See http://w5olf.com .
As a user for several months of a W5OLF WSPR 10m beacon OK I am biased. However, if your interest is a small WSPR beacon for 30, 20m or 10m then I can honestly recommend this kit. There are others such as the Hans Summers "Ultimate" beacons. These are more flexible but they need several small PCBs. Jay's WSPR dedicated beacons fit on a single small PCB that fits inside an Altoids tin. As my 10m unit has been copied all over the planet (including Australia and Antarctica), I can highly recommend this design. It really does work well. If you enjoy WSPR you'd be hard pressed to find a neater, smaller solution. I love it. Mine runs lots of the time. Usually it is started up at breakfast time and runs through until the DX disappears the following night. It will probably be on 24/7 during the Es season unless I want to work SSB,CW, FM or AM on the other rigs.
5 Mar 2015
RSGB Wortley-Talbot Trophy
Sadly my continued ill health means I'll be unable to pick up the award at the RSGB's AGM in London in April. I just wish my health was better so I could do some field work again soon! Both VLF and optical field work are on hold until I feel better. This year I really really hope I'll manage it.
To be honest this award came as a complete surprise, but I'd happily trade these lovely awards to be back to my old healthy self.
10m - USA today
So the 10m band has yet again opened across the Atlantic with KB4SC (6560km) spotting my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon at 1312z and several times since. Others are also copying me.
UPDATE 1748z: Plenty of 10m WSPR spots from the USA received all afternoon and still continuing.
My 500mW 10m WSPR-AXE-CW beacon created by Jay W5OLF continues to work flawlessly. It is so tiny yet just works. It takes about 15-20 minutes to settle (I think the reference drifts as the PA warms up?) and I sync to internet time once a day, which is probably far more frequently than needed. Once running, it works perfectly with nothing else needed, no PC, nothing. All continents were reached within weeks on 10m to a simple wire antenna. At some point I may build a 20m version which is 1W. On 10m 0.5W seems fine.
UPDATE 2042z: At the moment, it looks like N0UR (6535km) was the last USA station to spot my little 10m 500mW WSPR beacon at 2014z. Since then just local G4IKZ (18km).
UPDATE 2205z: No further USA spots since N0UR at 2014z. Now QRT on 10m WSPR until the morning. Still active on 472kHz WSPR.
UPDATE 1748z: Plenty of 10m WSPR spots from the USA received all afternoon and still continuing.
My 500mW 10m WSPR-AXE-CW beacon created by Jay W5OLF continues to work flawlessly. It is so tiny yet just works. It takes about 15-20 minutes to settle (I think the reference drifts as the PA warms up?) and I sync to internet time once a day, which is probably far more frequently than needed. Once running, it works perfectly with nothing else needed, no PC, nothing. All continents were reached within weeks on 10m to a simple wire antenna. At some point I may build a 20m version which is 1W. On 10m 0.5W seems fine.
UPDATE 2042z: At the moment, it looks like N0UR (6535km) was the last USA station to spot my little 10m 500mW WSPR beacon at 2014z. Since then just local G4IKZ (18km).
UPDATE 2205z: No further USA spots since N0UR at 2014z. Now QRT on 10m WSPR until the morning. Still active on 472kHz WSPR.
Sunspots and 10m - March 5th 2015
Sunspot number is little changed at 43. 10m propagation is expected to be "fair". This morning, the usual suspects UR/SWL56, 4X1RF and LZ1OI were spotting my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon. I think 10m will open to the USA later today.
4 Mar 2015
472kHz WSPR - no surprises
I have remained on 472kHz WSPR and intend to continue through the night, but being Wednesday, Windows may try to install updates in the middle of the night and turn off the PC! It should work until about 0400z. So far today, no great surprises with spots from G7NKS (46km), G3WCB (101km) and G8HUH (250km) of my 5mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna".
In the last 2 weeks 25 unique stations have successfully spotted my 472kHz QRP WSPR signal.
UPDATE 2200z: PA0RDT (243km) has spotted me 4 times this evening. Local G4KPX (14km) in Ely is spotting me too this evening.
In the last 2 weeks 25 unique stations have successfully spotted my 472kHz QRP WSPR signal.
UPDATE 2200z: PA0RDT (243km) has spotted me 4 times this evening. Local G4KPX (14km) in Ely is spotting me too this evening.
Oxburgh Hall
This is not amateur radio....
Today we visited Oxburgh Hall, looked after by the National Trust, in Norfolk. This is a fine moated house that looks more like a fortified castle. It has excellent grounds that had lots of snowdrops out. At the moment the daffodils have still to come out. Although it has ancient origins, parts were changed inside in the 19th century.
We had the tasty homemade leek and potato soup for lunch in the National Trust cafe which is just inside the main house on the LHS over the bridge (just inside).
