Overnight on 472kHz

After all the stormy weather had passed, I returned to 472kHz WSPR overnight. My reward was 1 new reporter PA3ABK/2  in the middle of the night. This brings the unique reporters this season up to 10 now, the same as the number of stations I have spotted on 472kHz WSPR. Results are still disappointing as I know that many more reports are possible in both directions. I think I am spotting and being spotted by most active stations in range. The issue is too few active stations  on 472kHz WSPR.

472kHz WSPR spots of my QRP signal this season so far

472kHz WSPRing tonight

As all the storms appear to be well away now, I shall remain on 472kHz WSPR overnight. I am both TXing and Rxing. TX duty cycle is about 18%.

Apart from M0LMH (223km)  near Harrogate, no other new reporters, or stations spotted, today here since I came back on 472kHz WSPR after the storms. Maybe I''ll be lucky overnight?

GM4SLV (896km) in Shetland has only spotted me once tonight so far. The storms are heading John's way.

I have just re-synced the PC clock to internet time. I am hopeful of some new reporters for this new season. If you get a chance, give 472kHz a go, if only on RX.

A close call (storm) and 472kHz WSPRing again

The thunder and lightning just missed us today. We had heavy rain, hail and thunder but the lightning missed us by a few miles. It is now out over the North Sea.

About to reconnect rigs, antennas and PC. Think I'll give 472kHz WSPR another try.

UPDATE 1644z:  Now back on 472kHz WSPR and rewarded with spotting G3WCB immediately and being spotted by 3 stations on first transmission including M0LMH (223km) as a new reporter this season. Will stick on 472kHz until morning unless more storms stop play.

Initial WSPR spots this evening on 472kHz

UPDATE 1730z:  Currently reading "The Everything Store - Jeff Bazos and the age of Amazon" by Brad Stone, lent to me be a neighbour/friend. Fascinating read about the history of Amazon. Bazos sounds like the boss you would NOT want - a real taskmaster - a very "driven" man with real conviction.

5 miles and closing - QRT time!

With that storm just 5 miles away and hailstones now falling, I have decided to go QRT for now and disconnect everything radiowise. The storm may yet miss us though, but it is too close to be sure.

Only Es from Spain since FR1GZ at 1204z.

The storm epicentre does seem to be missing us. I may not be QRT for too long. Can hear distant thunder, but skies are clearing. Burwell is between Cambridge and Newmarket.

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en

FR1GZ (F2 DX) and a storm coming?

1204z saw FR1GZ (9724km) in the log for my first F2 DX on 10m today.  I hope he spots me too although I am running less power (2W ERP) than his 5W. He was only -25dB S/N, not too strong.

Looking at the lightning map, there is a nasty storm currently coming our way. It is over Bedford as I write and moving ominously closer.  Much closer and I shall have to disconnect everything and go QRT until it has passed. Another 20 minutes should tell me if it is coming this way or will just miss us. There are other storms further south too. Today looks like our unlucky day. It is raining hard - not looking promising! Latest flash over St Neots. The storm coming our way from the Cotswolds may be tracking just NW of us and may miss us, again.

QSYed to 10m

Well, 472kHz WSPR ran overnight with absolutely no new reporters, just the same faithful few, so I am giving up on that band for now. I shall return in a while.

In the meantime, I QSYed to 10m where I was greeted with immediate success. Even before changing the settings on the FT817 to 2W I was being spotted in Portugal even when running 500mW out. Since then, I have switched to 2W ERP and am being spotted by DK6UG (633km), CT1JTQ (1843km) and I am spotting EA5CYA and SI9AM.   Plenty of Es about.

Sunspot count today is 111 (decent and stable) and 20-30MHz propagation is "normal" so there is a decent chance of F2 DX as long as I don't have to go QRT because of storms. We are getting highish winds and driving miserable rain, which are the left-overs from Hurricane Bertha, having crossed the Atlantic. I don't think we are seeing the worst of the weather in the UK; other parts are getting hit far harder. At he moment, the worst of the storms are tracking well to the east of us.  See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en.

Today our son is driving from Dunkirk to Brittany. I hope the weather over there is a little better! His forecast is rain, but not as bad as here.

UPDATE 1122z:  I think I need a new challenge on WSPR - perhaps I should try a totally new band? 10m is fun but again I am seeing just the same stations.

