Weak signal modes compared

My old work colleague Bob G3WKW kindly sent me this link knowing I'd be interested. It compares the decode capabilities of various weak signal modes.

See http://destevez.net/2016/10/simulating-jt-modes-how-low-can-they-get/ .

6m MSK144 this morning

Despite an S4 noise floor which I'd not had before (a ticking sound) I still managed to spot DK9WI (508km) and G6GAN (122km) on 6m MSK144 this morning. I assume these are aircraft reflections. My antenna is still the V2000 vertical omni fed with lossy RG58 coax.

UPDATE 1400z: F6ECI (811km) spotted strongly about an hours ago.

Return to 472kHz WSPR (5mW ERP)

After being on 6m MSK144 RX I have now returned to 472kHz WSPR with 5mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. At the moment the PC is on battery power so the noise floor on RX is low. I shall probably turn on the SMPSU overnight.  I spotted a DL this morning on 6m MSK144 but he did not get uploaded to PSK Reporter Maps suggesting I lost internet connectivity for a time.

UPDATE 2016z: These are the initial spots of me so far this evening on 472kHz WSPR.

472kHz WSPR spots so far

UPDATE 2055z: LA2XPA (1310km) has spotted me yet again on 472kHz WSPR. LA8AV (1035km) has been spotted here again on 472kHz WSPR. Sometimes he is very strong. MF conditions appear to be good tonight.

Simple yagi for wi-fi router

This was first seen some weeks ago and I saw it earlier today in an email from Twitter. It shows you how to make a simple add-on yagi for your wi-fi router.

In my case I get sufficient range with the router "as is". You might find it useful if you need to increase the range in a certain direction. It is a simple idea, which I like.

See https://hackaday.com/2017/01/24/a-simple-yagi-antenna-for-your-wi-fi-router/ .

Sunspots and 10m - Monday February 6th 2017

Solar flux is 72 today. Sunspot number is 22. A=15 and K=2 .

Museum changes - NOT amateur radio

As many of you know, we live right next door to Burwell Museum and its restored windmill. Today they are erecting a new entrance kiosk. There is a lorry unloading and people working on it right now.  The museum is amazing and houses so much in its various parts and is well worth a visit. It is probably one of the best, if not the best local museum in the whole of the UK.

6m MSK144

No overnight random 6m MS spots but G4CLA (104km) and G0GGG (210km) spotted this morning. I assume these are either tropo or aircraft reflection.

UPDATE 1230z: G8RLZ (123km) near Reading has been spotted. I assume this is off aircraft. Nothing seen from outside the UK yet on 6m MSK144.

Spring hints - NOT amateur radio

Already there are signs of spring.

Yes, we are still in the depths of winter, but snowdrops are well out and there are now plenty of aconites, although very few daffodils yet; in a few weeks these will be out too. This is a quiet lane in our village, taken on a walk this afternoon.

Already the evenings are drawing in an hour later. Still winter, but hopeful signs.

QRP and QRP Club

More from Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,

Weekly QRP Rendez-Vous report (February 5, 2017)
Visitors of the week: UR7VT, US3EN, RA1M, UA1CEG, RV3GM, DK1HW, RW3AA,
UA0SBQ,  R1CAF,  OM6TC, RA3AL/m, US3ERQ, RU7KD, UR8QV, RU3NJC, G3XJS,
EA6BB,  UA1ADF,  RV3DSA,  ON6KZ,  R2FAE,  UA4NU, Z35M, OH5LP, SV2BBK,
DL8NGC, IZ0RQF
Congrats!
UR8QV became Honor Frequenter
See full Visitors and Frequenters lists on the Club 72 web-page
Comments...
See full WQR Report on the Club 72 blog page

Warning!  the  last date for Snowman QRP Game results is February 10.
Fill  the declaration form on the "Snowman" page of the Club 72 site,
please.

72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"

This is a periodic Newsletter of the Club 72. Don't reply to Newsletter address! Send any requests or news to mr72@club72.su please.

Successful message decode of an amateur signal at over 3 wavelengths at ULF

Paul Nicholson has successfully decoded a message on 2.97kHz from DK7FC using clever analysis.

Hi Paul,

Am 25.01.2017 19:30, schrieb Paul Nicholson:

> f = 2970.000000 Hz
> Start time: 25.Jan.2017   07:00:00 UTC
> Symbol period: 30 s
> Characters: 5
> CRC bits: 16
> Coding 16K25A

Decoded at Bielefeld via DL4YHF (303.8km).  Copied 'DK7FC' with
Eb/N0 +4.5 dB and constant reference phase.

S/N 19.1 dB in 29.8 uHz, -60.1 dB in 2.5kHz.

Just excellent! Thanks for working out the decode!
My call passed over 3 wavelengths on ULF, that's a dream! I am sure we will manage even more.

Very interesting to see the high Eb/N0 relative to yesterday. From the calculator it should have been weaker. And the QRN didn't look much lower than yesterday, at least from here.
Some there's a relatively high uncertainty down there, and the risk of getting no decode when coming to close to the limit. The stacking is an advantage again.

I'm still working on the recordings from the weekend.  Gained a further
3dB by using very strong hum filtering, a threshold only 1.5 times the
mean amplitude and narrow notches.  Enough to suppress not just the
harmonics but also the sidebands of the harmonics.   Still no trace
here in Todmorden - yet.  Still some permutations of polarisation
and azimuth to try.

Am 23.01.2017 18:52, schrieb Paul Nicholson:

Still no trace of the signal here.  But tweaking the blanker
isn't going to go from 'no trace' to 'significant detection'.

3 dB is very significant! Congrats to that. It will also help to get better results from Renatos data. But as far as i remember he is offering the stream with the blanker already applied.
We could ask him to disable it temporarily, if that helps. If he knows what we're trying, he will do it i expect :-)

We are having fun with this!  Constantly pushing at the limits.

Oh yes, and also a lot to learn about the optimisation work for the different bands.

73, Stefan