Sunspots and 10m - Sat June 18th 2016

Solar flux is 85 today. Sunspot number is 36 (K=3) and the 10m propagation forecast remains "poor".

The Quiet Sun and 10m

We could be entering a very long period of very low solar activity, quite unlike anything in modern times. With noise levels much higher on the lower HF bands we may be forced to VHF and UHF satellites to work DX we have become used to. Summertime Es may soon be the only practical propagation mode for DX on 10m.

Don't forget we are dealing with averages and some days will allow N-S F2 DX still on 10m.

I am a great supporter of WSPR and very much hope WSPR users will continue on 10m even when the prospects are not good. I suspect 10m is "open" far more often than people think. A casual tune over the band may result in nobody being heard, so people move down the bands. With regular WSPR use, short openings on 10m would be "smoked out". Since only low power is needed for WSPR, this is an ideal mode for the "quiet sun" years.

See http://www.solen.info/solar/.

Tim Peake - NOT amateur radio

After 6 months in orbit on the ISS, UK astronaut Tim Peake returns to Earth tomorrow, Sunday, in a Russian Soyuz space module. Re-entry is always hazardous, so we all wish him a safe trip back to Earth. Rather him than me!

It is funny how we are friends with Russia in so many ways, yet there is still distrust of them and them of us in the West. The sooner we all learn that the Cold War ended in 1989 the better for us all.

10m WSPR and 6m JT65

https://www.pskreporter.info/pskmap.html

Although I have been beaconing at 500mW on 10m WSPR for several hours, nobody has yet spotted me. On 6m JT65 I have had more luck with several Gs as well as Belgium and Spain spotted here. I only just realised I had not enabled TX on 6m (I now have).

UPDATE 1845z: So far, 3 G stations have spotted my 6m 1W ERP JT65 transmissions. No Es spots of me this evening, although I have only been on TX for about 75 minutes.

UPDATE 1912z: I see I am now spotting a couple of 6m stations on JT65 in Ukraine. I hope stations over there spot me too.

UPDATE 1920z:  UX4UA (2082km) in KO50el has spotted me, so it did not take long! I have also been spotted by a couple of stations in Finland. Clearly Es.

UPDATE 2005z: DK0SC (827km) has spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR. I am being spotted all over Europe on 6m JT65 with 1W.

6m JT65 spots this evening (1W ERP)

Sunspots and 10m - Fri June17th 2016

Solar flux is 87 today and the sunspot number is 26 (K=2). The forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor".

QRP Day - better late than never!

From Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and QRP friends,
remind about the World QRP Activity Day in June 17 and invite all QRP
operators.  See detailed rules on the page "World QRP Day" on Club 72
web-page - www.club72.su
You  can  QRV  in  Home  or  Field category. Declare your results via
on-line form on the same page (separately of Home and Field results).
Add  picture(s)  and/or  stories,  please.  Contact  "mr72"  for  any
questions.  Also  you  can  see last years results/photos on the same
page. Enjoy QRP activity!
72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

We have had friends for the last 24 hours and they have only just left, so this announcement is late I'm afraid.

Bouvet Is

As many know, I am no great DX chaser! However I read with interest about the costs of mounting DXpeditions to very remote places. See https://n6pse.wordpress.com/2016/06/05/bouvet-so-far-away/?utm_source=amateur-radio-weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter .

OFCOM

If you are interested, OFCOM has just published http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/wireless-telegraphy-fees-notice-2016/statement/?utm_source=updates&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=wireless-telegraphy-fees-notice-2016-statement.

In one word - QUANGO.  My view, others may have different views.

10m WSPR

My 500mW 10m WSPR beacon is still running with spots from all over Europe again today. I like the mode as you can monitor WSPRnet in the lounge, and just pop in to the shack if there is a problem or to do a time re-sync.

But I agree that JT65 does seem a better mode on 6m. WSPR would be fine on 6m if there was more activity. Also, I suspect the one minute TX cycle in JT65 is better, even though the mode is less good at digging weak signals from the noise. Overall, JT65 seems right for 6m.

For JT65, I have to use my PC and FT817, so if I want to try the mode on 10m I have to stop TXing on 6m. With 10m WSPR I can use my stand-alone W5OLF WSPR beacon and be on 6m JT65 at the same time. The tiny W5OLF WSPR beacon does not need external audio or a PC.

Beaconing on 6m JT65

https://pskreporter.info/pskmap.html

For the last few hours I have been running 1W ERP (vertical) on 6m JT65. Spots are being seen from all over Europe. I am monitoring in the lounge using PSK reporter but can be in the shack in seconds.  JT65 does seem to be more productive than WSPR. There seem to be more people using the mode on 6m. Thanks to Bas, it is now clear I am beaconing rather than calling CQ. Best DX on JT65 is still 9A6IV (1515km) in JN95ae. The strongest was a spot by LA7DFA (1312km) in JP33vj.

Recent 6m JT65 reports are shown below.