10m - real DX

10m is a truly surprising band.  Although the solar forecast for 10m is just "fair" I see that VK5MR (16144km) spotted my 500mW WSPR at 1148z this morning.

First USA spot of my 500mW WSPR beacon today was by WG2Z (5600km) at 1230z.

Sunspots and 10m - Dec 23rd 2014

Today is my 66th birthday.  There were times in the last year or so when I thought I would never see this day or this Christmas, but slowly my body is recovering.

Sunspot number today is 113 and 10m propagation "fair". Today, 10m conditions are anyone's guess.

Longwave AM TX closing in Germany

Stefan DK7FC recently posted this to the RSGB LF group:

Hi LF,

Obviously there was a decision that DLF (Deutschlandfunk) will go QRT on LF 153 kHz on 31:12.2014!

Here is a German article about this decision: http://www.radiomuseum.org/forum/dlf_stellt_langwelle_ein.html

This makes me a bit sad on one side since i like the good old AM radio stuff. But on the other side, i know that i'm getting QRM from that transmitter which runs 500kW on a 350m high vertical antenna in 40 km distance. Probably there is a significant noise spectrum beeing radiated which i can see in that short distance. I can see it just a second before 20 o clock in the evening, when they switch from 500 kW to 250 kW. For 1...2 seconds, the AM carrier is off air, which lowers the noise background significantly. So maybe LF reception will be much better next year, i hope.

So maybe it is worth for some to listen for the last minutes of DLF LF transmissions on 31.12. this year :-(

73, Stefan/DK7FC

10m first and last USA WSPR spots today

The first station in the USA to copy my 10m 500mW WSPR signal today was WG2Z (5600km) at 1224z.

At present, the latest USA spot is by K9AN (6505km) at 1654z, although I expect to be spotted in the USA again later this evening.

Local G8KNN has been active on 10m WSPR today.  Interesting that stations in the USA copy me better than a local 12km away! I think Jon must have a week off work at Christmas.

UPDATE 2010z:   The last USA station to spot my 500mW on 10m WSPR was W3CSW at 1824z.

472kHz today

M0EMM (192km) has been spotting me on 472kHz WSPR today along with spots from other stations. Overnight, PA0A (417km) was copying me.

These are the 472kHz WSPR spots using 5mW ERP and the earth-electrode "antenna" in the last 24 hours. Even using my "deaf" FT817 barefoot on RX and with this crude antenna system, I seem to copy plenty of stations.

Unique 472kHz spots - last 24 hours

Australian IR tests

VK4EBP reported that he has carried out successful tests over a 10km NLOS (non line of sight) path using infra red.

See Australian Optical DX   https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Optical_DX/info .

One of my aims for 2015, assuming I am fit enough, is more NLOS tests including IR over greater ranges. To maximise my chances I shall probably use QRSS3 again rather than rely on aural reception. My previous tests, using clear air scatter, was over a 8.5km distance.   Much further should be possible.

Sunspots and 10m

Sunspot number today has climbed to 159 but 10m propagation is forecast to be only "fair", so 10m propagation may not be as good as yesterday. So far this morning 4Z5SM (3523km) is the best DX spot of my 500mW 10m beacon.

UPDATE 1550z:  Martin G8JNJ reports 10m AM signals coming in well around 29.050MHz. I am getting plenty of USA WSPR reports of my 500mW beacon again today. Conditions on 10m certainly seem better than "fair".

First and last USA 10m WSPR spots today

The first USA station to spot my 500mW WSPR beacon today was KD6A (6285km) at 1244z and the last was W3CSW (5886km) at 1822z. Best DX spot today was by ZS6BNE (9075km) at 2616z.

Apple - Panorama documentary

Last week, BBC's Panorama programme did a frightening documentary on factories used by Apple in China and on their tin supply chain in Indonesia. If such poor conditions are used by Apple, many other products will be produced in even worse conditions. As a user of Apple products I am appalled.

