Using the 500mW WSPR-AXE beacon on 10m, it has just been Europeans spotting me so far. Spots have been from France, Norway, UK and Ukraine. I expect the 10m band will open to the USA for me shortly. The USA is already open for some Europeans.
UPDATE 1216z: Still no stateside 10m spots as yet.
24 Nov 2014
Bang good portables
There is some confusion over these radios. Although some are limited in the number of channels and some may come pre-programmed, for example, for the European licence free 446MHz band, several models (such as the ones shown yesterday) say they can be re-programmed in the 400-470MHz range. If so, they would make very low cost 70cms portables.
On the Bang good website there are even lower cost units for the USA market.
On the Bang good website there are even lower cost units for the USA market.
Sunspots - Nov 24th 2014
The sunspot number has slipped a little lower to 66 but 10m daytime conditions remain "good". Some F2 propagation should be expected.
23 Nov 2014
Unbelievable prices!
I cannot believe these prices. £13.91 for a pair covering 400-470MHz, 500mW, with free shipping to the UK. That is under £7 each for a 70cm transceiver from Bang good. Just how do they make any profit? Buy 3 sets and it is even cheaper. Quite remarkable!
The link says T688 but the photo T668. Not sure which is the correct number but the link works.
The rigs run from 3 x AAA batteries (each) and the price does not include a charger.
ARRL propagation forecasts
For those of you who subscribe to the ARRL (not everyone does and I have no plans to renew my subs next year), the weekly propagation forecasts make interesting reading. Even more interesting are the archived old forecasts, so we can see just how good conditions are compared, for example, with the same time in 2007. As I mentioned before, if you are not an ARRL member you will not be able to follow the link, I believe.
ARRL members see http://www.arrlrg/w1aw-bulletins-archive/ARLP054/2007 .
Why am I not renewing my digital subscription with ARRL?
Earlier in the year I could not use my password and it took a week to sort it out. The online help was no help at all. It took several emails before anyone actually helped me. Most of QST seems to be ads similar to those in UK magazines. I cannot see the value in continuing ARRL membership. In summary, the ARRL seemed a pretty useless organisation. I was NOT impressed.
GQRP Club membership is much better value in my view.
ARRL members see http://www.arrlrg/w1aw-bulletins-archive/ARLP054/2007 .
Why am I not renewing my digital subscription with ARRL?
Earlier in the year I could not use my password and it took a week to sort it out. The online help was no help at all. It took several emails before anyone actually helped me. Most of QST seems to be ads similar to those in UK magazines. I cannot see the value in continuing ARRL membership. In summary, the ARRL seemed a pretty useless organisation. I was NOT impressed.
GQRP Club membership is much better value in my view.
472kHz WSPR - 5mW ERP
As well as TX beaconing on 10m, I have again been on MF (472kHz) but so far no great DX either spotting me or being spotted here using the short baseline earth-electrode "antenna". Best DX, so far, in daylight, is PA3ABK/2 (306km) being copied here. Things may be better later?
UPDATE 1642z: G3WCB (101km) is now spotting me (1618z) at -22dB S/N. Darkness has just fallen here. It is a miserable day with lots of rain.
UPDATE 1720z: DK7FC (669km) is now being spotted here.
UPDATE 1758z: Several 472kHz DX stations now being spotted including LA3EQ (769km) and F1AFJ (607km).
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| Unique WSPR spots with the earth-electrode "antenna" and 5mW ERP on 472kHz |
UPDATE 1720z: DK7FC (669km) is now being spotted here.
UPDATE 1758z: Several 472kHz DX stations now being spotted including LA3EQ (769km) and F1AFJ (607km).
10m spots of the WSPR-AXE 500mW beacon so far today
The tiny little W5OLF designed WSPR-AXE beacon continues to do a great job with lots of spots again today. Although things were a little slow towards the USA and Canada earlier, there are plenty of stations over there spotting me now. This is a list of the unique 10m spotters so far (to 1600z). In most cases, stations have reported me multiple times.
UPDATE 2022z: The last USA station to spot me was AB4QS at 1736z.
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| Unique 10m WSPR spots with WSPR-AXE 500mW beacon so far today. |
MST SSB transceiver kits
See http://www.ozqrp.com/index.html .
A nice line of SSB QRP transceivers for 80, 40 or 20m with power up to 5W. These kits come from Australia and payment is by PayPal. I have no experience of these kits so have no idea how they perform when bands are busy as in Europe.
