6m JT65 versus 6m WSPR

Although WSPR is better able to dig signals out of the noise I find JT65 far more effective on 6m than WSPR. I think there are 2 factors:

1. Activity levels on 6m JT65 far exceed those on 6m WSPR so openings get noticed.
2. The 1 minute transmit cycle probably means that short burst openings get detected. WSPR needs nearly 2 minutes.

In all, I like 6m JT65. Also, JT65 is in the main a 2-way mode although I tend to use it as a 1-way beaconing mode because of my poor health, looking on PSKreporter to see where I was copied and where I am spotting.

To yesterday mid-afternoon I had received 108 reports in 18 countries in the last 24 hours on 6m JT65 with 1W ERP.

Continued success on 6m JT65

It is now 1900z and I am still on 10m WSPR and 6m JT65. On 10m WSPR there are Es spots from across Europe, but 6m JT65 seems to be giving me lots of spots from across Europe too by Es. There is no doubt in my mind that JT65 is a much better mode on 6m because of the much higher activity levels.

10m WSPR

 Whilst beaconing on 6m JT65 I am also TXing on 10m WSPR (500mW). Certainly later, conditions seem to be favoring northern Europe.

Kazakstan on 6m

UN3M (3555km) in Kazakhstan was copied on 6m JT65 early this morning. He was in locator LO61. My own JT65 6m signal (1W ERP) has been spotted across Europe again. JT65 does seem much more productive than WSPR on 6m.

6m JT65 spots today

Sunspots and 10m - Sun June 18th 2016

Solar flux is 84 today and sunspot number 46 (K=1). The forecast for 10m F2 propagation remains "poor".

Tim Peake - NOT amateur radio

Thankfully, Tim Peake who had spent 6 months on board the ISS, has returned safely to Earth. He has done much for the UK in space. We must not forget that space is still a hazardous environment. Getting back from space is still very hazardous.

Es season in full swing.

6m JT65 spots received in last 12 hours (1W ERP)

WSPR on 10m is producing spots from across Europe. On 6m JT65 I am also getting lots of reports. I must say that moving to JT65 on 6m (1W ERP) was an excellent move as there is so much more activity.

UPDATE 1228z:  Plenty of JT65 reports on 6m this morning at 1W ERP.

Last 6 hrs on 6m JT65 (1W ERP)

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.