Another poor start?

I have been on 10m and 6m WSPR overnight but no Es seen, even in daylight, on either band. Of course, things may well change, but I am now convinced more than ever that sticking with WSPR is causing me to miss some DX. Activity levels on WSPR are just too low, which is a great shame  Also, when conditions are more marginal a bit more antenna gain and power might help? In the past I have questioned this.

Quitest day yet?

It is now 1540z and on 10m I have only been spotted by local G4IKZ (18km) all day and not a single station on WSPR by Es or F2. 6m has been equally dire with just Gs by tropo and maybe off aircraft. Around teatime there is often a small Es peak so I am not giving up just yet!

Conditions are a little disturbed, but I am amazed how little Es there is here (none!) on both 10m and 6m WSPR. Maybe later or tomorrow things will be better?

Come September we will start to see autumnal conditions returning on 10m. Last autumn, winter and spring there were stateside spots of my 500mW 10m WSPR on most days. I was spotted in every continent, including Antarctica and Australasia on 10m WSPR.  It will be interesting to compare this year with last, as sunspot numbers will, on average, be way down. Soon be time to improve the LF/MF antennas too.

Just wondering if I should move to JT65 and JT9 for the F2 DX season? I like WSPR as it fits my operating style (and poor health) and I can monitor it remotely in the lounge.  JT modes are really 2-way and need more active intervention on my part. Maybe this will be good for me? Maybe JT65 and JT9-1 will ease me back into 2-way QSOs?

UPDATE 1908z:   I notice that G4IKZ (18km) has had a bad day on 10m too. Apart from an ON (tropo?) around breakfast there were only G spots in his log according to WSPRnet.

UPDATE 1942z:  I see that G4IKZ has spotted PY and CX on 10m WSPR just now. There is obviously some F2 propagation.  I guess Nick's Moxon beam is helping! He is probably able to copy signals at least 10dB weaker than me, although I am 100% TX currently on 10m WSPR.

Stroke update - NOT amateur radio

I am still having great difficulty with giddiness when walking. Also, I have poor speech and poor thin liquid drinking, although most foods are OK. I still get days when I am profoundly tired, especially after physical or mental exertion, although I seem to bounce back more quickly. Overall, my poor voice and giddiness are my biggest concerns. Getting better, but only very slowly.  Overall, I still feel very unwell. By this time last year I was expecting to be back to full health.

Still no Es here today on 6m or 10m

It is now 1305z and still there is no Es evident on either 6m or 10m WSPR here. This is, by a long way, the worst day on both bands for some time, here at least.  I wonder if we really are seeing a poor Es season?  Of course, there is always the chance that people are moving to other modes and deserting WSPR.  WSPR activity levels are very low on both bands currently, which is a pity. Without active stations on WSPR openings are being missed. Of course, WSPRnet only shows stations very recently spotting or spotted, so if they have been active but unsuccessful they appear as inactive and do not get shown. On a poor day there may be lots of stations trying on 10m and 6m WSPR but without success.

Sunspots and 10m/6m - Tues July 21st 2015

Sunspot number has drifted lower and is 39 today (K=3). 10m is expected to remain "poor". With lowish sunspot number, somewhat disturbed conditions and summertime, I am not expecting much of 10m, although Es may liven up things a bit on 10m and 6m.

Apparently stations in South America were being worked on 6m at the weekend. There was zero "real DX" on 6m WSPR, probably due to the low level of activity on that mode. This is the last season I shall try WSPR on 6m. I shall either abandon the band (which would be a pity) or chose another mode. For the last two Es seasons I have been on 6m quite a lot with only 4X1RF (3519km), CN8LI (2113km) and EU Es to show for it. For the time spent, results on 6m have been disappointing.

All quiet here on 10m/6m Es

No signs here yet (1038z) today of any Es yet on 6m and 10m WSPR. This can well change, but this is a quieter start to the day than I can remember in some time. Is the main Es season drawing to a close already? Surely not. In 2013 there was plenty of European Es on 6m and 10m SSB right up until I was in hospital which was mid September.

Some life on 6m WSPR, but not much

CN8LI (2113km) and I exchanged WSPR spots earlier on 6m WSPR. At the moment there seems very little Es about on 6m and 10m WSPR.

East Anglian Churches: blog updated - NOT amateur radio

Today we visited Clare church in Suffolk and I have updated the East Anglian Churches blog. It is a light, airy and welcoming church. It was visited by Daniel Defoe who called it a "good church".


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

Sunspots and 10m - Mon July 20th 2015

Sunspot number is 46 today (K=1) and 10m propagation is expected to remain "poor". We should not expect great things of 10m today (summertime conditions) unless the band is livened up by Es. If recent days are typical, 6m will be the better band for Es.

Quiet start on 6m and 10m WSPR

So far, and things can well change later, only G spots on 6m and 10m WSPR. No Es evident yet. Very slowly, we are falling from the peak of the cycle, although I think we will have one more good autumn/winter season on 10m.

UPDATE 1045z:  G0MQW (123km) was the best overnight DX.   This was on 6m WSPR.  He spotted me at 0300z. Still no Es evident (yet today!) on 6m or 10m WSPR.