It looks like these are easy to build kits.
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| https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B2o8mpYIgAAX6Pc.png:large |
It looks like these are easy to build kits.
More 10m USA spots
As the afternoon has progressed. quite a few more USA stations have been spotting me. As usual, it is the same old stations that have spotted me before like K9AN, W3CSW, KB9AMG plus others. WSPR tends to be like this with similar stations spotting one. I think there is more variety on JT65 and JT9-1 modes.
Sunspots and 10m conditions - Sunday Nov 23rd 2014
Sunspot number today is 64 (a further small fall) but 10m daytime conditions in the forecast remain "good". So far today, my 10m 500mW WSPR-AXE beacon has only been copied in Europe. I expect the band will open to the USA shortly.
UPDATE 1210z: So far, no spots from the USA yet, although it is a little early still.
UPDATE 1232z: The first USA station to spot me today was WG2Z (5600km) at 1228z at -21dB S/N. This station is frequently the first and last to spot me on 10m. He must have a good system and antenna.
UPDATE 1338z: So far, there seem to be fewer USA spotters than recently, suggesting 10m conditions are not quite as good as they have been? Early days still. I'll tell you at 1800z.
UPDATE 1210z: So far, no spots from the USA yet, although it is a little early still.
UPDATE 1232z: The first USA station to spot me today was WG2Z (5600km) at 1228z at -21dB S/N. This station is frequently the first and last to spot me on 10m. He must have a good system and antenna.
UPDATE 1338z: So far, there seem to be fewer USA spotters than recently, suggesting 10m conditions are not quite as good as they have been? Early days still. I'll tell you at 1800z.
Back on MF and 10m WSPR
For one night my shack was being used as a nursery bedroom, so I was unable to use it for radio work. As my son, his wife and their 2 little ones have now returned home, until the week before Christmas, I now have the shack back and have restarted WSPR on 472kHz (using the earth-electrode "antenna") and 28MHz (10m) using the 500mW WSPR-AXE beacon. On 472kHz I am using WSPR4 software and 5mW ERP.
On 472kHz I am spotting G8VDQ, and G3ZJO. G3XDV, G0LRD and G8LCO are spotting me so far.
UPDATE 1228z: On 10m I am being spotted around Europe with best DX (so far) R2AEW (2439km). OH3LMN (1747km) is the person spotting the beacon most (12 times already).
On 472kHz I am spotting G8VDQ, and G3ZJO. G3XDV, G0LRD and G8LCO are spotting me so far.
UPDATE 1228z: On 10m I am being spotted around Europe with best DX (so far) R2AEW (2439km). OH3LMN (1747km) is the person spotting the beacon most (12 times already).
22 Nov 2014
More on the Rosetta mission
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| http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Rosetta.jpg |
Hi RogerI saw your comments on your blog regarding the Rosetta mission and the subsequent landing of Philae. Personally I thought that it was an amazing achievement. I just hope that the lander can be illuminated sufficiently to recharge it’s batteries and carry out further science.The following URLs may be of interest.http://news.discovery.com/space/philaes-batteries-have- drained-comet-lander-sleeps- 141114.htm
All continents with the 500mW 10m WSPR-AXE beacon
In the last couple of weeks my TINY little WSPR beacon has now been copied on every continent including Antarctica. I am totally impressed as my antenna is not the best. I can probably gain 6-10dB with a properly optimised 10m antenna. Having been copied so well I will soon need a new challenge!
Sunspots and 10m conditions - Nov 22nd 2014
Sunspot number slipped to 68 today but 10m daytime conditions remained "good". My best DX with the tiny 10m 500mW WSPR-AXE beacon was PY2FF (10440km) who spotted me just before lunch. The 10m band was open to North America yet again today.
21 Nov 2014
RSGB
I have been a member of the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) for 52 years now. When I first joined I was an SWL associate member - A3554 - as a young teenager. In those days you had to be proposed and seconded. Joining is much easier today. When I started there was just one licence. I took my RAE exam in 1966. It was on Friday 13th May as I recall. I attended RAE classes at Plymouth Tech every Monday night, catching the bus to Plymouth after school. Long gone days!