10m WSPR this morning - plenty of Es

WSPR disappointment (so far) on 472kHz

Results to date suggest my ERP is at least as good as in previous seasons yet (up to now at least) very few stations have spotted me. I think there are fewer WSPR stations active? My best DX so far, and my daylight range on TX, suggest many more reports should be possible. Where is everyone?

I hope 472kHz isn't going to disappoint as 6m WSPR did. On 6m WSPR there was a real lack of transatlantic stations.  On 472kHz WSPR there seem to be fewer WSPR stations full stop.

I shall leave the kit running again tonight and hope I get some nice surprises.  Of course, it could be the local noise floor is higher than it was for many stations and they've just given up on the band? At the moment I'm lucky: my sensitivity is rather low, but my noise floor is very low too. This may not last.

UPDATE 2110z:  Since returning to 472kHz WSPR I have spotted just 10 unique stations and been spotted by 8 unique stations. Some years ago on 500kHz I was spotted by nearly 100 unique stations. My setup is not that different. OK this was over several months and in the autumn/winter seasons, but there do seem to be fewer different stations active. I'll certainly stick with 472kHz WSPR to give it a fair chance though.

UPDATE 2134z:  Currently there are 32 stations shown as being active on 472kHz WSPR. 24 of these are European. This is a good number.

472kHz WSPR stations active in last 10 minutes

Obsolete, unsupported software

Steve G1KQH has been at it again, noticing that, as well as no longer supporting XP, Microsoft is also stopping support for older versions of it web browser,  IE.

Update your Web browser. I got rid of IE years ago and moved to Firefox. some still run IE6???

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/08/07/microsoft_old_ie_end_of_support/

73 Steve
http://www.g1kqh.talktalk.net/

Incidentally, I am told Microsoft Security Essentials got a good review in a recent "Which".   I still use MSE on some machines and have never, yet, had any security issues, although I tend to be careful with dodgy attachments.
 

Back on 472kHz

Meadow at Ickworth

We returned from a walk at Ickworth just before lunch. I have switched on my 472kHz WSPR station, still with the strapped feeders to the Par antenna. I moved up one tap on the 3C90 matching transformer, to get a slightly better match. Initial daytime results are very encouraging with several spots from GM4SLV (896km) and others. No bad weather due before tomorrow.

WSPR reports on 472kHz QRPp today

"Normal service" later today.

After last night's thunder and lightning, I hope to resume "normal service" around lunchtime: we are otherwise busy until then. The weather today looks sunny and calm,before more storms on Sunday. Not sure what band I will use yet - probably 472kHz, but possibly 28MHz (10m).

Sunspot count today is 101 (pretty decent) and 20-30MHz propagation forecast to be "good" so a good day for N-S F2 propagation, as well as Es and GDX on 10m. On 6m only some Es and GDX likely.

Gone QRT - storms

As there is local thunder and lightning, I've had to abandon 472kHz operation. All antennas, rigs, PSU and the PC have been disconnected. Darn shame, but sometimes one has to be safer than sorry.

6m transatlantic - but NOT on WSPR

See http://hamspots.net/10-6/ .

I see on Hamspots that 6m has been open to N.America and the Caribbean this evening but there are NO suitably located stations active on WSPR.  It seems WSPR on 6m is mostly a total waste of time unless stations come on to make transatlantic WSPR tests meaningful. In previous seasons I have monitored SSB and CW and had success copying transatlantics for as long as I can recall.

I am not returning to 6m WSPR in a hurry. It's a great pity. Next Es DX season I think I shall try again on CW and SSB again.

472kHz - on same antenna tonight

I have decided to continue using the same antenna for this evening so I build up more data before trying another antenna configuration over the weekend. So I am still using the end-fed Par antenna with strapped feeders, 3C90 matching coil and base loading coil.

UPDATE 1940z:  Still G3WCB and G0LRD spotting me and being spotted so far this evening

472kHz WSPR so far today

472kHz WSPR unique reports so far this summer (duplicates NOT shown)

So far this summer, a reasonable number of WSPR spots, but an absence of WSPR spots of me from stations outside the UK.

G8ALS on 472kHz WSPR

G8ALS (126km) is consistently receiving me on 472kHz WSPR in daylight. My QRPp signals seem to be a few dB over the noise threshold but he is copying me, which is good. I am still using the end-fed PAR wire antenna with feeders strapped via a 3C90 matching coil and a 110mm diameter indoor loading coil.