Oxburgh Hall is a fine property and worth a visit.
See http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/oxburgh-hall/ .
I have updated our East Anglian churches visited blog too.
See http://eachurches.blogspot.co.uk/ .
Today we visited Oxburgh Hall, looked after by the National Trust, in Norfolk. This is a fine moated house that looks more like a fortified castle. It has excellent grounds that had lots of snowdrops out. At the moment the daffodils have still to come out. Although it has ancient origins, parts were changed inside in the 19th century.
We had the tasty homemade leek and potato soup for lunch in the National Trust cafe which is just inside the main house on the LHS over the bridge (just inside).
Oxburgh Hall is a fine property and worth a visit.
I have updated our East Anglian churches visited blog too.
See http://eachurches.blogspot.co.uk/ .
USA spots on 10m WSPR today
Several USA stations spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon today, despite the low sunspot number and only "fair" 10m conditions.
The first to spot me today was KB4SC (6560km) at 1424z and the last was W8QYT (5798km) at 1918z. It was better than I was expecting on 10m this afternoon.
The question is how low can the sunspot number fall and still have decent 10m conditions? I guess there are very many factors to consider. As I've said before, I have worked 11000km+ with QRP SSB at solar minimum on N-S paths. I wonder what WSPR will be capable of? Remember you only need an opening of 120 seconds for WSPR to be successful and WSPR is 12-14dB better than CW and CW is better than SSB. If people stick around on 10m we may be in for some real surprises in the coming "quiet years".
UPDATE 2016z: Well, the opening lasted even longer as W8QYT was still spotting me strongly (-9dB S/N) at 2006z. Often the strongest signals are just before the band dies on a particular path - something to do with the MUF being optimum and lowest attenuation? By the same logic you'd expect optimum propagation just as the MUF rises through 28.124MHz as a path opens. Can't say I've noticed this, but it could account for the early morning spots by 4X1RF?
The first to spot me today was KB4SC (6560km) at 1424z and the last was W8QYT (5798km) at 1918z. It was better than I was expecting on 10m this afternoon.
The question is how low can the sunspot number fall and still have decent 10m conditions? I guess there are very many factors to consider. As I've said before, I have worked 11000km+ with QRP SSB at solar minimum on N-S paths. I wonder what WSPR will be capable of? Remember you only need an opening of 120 seconds for WSPR to be successful and WSPR is 12-14dB better than CW and CW is better than SSB. If people stick around on 10m we may be in for some real surprises in the coming "quiet years".
UPDATE 2016z: Well, the opening lasted even longer as W8QYT was still spotting me strongly (-9dB S/N) at 2006z. Often the strongest signals are just before the band dies on a particular path - something to do with the MUF being optimum and lowest attenuation? By the same logic you'd expect optimum propagation just as the MUF rises through 28.124MHz as a path opens. Can't say I've noticed this, but it could account for the early morning spots by 4X1RF?
40m Pixie
This afternoon, I'll be giving my 40m Pixie another outing on 7.023MHz. I'll take a look on the Reverse Beacon Network to see if I was noticed if I fail to make any 2-way QSOs.
I really need to check my junk box for 7.030MHz crystals as this would be a more useful QRP frequency. When fitter, I need to put it in a box!
UPDATE 1956z: In the end I did not try the 40m Pixie today.
I really need to check my junk box for 7.030MHz crystals as this would be a more useful QRP frequency. When fitter, I need to put it in a box!
UPDATE 1956z: In the end I did not try the 40m Pixie today.
Sunspots and 10m - March 4th 2015
Sunspot number has slipped again and stands at just 38 today. 10m propagation is expected to be "fair".
Already 4X1RF (3519km) has spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon 5 times since breakfast, but only G4IKZ (18km) otherwise. I wonder if the 10m band will open to the USA this afternoon?
Already 4X1RF (3519km) has spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon 5 times since breakfast, but only G4IKZ (18km) otherwise. I wonder if the 10m band will open to the USA this afternoon?
3 Mar 2015
UKAC - 2m SSB tonight
Just 5 QSOs this evening on 2m SSB (5W pep) with best DX 204km to G7RAU on the Isle of Wight. As my antenna would still not rotate (bolts too tight) I decided to use the halo again, which is fed with lossy RG58 coax. I am very tempted to swap the rotatable antenna for stacked big wheels with low loss feed coax. Being omni would help in these contests as if I can work over 200km with the halo and lossy cable I'd be at least one S point better on stacked big wheels and a low loss cable. I could have worked far more if I stayed on longer but after an hour my very poor voice told me to stop. There were several workable stations in IO92 square. I worked none of these this evening.
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| Stations worked tonight with 5W + halo on 144MHz SSB. |
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