See Panorama, Apple's Broken Promises .

Of course, we in the West milk the low costs that such poor working procedures/conditions permit. With time, conditions will improve and the West will look to other low cost manufacturing areas for our low cost products. Sadly, our greed feeds this process.

Frighteningly, other products we buy are probably made in places that are far worse.

Andrew G6ALB tells me of a friend in the automotive industry who visited a Chinese supplier where he found workers using ordinary sun glasses to protect eyes from welding gear. After 6 months  the workers were totally blind. So they just got fresh workers to replace them!

Thanks to Steven G7VFY for most of this information.

UPDATE 1740z:  Sadly many (most?) of our electronics components will be made in sweat shops in the Far East. It is very hard to get away from this problem.

Sunspots

Sunspot number has fallen back to 120 (still pretty respectable) and 10m daytime propagation is expected to be "good".

Simple 10m DSB transmitter

From Steven, G7VFY comes news of a very simple 10m DSB transmitter from the blog of KA7OEI. This is an experimental very low power transmitter. It is unlikely to be of use in serious applications, but the range might surprise some.  On 10m, the antenna is efficient and on a clear frequency it has the potential to get a long way. Over 1000km would not surprise me on a totally clear frequency. After all, 1mW (or so) is about 53 if a 100W signal was 59+12dB. On 10m such signals with 100W are very possible.

See http://ka7oei.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/the-pointless-10-meter-dsb-qrp.html .

472kHz

I have been on 472kHz WSPR most of the day using 5mW ERP to the earth-electrode "antenna" both on RX and TX.

On RX DK7FC (669km) continues to put out his very strong signal.  It is no wonder he is regularly copied in the USA.

On TX I am still being copied by G0LRD (25km) and G8LCO (58km).

G3YMN (112km) is a new reporter in the last 24 hours. Thank you for your spots.

UPDATE 2148z:  A new reporter, and new country, copying my 5mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna" this evening - Finbar, EI0CF (602km), using his Perseus RX and 120m long Beverage antenna. Report was -27dB S/N at 2218z.

Optical communications - over the horizon (NLOS)

The DX record for communications at optical frequencies is phenomenal these days. There is a growing interest in communications over non line of sight paths (NLOS) using cloud-bounce or clear air scattering. To my knowledge, in recent times experiments are (or are about to start) by F1AVY, VK4EBP , VE7SL and G3XBM (when fit again). I am sure there are others too. Weak signal modes certainly help. I used QRSS3 over an 8.5km NLOS path, but much further has been achieved.
 
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-line-of-sight_propagation .

A couple of useful optical Yahoo groups are:

Australian Optical DX   https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Optical_DX/info

UK Nanowaves              https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/UKNanowaves/info  

10m WSPR DX

There was 10m DX to be had today. The first USA station to spot my 500mW WSPR signal was WG2Z (5600km) at 1216z. At the moment, the last USA station to spot me was K9AN (6505km).

Also spotting me earlier in the day were ZS6A,  ZS6DX and RI1ANR (13676km) in Antarctica.

UPDATE 2028z:   K9AN (6505km) was the last USA station to spot my 500mW  WSPR beacon today.

UPDATE 2032z:  I have now gone QRT on 10m WSPR. Another decent day on the most interesting of bands.

Sunspots

Sunspot number today is a respectable 156 and 10m propagation is expected to be "good".  So far just Europeans copying my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon.

Last USA spot today of my 500mW on 10m?

At the current time, 1910z,  WA0APC (7012km) was the last to spot my 500mW WSPR on 10m at 1650z. Since then, just Europeans spotting me. It is still just about possible that other USA stations might copy me, although it has been dark here now for 3 hours, so I'd be surprised.

The reports from Germany were very strong, so possibly this was winter Es?

