6m - no Es today

With just a few hours to go today it looks very likely this will be the first day in several weeks without any Es on 6m here. Others have been working some DX on CW so it may just be that the openings have been very location sensitive as can be the case with Es.

6m - G8JNJ/A (184km)

This evening at 2034z G8JNJ/A (184km) was copying my 1W ERP vertical signal at -23db S/N with very little Doppler. Is this tropo? Good GDX on 6m. 

Still no Es here on 6m today.

10m with simple antennas

There is little doubt that when 10m is in the doldrums a beam and QRO would probably be helpful. Every bit of power would help.  An HF beam is unlikely to add more than 5-6dB gain (1 S point) so when the band is in good shape this is very little., but when the band is dead QRO and a beam might help winkle out DX.

Tenner QRP 10m CW rig described on my website

But what about right now? In my experience, even a simple omni-directional antenna is fine, coupled with QRP.  You might use a CB vertical or a Cushcraft AR10 vertical (both noisy on RX being vertical?) or the 10m halo on my website.

Even during solar minimums I have worked LUs with 10W SSB to simple indoor antennas. There are very few times when QRO really matters. It may help, but it is much more fun with QRP (rig and antenna). QRP CW can be great fun, especially with simple homemade gear.

No 6m Es today?

Well, it is now 2010z and, so far today, not a single station copied here via Es today on 6m. Today must be a quiet day.

Luckily, GDX has been very good, making up for the lack of Es DX.

In my experience, if there are stations active on the band, either GDX or Es they will be heard, even with my indifferent V2000 vertical omni vertical antenna. As far as I know I am not missing much that is active.  Even my 1W ERP is being widely reported - Israel best so far this year with 8 WSPR reports of my 1W ERP signal.

6m - more GDX today

6m GDX has again been good today. M0EMM (192km), G4TZX (146km), G8ECI (122km),  G3XGS (65km),  G6AVK (78km) and G4VXE (136km) copied today. In all, quite a number of GDX stations either copying my 1W ERP or being copied here over the last few days.  Some of these are helped by aircraft but almost certainly copyable by plain tropo. I wonder if there has been a small lift on 6m tropo or if this is range under normal conditions?

Sunspot count is 56 and 20-30MHz propagation "normal".

6m GDX and Es on WSPR today

Several examples of 6m GDX today so far: G8JNJ/A (184km) spotted my 1W ERP at -25dB S/N with no Doppler evident at 0850z and G3WKW (134km) was spotted with 4Hz Doppler at 1006z, presumably with the aid of aircraft reflection.  At 1032z G4VXE (136km) spotted me at -23dB S/N without apparent Doppler. So far, no Es noticed here, but it is early yet.

Sunspot count is "only" 55 ( this will be considered marvelous in 1 years' time!) and 20-30MHz propagation "normal", so F-layer DX is questionable on 10m.  Of course, on 6m and 10m Es does not really get impacted by sunspots (I think) so both 10m and 6m could open Europe-wide later, possibly much further by multi-hop Es.

UPDATE 1256z:   6m spots also received from G4BRK (134km) and M0ZRQ (102km) around 1200-1248z. Still no Es yet today here. It has been a significant day for 6m GDX today with 5 different stations in the range 100-184km either spotting my 1W ERP or being spotted by me. Wonderful stuff this WSPR!

UPDATE 1725z:   CN8LI (2113km) just spotted my 1W ERP for first 6m Es here today at 1722z.

UPDATE 1935z:   A spot of CN8LI at 1748z and M0EMM (192km) for the best GDX spot of the day at 1908z. Today has been excellent for GDX. Doppler on M0EMM was 2Hz so probably helped by aircraft reflection.

UPDATE 2100z:   A late Es opening to France  at 2048z. F6HTL(831km) spotted me at -22dB S/N.

6m uniques today on WSPR

Antennas for 6m Es

One of the amazing things about the Magic Band (6m) is that for Es (sporadic-E) propagation, and I suspect for F-layer, almost any antenna will work. For years I have used just a V2000 VHF triband vertical with excellent results including the USA, Azores, North Africa, Ukraine and Israel worked with low power SSB/CW or spotted on  WSPR.  Polarisation often gets twisted so a beam is NOT needed.Yes, for tropo DXing a horizontal beam might well help but many GDX paths involve aircraft reflection where polarisation is also twisted.

A simple half wave vertical for 6m is at http://users.belgacom.net/hamradio/schemas/on6mu_6meter_verticalantenna.htm .

