Withe the reception of OK2RO (1282km) several times so far today, I can be pretty confident we are now in the 10m European Es season. Several spots in the last few days might have been Es, but I was not totally sure. It means we can be pretty confident of Es most days until September. Just occasionally this may give us paths further afield than Europe, but these will be much rarer.
So far, no Es yet seen on 6m WSPR.
UPDATE 1233z: With the weekend and better 10m prospects I see there are more people active on 10m WSPR today. Last time I looked there were 70 users on 10m WSPR according to WSPRnet. By contrast there are only 19 WSPR users worldwide on 6m WSPR.
25 Apr 2015
PCs at bargain prices
Steve G1KQH has done it yet again! This time he has found some bargain price PCs.
I think we should get one for a spare Roger, £169 after cash back..73 Steve
http://www.g1kqh.talktalk.net/
Good start on 10m today
As well as locals G4IKZ and G4KPX, I see that my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was being spotted by EA8BVP (2986km) yet again, and by SA5, SM and CT1 stations today. This is probably F2 propagation, and some Es I guess.
UPDATE 1005z: No Es on 6m, so far.
UPDATE 1005z: No Es on 6m, so far.
Sunspots and 10m - Sat April 25th 2015
Sunspot number has dropped back to 79 (K=0) and 10m propagation is expected to remain "fair".
UPDATE 0630z: I notice that KZ8C also spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon last evening. So there were actually 2 USA 10m WSPR stations who spotted me, not 1 as I had previously thought.
UPDATE 0630z: I notice that KZ8C also spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon last evening. So there were actually 2 USA 10m WSPR stations who spotted me, not 1 as I had previously thought.
24 Apr 2015
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.
z
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.
z
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/ .
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.
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.
23 Apr 2015
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.
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