10m USA WSPR spots - horrah!

K9AN (6505km) was the first 10m USA station to spot my 500mW WSPR beacon today at 1504z.  I guess the undisturbed conditions today really helped.
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UPDATE 1850z:    Certainly up to now, the 2 spots this afternoon by K9AN appear to be "it", with no further USA spots since then.

UPDATE 1906z:   EA8BVP (2986km) has spotted me several times again today.

UPDATE 2030z:   Late opening to Italy suggests Es.

UPDATE 2120z:    As late as 2116z K9AN (6505km) was still spotting my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon. K9AN must have a very good station (low angle antenna?) but I am surprised only K9AN was copying me in the USA. I would have expected other spots from other USA stations once the band opened. I shall leave the gear running to see how late this opening lasts.

UPDATE 2204z:  Tbe last USA spot seems to have been by K9AN about 30 minutes ago. Only the one USA station spotting me lots of times - odd.

East Anglian Churches blog updated - NOT amateur radio

Today we visited Sutton, near Ely and I have updated the East Anglian Churches Blog.

See http://eachurches.blogspot.co.uk/ .

6m WSPR and aircraft

M0YOU (116km) has been spotted on 6m again this morning. He has also spotted me. On his signals are very clear signs of aircraft reflections with multiple traces visible. I think much of the GDX I am seeing on 10m upwards is due to aircraft. This mode seems good for at least 200km, but is transitory. Sometimes a badly Doppler shifted signal can be very strong but not decode. There are software programs to predict when aircraft will help. Many microwave DXers use such software.

Sunspots and 10m propagation - Fri April 24th 2015

Sunspot number has dropped back to 110 (K=1) and 10m propagation is forecast to be "fair". With undisturbed conditions even "fair" 10m conditions could result in some decent 10m DX.

UPDATE 1105z:  So far on 10m WSPR, my 500mW has only been spotted by local G4IKZ (18km)  and G4CUI (172km) , the latter presumably by tropo and aircraft reflections. No DX yet, but it is still early in the day.

Inter-G DX (GDX)

When there are stations active both 6m and 10m seem to support GDX by a combination of tropo and aircraft reflection out to about 200km. It needs planes in the right places but today's results bear testimony to this. This evening G4CUI (172km) has spotted me many times on 10m. I am using just 500mW on 10m WSPR and 1W on 6m. Sometimes the RX traces show multiple paths and Doppler suggesting that aircraft reflection is involved.

Looking at new PCs

No, I don't really need one! This was me killing time waiting for the XYL in our local Cambridge branch of John Lewis. It is a very nice store and they always have long guarantees on TVs and PCs.

Concert reminder (Saturday evening) - NOT amateur radio

A reminder that the concert shown on the attached poster will be held this Saturday evening (April 25th) starting at 7.30pm.  Tickets may be bought on the door.  It is excellent music in a great venue (West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge).

Click image to enlarge.

6m WSPR yesterday (and today)

It seems I was only using an ERP of around 250mW on 6m WSPR yesterday as I had forgotten to reset the power on my FT817. I wonder if this is why I had so few spots? Today it is set correctly.

6m WSPR spots so far this morning

UPDATE 0922z:   Being spotted quite well by G8XWR (150km) this morning on 6m WSPR and also spotting him.  Not sure if this is pure tropo or there is some help from aircraft reflections. Probably the latter.

UPDATE 1202z:   Still plenty of spots from G8XWR (I have spotted him twice too) but no spots of anyone else on 6m.  Maybe, just maybe, things will live up with some 6m Es, although there has been no sign as yet of this on 10m. Normally Es is seen first on 10m, then 6m.

UPDATE 1504z:  No sign, so far, of any other stations on 6m.

Sunspots and 10m - Thurs April 23rd 2015

Sunspot number has dropped back to 134 (K=4) and 10m propagation is expected to be "fair". I am not expecting great things on 10m WSPR today although I have often been surprised.

UPDATE 0916z:   Local G4IKZ (18km) is the only station spotting my 500mW so far this morning on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 1053z:   Still just the spots from local G4IKZ on 10m, with nothing resembling DX spotting me. Ho hum. I hope the band livens up later.

UPDATE 1434z:   EA8BVP (2986km) has spotted me several times in the last hour but nothing further afield, so far, today.

UPDATE 1730z:  We may have had some 10m Es propagation as CT1 and EA1 stations have been spotting me over teatime.  It is possible that Es in this direction can link up with higher MUFs further south.

No USA on 10m WSPR yet again

EA8BVP (2986km) has been regularly spotting me, but again a day with no spots from the USA on 10m, despite good conditions. I guess conditions have changed with the season.