70cms AM

As you may recall, I am quite a fan of super-regen receivers. Nothing as simple is able to match their AM sensitivity, but they tend to have poor selectivity.

With the availability of very low cost 433MHz modules (TX and super-regen RX) designed for AM data, these modules could be ripe for conversion to ultra-simple 70cm AM voice transceivers. One local friend, Andrew G6ALB, is currently carrying out experiments to see if this is feasible. I hope to work him on 70cm AM using such a rig in the months ahead. Sadly, I am still too clumsy to do any building work - very frustrating.

I am wondering if anyone else has tried these modules in such a circuit? With a simple MMIC PA (50 ohms in and out) the power output could be lifted to around 25mW carrier or more. With V2000 verticals this should be good for local ranges. Even at the low milliwatt level from these QRPp modules several km range should be possible with co-linear antennas.

UPDATE 2310z:   I wonder what sort of power the TX modules typically produce with linear (speech) modulation rather than 5V square wave data modulation? Presumably much less than their rated power, so an add-on PA may be essential?

South Indian Ocean on 10m WSPR

Best DX today on 10m, despite the "poor" forecast was FR1GZ (9724km) on Reunion Is who has spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon 17 times this afternoon so far.  Quite a few times recently I have had very good reports on 10m from distant stations when the forecast has been "sub-optimum". It goes to prove that 10m and 6m are fickle bands: don't take propagation expectations as gospel.

10m USA WSPR spots today

KF4GKY (6406km) was the first USA station to spot my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon today at 1322z. After the dire forecasts this morning I was wondering if 10m would open to the USA at all. So far (it is now 1350z) KF4GKY is the only USA station spotting me.

UPDATE 1815z:   W3GXT (5840km) was the last to spot me from the USA today at 1702z. As this was over an hour ago it was probably the last today.

4X1RF now spotting my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon

At last, I am now being spotted on 10m outside the local area. 4X1RF (3519km) has spotted me a couple of times starting at 1056z this morning. Reports are weaker than usual.

Maybe I shall be spotted in the USA on 10m WSPR after lunch after all?4
 
UPDATE 1124z:  So far, just a couple of weak spots by 4X1RF. Conditions on 10m do seem down on the last few months.

UPDATE 1210z:  Better reports now from 4X1RF (-13dB S/N). Looks like 10m is coming to life.

5MHz world wide contiguous 60m amateur band?

Around the world, several administrations allow some access to 5MHz for amateurs.  Mostly, these are channelised allocations, which are far from ideal. What is needed is a continuous 60m band, say 200kHz wide. There was/is some hope of this being allocated to the amateur service at WRC2015 which is due to take place late this year.

I wonder what the chances of radio amateurs getting this band are? I have rather lost touch with the news on this. Certainly it was to be an agenda item. With decreasing solar activity, this would be ideal for the amateur community. I do hope it happens. Even if allocated at WRC2015, it could be a few years before administrations can make the necessary changes. If anyone has any further news I'd appreciate being updated.

Sunspots and "poor" 10m

Sunspot number is 63 today. 10m conditions are expected to be "poor". This is the first time in a long while I've seen this. Been on 10m WSPR for 45 minutes but only being spotted by G4IKZ (18km).

UPDATE 1048z:   Still just local G4IKZ spotting my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon. No Europeans even. Conditions do feel poor today. I wonder if we'll have our usual USA 10m opening after lunch?

UPDATE 1056z:  4X1RF (3519km) spotting me at last.

472kHz WSPR results - 5mW ERP earth electrode "antenna"

 

472kHz 5mW ERP - result on WSPR in last 2 weeks

In the last 2 weeks I have been spotted by 13 unique stations with the best DX still F1JBB (722km) when using (at most) 5mW ERP and the short baseline earth-electrode "antenna". I think G1GKN is a new reporter, but I need to check.

UPDATE 2212z:  G1GKN has only reported me today.

On receive on 472kHz WSPR I have spotted 18 unique stations in the last 2 weeks. Best DX was LA3EQ (769km).

472kHz WSPR - stations spotted here in last 2 weeks

USA 10m WSPR spots of my 500mW beacon today

KE6BID (5295km) was the first USA station to spot my 10m 500mW beacon at 1244z today. Since then, plenty of USA stations have been spotting me on 10m WSPR.

I am also active on 630m (472kHz) WSPR where I run 5mW ERP and I am on 20% TX and 80% RX. Best 472kHz WSPR DX on RX here was F1AFJ (607km). On 472kHz TX my best daylight DX today is G3THQ (8km) and M0ELS (81km).

UPDATE 1742z:   Currently KB9AMG (6300km) was the last USA station to spot my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon at 1722z. This may be it for the day, but we'll see.

UPDATE 2154z:   KB9AMG was the last spotter on 10m of my 500mW WSPR beacon at 1722z..

Sunspots - Jan 22nd 2015

Sunspot number today is 50 (gradually sliding downwards now on average) and 10m propagation forecast to be "fair". Certainly, my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon has not been spotted beyond Israel so far today.

Early morning on 10m WSPR

As early as 0856z, I was getting EU spots of my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon. 4X1RF (3519km) was not much later.    Some of these spots were very strong, suggesting either single hop Es or F2 propagation.   Local G4IKZ (18km) was spotting me all through the night.