USA (again) on 10m WSPR and daytime MF

The first stateside station copied on 10m WSPR today was WG2Z (5600km) at a decent -10dB S/N at 1202z.  I think this is a little earlier than yesterday?

UPDATE 1210z:  I was on 472kHz until I QSYed to 10m WSPR. G3ZJO is a very decent signal now on MF. For example at 0922z he was around -15dB S/N. He has been even stronger, which for 10mW ERP is excellent.

UPDATE 1250z:  The first USA spot of my 500mW today as by WG2Z at 1218z.  Not long after I was spotted by KC2GMM at -17dB S/N at 1228z.   USA stations spotting my 500mW WSPR regularly on 10m now.

UPDATE 1504z:  Tomorrow I may try 10m WSPR with a 10dB pad in the antenna lead so ERP will be about 50mW, but RX 10dB deaf too. No I'll try it NOW! Looks like 5mW (or less) would be enough with W3CSW.

10m WSPR spots, to 1620z, with 50mW

UPDATE 1754z:   8 USA reports, so far, of my 50mW and, even with a 10dB pad in the RX lead I still copied G0LRD (25km)'s 50mW and W7CNK's 5W (7458km).

Sunspots

Sunspot number today has declined to 98 with daytime 10m propagation forecast to be "fair".  So far here this morning, just Europeans copied and copying me.

54 stations on 472Hz WSPR

This evening (just now) there were 54 stations active on 472kHz WSPR. Several are shown as being on RX (including me!) but this may be because we've not been spotted on TX in the last 10 minutes.

UPDATE 2252z: IW4DXW (1190km) has just been spotted here on 472kHz WSPR.

UPDATE 2306z: Will be on 472kHz WSPR overnight.

Kanga Kits UK

See http://www.kanga-products.co.uk/ .

Kanga is one of the classic names in QRP kits both in the UK and the USA. They make some fine products at quite reasonable prices. Shown below (linked from their website) is their OpenQRP transceiver.

http://www.kanga-products.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76&Itemid=78

472kHz WSPR

Since 1900z I have been back on 472kHz WSPR using 5mW ERP.  So far, spots given and received, have been from the usual G stations. Let us hope for some new spotters tonight!

The Radio Hobbyist VE3CNU

See https://www.youtube.com/user/ve3cnu.  It is always fun to take a peek into other people's radio shacks. This YouTube channel is hosted by Canadian VE3CNU. He has a nice shack and some nice gear.

I am amazed by how much money some people seem able to spend on the hobby.  This is, of course, a very individual decision and I am not criticizing anyone. Some pay a lot more to play golf, for example.

What I would say though is the hobby can be enjoyed on a shoestring if you build simple QRP radios and/or buy good second hand rigs. My own approach has been a mix of some homebrew and a few commercial rigs.

Others prefer to buy their rigs new (often with long guarantees) and experiment with antennas and peripherals. This is a very individual hobby that can be enjoyed in a number of ways.

Others just enjoy chatting on the air.

From Pedro CT5JZX:

Here is a Portuguese project from CT4RK Carlos Mourato

High performance speech processor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9yQzhVrVro&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbmcP2mvTo0&list=UUZwp0BuDysKqLmJDJ7efNlg

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).

VLF, LF and MF useful data

Wolf DL4YHF found this data that may be of interest to some blog readers

Snapped up from the VLF 'natural radio' group:
Interesting reading for long winter evenings ... about VLF, LF, and MF, a complete scanned book from 1972, descibing equipment, propagation, antenna theory, transmitter sites, etc.
The entire NAVELEX  handbook can be downloaded (chapter wise) from
 http://www.navy-radio.com/manuals/shore-vlf.htm
73,
Wolf  DL4YHF

Useful info on Steve G1KQH's blog

Steve has some useful links to the new 2m extension NoV (on the RSGB website) and to the draft manual for the new LNR Precision HF rig. See http://g1kqh.blogspot.co.uk/ .

Early USA spot on 10m

WB1FIG (5304km) was spotting my 500mW very early on 10m WSPR today at 1116z.  As far as I recall, this is the earliest so far this autumn.  Conditions look pretty decent on 10m so far.

UPDATE 1547z:  My best DX WSPR spot on 10m so far with 500mW from the FT817 is WB5B (8238km) at 1526z.

Back on 10m WSPR

Yesterday I remained on 472kHz WSPR all day, but today I have moved back to 28MHz (10m) during the day running 500mW from the FT817. So far it has been all Europeans spotting me, but the reports are coming in from right across the continent. On RX here, I am copying as far as Australia.

All grandchildren have now gone home again. The house is very quiet and outside it is miserable: heavy persistent rain.

Sunspots and 10m propagation

Sunspot count today has climbed back to 138 but daytime 10m conditions are again forecast to be just "fair". Nonetheless, I was copying VK2EMA (16558km) at 1016z on 10m so the band is certainly supporting long distance F2 propagation.