Storms to (just) miss us today?

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .   For now, the local thunder and lightning appears to be just avoiding us: it has tracked from Cambridge up into the Fens and seems to be moving NE. This is good news.

http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en

UPDATE 1600z:  There are new storms to the south of Newmarket and we can hear thunder in the distance now.  At the moment these are moving NE as well but I shall disconnect rigs, antennas and PC if they get too close.

UPDATE 1606z:  Lightning now just east of Newmarket and getting closer! Decision on going QRT will be taken in next few minutes.

G3WCB on 472kHz

G3WCB (101km) and I are currently exchanging daytime spots on 472kHz WSPR. He is just copying me (on the noise floor) and he is generally about 10dB stronger than I am. I suspect his antenna on TX is considerably better than mine.

Sunspots

The current sunspot count is 158 (good) and 20-30MHz conditions are "normal",  so I'd expect some decent N-S F2 propagation on 10m today. At the moment, I am sticking with MF (472kHz) , but may revert to 10m over the weekend, weather permitting.

We have thunder and lightning possible as the remnants of Hurricane Bertha pass through over the weekend. See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .  Currently, the storms are just missing us here in Burwell.

472kHz antennas and results overnight

The Par antenna (strapped feeders) seems to be somewhat better than the 2m/70cm feeder as an antenna on 472kHz.  I have now received 472kHz WSPR spots from 8 unique stations so far.  The Par seems to be directional as reports from GM4SLV (although plentiful overnight) seem no stronger.

Unique 472kHz WSPR spots so far

Tonight,  I shall load up the feeders to my V2000 6/2/70cm vertical and 2m halo on 472kHz as these are my highest antennas and compare results with previous antennas. Best 472kHz DX spot this summer is still from GM4SLV (896km) up in the Shetland Is.. I suspect the Par will be the best antenna though. Really I should make a dedicated 472kHz vertical but my health does not allow me to do this currently, so compromise antennas are the order of the day!

UPDATE 1102z:   GM4SLV was spotting me at 0948z this morning. This daylight!

UPDATE 1107z:  I am very surprised not to have been spotted outside the British Isles so far on 472kHz.  I have copied PA, DL and F so far here as well as UK stations.

M0EMM - 3-6dB stronger reports on 472kHz with Par antenna (strapped feeders)

M0EMM is spotting me on 472kHz WSPR some 3-6dB better than last night because of the change in antenna. I need to recalculate the actual ERP,  but believe it is still in the low milliwatt region.  I shall leave 472kHz WSPR running overnight so I can see who else is getting my signal and at what strength.

6m - little missed. 630m more of a challenge now.

Since QSYing down to 630m MF, I was wondering what I'd been missing on 6m. A quick check on WSPRnet.org suggests only EU Es out to about 2000km, so I am not missing too much. My biggest concern is the moment I abandon the 6m band there will be a collosal transatlantic opening!

At the moment, 630m with real QRP is much more of a challenge.

UPDATE 1920z:   Now 7 unique stations have spotted me on 630m so far this summer.  Plenty more likely.

Unique 630m WSPR spots of my signal so far

472kHz - getting decent results with Par antenna

472kHz WSPR spots of my QRPp signal so far

Results with the end fed Par 10/20/40m antenna (with strapped feeder) are better than with the feeder to the 2m/70cm yagi. Today M0PPP (182km) and G3WCB (101km) have spotted me in the daytime for the first time this season. I came back to the 472kHz band yesterday.

472kHz - improvements?

Using the strapped feeder to my Par 10/20/40m as my 472kHz antenna rather than my 2m/70cm feeder, the antenna current has nearly doubled with the antenna current meter now showing 30-33uA whereas it was 18uA before. This suggests ERP has increased by around 4-5dB (ERP proportional to I^^2), but we'll see later. The Par antenna itself is lower than the 2m/70cm antenna and runs horizontally to a tree. Average height is around 3-4m AGL. The losses may be greater.

The picture shows the 472kHz coil used (a ferrite rod would be fine but since moving it is "lost"), the 472kHz homebrew transverter (left) and the 3C90 matching coil between transverter and antenna (towards centre, LHS of coil). The small meter measures antenna current and registered 18uA last night and 30-33uA now with the Par antenna with strapped feeders.