Over the years I have not always agreed with the RSGB's decisions. In fact, quite recently, I did not like the decision worked up with OFCOM to allocate the 146-147MHz band to some UK amateurs by NoV. I think the RSGB could have got a much better deal for UK amateurs, but that is my personal view.
Despite this, the RSGB is our national society and deserves our support. Over the years they have supported UK amateurs very well and have a much better relationship with OFCOM than the ARRL has with the FCC in the USA where bands we have had access to for years are still not available! The monthly RadCom magazine is a good read with a mix of technical and non-technical articles.
So, if you are not an RSGB member and you live in the UK, may I encourage you to join?
See www.rsgb.org .
Over the years I have not always agreed with the RSGB's decisions. In fact, quite recently, I did not like the decision worked up with OFCOM to allocate the 146-147MHz band to some UK amateurs by NoV. I think the RSGB could have got a much better deal for UK amateurs, but that is my personal view.
Despite this, the RSGB is our national society and deserves our support. Over the years they have supported UK amateurs very well and have a much better relationship with OFCOM than the ARRL has with the FCC in the USA where bands we have had access to for years are still not available! The monthly RadCom magazine is a good read with a mix of technical and non-technical articles.
So, if you are not an RSGB member and you live in the UK, may I encourage you to join?
See www.rsgb.org .
10m WSPR unique spots today so far
So far today, 24 unique spots of my 10m WSPR-AXE 500mW "all in one" beacon, mostly from the USA and Canada. The little beacon has not been re-synchronized to internet time for several days.
UPDATE 1910z: The last USA station to spot me tonight was WG2Z (5600km) at 1742z.
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| Unique 10m WSPR spots received so far today of the 500mW beacon |
Stroke update
I had my cerebellum brain bleed (stroke) in Sept 2013 and in all honesty I was expecting to be fully fit again by now. I think my wife and I had no idea how serious this was and just how long recovery was going to take. Nearly 15 months on it is a mixed picture.
All my limbs, my eyes and ears and my cognitive functions seem to work OK. But I still have poor liquid swallow, poor speech, giddiness when walking and I tire on the least physical exertion such as washing dishes or gardening. My stamina is better than it was but it is still far from right.
I am still clumsy and amateur radio construction is still out of the question, which I find very hard to accept. This, and my speaking problem, is why I currently use WSPR so much.
I am told a full recovery is probable, but this will take time. This last year as been very hard. I sincerely hope 2015 will be a better year.
In summary, I have felt old suddenly. Until last year I felt as if I would last forever. Now I feel far more vulnerable.
All my limbs, my eyes and ears and my cognitive functions seem to work OK. But I still have poor liquid swallow, poor speech, giddiness when walking and I tire on the least physical exertion such as washing dishes or gardening. My stamina is better than it was but it is still far from right.
I am still clumsy and amateur radio construction is still out of the question, which I find very hard to accept. This, and my speaking problem, is why I currently use WSPR so much.
I am told a full recovery is probable, but this will take time. This last year as been very hard. I sincerely hope 2015 will be a better year.
In summary, I have felt old suddenly. Until last year I felt as if I would last forever. Now I feel far more vulnerable.
Sunspots - Friday Nov 21st 2014
Sunspot number today is 83, almost the same as yesterday, but 10m daytime propagation is again expected to remain "good".
So far, no exotic DX with the little 500mW WSPR-AXE 10m beacon with best spot so far from 4X1RF (3519km) plus LZ1OI and UR/SWL56. No Australians spotting me, well yet anyway.
So far, no exotic DX with the little 500mW WSPR-AXE 10m beacon with best spot so far from 4X1RF (3519km) plus LZ1OI and UR/SWL56. No Australians spotting me, well yet anyway.
DL-SWL on 472kHz
Overnight DL-SWL (701km) spotted me no less than 7 times on 472kHz. I was using my short baseline earth-electrode "antenna" with a maximum 5mW ERP. Not my best DX but very pleasing. With no real antenna, no loading coils, ANYONE could join the fun on 472kHz!
20 Nov 2014
WSPR
As regular readers of this blog will know, I just love WSPR. It amazes me that such weak signals can be detected so well at such great distances using this mode. I am even more impressed that such a simple "stand alone" (no PC needed) beacon can be constructed. My very simple, TINY little 10m W5OLF WSPR-AXE beacon has been copied all over the world now. It is truly TINY.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WSPR_%28amateur_radio_software%29 .
