Another quiet start on 10m WSPR

All morning it has been pretty quiet on 10m WSPR with just a single spot from 4X4TAU (3564km) at 0958z. The remainder of spots have been from a local G. Certainly quieter than I expected today.

Sunspots and 10m - Sunday April 12th 2015

Sunspot number has climbed again to 74 (K=1) and 10m propagation is expected to be "fair" today. Early 10m spots were from local G's - G4IKZ (18km) and G4KPX (14km). I have the feeling 10m will open to the USA this afternoon.

US Masters (Augusta) - NOT amateur radio

As a teenager I played golf regularly (16 handicap at best) although it is many years since I played. My brother still plays regularly. Both my parents were keen golfers. Now, with my cerebellum brain bleed, these golfing days are probably gone forever.

This does not stop me enjoying the US Masters from Augusta on the BBC each April. The course is always perfect and the flowers around the course are a real joy. As I write this Justin Rose, England,  if he holds his nerve, is in 2nd place and still in with a real chance.

The final round is tomorrow - I shall be staying up to watch it.   The US Masters is one of the TV highlights of the year. I know my younger son, currently on holiday in Australia with his in-laws, will be watching it too, but over breakfast!

See http://www.masters.com/index.html .

6m "surprise" and 10m "no-show surprise"

First nice surprise was to be spotted on 6m WSPR by G3ZJO (79km) for what is the first time I think. He gave new -24dB S/N a few minutes ago.

Eddie has copied me on 472kHz and 500kHz. I think Eddie must have been working on his TX and RX set-up on several bands as he seems better with me on 472kHz and he is able to copy me on 472kHz despite my very low ERP. I am not sure what he is using on 6m but very pleased to be spotted by him on a new band.

UPDATE 1724z:   G3ZJO has spotted me 4 times so far on 6m but, at the moment, not a single spot received on 10m. The total absence of spots on 10m is the first time in years I have known the band so quiet.  Sadly, I suspect that outside of the Es season this could become the norm, especially if people leave the band for "richer waters" lower down the spectrum.  Today there are only about a third of 10m WSPR users compared with a few months ago.

UPDATE 1805z:  The latest spot from G3ZJO was -21dB S/N suggesting my signal is getting stronger with Eddie.

UPDATE 1924z:  Still no spots at all on 10m WSPR, so I suspect there will be none today at all.  On 6m, no further spots given or received since the 4 spots of my 1W ERP (vertical) by G3ZJO much earlier. Either Eddie has gone QRT on the 6m band or propagation has changed. I suspect the former.

6m spots by G3ZJO today

USA 10m WSPR spots??

Yet again, my 500mW 10m beacon is being copied by absolutely no-one in North America, or for that matter anywhere else at all!  Unless thinks improve I think this will be one of my worst days in months on 10m.  Of course, things could rapidly change on 10m and 6m, so definitely worthwhile sticking around longer on both bands awaiting some surprises.

Especially on 10m, I've found that whatever I forecast turns out to be rubbish!

Sunspots and 10m - April 11th 2015

Sunspot number is 34 today (K=4) and 10m propagation is expected to be "poor".

So far, on both 6m and 10m I have drawn a total blank with no-one copying me and me copying no-one too.

Late "on parade" today

Today our "London" grandchildren went home so I have only just turned on the 10m and 6m WSPR kit. It takes about 20-30 minutes for the 10m 500mW WSPR-AXE-CW beacon to fully settle from a cold start as the PA has to warm and the frequency of the reference stabilise. Both sets of WSPR kit were turned on at 1440z. The 10m beacon should have stabilised fully now. The 6m kit should also be warmed up fully now.

As said before the little ones take priority. They are still very very little and their innocence sadly will not be there to be enjoyed for ever. At the moment all our grandchildren are delightful. We are very very lucky.

Low cost oscilloscope kit (Bangood)

Steve G1KQH has tracked down yet another bargain. I think my SMA assembly skills are probably still not up to the task, but you can hardly go wrong at the price which includes free air-mail shipping. Another absolute bargain. I think Steve must have shares in Bangood!!  If not, they ought to make him their UK agent, HI.

Here’s another one (kit), we could get our teeth into:

http://www.banggood.com/DIY-Digital-Oscilloscope-Kit-Electronic-Learning-Kit-p-969762.html

I have that many kits at the moment, I don’t know where to start next? If I come back in another life can we have a 48hour clock pse!

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

10m - quiet day on WSPR

Today was the quietest day on 10m for some time. 4X4 and EA8 and just a single spot from FR4 was all to show today. As we approach summertime, I suspect such conditions will become more commonplace.

10m WSPR spots - all spots today! Things are getting tougher.

6m WSPR today

TJ3TS has reported some impressive 6m DX spots (over 5000km) although I think may have been reporting some other band as 6m spots by mistake?  It would be very good if these were genuine 6m spots but something looks wrong.

During the day my best spots were of G4FGJ (44km) and M0EMM (192km), but no spots outside the UK.  No-one spotted me on 6m today.