6m - May 29th

Later starting on 6m WSPR today - first transmission 1044z - although so far just G4IKZ (18km) spotting me at +9dB S/N, but I don't  think I've missed any Es. Es usually peaks lunchtime and teatime.

Sunspot count is lower than of late at 72 with 20-30MHz propagation forecast to be "normal" whatever than means. I suspect that 10m will not be great for F-layer DX today, although with luck both 6m and 10m will be livened with Es propagation. I am also looking for GDX on 6m.

UPDATE 1107z: G4FFC (45km) spotted at -10dB S/N, a very decent consistent signal, when running 2W. There is just the smallest hint of Doppler (aircraft reflection) so I think this signal is pure tropo.

UPDATE 1510z:  CN8LI (2113km) spotted my 1W ERP WSPR signal at 1328z for the first Es opening noted here today. 3 spots from him by 1428z.

UPDATE 2050z:  A couple of 6m WSPR spots of Italians around teatime, otherwise quiet Es, with just local G4IKZ for 3 hours.

6m Es: good today

WSPRing on 6m got off to a good start with a three spots of SQ9SIM (1325km) around 1012z. G4IKZ is also spotting me well as usual over our 18km local path.

Sunspot count is 96 with "normal" 20-30MHz conditions. I shall probably stick on 6m , looking mainly for Es and GDX, but may go back to 10m if 6m is very very quiet. This week I have been spotted twice in South America (Brazil and Uruguay) on 10m WSPR with 2W.

So far, SQ9SIM has spotted my 6m 1W ERP weakly just once on WSPR at -29dB S/N.

UPDATE 1040z: Very strong spot from DK8NE (755km) just now of my 1W ERP on 6m. Looks like a good day for 6m Es.

UPDATE 1050z: G4ENZ (176km) in IO81vv being spotted quite well on 6m GDX. Doppler (2Hz) suggests aircraft reflection, at least on some transmissions?

UPDATE 1100z: 4X1RF (3519km) spotted my 6m 1W ERP at 1058z at a respectable -22dB S/N. Also, even more spots by German stations. This is a VERY good 6m day!

UPDATE 1230z:  Es from SQ9, DL, F, I and 4X1 so far plus GDX. A good day so far on 6m QRP.

UPDATE 1620z:  All quiet here this afternoon on 6m apart from 20+ spots from G4IKZ.  Still amazed at spots from Israel -  that is SOME distance on 6m, especially with 1W ERP from a small V2000 vertical.

UPDATE 1717z:  At 1648z a surprise +3dB S/N spot from CN8LI (2113km) in Morocco of my 1W ERP 6m WSPR signal.

UPDATE 1945z:   Quite a lot of spots now being exchanged with CN8LI (1830-1918z ish). 6m open in that direction.

6m unique spots today

QSY to 10m WSPR

In the end I QSYed to 10m WSPR at 1424z and was rewarded immediately by Es WSPR spots from EA6URL in the Balearic Is (1439km). Several spots given and received from the Spanish area in the next 60 minutes. I'll stick on 10m for the rest of the day now to see if more distant stations (outside Europe) appear.

UPDATE 1700z:   So far, only European Es on 10m today. I shall keep looking, but chances of South America or further, are now reducing.

UPDATE 1745z:  Still just EU Es on 10m WSPR. Mainly, but not totally, in direction of Spain.

UPDATE 1830z:  Sometime between 1736z and a few minutes ago my WSPR program just stopped working. I have reset the internet clock and restarted the WSPR software. No idea what I have missed, but my Win 8.1 PC wants to do this from time to time, for no apparent reason. It also lost 10m settings. It is working now and I am still being spotted by EA6URL. Still no real DX.

UPDATE 1915z:    Still just EU Es on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 2000z:  It was worth the wait: CX2ABP (11127km) in Montevideo spotted my 2W WSPR at 1946z.  Real DX at last. Signal report was weak at -31dB S/N and I wonder if it was Es (to Spain) + F2 layer for the rest of the path? I wonder if there will be other South Americans later? There seems to be a distinct lack of South American stations on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 2145z:   No more Es since 2004z. Going QRT shortly.

UPDATE 2215z:   QRT.

Unique 10m WSPR spots today (to 1840z)

472kHz transverter

It is always very satisfying to see when someone has taken one of my designs and taken it on to the next stage. In the case of M1GEO, he has made a PCB for a design based on my transverter. It looks so much better than my original! Dead bug build style is fine for "one offs" mind you.

