Contentment with radios

After considering buying a new transceiver, I have decided to stick with the rigs I have. At present, my poor voice makes all speech QSOs an effort. I enjoy WSPR as this is really a true QRP mode and it tells me a lot about propagation, without shouting!

I'll still "window shop" and might consider a new radio transceiver next year. I get by far the most fun from my $49 10m WSPR rig and my home-brew 472kHz transverter, proving that you do not need to break the bank to have fun. I am not against those who think differently - each to his/her own.

Sunspots and 10m - Tues Nov 10th 2015

Solar flux has dropped a bit (107) and sunspot number has dropped to 67 (K=5). 10m propagation is expected to remain "poor". I am not expecting great things on 10m today, but I am frequently surprised!

On 6m WSPR I have spotted G8VDQ (93km) only so far. He was a decent -19 dB S/N. No reports yet on 10m.

UPDATE 1122z:  Several 10m WSPR spots from LZ1UBO (2039km) which I assume are single hop F2 propagation.

472kHz preamp - a good idea?

The FT817 is a bit low in sensitivity on 472kHz so I was expecting a decent improvement with a preamp. To my surprise I am copying no more stations. In fact I am hearing just as many without as with! The result has surprised me. The rig sensitivity is definitely better with the preamp and stations are stronger but it is far from clear cut whether it is worth using it in reality. At the moment my 472kHz transverter does not have the preamp.

Maybe the FT817 sensitivity is good enough. In marginal cases (and these seem few) it probably helps, but most of the time it seems fine without.

472kHz WSPR RX

472kHz WSPR RX this evening without preamp

All evening (since about 2000z) I have been active on 472kHz (20% TX 5mW ERP, 80% RX) using the earth-electrodes without a preamp. All the usual suspects were copied. Since 2240z I have gone onto 100% RX with the preamp in circuit to see if I am able to detect  weaker signals and give better reports. On previous nights it was hard to draw conclusions.

Autumn - NOT amateur radio

Trees at Anglesey Abbey earlier

This afternoon we visited nearby Anglesey Abbey. There are clear signs of autumn all around. Rather surprisingly the dahlia border was still looking good and this is Nov 9th. Many of the trees are shedding leaves.

10m WSPR USA

Despite the disturbed 10m conditions KD0VWO (7412km) has spotted me several times starting at 1208z. So far, he is the only USA station spotting me on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 10.11.15 1720z: KD0VWO is actually watching 10m WSPR in Brazil, not the USA. I'd forgotten!

6m Es?

DK8NE (755km) was spotted on 6m WSPR at 1109z. He was incredibly strong (+9 dB S/N) so I wonder if this was Es?  As I have had to use the PC for something else, I am not on 6m WSPR presently, but hope to return to the band later. There were lots of Germans on 10m WSPR earlier too.

Sunspots and 10m - Mon Nov 9th 2015

With a sunspot number of 70 (K=4) and a forecast of 10m propagation being "poor", I am not expecting great things today on 10m. So far just spots of my 10m 500mW beacon from Europeans. It will be interesting to see if there are any DX spots today. Conditions do not look promising.

On 6m WSPR just G8VDQ (93km) spotted.

Overnight on 472kHz WSPR

WSPRnet was playing up overnight and would not register my 472kHz RX spots, which included EA5DOM again. Overall, without the preamp, I copied at least 17 unique 472kHz WSPR stations in 8 countries including EA and I using the earth-electrode "antenna". My best DX on 472kHz WSPR this autumn (with 5mW ERP on TX) was DF2JP (448km).

More Pixie transceiver price madness

From Steve G1KQH:

"Continuation of the Pixie price saga, the more you buy the cheaper they are, £1.94p each if you buy 10

Its just impossible to even think how they do it:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10pcs-DIY-PIXIE-Kit-CW-Short-Wave-Ham-Radio-Telegraph-Transceiver-DC-Buzzer-FH32-/171990462690?hash=item280b6e30e2:g:qR0AAOSwwbdWPG9Z

 73 Steve
http://www.g1kqh.talktalk.net/"