6m WSPR spots of M0ICR (90km)

M0ICR (90km) has just been spotted on 6m WSPR. Good to see someone active! His drift was highish so maybe this was aircraft reflection or maybe it was just his rig stabilising? I think this is aircraft reflection as there is still what seems like Doppler on the signal after 3 spots.

I shall stay on 6m WSPR for an hour or so, then QSY for the evening and night to 630m (472kHz) WSPR and go QRT on 10m and 6m WSPR.

It is very unlikely there will be any 10m WSPR spots from the USA today, sadly.

UPDATE 1706z:   Looking at the trace of M0ICR's signal, it looks like rig drift. There are signs of aircraft reflection too occasionally, but I think it is the tropo signal that is being decoded.

WSPRnet issues?

Several people have mentioned that WSPRnet is suffering of late. Certainly the number of times connecting has been problematic seems to be increasing. Is this because the server is getting too busy? Maybe the server just cannot cope with all the WSPR activity any more? I'd be interested to hear your views.

Spotted in Brazil on 10m WSPR

KD0VWO (7412km) monitoring in Brazil has spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon this morning at 1154z.  At -20dB S/N this was not a bad report either.  This is a promising start on 10m.  Let us hope I get some USA spots later.

UPDATE 1212z:  Still no spots on 6m WSPR today.

UPDATE 1605z:  It looks like the single spot on 10m from Brazil was "it" today. Again, well at least so far, no spots on 10m WSPR from the USA yet again today.  G8VDQ (93km) was spotted on 6m WSPR this morning, although this does not seem to have been uploaded to WSPRnet.

M0EMM (192km) reports me on 472kHz WSPR

Right on the lowest threshold M0EMM (192km) spotted my 5mW ERP 472kHz WSPR signal before breakfast today. He is the 23rd station to report my 5mW ERP signal on 472kHz WSPR in the last 2 weeks. G0HWW (29km) spotted me overnight too.

UPDATE 1130z:  Still all quiet on 10m and 6m WSPR.  I have been QRT on 630m (472kHz) since breakfast time.

FTSE 100 - NOT amateur radio

At the start of the year, some commentators were predicting the FTSE 100 UK share index would end the year above 7000.  It briefly exceeded this, although currently it is below 6000. A late rally might see it end the year in the low 6000s. I think expecting it to end the year above 7000 is wishful thinking.

Sunspots and 10m - Tues Dec 15th 2015

Solar flux is good at 124, sunspot number is 84 (K=3) and the 10m propagation forecast is "fair". Although yesterday was disappointing on 10m, today could be reasonable on 10m WSPR. We will see!

UPDATE 1028z:  All very quiet on 10m WSPR and 6m WSPR so far today.

New 472kHz reporter

 Yesterday I had several spots on 472kHz WSPR from M0JEK (68km). It is good to get spots from someone new. Overnight several spots of EA5DOM (1525km) on 472kHz WSPR. I have now gone QRT on MF and am active on 6m and 10m WSPR.

VERY late swallow - NOT amateur radio

According to my report on Devon birds, I see a swallow was sighted in Slapton, Devon on Dec 11th 2015. This is very late. It was probably from a late brood and stayed because of the mild weather. There have been rare, late, swallows before living off insects around seaweed in Cornwall, but I not aware of any proven records of over-wintering swallows staying in the UK. With our winters getting less cold it will happen some day.

The image is located at https://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/swallow_tcm9-18469.jpg?width=530&crop=(44,262,948,770) . If linking to it is problematic please let me know and I will remove the link.  I hope the free RSPB publicity is appreciated!

I have seen swallows in Devon in early December at Bolt Head, near Salcombe. Most make the hazardous journey to South Africa each September and return in April to these shores. Some arrive earlier, but most arrive by mid April, with swifts a few weeks later.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/s/swallow/ .

MF and 10m WSPR today so far

All quiet on 10m WSPR, so far. I was expecting a few spots by now.

On 472kHz (630m) I am spotting G8VDQ (93km) and being spotted by M0LMH (223km) in daylight. Overnight the usual stations were being spotted and spotting me. Best DX on RX (no preamp) was EA5DOM (1525km) and on TX (5mW ERP) with earth-electrodes was DL-SWL (701km). I wish there were some new stations.

UPDATE 1308z:  Still nothing on 10m WSPR.  I am surprised.

Sunday on 10m WSPR

More signs of possible wintertime Es with spots of my little 10m 500mW WSPR beacon from Italy. No sign of spots from the USA though.