Sunspots and 10m - Jan 28th 2015

Sunspot number continues to climb and is 119 at present. For the first time in some while, 10m propagation is forecast to be "good". LZ1OI (2153km) has spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon 10 times this morning already. As I write this it is 1046z.

Today could be a good 10m day.

UPDATE 2215z:   Now QRT on 10m WSPR  Although the band did open to the USA after lunch, it was a rather disappointing day on 10m WSPR for me.

50MHz UKAC session this evening

Tuesday nights are the nights for the RSGB's UKAC sessions. Tonight it is the 50MHz (6m) leg. As I only have a vertical omni-directional antenna (a V2000) it is very unlikely I'll work very much.  Add to that my poor voice and it is not a great recipe for too much success! I'll give it a brief try. The contest starts at 2000z and officially ends at 2230z. If I last 1 hour I shall be doing well.

UPDATE 2135z:   3 QSOs managed before I had to go QRT because of my poor voice - all locals. Best DX heard was G3MEH (IO91QS). Of course my antenna was the wrong polarisation.

6m QRP rigs

In many ways, 6m (50MHz) is an ideal band for experiments. Short RF leads are always good, but 6m is a forgiving band and you can get away with HF constructional techniques. It is 2MHz wide here in the UK and this means all speech modes can be fitted and used. The page below shows a number of links to 50MHz projects.

See http://www.pg1n.nl/articles.php?lng=en&pg=145 .

See also my Sixbox 6m AM transceiver .

10m WSPR - USA spots today

Although the band did not open to the USA until very late (1454z), plenty of different USA stations have been copying my 500mW WSPR beacon all afternoon. This is much better than yesterday.

The first spot of me was KZ8C (6290km). At the moment (it is 1805z) I am still being spotted by several stations in the USA.

UPDATE 1945z: The last USA spot of my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon was by K9AN (6505km) at 1902z.

Sunspots and 10m

After a miserable 10m day yesterday sunspot number today is 110 but 10m propagation is still only forecast to be "fair".

472kHz WSPR

This last 2 weeks I have been spotted by 15 unique stations on 472kHz WSPR. I am still using 5mW ERP and the earth-electrode "antenna". Several stations who have not been on WSPR so often have reappeared today.

472kHz unique reports of my 5mW ERP to earth-electrodes in last 2 weeks

70cms AM using data modules

That font of all knowledge Steve G1KQH has found a useful YouTube video:

"They are all at it now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4leNjynR0DM

73 Steve
http://www.g1kqh.talktalk.net/"

10m WSPR USA spots

It is now 1232z and, as yet, no USA stations have spotted my 500mW WSPR beacon. 4X1RF (3519m) and UR/SWL56 (2283km) have spotted me many times this morning. I think the band will open to the USA and I may be a little early.

UPDATE 1336z:  Still no spots from USA stations as yet.

UPDATE 1421z:  Still no spots from USA stations as yet. I have my doubts 10m is going to open to the USA at all today.

UPDATE 1445z:  First stateside spot of my 500mW WSPR was AB4QS (7087km) at 1426z - very late indeed today.  Conditions to the USA seem poor today.

UPDATE 1545z:  Today the only USA station to have spotted me on 10m WSPR is AB4QS and he has only spotted me twice. This is definitely a very poor day on 10m compared with recent months. Usually by now I have been spotted by loads of USA stations, despite running just 500mW on WSPR.

UPDATED 1858z:  AB4QS was the last station in the USA who spotted me at a very very early 1500z. This makes today one of the worst days on 10m in months.

Poppet 160m AM transceiver

This little top band AM transmitter and a companion receiver were first published in the GQRP club SPRAT magazine. This TX version was built by M0DAD. Where the noise floor allows, 160m AM is quite popular for local nets.  There is something nice about "rolling your own" builds and getting satisfying results without spending a fortune. For daytime local use 160m AM is a great mode and rigs are simple. I am still surprised that more is not made of AM on 10m at night for local nets here in the UK.

See http://www.delboyonline.co.uk/m0dad/construcion/poppet_top_band_am_transmitter.htm.

QRP 5W CW transmitter from SM0VPO

Many years ago Harry SM0VPO worked at Pye Telecom. I had no idea back then that he was such a prolific and good designer.  This is his design for a simple HF 5W CW transmitter. His website has loads of great ideas.

See http://www.qsl.net/qrp/tx/5wtx.htm .