ARRL 10m contest - mid December

As I have missed the CQWW SSB contest for 2 years now, I hope that I can be on for the ARRL 10m contest, Dec 13-14th. This contest lasts the full weekend and is all mode. As 10m is my favourite band of all, this should be a good one. As far as I know, we are free that weekend. I rarely enter contests to win. Rather, I enter HF contests to work new DXCC countries, or states and Canadian Provinces. I am no real DX chaser! My entry (if I remember and assuming I am free) will be strictly QRP as I have no gear capable of more than 5W pep.

See http://www.arrl.org/10-meter .

Back on 10m WSPR since 1154z

Since returning from a small hospital operation, I have been running 500mW on 10m WSPR again. Best DX on TX is 4X1RF (3519km) at -20dB S/N at 1206z. On RX VK5MR (16144km) is the best DX so far.

I was in Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, this morning, to have my stomach feed tube (PEG) removed. As I was sedated it was totally painless. My worry beforehand was totally unnecessary.  I think I fell asleep as, apart for the initial things on the op trolley (being sedated by cannula into the back of my hand and insertion of my mouth guard) I was unaware of everything until I was recovering afterwards. Another stroke milestone for me. Still get giddy when walking, tired and speaking is hard work. Unthickened drinks are not easy. But I can eat most foods, all by mouth and, gradually, things are getting better.

UPDATE 1706z:   23 unique spots of my 500mW 10m WSPR signals, the majority being by stations in the USA with best DX  KD6RF (7522km). It will so be time to QSY to a different band.

Back on 472kHz WSPR

I QSYed down to 472kHz WSPR just after 1830z this evening again using 5mW ERP to my strapped feeders antenna. These are the initial spots given and received (as at 1935z):

UPDATE 2048z:  EA3NE (1198km) now being copied, which is very early.

CQ WW SSB Contest last weekend - who forgot?

Darn it! Yet again I forgot this most excellent contest last weekend, although I would have been very restricted as we had our little grandchildren staying. They take priority. I must try next year. Last year I missed it as I was in Addenbrookes Hospital still very ill. The last time I caught it was 2012.

Although I do not much like contests, this one is always a good test and I often fill a few logbook pages with DX contacts. Exchanges are simple and quick. CQWW is usually a good way to increase the DXCC score. I always use real QRP power.

I dislike CW contests as they are too much like hard work. On SSB you can usually work stations, even with 2-5W QRP, especially later on when the big stations have already worked loads and are glad of extra points.

Stateside on 10m

The first stateside station was NU3E (5663km) at 1204z.  My 500mW was first spotted in the USA at 1232z by KZ8C (6290km) at -28dB S/N. This is a little later than yesterday, but at least it continues a long run of stateside openings on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 1315z:  Spotted VK on 10m 3 times this morning. Best DX  VK5ST (16214km).

UPDATE 1534z:   20 unique spots today (so far) of my 500mW 10m WSPR.  Most of these are by stateside stations. Conditions on 10m are again fine.

UPDATE 1820z:  N2NOM (5581km) was spotting my 500mW at 1806z.

10m and European stations

Looking at my 10m WSPR results, there seem to be as many Europeans spotting me and being spotted here as in the summer Es season. The traces don't look like backscatter, so I wonder if this is Es still? Whatever the mode of propagation, there is no shortage of Europeans on 10m.

Sunspots

Sunspot number is 138 and 10m daytime propagation forecast to be "fair". So far, 10m seems promising.

10m 500mW WSPR since 1022z

I've just QSYed back to 10m WSPR and in the very first reception period CX2ABP (11127km), F4CWN and GM4EEY were all spotted.

In my first TX transmission at 500mW I was spotted by LZ1OI (2153km), UR/SWL56 (2283km) and UA3ARC (2436km) as well as by local G4IKZ. 10m seems in decent shape.

UPDATE 1037z: VK5MR (16144km) was spotted about 5 minutes ago.

UPDATE 1045z:  Just noticed I was reporting the  power on 10m I have now changed this to the correct 500mW although I'd been reporting that I was using 2W, wrong which was not right: it has been 500mW all day on 10m.

Now on 472kHz WSPR

At about 2010z I QSYed down to 630m (472kHz) from 10m. The first unique WSPR spots (given and received) this evening to 2230z are shown below. I run 5mW ERP on TX on 472kHz.

UPDATE 2110z: GW0EZY (251km) has been spotting me this evening and reports seem to be coming up.

UPDATE 2220z:   F6CNI (418km) has been spotting me on 472kHz at -30dB S/N. The total number of unique stations who have spotted me in the last 2 weeks is 29.

Last stateside?

The last North American seen here on 10m WSPR appears to have been VE3GEN (5593km) at -27dB S/N at 1810z. Since then, just G4IKZ, who is a local who has been spotting me. Time to QSY I think, probably to 630m (472kHz).