5 band QRP radio and published this on his blog. Low cost TDA2003 audio/LF ICs recently found by Steve are now available from GQRP Club Sales.

For the LNR Precision rig data see http://g1kqh.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/ld-5-price.html .

10m USA WSPR spots today - Dec 30th 2014

At 1254z, WG2Z (5600km) was the first station in the USA to spot my 500mW 10m WSPR signal today. He has spotted me several times since, as have others from the USA.

So far, 6m WSPR is very quiet here - no spots given or received.

UPDATE 1738z:  At 1714z WG2Z was the last USA spot of me today.

UPDATE 1845z:    Now QRT on 10m WSPR,  but continuing on 6m for a few more hours. Although I can still see G6AVK on 6m (I presume - same approximate frequency) coming through, the signal is too weak and frequency shifting to decode. The drift could be my end as well as at G6AVK'send?

QSYed from 630m to 6m WSPR

In the last few minutes I've QSYed to 6m WSPR from MF.   ERP on 6m is 1W (vertical) 20% TX and 80% RX.  I am still TXing on 10m WSPR 100% TX at 500mW.

Yesterday, 6m was just an exchange of spots with G6AVK. I am still hoping to catch some wintertime Es, but no luck as yet.

UPDATE 1545z:   Several 6m WSPR spots exchanged with G6AVK (78km) this afternoon, but nothing else. The large frequency shift (both ways) on exchanges with G6AVK suggest aircraft reflections were involved, not pure tropo.

472kHz WSPR

In the last 2 weeks, I have been spotted by 15 different stations when using 5mW (max) from my earth-electrode "antenna" on 472kHz WSPR. Some decent DX too.

Uniques on 472kHz WSPR this last 2 weeks on earth-electrodes with 5mW ERP

Sunspots and 10m - Dec 30th 2014

Sunspot number today is 113, but 10m propagation is only forecast to be "fair".  So far this morning my 500mW beacon is only being spotted in Europe, although I am sure stations in the USA will be spotting me after lunch. I hope there will also be spots from Africa and South America.

QRT on 10m. QSYed from 6m to 630m WSPR

At 2230z I went QRT on 10m WSPR.

I have now moved the FT817 and transverter (on the short baseline earth electrode "antenna" to 472kHz WSPR where my ERP is around 5mW (max.). G8LCO and G7NKS have already copied me on the first TX burst and I have copied G0LRD (25km) on the first RX slot. I'll remain on overnight on 472kHz WSPR.

First few minutes on 472kHz WSPR this evening.

Low cost quadcopter

Quadcopters are usually quite expensive but Banggood have one for sale that will not break the bank.

See http://www.banggood.com/JJRC-H8C-2_4G-4CH-6-Axis-RC-Quadcopter-With-2MP-Camera-RTF-p-950652.html .