10m WSPR TX (500mW)

Although I have been on 10m WSPR TX most of the morning, no spots received as yet.

UPDATE 2017z: Several spots later in the day. Although best DX was again spots by EA8BFK (2880km) the later spots were by GM4SFW (662km). I have a theory that later in the Es season I tend to get more northern spots.

6m FT8 RX

As usual, I am monitoring 6m FT8 RX, whilst getting on with jobs. For the first time since May the grass is being trimmed lightly. Most of it is brown!

At the moment the openings seem to be favouring Iberia and north Africa with Western Sahara and The Canaries spotted. There was an EA9 copied, but I suspect this may be a pirate.

UPDATE 1232z: 26 different stations in 9 countries spotted so far today on 6m FT8 RX.

UPDATE 1445z: N4BP (7118km) in Florida, USA spotted on 6m FT8 RX. Pretty sure he is genuine as he has been widely spotted in the USA and Caribbean.

UPDATE 1702z: Now 5 different USA stations received on 6m FT8 RX. Best DX is W5RWF (7365km) in Mississippi.

How do they do it? - NOT amateur radio

So this appeared in my inbox this morning. 21p with free delivery!! This is considerably cheaper than UK postage. At these prices how can anyone hope to compete?

See https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007OX3TJA/ref=pe_1229731_270343941_em_1p_1_ti

Overnight on 80m WSPR RX

No sign of the HAARP team on 80m WSPR again. In all, 41 spots on 80m WSPR, with probably one false decode (no-one else spotted VG5). PE4BAS (455km) was spotted - thank you Bas.

Sunspots - Wednesday August 1st 2018

Solar flux is 68 today and the SSN remains zero. I think it will mainly be zero now for several years. A=5 and K=2.

August already! It is scarcely believable.

Starlings on the windmill - NOT amateur radio

For some reason we have had a lot more starlings stopping by on "our" windmill next door today. They fly off to their roost, but I don't know where this is.

This photo was taken earlier.

Latest HAARP WSPR test tweets

The HAARP team in Alaska tweeted this an hour ago:

HAARP WSPR plan for 31 July 2018 UTC
2340: WSPR vert 02 var gain const power 80m 3.5926 MHz
2348: WSPR vert 01 var gain var power 80m 3.5926 MHz
2356: WSPR vert 02 var gain const power 80m 3.5926 MHz
0004+: WSPR vert 01 var gain var power 40m 7.0386 MHz
0010+: END OF EXPERIMENT

80m FT8 and HAARP experiments

As I was already on 6m FT8, I thought I'd try 80m FT8 for a total change. At first, no-one was spotted, then I copied G8IHT (257km) in IO94 square calling CQ. I soon went back to 6m as stations were working the USA.

I have a theory about the HAARP WSPR experiments on 80m. Perhaps they know lots about HAARP but little about WSPR, particularly how important timing is. To get no reports at all on 80m WSPR last night with over 1GW ERP seems impossible to me. OK, I may be wrong, but with this huge ERP and so many monitors, it suggests something fundamental must have been wrong. OK it could have been poor propagation, but I just wonder.

UPDATE 1805z: Now gone back on 80m FT8 RX. Most 15 second periods I am getting spots.

80m FT8 RX spots so far today

UPDATE 1940z: I am back on 80m FT8 RX. There are lots and lots of stations active. My guess is this is twice as popular (at least) as WSPR.

UPDATE 1956z: A45XR (5794km) is currently the best DX spotted. This station is being widely spotted in Europe and in India, so I think this is genuine.

Magnetic loops

With high power transmitters, magnetic loop TX antennas often require special capacitors for tuning as the voltages can be high if these antennas are efficient. With QRP this is not the case and great success can be had with "ordinary" parts.

I have been amazed in the past how well they work, especially considering how small they can be. The secret is to use thick wire, ideally copper pipe or coax for the coil. For modes like WSPR, FT8 and PSK31 where big changes in frequency are not needed, these can be perfect.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/magloop

10m WSPR TX again (500mW)

As the antenna is available, I have just (at 0904z) turned on the 10m WSPR beacon. It is very unlikely I'll get any spots for a while, even if there is Es around. It usually takes 15-20 minutes for things to settle.

UPDATE 0930z: Surprisingly, already 6 German spots even though the crystal in the beacon is still settling.

UPDATE 1134z: So far today, 68 spots by 11 different stations, of my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon with best DX EA8BFK (2880km) in the Canary Is..