UPDATE 2046z:  K9AN (6505km) was the last USA station to spot me on 10m today at 1828z. The last international spots of me on 10m were DK0UG (+1dB S/N) and DK0SC (-11dB S/N) at 1912z. Since then,  just local G4IKZ (18km) spotting my 500mW on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 2230z: Went QRT on 10m WSPR.

472kHz WSPR

All day I have been on 472kHz WSPR and on 10m WSPR since mid-morning. Since mid-afternoon G8LCO (58km) has spotted my 5mW ERP several time. Last night at 0220z I was spotted by F1AFJ (607km). I think this is the second furthermost report of my 5mW ERP with the earth-electrode "antenna".  At some point I really must work out how many unique 472kHz WSPR spots I have had at this QTH. My best DX is over 1000km when I was spotted in Norway.

Antarctica yet again and, of course, the USA

At 1216z I see that my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon was spotted in the Russian base in Antarctica again by RI1ANR (13676km) at -21dB S/N.

My first spot from the USA today was KE6BID (5295km) at 1220z.

UPDATE 1406z: RI1ANR has spotted me 8 times already today so far. From here, the Russian base is almost due south.

UPDATE 1506z:  Propagation on 10m to Antarctica seems to have closed (or RI1ANR is in bed!) as no further spots received in the last 1 hour. He is still shown as being active according to WSPRnet.

UPDATE 1536z:   Plenty of reports again of my little 500mW 10m WSPR beacon today so far.

Unique 10m WSPR spots today so far - 500mW

UPDATE 1656z:    AB4QS (7087km) is currently the best DX in North America. Clearly, the Russian Antarctic base is much further.

Direct conversion ICs - CMX994

Since my days in mobile radio (now nearly 7 years ago) things have moved on.   CML now sell a VHF/UHF direct conversion IC covering 50-940MHz. See http://www.cmlmicro.com/Products/CMX_994_RF_Direct_Conversion_Receiver/?gclid=COrc7qiJ0sICFdLItAodLxEAuA . I wonder if any enterprising radio amateurs have used these yet? I have a feeling the package (ideal for SMA but not for home use) may inhibit its use in amateur projects?

http://www.cmlmi use) cro.com/api/i.aspx?CMX994Promotion.png;529;198

W5OLF website

W5OLF's tiny WSPR-AXE-CW

Jay, W5OLF, the creator of the "no PC needed" WSPR-AXE-CW beacons for WSPR on 30m, 20m or 10m has just started a new website.  He expects to start selling the new versions of his little beacons, either as kits or built and tested units, in late January. These stay on all the time (the PA can be turned iff) , but frequency is randomised over 100Hz within the WSPR window. Once set, the timing is fine for ages and ages - certainly days or even weeks.

Jay's email (replace the (at) with @ ) is: w5olf(at)comcast.net .

His new website is www.w5olf.com .

I am privileged to be a beta tester of his 10m version (500mW). As you will have read in earlier posts, this unit certainly works very well, mine having been copied all over the planet in just a few weeks. Just press a button to sync time on an even minute and watch all the reports come flooding in. I was blown away with mine. Tiny, but brilliant. If you like WSPR I can thoroughly recommend this little unit. It comes pre-programmed with callsign, locator and power level.

UPDATE 1448z: This little unit has been spotted in Antarctica (13676km) 8 times today already. My antenna is nothing special, just a low 3 band end-fed wire.

Sunspots and 10m today

Sunspot number is 168 (good) and 10m daytime propagation is expected to be "good". It should be a good day on 10m for F2 propagation  today. I have still to turn on my little 10m beacon - we are a bit late today!

10m - 500mW WSPR beacon spotted by ZS6A and 4L1QX

Best DX this afternoon with the 500mW WSPR beacon is ZS6A (9195km) at 1540z. My report was -22dB S/N, suggesting 100mW may have been enough. There are lot of USA stations spotting me but none from South America so far.

UPDATE 1735z:  Was spotted early this afternoon in Batumi, Georgia (on the Black Sea coast) by 4L1QX (3299km). No great distance, but my first spot from Georgia I think.

