10m WSPR TX

As usual, I am active on 10m WSPR TX (500mW). Lots of Es spots. 30 unique spots in the last 12 hours.

6m JT65 real DX - real and fictional?

Just spotted K1TOL (5082km) in Maine, USA on 6m JT65.  I am sure this is true having worked this well equipped station some years ago on 6m CW.

Also, I spotted (supposedly) yet another Indonesian on 6m JT65. I have lost count of the number of Indonesians on 6m JT65. Unless proved otherwise, I think these are false decodes or pirates.

UPDATE 1600z: WP2B (6804km) in the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean was spotted earlier. Judging by others who also spotted him, I think he is genuine.

UPDATE 2055z: PV8DX (7830km) in northern Brazil is the latest 6m JT65 DX earlier this evening.

10m WSPR TX

As the 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was looking lonely, I decided to turn it on earlier this afternoon. So far, Es spots in northern Spain and Austria on 10m WSPR.

Another hot day ahead - NOT amateur radio

This is a surprise! For a second day in a row, we had breakfast in the garden. It is already hot. For us in the UK this is exceptional. Even in the shade it was warm even at 8.30am. My wife as just been for a walk and says it is very hot.

Just 6m JT65 today

At the moment, 10m WSPR is proving too easy! Most days, my 500mW is spotted across Europe, so today I am just on 6m JT65 transceive.

Sunspots and 10m - Monday June 19th 2017

Solar flux is 74 and sunspot number 27. A=10 and K=2. There is already Es about.

QRP and QRP Club

From Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,

Weekly QRP Rendez-Vous Report (June, 18, 2017)
First  of  all  I  thank  all  Reporters  (Journalists) for comments,
pictures  and reports. Personally thanks my new reporters Peter G3JFS
and  Wim  PA0WDW, also Victor RU3NJC reported from hospital (wish you
fast recovery, Victor)!
Visitors of the week: UR7VT, US5ERQ, DK1HW, RV3GM, ON6WJ, UF6V/UA1CEX,
UR5FA,  G3XJS,  TF/RA1M, RU3NJC, 4X1KS, OH6NPV, UR0ET, G4HOM, SP9NLI,
R4NX,  PA0WDW,  OH6NW,  SV2BBK, UA1CEG, UR5EFD, EA2EFI, ON6KZ, G3JFS,
DL7MA, RX3PR/p, LA8BCA/p
Congrats!
RX3PR and LA8BCA became Frequenters (regular visitors)
New visitors - 4X1KS, SP9NLI, OH6NW - you are welcome!
See full Frequenters and Visitors lists on the Club 72 web page.
Some comments and picture...
see full version of the WQR Report with comments and pictures -
http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/

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.

Geostationary amateur satellites

We are used to geostationary satellites which carry TV signals from a fixed point: aim the dish in the right place in the sky and that is it. By contrast, amateur satellites are in a low and moving orbit, so they only stay in range for a short time and they have to be tracked in the sky.

All this could change next year when 2 satellites (containing amateur radio transponders) are placed in geosynchronous orbits. Aim your antennas once and fix them in place. A lot can go wrong - date slippage, failure on launch, failure to reach the right place in space, equipment failure etc. If these all go to plan, amateur radio could be quite different in a few years' time.

As we are approaching a period of very poor HF conditions, these satellites could be a godsend. One is aimed to give good coverage over the Americas. The other covers Europe, Middle East and Africa mainly.

Old FT817

Looking through some old photo albums, I spotted me with an FT817 in the garden dated 2001. This means I first bought the FT817 at least 16 years ago. I was probably working OX (Greenland) at the time, with 2.5W and a telescopic whip on SSB. It seems amazing that it has been around all that time with effectively no competition.

Another thing that struck me was how young and thin we looked back then!

10m WSPR

As usual, I am on 10m WSPR TX (500mW) with my WSPR beacon. Plenty of Es spots from across Europe today.

UPDATE 1314z: 20 unique spots of my 10m 500mW WSPR so far today.

UPDATE 1640z: 59 unique spots of my 10m 500mW WSPR in the last day (34 in last 12 hours).

UPDATE 2008z: 52 unique 10m WSPR spots of my 500mW beacon in last 12 hours - a good day. Going QRT shortly on 10m.