10m to the USA on WSPR

The first stateside station K3GEN was spotted, at 1206z on 10m WSPR today, at -15dB S/N. I was first spotted in the USA at 1146z by KJ4SPG (6328km) in FM05dm square. The band has been open to the USA on 10m WSPR every day now for at least a month, presumably via F2.

I suspect next autumn things "across the pond" will be considerably tougher on 10m WSPR, but not a complete no-no.

High sunspots

Sunspot count today is high at 147 (with blackouts) and 20-30MHz propagation is "excellent". Earlier this morning I was copying a VK portable on 10m WSPR and I was being spotted early by Souty 1310zh Americas on 10m WSPR. F2 conditions seem very good on the 10m band.

UPDATE 1312z:  VK3KCX (16883km) was spotting my 2W at 1250z on 10m WSPR at a decent -17dB S/N.  VK5MR (16144km) was spotting me. This morning, PU3WSF (10416km), PY3FF (10440km) were spotted and ET/G8DYK (5931km) in KJ98ix square was spotting my 2W on 10m WSPR. VK5MR has spotted me 7 times on 10m WSPR today and ET/G8DYK (5931km) was spotting me in Ethiopia.

No luck on 6m WSPR this afternoon, so far

I have been on 6m WSPR since 1424z but I have spotted not a single station. Not a single station has received me either. Perhaps this was to be expected.

I'll stick on 6m WSPR for a few more hours just in case things improve. As well as poor DX conditions, 6m WSPR is not helped by the very low level of activity. GDX to around 200km should be possible, but this needs active stations!

If I see just a single station on 6m I shall be pleased.

UPDATE 1742z:  Still nothing here on 6m WSPR. Will keep trying for a few more hours.

UPDATE 1842z:  Still nothing, but sticking around for another hour or so on 6m WSPR.  Ever hopeful!

UPDATE 2030z:  Not even a hint of a Doppler shifted signal on the WSPR 4.0 interface. I'll stay on the band until bedtime, but it looks if 6m is going to be a dead loss today. Nothing, zlich. You can't say I've not tried! I even published my activity on WSPRnet but still minimal 6m activity worldwide.

No SAQ transmission today after all

The famous SAQ 17.2kHz VLF transmitter was NOT in action today, October 24th 2014.  There was always some doubt whether today's transmission was to happen or not.

See http://alexander.n.se/evenemang/extra-transmission/ .

RA3APW - 100mW 10m WSPR beacon

Karen RA3APW's 100mW, GPS controlled, Ultimate 3, Moscow WSPR beacon (2443km) that uses just a short whip antenna in his shack is coming in well again today. He is getting plenty of WSPR spots over 2000km right across Europe today. I am seeing an 8dB variation in his S/N (-14dB best, -22dB worst) and I think I tend to get him worse than some others in the UK who may have better receivers and antennas. Karen carefully measured his power so his 100mW is genuine. -14dB S/N suggests that at times just 5mW would be enough.

RA3APW on 100mW 10m WSPR today - 9 spots already.

UPDATE 1532z:  RA3APW has now been spotted 13 times at up to a very strong -5dB S/N. This level suggests 1mW would have been copied, possibly 250uW. Amazing.

10m WSPR - busy!

10m WSPR has been very busy this morning. This is a recent shot of the WSPR V4.0 screen showing stations being received here.

10m WSPR screen a few minutes ago showing stations being copied here.

UPDATE 1220z:   My first 10m WSPR spot from a USA station was at 1110z today by WG2Z (5600km). The earliest times are getting earlier and earlier as the season progresses.

Sunspots

Sunspot count today is 126 and 20-30MHz propagation "excellent". Earlier in the day it was "good".  Expect decent 10m conditions. Yesterday conditions on the band were good .

UPDATE 1100z:  CX2ABP is already being spotted on 10m WSPR by F2.  Lots of Europeans being spotted and spotting me on 10m WSPR this morning.

UPDATE 1112z:  13 spots of my 1110z 2W transmission on 10m WSPR.

OR7T on 472kHz

Last night OR7T copied me several times overnight on 472kHz WSPR. This was the 22nd unique spot on the band of my 5mW ERP signal in the last 2 weeks. I need to calculate the total number of stations that have spotted me on the band this year from this QTH.

Returned to 472kHz WSPR

Since 2024z I have been back on 472kHz WSPR and am already spotting DLs and F stations and being spotted by the local and semi-locals and G3WCB (101km).  Still hopeful that more new spotters will be on this evening and overnight. The number of unique reporters of my QRP signal is gradually increasing. Still a long way to go to match results on 500kHz from the old QTH.

Last 28MHz WSPR USA DX was at 1942z here this evening. Since then, only locals and semi-locals on 10m.

10m GDX

In along side the "real" DX on 10m WSPR today I notice G3ZTY (232km) and I were exchanging WSPR spots (-22dB S/N for my 2W signal) by what looks like tropo late lunchtime. I guess it could be F2 backscatter. There were also lots of Europeans as well as EI and GI stations too.