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WSPR_%28amateur_radio_software%29 .
Landing on a comet
One cannot help but be impressed by the space probe Rosetta to a comet and the subsequent landing of the Philae probe on the comet's surface.
This week I learned that one our friends was the Project Manager for this at Astrium back in the late 1990s. He is now retired but he was invited back for the landing. I hope they manage to get the lander moved to a better illuminated spot.
I was very impressed.
This week I learned that one our friends was the Project Manager for this at Astrium back in the late 1990s. He is now retired but he was invited back for the landing. I hope they manage to get the lander moved to a better illuminated spot.
I was very impressed.
Arizona on 10m
Best 10m DX today,well so far, with the little 500mW WSPR-AXE beacon was WA7HL (8508km). There is still a chance that I might get spotted in South America later, but somehow I doubt it.
Sunspots - Thursday Nov 20th 2014
Sunspot number has dropped back to 72 today. 10m propagation is forecast to be "good". The 10m band has been open to the USA yet again this afternoon, but no great DX seen on the band for my little 500mW WSPR-AXE beacon today.
19 Nov 2014
10m WSPR analysis by Bert PA1B
Bert PA1B has analysed my 500mW WSPR spots today, ignoring the many spots by local G4IKZ. It shows the signal strengths (uV/m) implied by the S/N figures. In many cases, much lower powers would have been enough to get "spotted". Thank you Bert. Of course, for some people, the noise floor limits the minimum signal that can be detected.
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UPDATE 2200z: The last USA spot of my 500mW was WG2Z (5600km) at 1724z. Just local G4IKZ (18km) since then. Now QRT on 10m until after breakfast, but will stay on 472kHz overnight.
G4HUP kits
See http://g4hup.com/Orders.html.
John Mullin, G0TEV has pointed me to these kits, which include an add-on panoramic adaptor kit, suitable to tap into the IF output of many popular rigs like the FT817, IC706 and IC703. I had not seen these kits before John pointed me in their direction.
John Mullin, G0TEV has pointed me to these kits, which include an add-on panoramic adaptor kit, suitable to tap into the IF output of many popular rigs like the FT817, IC706 and IC703. I had not seen these kits before John pointed me in their direction.
Sunspots - Nov 19th 2014
Conditions on 10m remain good here.
Sunspot number today had dropped back a bit to 92, but 10m conditions remain "good". Certainly the 10m DX WSPR spots from Australia confirm this. I am already being spotted in the USA very early today.
Sunspot number today had dropped back a bit to 92, but 10m conditions remain "good". Certainly the 10m DX WSPR spots from Australia confirm this. I am already being spotted in the USA very early today.
472kHz WSPR overnight - spotted in Germany
Overnight, I ran the MF WSPR station on 472kHz to the (short baseline) earth-electrode antenna. In all, 7 unique spots were received with my best DX (5mW ERP) being a -29dB S/N report from DL-SWL (701km) in JO52hp square. This is not my best DX ever on the band from this QTH, but I think it is the best DX with the very simple earth-electrode antenna system.
Australia on 10m 500mW
My TINY little "all in one" WSPR-AXE beacon was spotted at 1010z by VK5MR (16144km) for my best DX report yet. At -23dB S/N this suggests I still had power in hand too.
I knew this would happen, and today it did. I remain very impressed that this TINY little WSPR beacon works so well. It seems incredible that such a TINY little unit works so well. Well done Jay W5OLF.
I knew this would happen, and today it did. I remain very impressed that this TINY little WSPR beacon works so well. It seems incredible that such a TINY little unit works so well. Well done Jay W5OLF.
18 Nov 2014
472kHz WSPR with the earth-electrode antenna
It is now 2050z. 10m has been dead for "real DX" since 1840z. I am still TXing on 10m but only being spotted by G4IKZ (18km).
At the same time I am on 472kHz WSPR both TX (5mW ERP) and RX. So far, 4 different stations have spotted me on 472kHz and I have spotted 7 different stations on RX. Best RX DX is DK7FC (669km). So far this evening the best spot of my 472kHz 5mW ERP is from G3WCB (101km).
At the same time I am on 472kHz WSPR both TX (5mW ERP) and RX. So far, 4 different stations have spotted me on 472kHz and I have spotted 7 different stations on RX. Best RX DX is DK7FC (669km). So far this evening the best spot of my 472kHz 5mW ERP is from G3WCB (101km).