UPDATE 1420z: G8HUH (250km) is copying in daylight a full 8dB S/N better than last night. Encouraging.

UPDATE 1448z:  M0PPP (182km) seems to be coming in stronger than last night too and in broad daylight.

UPDATE 1700z:  M0PPP  is now spotting me at 1456z, 1538z and 1620z i.e. in daylight.   He was not copying me at all last night, so I think my signal IS stronger.

Shetland on 472kHz WSPR - both ways

Using the very indifferent 2m/70cm feeder antenna (some of this is on the ground) last night I was pleased to exchange WSPR spots with GM4SLV (896km) up in the Shetland Isles as well as being spotted  by M0EMM (192km) and G8HUH (250km) in Somerset.

This was my first outing in MF for many months. In coming evenings I'll try different antennas: none are dedicated 472kHz antennas - all are compromise antennas, usually strapped feeders with a base loading coil.

GM4SLV must have a very quiet RX location as he misses very little and my signal would have been very weak.

472kHz WSPR

For the last hour or so I've been on 472kHz WSPR using just the feeder up to my VHF/UHF beam. Part of the run is along the ground and the antenna is only about 6m AGL. So far, no-one has yet spotted me but I have spotted DK7FC (669km) 7 times so far and M0PPP (182km) 3 times. As usual, I am using my homebrew tranverter. ERP is very low milliwatts with this inefficient antenna.

I may leave WSPR running on 472kHz overnight to see what happens. Tomorrow I will try another "feeder" antenna. This is my first MF "outing" for many months.

UPDATE 2210: DK7FC and M0PPP spotted more times and now F1AFJ (607km) has just been seen.

No 10m F2 this evening?

Only 12 stations in the world currently on 10m WSPR and just LU7YW in South America. I''ll give it another hour or so then may QSY to 472kHz for the first time in months.

Have your passwords been stolen?

Again Steve G1KQH has kept his ear to the ground:

Have your passwords been sold on?

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/08/05/russians_amass_1_2bn_stolen_passwords/

Can we trust the Web any longer?

73 Steve
http://www.g1kqh.talktalk.net/

It may be a good time to update your passwords and make sure your security is solid. Touch wood, I have been using free Microsoft Security Essentials to protect my PC. It appears to do a good job even though I use Firefox.

Storms gone away. Possible F2 DX?

The storms that were threatening us now appear to have moved east and are now over the Norfolk Broads and North Sea.  It looks like we'll miss the storms so I can stay on 10m way into the evening (for the first time in several days), just in case the band suddenly opens up to South America by F2.

CT1JTQ has not been spotting me since 1548z but I think he has gone QRT on 10m WSPR.  There are a few South Americans on that I should copy if 10m is open that way.

10m Es and F2

Es and F2 today seems to have been good on 10m with V53ARC (Namibia) spotted by many in Europe. I may go back to 10m WSPR later unless 6m WSPR improves.

UPDATE 1530z:  Returned to 10m WSPR (from 6m) about 45 minutes ago. Spotted 3 times so far by CT1JTQ (1843km).

UPDATE 1608z:  CT1JTQ has now spotted me 6 times in the last hour, but no-on else has on 10m WSPR. What would be very nice is some F2 further south (i.e. F2 + Es propagation) so I get spotted in South America too this evening.

There are storms to the north of us which may come our way. See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .  Mostly they are moving into N.Norfolk but there was a strike just now further west near Crowland Abbey. If they get close I'll have to close down.

UPDATE 1810z:  Storms over the Norfolk Broads and North Sea now. Danger here has passed.

6m WSPR - this morning

6m was very quiet this morning with just reports from local G4IKZ (18km).   Let's hope things improve  after lunch.

Just spots from G4IKZ on 6m WSPR this morning - very quiet.

UPDATE 1240z:   Still just G4IKZ spotting me on 6m WSPR. All very quiet today.

Sunspots

Sunspot count today is 93 and 20-30MHz propagation just "normal". Although 10m Es is still likely, we will be lucky to see F2 propagation on 10m, but N-S F2 is possible. Yesterday was very good on 10m with VK5 spotted here mid-morning.

I definitely think we are on the slide now.

