472kHz update and QSY to 10m

I QSYed up to 28MHz (10m) mid-morning. Overnight on 472kHz, the same reporters were spotting me, so still just 13 unique station reports on the band this summer so far. 13 is also the number of unique stations I have spotted, although in several cases I am spotting some different stations who maybe don't monitor the band with a low noise floor RX system?

On 10m WSPR SI9AM (1503km) is being spotted by Es and G4KPX (14km) is a local. These are mid-morning.

Sunspot count today is 119 with 20-30MHz propagation "excellent". As long as there are WSPR stations active in the right places, I'd expect to see some F2 propagation. FR1, ZS and LU are on 10m WSPR, so I'd expect to see these in the logs later. Being 10m though, you can never be quite sure! To my mind, there are two "magic bands" - 10m and 6m.

UPDATE 1016z: In the last few minutes LA3ZA (1051km) is being spotted here. Is this opening just towards Scandinavia?

472kHz early evening

The move to 472kHz was made at about 1914z. Spots have been plentiful in both directions (received and given) but so far, no new reporters. I check results on WSPRnet. The first 30 minutes or so are show here.

472kHz WSPR spots - so far this evening

This evening, there are more stations active on 472kHz WSPR than I can ever recall (42). There were even more a little later.

UPDATE 2155z:  G3XIZ (46km) has just spotted me at -15dB S/N for spotter number 13 this summer.

10m Es - Iberia all day

10m has been open by Es virtually all day long to the Iberian peninsula (Spain and Portugal). 10m Es is far from ended this summer. I suspect that even 6m will have been good on Es today.

Somewhat surprisingly I have seen no evidence here (yet) of F2 propagation. I was expecting to copy FR1, ZS or V53 already but no signs. It may be just that there are no WSPR stations active in the right places? Maybe we'll see S.America later? LU7YW is active on 10m WSPR currently and could well be copyable if the 10m band opens in that direction. We'll see within the next few hours.

Later this evening, I shall be returning to 472kHz WSPR, hopeful of more spots and spotters. Probably not before dark.

UPDATE 1800z:   Germany too spotting me at around 1644z.  Still no signs of any F2 propagation on WSPR.

UPDATE 1920z:  27 10m WSPR spots by CT1JTQ today. I have now QSYed to 472kHz WSPR.

SPAM comments

I've just noticed a couple of SPAM comments (these were adverts for dodgy anti-virus help) which have been removed. I am sorry these got there at all. My anti-SPAM catches most dodgy stuff.

Please SPAMMERS take note: comments on my blog are regularly checked and ANY SPAM will be removed as soon as possible. Don't even think about leaving blatant adverts or similar on this blog as they will be removed! You have been warned.

On the subject of warnings NEVER click on links you are unsure of or can't trust. This is a sure-fire way to get your PC compromised or hacked.

Blog numbers

It is hard to see why visits to this and my other Miscellaneous Musings general blog vary so much.

Today, for example, this blog had nearly 900 visits by breakfast time here, whereas yesterday it was less than half this number. It is not as if the content has changed that much. I try to put new content on both blogs regularly. If you have any ideas, please let me know.

Now on 10m for the day

At 1018z I switched to 10m for the day. Even just before this GM4SLV(896km) was still spotting my QRPp signal several times in daylight on 472kHz. Nonetheless, evenings and overnight are more productive on 472kHz.

Sunspot count today is up at 108 and stable with 20-30MHz propagation "normal". We should see F2 DX today on 10m.

UPDATE 1047z:   So far no WSPR spots here on 10m. It is early still though.

UPDATE 1055z:  Spoke a moment too soon: EA5CYA (1376km) has just been spotted at 1048z on 10m Es.

UPDATE 1120z:   CT1JTQ (1843km) spotted me at 1118z on 10m Es.

UPDATE 1405z:  This lunchtime  I've received 10m Es WSPR spots (I run 2W ERP) from, Spain. Portugal and Germany. There is still plenty of Es about on 10m.

472kHz - more reporters

Last evening and overnight, I let 472kHz WSPR run and was rewarded by being spotted by 2 new reporters for this summer. G7NKS (who has spotted me in earlier seasons) reported me last evening and G7MRV (192km) spotted me during the night. For G7MRV it was his first venture onto the band. He was copying Germans at 1141km, an impressive range. This now brings the number of unique spotters of my QRPp signal this summer up to 12. I really do believe my ERP is just under 5mW. There are plenty more stations in range that should be able to spot me.