UPDATE 1742z:  The last transatlantic (USA/Canada) WSPR spot of my 500mW beacon was nearly an hour ago by KD6RF (7547km). This looks like being the last stateside spot today at 1656z. As he was an hour after the other last spot, this may not be the very latest. I shall have to wait and see.

UPDATE 1820z:  Still lots of USA spots coming through. The evening is young yet.

UPDATE 2220z:   As the band has now closed for DX, I have gone QRT on 10m WSPR. My PC (used for 472kHz WSPR with the FT817) decided to close WSPR4 around 1610z and I have just restarted it. I am now getting and giving WSPR spots on MF again.

472kHz WSPR - daytime

Currently I am spotting PA0O (440km), PA3ABK/2 (306km) and G8VDQ (93km) and I am being spotted by G0LRD (25km) all on 472kHz WSPR in daylight using my earth-electrode antenna and 5mW ERP on TX.

472kHz daytime WSPR

Sunspots and 10m

Today's sunspot number is a respectable 154 and 10m propagation is expected to be "good". Already, my 500mW 10m WSPR-AXE-CW beacon (from Jay,W5OLF) is being spotted around Europe, but no further as yet. Best DX report this morning is UR/SWL56 at 2283km. I expect 10m to open to the USA and Canada very shortly.

From today here, the evenings start to get a little lighter again - the change is about a minute a day at first - although mornings get darker until early January. It remains to be seen if 10m stays open slightly longer in the early evenings.

I much prefer lighter evenings!

UPDATE 1232z:  The first USA spot of the day was at 1220z from WG2Z (5600km).

6m overnight - nothing at all!

Despite being spot on frequency and time last night, I spotted no-one and no-one spotted me on 6m WSPR, which was disappointing.

I have now QSYed to 472kHz where despite just 5mW ERP and using earth-electrodes as my "antenna" I am spotting others and being spotted myself.

I really should give up on 6m WSPR at this time of the year, as it is a dead loss.

Last 10m WSPR USA spot today

KE6BID (5295km) was the last USA station to spot my 500mW 10m beacon today at 1716z. It seems the band, which has been open every afternoon for months now to the USA, is closing earlier as the days get shorter. In the spring it will be a battle between falling sunspots and lengthening days. I suspect we'll still have decent 10m propagation for a year or so yet. By 2016 though, the best chances of USA stations will be by multi-hop Es in May, June and July. I could be very wrong.

Antarctica - on 10m WSPR again

RI1ANR (13676km) in Antarctica (JB59mm) spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon this afternoon. This is my best DX today so far.

I guess it is nearly mid-summer now down there - endless daylight down on the snow and ice. No doubt it is still very cold though.

6m WSPR - all I need now are some spots!

Having corrected my frequency setting error - I blame my stroke and muddled brain (!) - and reset my PC to internet time (after the Virgin Media broadband worked again), I am now on frequency and accurate time on 6m.  Just looking for some spots now! No luck as yet.

UPDATE 1640z:  Completely separate from my 6m WSPR kit (PC and FT817), I am on 10m WSPR TX running 500mW from my WSPR-AXE-CW beacon designed by W5OLF.  Plenty of spots from the USA already on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 1704z:  Still no luck, so far, on 6m, but I shall be on all night, ever hopeful.  At least there is some activity from the UK from IO92 square which should be in range via aircraft reflection.   Maybe I'll get lucky.  At least I should now be on frequency and time.

Intermittent internet and no phones this morning

For the 3rd (or 4th?) time this year we have had problems in our area (not the house) with our Virgin Media cable services. Normally it is fast and reliable.  Today our phones did not work and our broadband was intermittent. All seems to be fixed now, thank goodness.

When these basic services fail you realise just how dependent on them you have become. Amongst other things, I could not sync to internet time. Minor really, but it prevented my 6m WSPRing. Now sync'd the PC to internet time, but still having no luck on 6m WSPR.