6m WSPR - but so little activity

At 1044z, I returned to 6m WSPR but when I turned it on there were just 4 stations on TX in the entire world transmitting on 6m: this is pathetically few.  I hope more people join me soon. So far just local G4IKZ (18km) spotting me. There needs to be a scattering of stations to spot any Es.

As I write this, there are now 7 TX stations plus 3 on RX on 6m.

On the WSPR RX screen there are no wispy traces suggesting weak Es or GDX - nothing currently,

Logbook (found by G1KQH)

Steve G1KQH has been finding things again.

Found this excellent Logbook:  http://www.ngenlog.com/

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNrI_sENS7o

73 Steve
http://www.g1kqh.talktalk.net/

Early close again tonight on 10m WSPR

Tonight is the last night my shack is being used as a bedroom. Hopefully I shall be able to operate beyond 1745z tomorrow if I want to. I am also unable to come on for the UKAC session on 2m this evening for the same reason: my shack is  a bedroom for the third night.

10m WSPR unique spots until QRT at teatime

These last few days have been exceedingly fatiguing (stroke).  Not sure if this just a bad week or whether it is extra tiring having the little ones around: although I enjoy having them it is at least twice as tiring for me: I worry about them but am too feeble to sort out things. This makes me feel SO tired.  We'll see if I feel less tired when they go home.

10m in good shape today - Aug 5th 14

10m has been in good shape since I first switched on around 0844z this morning with Eu wide Es and even a spot of VK5MR (16144km) at 0920z this morning. Mind you, the VK was running 20W, which is a lot on WSPR. The VK5 was near Adelaide.

10m unique WSPR spots so far today

Sunspot count today is 111 (quite reasonable) and 20-30MHz propagation supposed to be "good". We have already seen F2 propagation.

Kent Electronics Antennas

Sam Jewell G4DDK's blog recently mentioned http://www.wa5vjb.com/index.html which has some excellent PCB antennas mainly for microwave bands. If I was serious about microwaves I think I'd be buying some antennas from Texas!

MRI scan results

A week ago I had another MRI scan to see how my brain bleed is repairing.  Today I had to go back to get the results. I was extremely relieved to hear all is repaired, my boys will not inherit the problem and all is well.

My relief was visible. This had been a real worry to my wife and I.  I dreaded further brain surgery, fearing some long-term damage might be done.   I have now been "signed off" by the neurosurgeons and should not need to see them in their clinic again.

My main problems remaining are swallow of some liquids, giddiness when walking, some stomach discomfort and profound fatigue: most days the least physical exertion totally exhausts me. I find it hard to describe just how tired I feel most of my waking day.  All these remaining issues should improve, but this could be a long time. Apparently the neurosurgeon told the DLVA in June that I am fit to drive, although their OK could take months to reach me.  A few months ago there was no way I could have driven, but now I feel ready to do so. It will be good to drive the car again.

Today has been an emotional day. I am profoundly grateful it is drawing to a close.

JT65 and JT9-1

These 2-way digital modes which require me to be in the shack, are on hold until I get my shack back properly which will not be before Wednesday PM. With grandchildren around, they take priority. At least I can set WSPR going in the shack in the daytime and check progress on WSPRnet.org in the lounge from time to time.

10m - Es very quiet today

Since returning from Addenbrooke's hospital mid morning where I went to get the results of a recent MRI scan (all was fine), I have been on 10m WSPR.  Apart from a single weakish spot from CT1JTQ (1843km) at 1136z, it has been very quiet with no Es, no F2 and no GDX evident here on 10m WSPR.

Sunspot count today is 156 and 20-30MHz propagation only "fair". 10m F2 is doubtful today.

UPDATE 1612z: CT1JTQ  has been the only station copying me all day. So far he has copied me 7 times.  I copied absolutely no-one all day (so far): no GDX, no locals, No Es and no F2 propagation. It seems a very poor day on 10m. Before too long I shall have to go QRT because of my granddaughter sleeping in the shack. On again in the morning.

UPDATE 1820z:  EA5CYA (1376km) was spotted at around 1804z on 10m WSPR running 200mW.

SM7UCZ QRP projects

Dom M1KTA's blog mentioned a simple 160m AM transmitter on SM7UCZ's website. Looking at SM7UCZ's website I see there are lots of ideas there. Be sure to use Google to translate into English.