472kHz today.

Today I decided to stop on 472kHz all day and not QSY up to 10m. PA3ABK/2 (306km) is yet again a decent daytime signal with me at around -9/-10dB S/N. Spotting me so far it has just been the usual locals and semi-locals. This will change after dark when more distant Europeans should copy me.

In the last 2 weeks 27 different stations in 7 countries have copied my 5mW ERP on 472kHz WSPR.  My all time list of reporters from this QTH on this band is even higher as GM4SLV  (896km) is not included, and possibly others too.

Unique  spots of my 5mW WSPR on 472kHz TX in last 2 weeks

Sunspot number dropping

Sunspot number dropped to 78 today and 10m daytime propagation is "fair". Checking on WSPRnet I see that 10m opened to the USA again today starting well before lunchtime for European stations, CX2ABP has also been copied in Europe. 10m is in decent shape yet again. I have not been on 10m today.

472kHz DX this evening

DX from EA3NE (1198km) and IW4DXW (1190km) is appearing very early on 472kHz WSPR this evening. F5WK (364km) is a consistent signal too.  On TX, just locals and relatively locals spotting me so far.

Sunspots

Sunspot number today is 138 and 10m daytime conditions,are expected to be "fair". So far 10m is in good shape with immediate spots from LZ and OH at excellent strengths. No F2 DX outside Europe yet seen.

SPRAT on DVD - new version

I am a great supporter of the GQRP club. Their quarterly magazine SPRAT represents the very best in Amateur Radio. If you are interested in QRP then please join the GQRP Club. It is excellent.

There is now a new, up to date version of the DVD with all back copies of the excellent SPRAT magazine.  If I had to stop all subscriptions and magazines then the GQRP club (and SPRAT every quarter) would be the only one I'd keep  - it is that good.

Hi

Tony & I have been working away and we have produced the latest version of the Sprat-on-DVD. This includes all Sprats right up to the one that has just been sent to members (number 160).

It is now available to members at £5 plus £1.20 postage. I will have them at the Galashiels rally and at Rishworth of course. The local guys who represent us at some of the other rallies will also have some shortly.

As we have known that this issue has been on the way for a while, as a concession, we will let anyone who bought the current DVD (1 to 148) after 1st August this year, have a copy of the new DVD for the special price of £2.50 including postage. To get this deal, you have to tell me when you bought the old DVD – if at a rally, which rally it was, and send me the CD case paper label together with the £2.50 in stamps. I do not want the actual DVD, just an assurance that you will destroy it when you receive the new one.

I should add that this is for members only of course, and applies just to UK members! Overseas members who think they also qualify should contact me direct and we may be able to work out a deal for them also.

Overseas prices are on the club website - http://gqrp.com/sales.htm

The new DVD is available to non-members at £12 plus the appropriate postage.

Thanks

73

Graham

G3MFJ

WSPR 4.0 (Beta release)

http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/WSPR4.00r4171.exe

This is a beta release of WSPR (version 4.0). It has worked fine for me.

This is the version I currently use on all bands. Unfortunately, it does not have the real-time waterfall. You see the action only after a 2 minute TX period and not during the transmission as was the case for WSPRX.

The interface looks very similar to WSPR V2.2.

Please let me, and others, know if there are more recent releases by adding a comment and link.

Sunspots and 10m WSPR today

I ran 500mW again on 10m WSPR, which was quite enough to reach the USA plenty of times and a lot further.

Sunspot number today was 84 (lower than recently) but 10m daytime conditions "good". Best DX today with 500mW was Australian VK3KCX at 16883km around lunch time. Best stateside DX was 8732km.

Last 12 hours with 500mW WSPR on 10m

472kHz WSPR overnight

Overnight, in fact before midnight last night, my 5mW ERP 472kHz WSPR signal was copied by DL-SWL at 701km. Although quite a lot less far than my best DX report from this QTH (1042km) it is my first spot from Germany on 472kHz.

Including spots tonight by M0PPP/A, I have now been spotted by 26 different unique stations on 472kHz WSPR in the last 2 weeks and even more this season.

UPDATE 2140z:  6 unique spots of my 5mW ERP WSPR on 472kHz in the last hour.

30m WSPR transceiver kit

By now, you probably realise that I just love WSPR. With quite simple equipment it is possible to be decoded across the planet consistently with real QRP power levels.   I am always on the look-out for new ideas, although until my health improves I am not in a position to build too much myself. See http://www.knology.net/~gmarcus/WSPR/wspr_v4.pdf for an example of a complete 30m WSPR transceiver.

This is NOT a new circuit  - it has been around for some years - and it still needs a PC for the WSPR software. Some TX-only WSPR beacons use microprocessors to generate the WSPR TX messages, thereby freeing up the PC and consuming little power overall. Some sync to GPS to avoid timing issues too.

