6m Es

There was a brief Es opening on 6m at 1140z today during which WSPR spots were exchanged with CT1PT (1685km).  On 10m WSPR I have just been spotted by G stations so far.

Poor start on 6m and 10m WSPR

It has been a poor start on both 6m and 10m with just G stations overnight and this morning so far. No evidence here of any Es on either band on WSPR.

I shall stay on 6m over the weekend but I shall probably QSY to 472kHz WSPR after that. I think the best of the Es season is now over, especially on 6m?

Sunspots and 10m - Friday July 24th 2015

Sunspot number has slipped further and is just 27 today (K=2) and 10m is expected to remain "poor".

It has just started to rain here (miserable day!) but the garden badly needs the rain, which is due to get worse and last 24 hours. I managed to cut part of my hedge before the rain started.  My wife and I got married 44 years ago today.

Last few days on 6m?

Well, today has been a pretty poor day here on 6m WSPR. A few more days like this and I am going QRT on 6m and looking elsewhere.   Of course, the day after I close down on 6m you can be sure of the biggest transatlantic 6m opening in years!

In a few weeks I shall need some help with antennas. I want to replace my small hand-rotated 2m/70cm beam with big wheels and I want a long wire that can be used on 472kHz.  At the moment I am just too wobbly on ladders. How I wish I was fit again!

Sunspots and 10m - Thurs July 23rd 2015

I am afraid this is much later than normal as we have only just got our broadband back: it has been off most of the day. Sunspot number is little changed on yesterday at 35 (K=3) and 10m remains "poor".

In a minute I'll check how 10m and 6m have been today. I resynced the 10m beacon before we lost internet just after breakfast. 6m has depended on the PC clock and may have drifted off during the day.

UPDATE 1930z:  There was a little Es evident from Italy at teatime on 10m, but just Gs by tropo and planes on 6m, with no evidence of 6m Es here.

No internet all day

It is unusual for our internet and phones not to work, but we had been without both for most of the day. Our services come via fibre and our broadband speed is pretty good. So, this is my first chance to update blogs  and check social media and emails. Our service is via Virgin Media.

I think they may have increased the speed now. Certainly download speeds which were good are now very good.

Time to go QRT on 6m WSPR?

I am seriously considering closing down on 6m altogether. I may give it a few more days but it is really not worth the effort, especially on WSPR. The trouble is, I have very little choice WRT antennas.  I use my 40/20/10m end-fed on 10m so I would not be able to use another HF band at the same time as 10m.

4m band across Europe?

This article appeared on the 70MHz website last week. It may mean 4m becomes a common European amaallocation in the near future?  At the very least it makes it easier for individual countries to allocate 4m to radio amateurs.

"A new revised edition of ERC Report 25 - the European Common Allocation Table - has been published. The revision was approved at the WGFM#83 meeting and takes into account the latest Decisions made at the ECC#40 (30 June - 3 July 2015).

The new ECA inter alia includes a secondary allocation to the amateur service in the band 69.9 - 70.5 MHz.

However everyone should be aware that implementing the ECA is not mandatory on CEPT administrations."

A reminder of the current 4m allocations is available at http://www.70mhz.org/index.php?categoryid=2&p2_articleid=316 .

Some Es on 10m and 6m

CN8LI (2113km) spotted me just once at 1744z on 6m WSPR at a strong -13dB S/N. I suspect this was a brief Es opening.  Earlier EA1KV (1304km) was spotting me on 10m WSPR at 1146z.  Es today was not outstanding on 6m, well so far at least. On 10m, there were WSPR reports from across Europe albiet no brilliant.

Sunspots and 10m - Wed July 22nd 2015

Sunspot number has fallen slightly to 37 (K=1) and 10m F2 propagation is expected to remain "poor". Es may make 10m and 6m liven up a bit.

Soon be time to return to 472kHz WSPR?