See http://www.george-smart.co.uk/wiki/472_kHz_Transverter

It is quite a while since I was last on 472kHz. I really should try loading up  the feeder to my 2m/70cm antenna to see how this performs.

Good start on 6m Es today

IK1WVQ was spotted at 0924z and I was spotted by OE1MSB (1220km)  as early as 0824z on 6m WSPR. This is a promising start on 6m WSPR.

Sunspot count is 110 and 20-30MHz conditions described as "normal".  This is of no relevance to 6m Es propagation (at least not directly), but suggests half decent DX conditions on 10m. I may QSY to 10m later for a change.

UPDATE 1210z:   No more 6m Es here since 0928z. Got to be patient!

UPDATE 1420z:   Still no more 6m Es here, so will probably QSY to 10m shortly. G4IKZ spotting me lots (a local).

QRP calling frequencies

Although currently I spend most of my time on WSPR or other digital modes (saves my voice - stroke) here is a list of QRP calling frequencies which may be useful.

See http://www.njqrp.org/data/qrp_freqs.html . It shows European frequencies as well as USA ones.

My usual technique with QRP is "listen and pounce". I rarely call CQ on QRP and find this the more successful approach. Often the other station has no idea I am using very low power.

6m Es today

At 1504z OE1MSB was being spotted here on 6m WSPR using 2W RF. So far, this is the first Es I have seen today. Maybe there will be others around teatime?

I am beginning to wonder if 4X1RF, who spotted me recently, was 6m  by F-layer.   He spotted me no less than 7 times that afternoon, but has not spotted me since, even once.

At 1542z and 1602z G4VXE (136km) was spotted by tropo (maybe some aircraft reflection?) - a good GDX distance - when Tim was using 5W. Tim spotted my 1W ERP at 1558z.

UPDATE 1750z: CN8LI (2113km) has just spotted me twice.  Decent Es.

Full QTH locator

QTH locator (10m digit version)

Most times people exchange QTH locators as a 6 letter/number combination but for even greater accuracy, more can be added to give a better fix. My full QTH locator is JO02DG95LK. Note the 95LK on the end of JO02DG.

As an example, on the 25km path to G0LRD the error using 6 digits is around 1km. The actual path (using the full 10 digit locators at each end) is 26.516km. Sometimes the error is such that paths appear longer with 6 digits. It all depends on where in the 6 digit square one sits.

6m quiet so far today (to 1130z)

Just the usual local spots on 6m this morning- G4IKZ, G4KPX and GOLRD copied and no Es as yet. Sunspot count is 133 and 20-30MHz forecast is "normal" today.

President Lincoln II transceiver

The price of this rig for 10m is still too high and stocks at Nevada are nil, so demand must be good. I am still thinking about getting one, but am in no hurry. 10m remains my favourite band of all.  I'll wait until the bugs are ironed out and the price drops a bit. People say it is just a fancy CB rig. Maybe, but the Mk 1 version was a good radio.  I used a Mk1 version for several years and some impressive DX was worked on SSB.

See http://www.president-electronics.com/en/The_CB_Radios/Fiche_produit.php?REF=TXSE041

G4IKZ (6m) - turning his beam?

Nick G4IKZ (18km) has been spotting me some 24dB weaker on 6m WSPR in the last 30 minutes or so. I suspect he has just rotated his horizontal beam, maybe towards the USA or Caribbean in the hope of seeing some super-DX by multi-hop Es. I am using just a V2000 vertical (omni) and where his beam is normally aiming (Europe?) the cross-polarisation loss is minimal.

40m,20m,10m WSPR, then back on 6m

Just for a brief change I fired up WSPR on these bands and got EU spots on each band around teatime. On 10m PY2RN (9550km) spotted me, so 10m is still opening N-S over the equator.
 
I have now returned to 6m WSPR and have spotted IK1WVQ (1084km) but only been spotted locally myself this evening.

6m - Sunday

Saturday we went to Canterbury on the train to see my son and family, so no amateur radio yesterday. Was going to listen for G4BAO's test 70cm beacon on my vertical, but John has turned it off I hear.

I have been on 6m WSPR (1W ERP) since just before lunchtime and  DL4MFC (916km) and DK1KW (914km) have spotted me by Es. Also spotting me are the usual locals. Just  been spotted by EA6ZL (1485km) at 1226z at a strong -5dB S/N.

