Early 10m WSPR spots

RA3UDF (2693km) has spotted my 10m WSPR beacon several times this morning already starting at 0938z. This is single hop F2.

UPDATE 1200z: VK2KRR spotted me 4 times earlier and now I am being spotted by OE6PWD (1232km) and I4ZTO (1185km). I am unsure whether this is F2 backscatter or even Es.  All quiet on 6m WSPR.

Happiness - NOT amateur radio

Seen on Facebook. Written by 92 year old lady.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy: 

1. Free your heart from hatred. 
2. Free your mind from worries. 
3. Live simply. 
4. Give more. 
5. Expect less.

Not bad advice.

472kHz WSPR

I have closed down on 6m and 10m WSPR and have been on 630m (472kHz) WSPR for about an hour with 5mW ERP and no preamp using the earth-electrode "antenna". Best DX on RX is DH5RAE (995km). For the second night in a row GW0EZY (251km) has spotted my 5mW ERP WSPR.

UPDATE 1946z:  We definitely need a few new stations on 472kHz WSPR. I am rapidly exhausting stations "in range".

First USA WSPR spot on 10m today

K9AN (6505km) was the first to spot me today on 10m at 1334z.

UPDATE 1642z: Surprisingly, 10m is quite poor to the USA so far today on WSPR. So far, just 2 unique stations spotting me with KK1D (5455km) spotting me at 1538z. Nothing since then.

Sky Box Questions?

This came via Steve G1KQH:

Is the new Sky Q box just about to spoil our hobby?

Sky Q PLT interference maker?

http://www.thersgb.org/forums/index.php?threads/sky-q-fluid-viewing.173/

http://www.sky.com/shop/tv/sky-q/explore?DCMP=KNC-&gclid=CMGl6sHipMkCFRNmGwodwf0LaA

Sunspots and 10m - Mon Nov 23rd 2015

Sunspot number has climbed again to 76. K=1. The daytime forecast for 10m propagation remains "fair", so reasonable 10m conditions can be expected today. Solar flux is a respectable 122.

UPDATE 1022z:  So far, the 10m WSPR spots have been from RX3DHR (2533km). All quiet on 6m WSPR so far.

UPDATE 1024z:  As the above indicates, I am again active on both 10m and 6m WSPR and QRT on MF until after dark this evening.

UPDATE 1135z:  3 spots of G8VDQ (93km) so far on 6m WSPR, but no further spots yet on 10m WSPR.  Despite higher sunspot numbers, good solar flux levels, and undisturbed conditions, 10m WSPR is quiet this morning. 10m is definitely a band of surprises: when you expect it to be good it is not and vice versa.

QRT on 6m, return to 630m (472kHz) WSPR

At 1710z approximately I closed down the 6m WSPR station and returned to 630m WSPR (TX 5mW ERP 20% and RX 80%, using the earth-electrode "antenna").

UPDATE 1722z:  No spots exchanged yet on MF.

UPDATE 1730z:  At the moment I am still on 10m WSPR too.

UPDATE 1908:  GW0EZY (251km) has spotted my 5mW ERP 472kHz WSPR several times this evening. Signals are clearly "marginal", so I guess he has a quiet location. Best DX on 472kHz WSPR RX, so far this evening, is DH5RAE (995km). EA5DOM has not put in an appearance yet.

UPDATE 1946z:  PA3ABK (306km) is my best DX on my 5mW ERP so far tonight.

UPDATE 2120z: I went QRT on 10m WSPR a little while ago.

10m WSPR TX beacon

WISPY 10m TX

Some years ago, I used the following circuit to get on 10m WSPR at low cost.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/wispytx.

Although I also built a simple WSPR RX for 10m, I never got around to combining both the TX and RX into a single unit. Sadly, my stroke got in the way.

Tiny APRS transceiver for PC

This transceiver looks like it should be possible to duplicate. A neat design. I think this connects via a USB socket so the PC acts as a node for digital modes like DSTAR.

See http://unsigned.io/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2

6m WSPR so far today

As well as spotting G8VDQ (93km) several times, I have been spotted by G4APB (88km).  No DX outside the UK on 6m WSPR, well so far at least.

6m WSPR so far today

UPDATE 1705z:  More spots of G8VDQ but no-one else today.