Sunrise and sunset calculator

 See http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/sunrise.html .

If you are like me, you want to know when the sun rises and sets locally. This calculator may be what you need. Here, near Cambridge, the nights start to get lighter from this coming Thursday (Dec 18th) although it is not until Jan 10th until the mornings start to get lighter.

I much prefer light evenings.
 

6m - I had the setting wrong

One reason for my lack of 6m WSPR spots (other than lack of activity) was that I had the wrong USB dial frequency set (now corrected). I had set 400Hz too low. Hopefully I am now on the correct frequency and might see something!

Sunspots

Sunspot number today is a healthy 169 and 10m is forecast to be "good" daytime.Already, I am getting plenty of EU WSPR spots of my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon, probably via F-layer back-scatter.

Last 10m USA WSPR spot today

KE6BID (5295km) was the last USA station to spot me at 1754z this evening. This is quite early but we are approaching the shortest day.

Another 6m totally blank day

I have been on 6mWSPR (1W ERP)  most of the day, in addition to being on 10m WSPR  (500mW), Still, after days and days of trying on 6m I have spotted no-one and been spotted by no-one at all.

UPDATE 2050z:  I shall stay on 6m overnight, but think I'll be wasting my time!

UPDATE 2244z:  Apparently I am set to the wrong frequency on 6m by some 400Hz (checked by G0LRD) despite using a 0.5ppm TCXO and using the same offset as for 28MHz, which puts me pretty spot on. I'll QSY in the morning. Lack of activity and frequency error are my issues. I am puzzled by the frequency error. In the meantime, you will spot me if set to 50.292600 and not 50.230000MHz

10m transceivers

Looking on the internet, there is a wide selection of 10m (28-29.7MHz) transceivers available. Many can be extended (illegally in the UK) to cover CB frequencies.

As an example, the Alinco DR135 is available for £144.99. I am sure shopping around will show that lower prices are possible. This rig was available (special offer) for less than £100 recently. At one time, single band 10m rigs were illegal in the UK. This is no longer the case and these rigs can be a low cost way of getting on this most interesting band.

First 10m WSPR spot from the USA

No earth-shattering DX spots on 10m WSPR this morning, which was a bit disappointing, as I was expecting great things today.  My first USA spot (of my 500mW beacon) was W3CSW (5886km) at 1238z, quite late in the day really. The 10m band is wide open to the USA currently (1455z).

Sunspots and 10m propagation

Sunspot number today is 152. 10m propagation is forecast to be "good". 10m should be in good shape today.

UPDATE 1455z:  Although the 10m band is wide open to the USA, I was spotted by no great (further) DX stations today, well so far that is.

QRSS and WSPR frequencies

Being a keen WSPR user, I have not used QRSS on HF, although I have done on MF, LF and VLF.  A useful page about QRSS is here.  QRSS requires manual intervention to interpret the signals whereas WSPR using WSPRnet is automatic. This is one of the reasons why WSPR gets used here a lot.

First and last 10m USA WSPR spots today

The earliest USA spot today was at 1240z by W3CSW (5886km).

It is now almost teatime at 1658z and KB9AMG (6300km) is currently still spotting me. Somehow I doubt this will be the last.

UPDATE 2012z:   KE6BID  (5295km) was the last USA spot at 1812z. Since then, just local G4IKZ (18km) spotting me. His beam must be better aligned my way tonight as he as been getting around the -19 to -21dB S/N level.

Full marks to Hans Summers

Thanks to my blog post about the Ultimate 3 beacon yesterday, Hans Summers has arranged to send me the missing GPS unit from my order earlier in the year. I was going to write, but Hans beat me to it! Hans - thank you.

UPDATE 2022z:   I agree that the Ultimate 3 is a pretty comprehensive beacon, but currently it is beyond my (currently clumsy) building skills. I hope next year I'll be able to manage it.