Return to 2m WSPR

As 10m JT65 proved dire today,  have returned to 2m WSPR for a second evening (144.489MHz USB dial, 2W) using the big-wheel horizontal omni antenna.

Early evening 2m WSPR spots tonight

What next?

Although 10m conditions were quite good lately, activity on the band has been poor, which is disappointing. After quite a successful 2m WSPR outing last night, and continued interesting results on 630m, I am after a new challenge. Any suggestions would be welcomed.

To operate on VHF, I think I need a better TCXO in the FT817. If I (eventually) get an IC7300, maybe I should try 4m WSPR or other modes? Although some years ago I made a 4m transverter, I don't think the stability and frequency setting would be good enough for digital modes.

At present, I do not have any antennas up for 4m. I think a 4m halo would be a good choice: fine for European Es in the summer and probably fine for inter-G work when the band is dead.

Winter Sun - NOT amateur radio

Yesterday was cold, bright and frosty. Today it is just cold, dull and "January". We see this windmill (just over the garden wall, literally) from our kitchen and lounge.  We are lucky to have such a nice view. The mill is almost 200 years old and was fully restored a few years ago.

2m WSPR

Yesterday evening was quite successful with spots exchanged with several stations on 2m WSPR. G8OFA (189km) was the best DX.

I am thinking of buying a Chinese TCXO for the FT817. Reports of these are good and it should give frequency accuracy and stability to 432MHz. At less than £10 shipped, one can hardly go wrong. It should be good for digital modes with the FT817.

10m JT65

About 30 minutes ago I turned on the rig and PC and am now on 10m JT65. I was not on 630m overnight. The PC was manually resynced to internet time although this should happen automatically every 1000 seconds.

UPDATE 1100z: No 10m JT65 spots as yet.

UPDATE 1452z: Just spotting G4CJC (73km) only and no DX.

Sunspots and 10m - Wednesday January 25th 2017

Solar flux is 82 today and sunspot number 55. A=3 and K=1.

Newer car - NOT amateur radio

Cars do not excite me - they are pieces of metal to help you get around. We bought our last car, a Kia, in 2010, so we bought the same make and model, but a 2016 version with low mileage. This is made in Europe and comes with a 7 year warranty. Our last car did around 60mpg and road tax was £20 a year. On this one, it is nothing a year road tax and we should get similar fuel consumption.

10m JT65 earlier

Apart from G4CJC (73km) being spotted, nothing at all on 10m JT65. I am sure this is due to a lack of activity rather than conditions as the sunspot number, K index and solar flux were all pretty good for where we are in cycle 24

2m WSPR

G8OFA in Salisbury is trying 2m WSPR on 144.489MHz beaming towards Cambridge, so I have QSYed from 10m JT65 to 2m WSPR.

As I am dependent on the FT817's internal TCXO, drift may well be an issue. As you can see, drift is a real problem. In the end I set the FT817 100Hz low which seemed where I was centred on the WSPR segment.

On WSJT-X V1.7 you can see about 2.5kHz of the band in real time, so I just made the frequency adjustment to where most activity seemed to be. This could be wrong and I could drift off!

Just exchanged WSPR spots with G8OFA (189km).

Sunspots and 10m - Tuesday January 24th 2017

Solar flux is 82 today and the sunspot number 53. A=4 and K=1.