QSYed to 472kHz WSPR

For some reason the WSPR4 software stopped working late this afternoon. I decided to restart it but on 472kHz with 5mW ERP instead of with 500mW on 28.1246MHz. As yet, I am being spotted by the 472kHz WSPR stations that have already spotted me before and I am seeing stations I have spotted before.  Now I have my shack back I shall leave the 472kHz WSPR running overnight.

UPDATE 1852z:   Best DX so far this evening, on 472kHz WSPR RX, is F1AFJ (607km).  I expect this will be exceeded later.

UPDATE 1940z:   Best DX on 472kHz WSPR RX this evening so far is now DH5RAE (995km). My 5mW ERP on MF has reached PA3ABK/2 (306km) this evening.

UPDATE 1945z:  A single TX burst on 472kHz WSPR with just 5mW ERP  gets me typically 2 to 4 spots per transmission, which is not too bad I reckon.

UPDATE 2000z: I should really try a bit on 137kHz WSPR from this QTH.  This QTH is quiet and I should be able to hear WSPR from the nearer Europeans and there is an outside chance of being copied by a few semi-locals. I really need a longer baseline earth-electrode system though and the 137kHz transverter needs a rebuild and my health is not really up to these tasks.

UPDATE 2100z:  LA3EQ (769km) running 2mW ERP has been spotted 3 times so far this evening on 472kHz WSPR.

10m results with 500mW out

Just 500mW seems quite enough to get plenty of 10m WSPR spots. The table below shows just recent spots. The actual power from the antenna is probably 1-2dB less than 500mW because of cable losses.

Recent 10m WSPR spots running 500mW from rig.
 

UPDATE 1520z: So far today on 10m, with 500mW, I have received 174 reports and the day is far from over.

USA copying my 500mW 10m WSPR before lunch

WG2Z (5600km) was the first USA station to copy my QRP 10m WSPR signal at 1152z this morning. 500mW is again quite enough to span the Atlantic Ocean on 10m WSPR. Today looks like being another good day on the 10m band.

I may try JT65 or JT9-1 for some 2-way QSOs on 10m.

Sunspots and 10m conditions

Sunspot number has drifted down to 138 (still good) and daytime 10m conditions are forecast to be "fair".

I am using 500mW WSPR on 10m and am having no problems getting plenty of spots. Best DX so far this morning is 4X1RF (3519km) who gave my -12dB S/N.  I expect the band to open to the USA shortly.

UPDATE 1052z: Best 10m WSPR DX on RX here (so far) is HS0ZKM (9485km).

QRT for the night

At 1822z I had to go QRT as my shack is being used as a nursery. Normal service will be resumed tomorrow. I finished on 10m with 500mW. Normally, I QSY down to 630m around this time. Slowly but surely the number of stations spotting me is increasing on 630m (472kHz) WSPR. I have still to calculate the all-time 472kHz WSPR spots from this QTH. Best DX report is just over 1000km (LA4ANA) with 5mW ERP. On RX the best DX is EA and I. At the moment I am lucky that this QTH is electrically quiet on RX on 472kHz WSPR.  It is actually better than the old QTH. Of course, this could change overnight.

500mW on 10m

A few minutes ago I turned the WSPR power back to 500mW, 5 spots from the first transmission with 3 of the 5 being spots from the USA and Canada. Yet again, 500mW seems quite enough on 10m. Very few extra stations spot me with higher power: just better reports on the whole with 2W.

Sunspots

Sunspot number today is a respectable 138 but daytime 10m conditions are described as just "fair". Nonetheless, 10m is again wide open with very strong 10m WSPR signals from the USA. Right now conditions on 10m are very nice. In previous sunspot cycle peaks we may have seen 6m F2 propagation but with the current state of play, this is unlikely.

6m

For GDX on 6m at this time of year I think more than 1W ERP is needed. The cable loss to my V2000 vertical is at least 1dB as I use a run of RG58 coax. I was quite surprised just how few UK stations were active on the 6m band. Back in the summer months when Es was plentiful I used to copy and be copied by, GDX stations by tropo or plane reflection out to around 200km most days. It seems outside the Es season the band gets largely vacated at this time of year, on WSPR at least. The couple of active UK stations were not copied here and did not copy me. As Doppler from moving planes is a big problem on VHF WSPR, it can take all day to get a favourable reflection that actualy decodes.

So, I am giving up on 6m for now. Life is too short and I lack the patience. I could run 5W from my FT817 but don't want to risk blowing the PAs at full power for nearly 2 minutes.

Not on tonight

As my shack is being used as a nursery for a couple of nights, evening MF operation is out of the question. Normal evening operation will resume on Wednesday.

For now, I am giving up on 6m. After 4 days and not a single spot given or received, can you blame me? Day time I shall concentrate on 10m and in the evenings I'll QSY down to MF, 630m (472kHz) WSPR.