Sunspot number has risen a bit to 56. 10m propagation is expected to be "fair" yet again.
UPDATE 0958z: Only local G4IKZ (18km) spotting my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon on 10m so far. Best DX on 472kHz (earth-electrode "antenna" and 5mW ERP) is a spot from G8HUH (250km).
13 Mar 2015
12 Mar 2015
RadCom Plus
This morning I received a request to write for RadCom Plus, the on-line RadCom supplement for members only. I shall have to think about this. My health is still not too brilliant but I do enjoy writing, so may try to give this a go. Need to think what to write about first, HI.
USA 10m WSPR spots
10m yet again opened to the USA this afternoon. First USA station to spot my 500mW WSPR was K4RCG (5995km) at 1312z.
UPDATE 1410z: It was a pretty uneventful morning on 10m WSPR. The usual stations on the eastern fringe of Europe spotting me plus a few inter-G stations until the band opened to the USA. At the moment the 10m band does not feel as lively as it did yesterday. Only 2 different USA stations spotting me so far today.
UPDATE 1506z: 10m seems to be lively now with all the usual USA suspects now spotting me again.
UPDATE 1920z: The 10m opening to the USA ended at 1928z with WG2Z (5600km) being the last to spot my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon. Since that time just locals. Time to go QRT on 10m.
UPDATE 1410z: It was a pretty uneventful morning on 10m WSPR. The usual stations on the eastern fringe of Europe spotting me plus a few inter-G stations until the band opened to the USA. At the moment the 10m band does not feel as lively as it did yesterday. Only 2 different USA stations spotting me so far today.
UPDATE 1506z: 10m seems to be lively now with all the usual USA suspects now spotting me again.
UPDATE 1920z: The 10m opening to the USA ended at 1928z with WG2Z (5600km) being the last to spot my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon. Since that time just locals. Time to go QRT on 10m.
SDR transceivers (more)
Several people have contacted me - thank you for the feedback so far. I have been reminded that the Elecraft KX3 has an SDR architecture and retails from about £850, ready built, in the UK, Of course with all the leads and options it works out considerably more expensive, but it is a very good unit.
Sunspots and 10m - March 12th 2015
Sunspot number is little changed on yesterday. It is 42 today. 10m propagation is expected again to be "fair" whatever this means.
I turned on my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon a few minutes ago. It usually takes about 20 minutes for the PA to warm and the box stabilise. I see a few Hertz drift in my very first reports then it is stable all day long.
UPDATE 0950z: My little beacon is still stabilising, so no reports as yet on 10m WSPR.
UPDATE 1020z: Almost as I was writing the above, G4CUI (172km) started to spot me on 10m. The unit has now fully stabilised. Reports are at the -24/-25dB S/N level. This is probably tropo and aircraft reflections. 172km is quite a distance for regular spots by tropo, but certainly possible. It would be interesting to see the screenshots from G4CUI to see if there are multiple Doppler shifted signals, which would suggest aircraft reflection. An absence of Doppler might suggest pure 10m tropo.
I turned on my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon a few minutes ago. It usually takes about 20 minutes for the PA to warm and the box stabilise. I see a few Hertz drift in my very first reports then it is stable all day long.
UPDATE 0950z: My little beacon is still stabilising, so no reports as yet on 10m WSPR.
UPDATE 1020z: Almost as I was writing the above, G4CUI (172km) started to spot me on 10m. The unit has now fully stabilised. Reports are at the -24/-25dB S/N level. This is probably tropo and aircraft reflections. 172km is quite a distance for regular spots by tropo, but certainly possible. It would be interesting to see the screenshots from G4CUI to see if there are multiple Doppler shifted signals, which would suggest aircraft reflection. An absence of Doppler might suggest pure 10m tropo.
11 Mar 2015
472kHz WSPR
At the moment my 472kHz WSPR (5mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna") is being copied by the usual suspects with the best DX spot being by being PA0RDT (243km). Although I shall go QRT on 10m shortly I will stay on 472kHz overnight.
SDR transceivers?
Recently I mentioned the 5W SDR transceiver from Italy by Elad which retails for £899 in the UK. This can be used with or without a PC. Clearly with a PC more features are available.
There are several more SDR based transceivers on the market such as the Flex 1500. There are also a few SDR transceiver kits. I wonder if readers have any favourites?
There are several more SDR based transceivers on the market such as the Flex 1500. There are also a few SDR transceiver kits. I wonder if readers have any favourites?
Firefox crippled?
Maybe it is just me and my Win 8.1 PC, but today I am having great problems with my Firefox web browser, which in the past has been both reliable and stable. The program seems to freeze on several bookmarks (notably Facebook) and I have to restart the PC to recover. I just wonder if a recent Windows Update (installed earlier) has upset it?
Anyone else suffering in the last day or so with Firefox?
I hope Microsoft is not trying to act dirty. Not saying they are - but it seems odd that all my problems have just started today. If I were to make a browser change it would be to Google Chrome.
UPDATE 12.3.15 1410z: I deleted the Facebook bookmark and replaced it. All seems well with Firefox.
Anyone else suffering in the last day or so with Firefox?
I hope Microsoft is not trying to act dirty. Not saying they are - but it seems odd that all my problems have just started today. If I were to make a browser change it would be to Google Chrome.
UPDATE 12.3.15 1410z: I deleted the Facebook bookmark and replaced it. All seems well with Firefox.
Not amateur radio!
Today my XYL and I visited a couple more churches near Cambridge. I have updated my East Anglian Churches Blog. Sadly we have found more locked churches of late, usually as a result of thefts. All very sad. I am pleased that most churches are not locked.
10m USA WSPR spots today
WB8ELK/01 (6872km) was the first in the USA to spot my 500mW WSPR beacon today at 1328z. Quite a few other USA station are spotting me too. It was a good morning on 10m WSPR: I was spotted in Western Australia twice.
UPDATE 2040z: Opening to USA and Canada on 10m WSPR still in full swing.
UPDATE 2104z: USA stations still spotting my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon. It is now several hours after dark here. Will this opening never end? I shall stick on 10m until this opening ends. At some point the band will just die out to the USA. The last 2 spots were -16 and -19dB S/N. Often signals are strongest just before the band dies out on a given path.
UPDATE 2125z: This is amazing. Just a few moments ago my 10m 500mW beacon was still being spotted by WB8ELK/01 (6872km). I am staying on 10m for a while yet.
UPDATE 2215z: It looks like the opening to the USA ended (for me) with the 2118z spot by WB8ELK/01. Only locals spotting me since then. Considering 10m was only expected to be "fair" it was in good shape with a couple of spots by Australians this morning and a long opening to North America this afternoon and this evening.
UPDATE 2040z: Opening to USA and Canada on 10m WSPR still in full swing.
UPDATE 2104z: USA stations still spotting my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon. It is now several hours after dark here. Will this opening never end? I shall stick on 10m until this opening ends. At some point the band will just die out to the USA. The last 2 spots were -16 and -19dB S/N. Often signals are strongest just before the band dies out on a given path.
UPDATE 2125z: This is amazing. Just a few moments ago my 10m 500mW beacon was still being spotted by WB8ELK/01 (6872km). I am staying on 10m for a while yet.
UPDATE 2215z: It looks like the opening to the USA ended (for me) with the 2118z spot by WB8ELK/01. Only locals spotting me since then. Considering 10m was only expected to be "fair" it was in good shape with a couple of spots by Australians this morning and a long opening to North America this afternoon and this evening.
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