I spotted OE9ICI (857km) at 1230z running QRO fifty watts! Why?? He would have been good copy at 5W or less. WSPR is a WEAK SIGNAL mode and running high power is just daft and a waste. I expect it was one of his first attempts! He will soon learn.

Lots of 6m EU Es evident. 6m seems to be open in most EU directions.

G4BAO - 70cm new beacon testing

John G4BAO (about 8km) has been testing beacon bits for the new 70cm UK beacon network, at 1mW level so far, to a vertically polarised antenna. Not knowing his polarisation, last evening I copied the 1mW signal on my 5 el horizontal 70cm beam at about 559 by ear. Signal is about the same level as the Kent beacon on 2m here.

I will look for his test beacon (G4JNT design,, GPS disciplined) on my V2000 vertical to avoid cross-polarisation losses, if still on the air. Frequency is/was temporarily 432.440MHz.  The beacon sends FSK and JT65.

It will be excellent when the UK 70cm beacon network is running again. At the moment, the only beacon I can copy frequently is in Holland! GB3BSL (Bristol 70cm beacon) used to be a decent signal here and was a good propagation indicator, sadly now QRT like most of the original 70cm UK beacon network.

New 5MHz amateur band soon?

Many countries have allocated small sections close to 5MHz for amateur use. In the UK, these sub-bands are available only by NoV.  At the WRC2015 it is possible a contiguous 5MHz band may be allocated worldwide to the amateur community. If this happens, it will be an interesting band but even if it happens it could be some years before it becomes widely available.

Up to now I have only been on 5MHz a couple of times with WSPR with an indifferent antenna with moderate success. I got an NoV over a year ago.

10m antenna

Homebase-10 10m halo antenna

My reports on 10m seem to be a bit down on those received by others. This may be due to the directionality of my end-fed PAR wire antenna that also covers 20m and 40m or just that the Par antenna is down on a better 10m antenna. I am wondering whether to erect a vertical for 10m (noisy on RX?) or my 10m Homebase-10 horizontal halo antenna which was featured some years ago in PW magazine and is described on my website.

The Homebase-10 antenna worked well and is nearly omni-directional. My problem is where should it go? Although quite a low visual impact antenna, it needs a mast to get it up in the air and in the clear. Something else would have to come down to make room and I like the antennas I have up at the moment.

G4IKZ weaker today

Nick, G4IKZ (18km) is weaker this morning, I assume because he has pointed his beam in a slightly different direction. Others copied today are G4KPX (14km) and CN8LI (2113km) yet again.

Sunspot count is down to 70 today but 20-30MHz conditions are "normal".  Maybe 10m will be less good today?  I shall stick with 6m Es searching.on WSPR.

UPDATE 1742z:  All afternoon it has been G4IKZ alone with 20+ spots since lunch.   Apart from CN8LI's spots several times before lunch no Es noticed on 6m today (well not yet).

UPDATE 2125z:  Still no sign of Es this evening.  Will be closing down soon.

SmartMic

See http://www.rowetel.com/blog/?p=3125 .

This could be a killer app for amateur radio: Digital Voice (DV) without the need for a PC. It consists of a board that goes between the mic and rig and the rig and LS.

DV in the end is a 1.25kHz wide 16QPSK signal able to work with very low S/N ratios and low power transmitters.

CN8LI - 6m

Reports from CN8LI have been coming in consistently all afternoon. I assume the propagation is Es but this very non-sporadic! I suppose it is just conceivably single hop F-layer, but I think Es is more probable. Now if only someone another 1000-2000km further south was on too so multi-hop Es into Africa was a possibility. Later in the Es season, multi-hop Es becomes more likely into S.America, the Caribbean and N.America.

At 1806z CN8LI is still spotting me well (-1dB S/N).

UPDATE 2125z: CN8LI's last 6m spot of me was at 1854z (+6dB S/N) and this appears to be the last today. Just G4IKZ spotting me now, lot of times!

UPDATE 2200z:  finally closed down at  2145z with just G4IKZ spotting me all evening.

Clearing the back of the (old) garage

As I was in hospital Sept-Jan because of my stroke, I was not around when my wife arranged for our old home to be rented out. We left a lot of my stuff locked away at the back of the garage and only cleared this today. Among the "goodies" were 2 QRP power meters, a DC PSU, a small rotator and several antennas. I had wondered where these all were! Now I know.

Very quiet start on 6m this morning - better later

This morning, it was very quiet start on 6m WSPR with just the usual strong spots from G4IKZ (18km).  I am actually very pleased with these reports of my 1W ERP signal as I am pretty sure Nick uses a horizontal beam so we are cross-polarised.