472kHz - unique WSPR spots to date

At last! A new spotter on 472kHz WSPR

At 1954z I returned to 472kHz WSPR and was immediately copied by G7NKS (46km) as my 11th unique reporter this summer. OK, not too far away, but a new station for this summer.

Storms permitting, I hope to be on 472kHz WSPR all night.

UPDATE NEXT DAY:  I was on 472kHz WSPR overnight.

Widegates, Kingsbridge Estuary, South Devon, UK

I'm sorry for putting this on my amateur radio blog but this is a matter dear to my heart. I come from this area and love it dearly.  Because of  my poor health, I have been unable to get to Devon at all this year.  

There is a proposal to allow water skiing in part of the Widegates area of the Kingsbridge Estuary.  This is an area of special scientific interest and at low tide a place where waders congregate. It is an area that is peaceful and quiet and of international importance.

If you know the area and want to comment, write to the Salcombe Harbour Master adam.parnell@southhams.gov.uk.

Personally, I am against the proposal. I fear the area will be adversely changed for ever. 

Water-skiers are pulled by fast boats which create lots of wake and lots of noise. I may be wrong, but I fear the area will never be quite the same again if the plans are approved. The "for it" campaign people have got lots of  publicity on the TV and in the press. There is a need to counter this. For democracy to work, the voices of both sides need to be heard.

ERP calculation on 472kHz

In an attempt to establish my ERP on 472kHz, I have crunched some numbers. I think it is error free, but no doubt someone will soon tell me!

With a 1:46 step up toroid, I am measuring the DC volts rectified across a 470 ohm secondary load resistor using a small 50uA meter in series with 240k ohms (120k twice) and a series silicon diode. This circuit is straight out of the "LF Today" book available from the RSGB bookshop.

DC current = 30uA
DC voltage across 470ohm secondary load  = 0.6 + (240 x 10E3 x 30 x 10E-6)  = 7.8V
DC voltage (rms) across 470 ohm = 7.8/1.414 = 5.52Vrms
I secondary = 5.52 * 10E3/470 = 11.7mA
I primary =  46 * Is = 46 * 11.7mA = 0.54A

Rrad = 160 * pi^2 * Heff^^2/lambda^^2 = 160 * 3.14 * 3.14 * 2 *2/(630 * 630) =0.0159 ohms

P(erp) = I^2 * R = 0.54* 0.54 * 0.0159 W = 4.6mW

My original guesstimate of 5mW ERP is not far out!

Clearly getting the antenna much higher would help enormously as ERP is proportional to Heff^^2. All one can really be sure of is the order of magnitude. I am running low milliwatts.

Sunspots

Sunspot count today is 68 and 20-30MHz propagation "normal", so 10m F2 propagation is possible N-S although I've seen no evidence here on WSPR yet. There seems little doubt now that we are on the slide down to the next minimum now. See http://www.solen.info/solar/ . This will takes years. The slide downwards tends to be slower than the climb up.

I do hope people stick with the higher HF bands during the whole cycle: we'll learn a lot if people do.

More 472kHz disappointment overnight

Yet again, a disappointing evening and night on 472kHz. The same stations are spotting me and I am spotting them. Reports are quite decent and I would have expected to have spotted, and been spotted by, far more stations by now. Just like 6m , the problem is too few active WSPR stations on the band. Such a shame as 472kHz is a fascinating band and WSPR a superb mode for weak signals.

As long as the storms abate, I shall be back on 472kHz again this evening, ever hopeful. I'd like to be spotted by at least 3 times the number of stations.

10m Es - good (until storms stopped play)

There was plentiful 10m Es about this morning, until I had to disconnect everything at 1205z because of very close storms. Spotting me were OZ7IT and CT1JTQ and I was spotting EA6GF and EA5CYA. Es has been present since (at least)  0850z when I first turned 10m WSPR on.

At the moment (1215z) the storms are only a few miles away - hence going QRT (for now).

UPDATE 1450z:  Storms have move on now.  EA6GF (1428km) is being spotted many times here at decent strengths this afternoon on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 1511z:  EA5CYA (1376km) now being spotted on 10m WSPR. Thunder is still being heard, but distantly. I shall have to keep checking how close any nasty storms come.

UPDATE 1540z:  Thunder and lightning again very local, so all systems disconnected again for safety.

472kHz WSPR - from 2054z

I have now QSYed down to 472kHz WSPR for the night. In the first transmission there were 3 spots, but sadly all from stations that have spotted me before. I am still hopeful of spotting new stations this season or being spotted by new stations myself.

