There has been a decent quantity of Es on 10m WSPR today. However, on 6m WSPR I have only spotted, and been spotted, by G stations so far today.
I am definitely coming to the conclusion that WSPR is, sadly, not the best mode on 6m to spot fleeting openings as activity levels are far too low. Many transatlantic openings have happened on 6m this summer, but you would never guess from WSPR. This is a great pity. Next summer I think I shall stick to CW and SSB in the main on 6m.
12 Aug 2015
Overnight JT6M RX on 6m
Disappointing. In the end I stayed on 50.230MHz overnight but copied only G stations. Last evening I copied a couple of EAs on JT6M, but I suspect these were Es rather than MS.
At the moment I am back on 6m WSPR (20% TX and 80% RX).
At the moment I am back on 6m WSPR (20% TX and 80% RX).
Sunspots and 10m - Wed Aug 12th 2015
Sunspot number is 87 today (K=3) and 10m propagation is expected to remain "poor".
11 Aug 2015
6m JT6M
Since about an hour ago I have been looking on 50.230MHz JT6M. EA3LL was recently copied working an EI station. I think this was Es rather than a Perseid shower reflection as the signal was there at good strength for the whole 30sec TX period.
Most JT6M activity seems to be on 50.230MHz which is used as a calling frequency to arrange skeds on other frequencies. I've decided that I shall look through the night on 50.230MHz rather than try the newer JT6M frequency of 50.320MHz.
Most JT6M activity seems to be on 50.230MHz which is used as a calling frequency to arrange skeds on other frequencies. I've decided that I shall look through the night on 50.230MHz rather than try the newer JT6M frequency of 50.320MHz.
70cm UKAC tonight
I have just received a contest reminder from the RSGB contest committee:
UPDATE 1945z: In the end I only stopped on 70cms for just over 30 minutes but worked 3 of the locals on the 2m halo, which matched well on 70cm SSB. My 2m halo and V2000 are fed with lossy RG58 coax. I decided I had enough with my poor voice and poor antennas. I have now returned to 6m JT6M RX only.
This contest takes place on Tue 11-Aug-2015 19:00 UTCAs I really have no suitable horizontally polarised antennas now on 70cm, I shall try with my 2m halo and V2000 triband vertical. I am only expecting to hear and work locals on 70cm tonight. I shall not stop on too long. It will be interesting to see how these "compromise" antennas perform on 70cm.
The rules for the contest can be found here
http://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/contest_rules.pl?contest= 70cmsukac
Regards,
CC
UPDATE 1945z: In the end I only stopped on 70cms for just over 30 minutes but worked 3 of the locals on the 2m halo, which matched well on 70cm SSB. My 2m halo and V2000 are fed with lossy RG58 coax. I decided I had enough with my poor voice and poor antennas. I have now returned to 6m JT6M RX only.
10m Es
So the kit was working after all. IU1DZZ (973km) has been spotting me over lunchtime quite well by Es. No other Es spots received yet on 10m WSPR.
On 10m WSPR I am 100% TX (frequency randomised every 2 mins) but on 6m WSPR I am looking 80% of the time on RX and sending all spots to WSPRnet.
UPDATE 1315z: F1TZG (876km) is also spotting my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon. 10m is livening up now. He was also spotted on 6m WSPR much earlier in the day.
UPDATE 2140z: Well there has been 10m Es on WSPR just about all day. This must rank as one of the best days for 10m Es all summer.
On 10m WSPR I am 100% TX (frequency randomised every 2 mins) but on 6m WSPR I am looking 80% of the time on RX and sending all spots to WSPRnet.
UPDATE 1315z: F1TZG (876km) is also spotting my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon. 10m is livening up now. He was also spotted on 6m WSPR much earlier in the day.
UPDATE 2140z: Well there has been 10m Es on WSPR just about all day. This must rank as one of the best days for 10m Es all summer.
CN8LI again on 6m WSPR
This lunchtime I have again been exchanging 6m WSPR spots with CN8LI (2113km) in Morocco.He must be the most consistent DX signal on 6m this summer and last. Still no Es seen on 10m WSPR. I will need to recheck the kit as I am surprised to get no 10m spots at all, but see later post.
UPDATE 1318z: I am now spotting IK1WVQ (1076km) on 6m WSPR very well. He is running 2W.
UPDATE 1318z: I am now spotting IK1WVQ (1076km) on 6m WSPR very well. He is running 2W.
Google restructuring - NOT amateur radio
Google s doing a major restructuring according to the BBC. Apparently
this was a surprise move creating a new parent company called Alphabet
Inc..
See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-33857412 .
See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-33857412 .
Sunspots and 10m - Tues Aug 11th 2015
Sunspot number is falling again and now stands at 67 (K=2). 10m propagation is again expected to be "poor". Es will be the main hope on 10m and 6m.
I have done a hard reset of my 10m WSPR-AXE-CW beacon and a resync to internet time. Hopefully this will see it through the day now. The 6m WSPR kit uses the FT817 and the PC and is locked to internet time every 5 minutes.
I have done a hard reset of my 10m WSPR-AXE-CW beacon and a resync to internet time. Hopefully this will see it through the day now. The 6m WSPR kit uses the FT817 and the PC and is locked to internet time every 5 minutes.
6m JT6M
In the end I looked on 50.230MHz last night, but only copied G4BAO who was working an OZ. I suspect I was copying John directly and not off MS pings. Tonight I'll try the newer JT6M frequency further up the band. Now back on 6m WSPR during the day and early evening.
UPDATE 0915z: Plenty of 6m WSPR spots of G0OQK (98km) by tropo and aircraft reflection. He has also spotted me lots of times again.
UPDATE 0938z: There were no overnight 10m WSPR spots. I thought I might have been spotted in Europe via the Perseids by MS but guess the 2 minute TX period, low power and Doppler were all against me. MS pings are much longer on 10m. In the past I have worked QRP SSB DX by 10m aurora but never tried 10m MS. Maybe I should. It is a pity there is not a 30sec WSPR mode!
UPDATE 0915z: Plenty of 6m WSPR spots of G0OQK (98km) by tropo and aircraft reflection. He has also spotted me lots of times again.
UPDATE 0938z: There were no overnight 10m WSPR spots. I thought I might have been spotted in Europe via the Perseids by MS but guess the 2 minute TX period, low power and Doppler were all against me. MS pings are much longer on 10m. In the past I have worked QRP SSB DX by 10m aurora but never tried 10m MS. Maybe I should. It is a pity there is not a 30sec WSPR mode!
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