Sunspot count is 100 but 20-30MHz conditions are reported as being "good" so maybe 10m will be in decent shape for DX today. 6m will remain "sporadic" hopefully with some Es propagation later?

UPDATE 0940z:  Still just G4IKZ spots this morning so far.  Not sure if the few dB variation in reports is the noise floor increasing, path variations, or Nick moving the antenna a tad.

UPDATE 1445z: Well, there is 6m Es about.  Firstly OE1MSB (1220km) at 1114z then several spots from CN8LI (2113km) - 14 spots to 1444z - as well as G4FFC (45km) although at 45km hardly GDX. Wouldn't it be great to hook up to some TEP with Es to northern latitudes? Lots of Doppler on my spots from CN8LI - moving Es patches?

UPDATE 1530z:  Had to disconnect antennas because of local storms.

UPDATE 1635z:  Antennas back on around 1625z and CN8LI still spotting me and me him. He has been a remarkably consistent reporter all afternoon long. At teatime signals both ways are VERY strong (like he is down the road!).

UPDATE 1740z:   HB9PLH just spotted me on 6m WSPR. Still plenty of Es around.

6m Es and GDX

Well 6m "came good" today with Es to  IK1WVQ and CN8LI as well as GDX in the form of G8JNJ/A (184km) G4FFC (45km) and G4BRK (134km).  I get the feeling that daily Es is now more likely until later in the summer. Tonight I shall have to go QRT as we have thunder forecast, so I need to disconnect antennas. Today has been a good day on 6m.

It is interesting to see just how much variation there is on Es signals.  For example, my 1W ERP signal level with CN8LI varied by 27dB over lunchtime. Strongest was 0dB S/N and the weakest -27dB S/N.

G8JNJ/A on 6m WSPR

All very quiet on 6m so far today apart from the usual G4IKZ (18km)  spots. Then at 0914z G8JNJ/A in IO90hx (184km) spots me weakly at -29dB S/N. No Doppler, so aircraft reflection less likely, so presumably tropo?

Sunspot count 126 and 20-30MHz forecast to be "normal" again, so 10m propagation is, again, anyone's guess. Still waiting for first Es openings today on 6m.

Mark Thomas (Channel 4) Secret Map Of Britain

Maybe, like me, you had not seen this YouTube video before. Mark explores some of the places left off some UK maps to preserve their secrecy. In many cases the information is readily available by other means. Apparently the number of places left off maps runs into thousands (at the time the film was made) and yet many places which you might expect to be hidden are not. Bizarre.

At one time Devonport Docks (Plymouth) were blanked out from 1:25000 scale OS maps. Not sure if this is still so. Looking at the map it was very obvious this was a secret place and no doubt a prime Russian target back in the Cold War.  Blanking out the area drew attention to it - the reverse of the intention. Doh!

I make no judgments, just sharing an interesting YouTube link.  I assume sharing this publicly available YouTube video does not contravene any state secrets. Mark filmed this for Channel 4 TV here in the UK.

Yaesu and that (never coming) FT817 replacement

Yaesu amaze me. They would have a near certain HUGE market for a more up-to-date version of the FT817. We punters have been waiting YEARS and it has still not appeared.

Instead they mess about with VHF/UHF digital radios. They could probably re-use the FT817 mechanics and just update the insides. The FT817 is a good radio, but it is 14 years old and there are many features it could do with. The FT817 and FT817ND must have sold over 500000 worldwide! The window for releasing a new version is rapidly closing as the sunspots fade.

My wishlist (just some features, no particular order)

• LiIon battery pack
• Auto ATU
• Speech processor
• OLED display
• DSP noise reduction 
• 70MHz
• 1296MHz

None of these should be hard (or expensive) for Yaesu to develop. So just why have they not done this?

6m - Tuesday May 20th - some lunchtime Es

A very uneventful morning so far on 6m WSPR with just the usual strong reports from Nick G4IKZ (18km) on the far side of Cambridge. No Es yet, although it is early in the day. At  the moment, 6m is very slow going with LOTS of WSPRing during the day for (maybe) a fleeting opening. At least with WSPR you can do something else whilst monitoring and TXing.

Maybe the 6m band will open up later?  Sunspot count is 130 and 20-30MHz forecast to be "normal". Again, 10m propagation will be whatever. 6m will remain "sporadic" with lots of white noise. It would be good to hit a period of 6m Es that lasts all day. It is early in the season I guess. On 6m I'd be very lucky to see any real long distance DX.