WSPR spots 472kHz - 13 August to 2120z

10m - teatime Es

It is teatime and 10m is open to Portugal and Germany.  Funny how often Es peaks at lunchtimes and teatimes. I shall stick with 10m until dusk, then switch to 472kHz WSPR.  No DX outside Europe seen here as yet on 10m.

UPDATE 1905z:  German stations and Portugal still coming through on 10m WSPR at 1900z.

More Es and MS on 10m

CT1JTQ  is spotting me again by 10m Es at 1250z.

There is more evidence (short, strong non-decoding bursts on his frequency) that the PD0OHW reports are by MS bursts and probably not Es. The Perseid meteor shower is peaking around now in Europe and this will result in lots of long bursts.

Lawn cut - totally exhausted!

Just cut the rear lawn, well 90% of it, and I am totally exhausted. This is a result of my brain bleed. I still get very exhausted doing any physical activity. A year ago it was all so different.

Please may I get back to health again soon. Amateur radio building/field work is all but impossible at the moment as I am still so clumsy with my hands. I hate depending on others as much as I do.

Back on 10m WSPR

After an overnight session on 472kHz - no new spots or spotters seen, just the usual ones - it was back to 10m this morning with 3 early Es spots by CT1JTQ (1843km). I am suspicious of the spots by PD0OHW (459km).   These may be tropo or even MS as there are lots of short, strong bursts on his frequency this morning. For Es, the skip would have to be very short and tropo/aircraft/MS might be more probable over this sort of range. I see I have just spotted him at 0924z.

Sunspot count today is 80 and 20-30MHz propagation "normal".  F2 has been reported in Portugal, but no evidence here as yet. Conditions on 10m are likely to be "interesting". Basically, it is anyone's guess. There is always the chance of F2 linking with  Es, in which case some real DX is possible.

472kHz WSPR

472kHz unique WSPR spots to 2100z.

At the same time as entering the 70cm UKAC,  I was operating on 472kHz WSPR. No new stations spotting me or being spotted as I write. For my very first transmission I forgot to change my ERP: it should have been 5mW and not 2W which was the ERP on 10m.

UPDATE 2200z:  Still just 10 unique reports received on 472kHz so far this summer. Will leave WSPR running 472kHz overnight in case I spot new stations or new stations spot me. You never know!

70cm UK activity contest

This evening was the monthly 70cm activity contest, so, despite my very poor voice, I entered this for the first hour. Conditions appeared totally flat. In 50 mins I only worked 5 stations and most were locals. In previous sessions I've managed to get my 5W to a 5el to reach about 200km.  Best DX tonight was just 63km. Still I enjoyed myself. Best DX heard was IO81 square.

At the same time I was on 472kHz WSPR with the other FT817, homebrew transverter and Par antenna with strapped feeders.

End of Es season?

It is beginning to feel like the end of the Northern Hemisphere's Es season. Although there are still openings (certainly on 10m) these are harder to find now than 6 weeks or so ago. Last year I was still finding Es on 6m well into mid-September, when I was taken very ill and was in hospital for 3.5 months. This season I have concentrated on WSPR mainly.

UPDATE 1718z:  This afternoon the 10m Es was quite good with several spots from CT1JTQ.

10m - Es or tropo?

I have been on 10m WSPR since early morning (2W ERP) bue so far I have spotted PD0OHW just once at 09450z with -3dB drift at a reasonable -18dB S/N.   At 459km this could have been either tropo/aircraft or Es. This is very short ship for Es. No other signals yet seen and no-one has spotted me yet.

UPDATE 1300z: DB0ZDF (608km) spotted me on 10m at 1208z.  This is definitely Es. So far, the only person to spot me on 10m today.

UPDATE 1302z: DK6UG (633km) just spotted me on 10m. Es again.

472kHz overnight

Overnight on 472kHz WSPR there were the same reporters and reports with no new people receiving my QRP signal. This was disappointing but not surprising. Yesterday evening I triedloading up the feeders to my 6m/2m/70cm V2000 vertical and my 2m halo feeder, but results were about 2dB down on the strapped feeder to my Par end-fed, so this is the antenna I used overnight.

10m Es

Since early morning (0940z) I have been on 10m WSPR, where Es is still there. Not as frequently open, but opening most days at some time. The PA/PD stations are very short skip for Es: it would be interesting to see the traces these stations received: it is just possible these were tropo/aircraft assisted and not Es.

Sunspot count today is 64 (moderate) and 20-30MHz conditions "normal".  Not seen F2 DX yet, and may not today?

10m WSPR results so far today. 2W ERP from me.

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.