472kHz WSPR

I had a very brief spell in the 50MHz UKAC contest this evening, but only worked one local. I was not helped by (a) my poor voice, and (b) using just a V2000 vertical. The latter is fine for Es DXing, but a beam is really needed to work weakish UK stations and I am not going to invest in a 50MHz beam: they are big and really for once a month just not worth the effort.

Initial results on 472kHz WSPR this evening

Instead, I headed down to 472kHz where my very first 5mW ERP transmission was rewarded with WSPR spots from PA0RDT (243km), G3XDV (61km) and M0LMH (223km). There are quite a few stations active on MF this evening, but very few on TX from the UK.

Best MF spot of others so far this evening is F5WK (436km) at -24dB S/N. G3WCB (101km) is the best G so far on 472kHz at -19dB S/N.

UPDATE 2128z:  DJ0ABR (983km) now best DX on receive so far this evening.

UPDATE 2157z:   I will be staying on 472kHz overnight.  Although it would be good to spot, and be spotted, by some totally new stations, I have my doubts. Just going to check PC clock is resync'ed to internet time.

EA7IHT - 10m Es?

The propagation within Europe is quite hard to be sure of at present, but EA7IHT (1643km) may well be Es. It is the right time (teatime) for a brief, isolated Es opening, this is the only Eu DX station seen on 10m WSPR for some time and the distance is right for Es. It is hard to be sure with so much F2 around. My bet is on late Es. Signal level at -27dB S/N was weak.

PA0O - Es, F2 backscatter, or tropo?

PA0O (440km) has been spotted 8 times since 1342z today on 10m WSPR. This is an odd distance and I am unsure of the propagation mode. It would be very short Es skip (and it is late in the Es season) and I would prefer to think this is tropo. He has been copied all afternoon. However, with HF F2 conditions good on 10m WSPR I guess it could be F2 backscatter?

No USA stations have been copied on 10m WSPR since KZ8C (6290km) at 1656z, whereas PA0O has been spotted several times since, tending to suggest tropo.

10m - again wide open to the USA and elsewhere

My first spot (on WSPR) of a USA station was W3PM at 1302z. USA stations have been spotted, or are spotting me, still. FR1GZ has been spotted multiple times (21 times to 1604z) today and he has spotted me 4 times so far, mainly this morning and at lunch time.

10m WSPR

10m WSPR has been good again today with GDX, Europeans from Iberia and DX from much further afield.  Although sunspot numbers have slid a bit, propagation is excellent. FR1GZ (9724km) is the best DX so far, although I see there are USA stations coming through now.

Sunspots

Sunspot count today is 87 and 20-30MHz propagation is "normal". We have already seen F2 propagation today from Reunion Is in the Indian Ocean on 10m WSPR.

Another G1KQH eBay bargain

Our old friend Steve G1KQH has found another bargain on eBay.  As before, you see this as I do - I've no knowledge of the supplier or goods. At 99p it is low cost!

See:

....and another handy tool Roger,

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hot-IC-SMD-Easy-Pick-Picker-Up-Hand-Tool-Vacuum-Sucking-Pen-3-Suction-Headers-/121219424659?pt=UK_Baby_BabyFeedingUtensils_EH&hash=item1c393da193

          73 Steve

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

10m WSPR - USA wide open again

Each two minute 10m WSPR transmission, at 2W, this afternoon receives 4-8 spots every time and the vast majority of reports are from the USA. We are clearly experiencing very fine conditions. If you want to enjoy 10m at its best get on the band in the next few months and enjoy the very good conditions while you still can as in 12 months from now it will be much harder.

UPDATE 2100z:  This morning a couple of locals (G8AKL and G3ZAY) worked a ZD9 on Tristan da Cunha on 10m.  The DX appears to have ended on 10m WSPR for the day with just locals being copied now.

UPDATE 2145z:  Just spotted G6NHU (78km) as my best GDX today I think. He is using 200mW. Now going QRT here.

10m WSPRing again and sunspots

10m WSPR was resumed at 0844z this morning at the 2W level. Apart from locals, the best DX (as of 0916z) is RA6AAW (2780km) by what I assume is single hop F2 propagation. Spots have been exchanged both ways.

Sunspot count today is 72 (still falling) but 20-30MHz propagation is "normal".

UPDATE 1145z: RA3APW (2443km) running 100mW to an indoor antenna has been spotted a couple of times this morning on 10m WSPR, once at a strong -9dB S/N.   Karen uses an Ultimate 3 beacon into an indoor antenna. I suspect this is F2 propagation. Also OZ7IT has been spotted and I have been spotted in Finland by OH7AI (2000km) and also by UA3ARC (2436km).

Now QRT. The next few years on 10m and 6m.

I decided to go QRT about 10 minutes ago. All kit has been switched off.  In the morning I shall probably return to 10m. Today, the band has been in good shape again.

We are now moving into autumn conditions. With sunspot numbers still being quite high, we can expect excellent 10m conditions for months to come. If anything, 10m is going to be "too easy".

6m is unlikely to support much F2 propagation although N-S paths may open by TEP (trans-equatorial propagation) especially from latitudes closer to the geomagnetic equator. Stations in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece etc will have much better TEP chances than stations in the UK.

WSPR is likely to help "smoke out" openings on both bands, but when these bands close it is usually quite sudden. What WSPR allows is near continuous monitoring with little need for intervention. As WSPR works with signals some 12-14dB lower than CW, just a few watts should be enough to see if either 10m or 6m is "open". Of course, this depends on stations being active.