UPDATE 1435z: Well patiently 6m WSPRing paid off with spots from Morocco by CN8LI (2113km) late lunchtime today (best -5dB S/N at 1404z).  With that report, he would have copied me if my ERP was just a few mW, given a quiet RX environment his end.  This is a problem nowadays: often the RX noise floor can be quite bad, especially in towns and cities with so much RF noise pollution.   CN8LI was also spotting me (more weakly) at teatime (1612z) - see table above. 1W ERP seems plenty for Es.

UPDATE 1930z: No further Es in evidence here since CN8LI at 1612z. Think that is it for today?

East Cambs 2m Net

Every Monday evening at 8pm UK time there is a net on 144.575MHz (note 144.575MHz , NOT 145.575MHz) FM in East Cambridgeshire. The net started some years ago as an AM net on 144.55MHz but one joiner had no AM, so we went over to FM, vertically polarised.  Usually there are 3-4 people on the net and others are very welcome. Discussions are wide ranging and cover all sorts of amateur radio subjects.  Usually one person has a query and the others try to answer the question. Occasionally we do on-air experiments too. We always finish by 9pm latest and quite often earlier if we run out of topics.

6m WSPR today - very quiet

A full day on 6m WSPR and only G4IKZ (18km) and G6AVK (78km) spotted me. No Es noticed here at all, all day long. Perhaps tomorrow will be better? That is the nature of Es - it is sporadic! It is interesting seeing what GDX possibilities exist. On 6m, 4m and 2m I suspect WSPR is not ideal inter-G because of aircraft Doppler.

ARRL - thank you (in the end)

7 days and 5 emails later my ARRL user name has finally been reset, so I can now access the ARRL site once again with my 1 year paid subscription. Why did it take so long? Goodness only knows. 7 days should have been just a few minutes.

I wanted to say something good about the ARRL but this total fiasco has rather left me speechless and lost for words to adequately say how I feel.  They should have done better - NO excuses.

At least I can again access the ARRL site. As far as I can tell the site was muddled by having had a 90 day free trial membership before becoming a fully paid up member. Why it took 7 days to sort, goodness only knows!

ARRL:  1/10 for effective member support. I'd wanted to say something nice but just cannot,honestly. I just hope others fare better than I did.  Why cannot you reset your user name online? Their online help is flawed if you lose you user name as I did in a PC crash.

In my experience the RSGB does a much better job at supporting its members.

6m update

No 6m Es since yesterday (yet) and just G6AVK new in the log, both ways, last night at 78km. Today lots of good spots again from G4IKZ (18km) but nothing yet from Europe or elsewhere on 6m.  Sunspot count 138 today and 20-30MHz forecast is"normal" so 10m is anyone's guess. Of course on 6m I am mainly looking for Es.

Lesser Chirpy - a VERY simple 10m transceiver

This design is a couple of years old and evolved from Chirpy. Unlike the original design, chirp on 10m is negligible. This design really works and gives credible results on 10m with just a handful of parts. Sensitivity could be better  with a few more parts, but not this simple!

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/chirpy .

6m homebrew SSB/CW transceiver and the Sixbox

6m is an ideal band for experimenters. Local coverage is very good, Es DX possibilities in spring and summer are good (strong signals out to about 1500km) and the frequency low VHF so less layout critical than 2m.

I am always on the lookout for interesting ideas for 6m QRP rigs and just noticed this one from Japan. This amateur also manages to package his designs so neatly: they look like factory-made products.  See http://www.qsl.net/7n3wvm/xcvr-6m.html for a neat 3W QRP SSB/CW transceiver.

For a really simple AM transceiver design see my Sixbox on my main website. Ideal as a basis for further design for local natters. Very simple concept that works.  On the main website click images and schematic for clearer versions.

See also http://www.pg1n.nl/articles.php?lng=en&pg=145  for a list of 6m designs. His website also has lists of designs for other bands.

6m update

After a very brief Es opening to Italy this afternoon, all is again quiet on 6m WSPR. I have left the kit running but only G4IKZ is spotting me at the moment.

6m is an even more fickle band than 10m and even more challenging because of it. At the moment Es is starting to wake up the band, although stations further south (around the Med.) have been able to work remarkable distances by TEP in recent weeks. Also,  there has been 6m TEP between Japan and Australia.