USA again on 10m WSPR

W1VR (6965km) was spotted several times on 10m WSPR earlier this afternoon. This time last year there would have been several spots. I guess it is the decline in solar activity and people going lower in frequency now.

Now on 10m WSPR

I have just QSYed to 10m WSPR from 20m and re-synced the clock to internet time. It will take a little while for things to stabilise.  Running 2W TX 20%, 80% RX. With a reasonably high sunspot number, good solar flux and relatively undisturbed conditions, today might not be a bad day on 10m WSPR. We'll see.

Sunspots and 10m - Thurs Jan 28th 2016

Solar flux is 113 today. Sunspot number is 75 (K=3). 10m propagation is again expected to be "poor" today.

QSYed to 20m WSPR

As I am in the home, but not in the shack, I have QSYed to 20m WSPR and monitoring results on WSPRnet on a different PC in the lounge. If need be, I can be in the shack within 10 seconds to make any adjustments.

UPDATE 28.1.16 1000z:  Just European spots this morning on 20m WSPR.  No spots overnight.

QSYed to 20m JT9-1

In the end I QSYed from 10m WSPR to 20m JT9-1 looking for some 2-way QSOs. Although I called a K8 (5000km) he did not copy me. Looking at PSKreporter I see than I was copied in Italy and Portugal. I have now gone QRT for a cup of tea.

10m quiet (..and late activity)

Although I was expecting half-decent results on 10m today, it looks like others have had a bad time too, judging by the lack of 10m DX spots on WSPRnet today. This could still change, but I think we are now seeing people deserting the 10m band. It is certainly much easier to get spots on lower bands. Apart from G8VDQ (93km) I have given and received no other 10m spots all day.

UPDATE 1420z: 10m is a band of surprises! Just as I write the above K9AN (6505km) spots me on 10m WSPR. I was just about to QSY to JT9-1 on 20m, but will now remain on 10m WSPR for the afternoon.

UPDATE 1528z:  It is now nearly 1.5 hours since the last 10m WSPR spot. I'll give it a few more minutes, but I may QSY to 20m JT9-1 after all.

Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

Bikes in Cambridge outside Sydney-Sussex College

Most Mondays this term,  I go into Cambridge for my U3AC course, "Living with less". The course is very good.  I travel into Cambridge and home on the bus and enjoy the bus ride. It involves a walk through the centre of Cambridge, which is quiet at this time of year.  In the summer it can get busy with language students and visitors. I am fortunate to have a wide choice of U3AC courses and Cambridge on my doorstep. Many people travel the world to see sights I just take for granted.

Sunspots and 10m - Wed Jan 27th 2016

Solar flux is 112 today. Sunspot number is 61 (K=1) and the 10m propagation forecast remains "poor" today.  With decent solar flux and quite respectable sunspot and K numbers, I would expect 10m WSPR to be quite decent today.  OK, on average, solar activity is declining, but this is on average. Today the numbers are quite good.

UPDATE 1038z:  So far, just G8VDQ (93km) spotted on 10m WSPR today. It is still quite early though.

40m WSPR overnight

Only in the last few minutes have I QSYed to 10m WSPR. 

I was on 40m WSPR overnight. It was worthwhile even with 2W to the very low antenna on 40m (a 10/20/40m end-fed Par) at about 4m (at most) above ground. Several 40m WSPR spots received from the USA overnight, although none from South America.

Since daybreak, just Europeans and G stations spotted and spotting me on 40m WSPR, although W4MO (7272km) spotted me as late as 0748z.

UPDATE 1005z:  No spots given or received yet on 10m WSPR.

QSYed to 40m WSPR

Rather than 630m, I have QSYed to 40m WSPR from 10m for the evening and (probably) overnight. On 40m (as on 10m) I am using 2W TX 20%, looking for others 80%.

UPDATE 1725z:  Plenty of spots already with best DX on TX, so far,  a spot by UA1ASB (2042km).

UPDATE 2306z:  No 40m WSPR DX outside Europe so far tonight.