Last USA spot on 10m?
WG2Z (5600km) was spotting me at 1736z. I am wondering if this will be the last 10m North American spot, or if the band will remain open longer.
When I go QRT on 10m later this evening I shall leave MF still running.
UPDATE 1935z: Well WG2Z was the last spot but at 1840z, almost an hour after the above spot.
When I go QRT on 10m later this evening I shall leave MF still running.
UPDATE 1935z: Well WG2Z was the last spot but at 1840z, almost an hour after the above spot.
WSPRing MF and 10m simultaneously
Late this afternoon, I decided to try 472kHz WSPR (using the FT817, transverter and earth-electrode antenna (5mW ERP) and 28MHz WSPR (using the 500mW WSPR-AXE 500mW TX beacon) . All seems to be working with USA reports on 10m still, as well as G0LRD spotting me on LF and I am spotting G,PA and DL on 472kHz WSPR. Certainly MF is a great deal more productive than 6m was over 6 days of trying.
UPDATE 1710z: a 472kHz report of -12dB S/N from G3XDV (61km) suggests he might just copy me on the same (short) earth-electrode antenna on 136kHz especially if I used QRSS30. I really must try a longer baseline earth-electrode antenna. The earth-electrode antenna definitely has directionality like a loop.
UPDATE 1710z: a 472kHz report of -12dB S/N from G3XDV (61km) suggests he might just copy me on the same (short) earth-electrode antenna on 136kHz especially if I used QRSS30. I really must try a longer baseline earth-electrode antenna. The earth-electrode antenna definitely has directionality like a loop.
Unique 10m WSPR spots to 1450z today
The little 500mW beacon has been on since last evening. LZ1OI (2153km) and 4X1RF (3519km) were both spotting me very early and there have been plenty of stations spotting me already. This is the list of unique stations spotting me so far:
In many cases, stations have copied me many times and this is not shown. 500mW seems quite enough to "blast a hole". More power might help at times, but if the path is open 500mW is very often plenty with WSPR.
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| Unique station 10m WSPR reports today to 1450z. |
Sunspots - Tuesday Nov 18th 2014
Sunspot number today is 95 and 10m propagation is expected to be "good". Although my little WSPR-AXE beacon is being copied widely, nothing out of the ordinary so far.
Antarctica on 10m WSPR (500mW)
See http://rt.com/news/russia-antarctic-stations-exploration-541/ .
17 Nov 2014
Sunspots today - Nov 17th 2014
Sunspot number has fallen to 91 yet 10m daytime propagation is supposed to be "good". Although 10m has yet again opened to the USA (weeks and weeks this has happened now) I would not describe conditions on 10m as particularly "good". I am still waiting for my first Australian report when using the little beacon for example. When the band is really "good" VK reports with the 500mW WSPR beacon should be no problem.
Dual band WSPRing
Since mid-afternoon I've been WSPRing on 2 bands at the same time. My little WSPR-AXE beacon (from W5OLF) puts out 27dBm on 10m and I used my FT817 to put out 30dBm ERP from my V2000 on 6m. Although 10m is resulting in plenty of reports, 6m is, yet again, DEAD with no stations received and no reports received. I'll leave both 6m and 10m WSPR running until after dark. Tomorrow I may try my earth-electrode antenna on MF (472kHz WSPR) at the same as 10m. As I use the Par antenna on 10m, I shall have to use the earth-electrode antenna on 472kHz.
UPDATE 1624z: 6m WSPR is still utterly DEAD. I keep plugging away on 6m to no avail. Not sure why I even bother! 10m, with half the power is far more productive: every day I get DX reports with the little WSPR-AXE 10m WSPR beacon at 500mW.
UPDATE 1925z: 6m WSPR again proved to be totally useless with not a single station copied here or copying me. Having tried so hard out of the Es season, I am now giving up on 6m until spring 2015.
UPDATE 1945z: Just gone QRT on 6m, but left the 10m WSPR-AXE 500mW beacon still running.
UPDATE 1950z: The last USA station appears to have been KB9AMG (6300km) at 1844z.
UPDATE 1624z: 6m WSPR is still utterly DEAD. I keep plugging away on 6m to no avail. Not sure why I even bother! 10m, with half the power is far more productive: every day I get DX reports with the little WSPR-AXE 10m WSPR beacon at 500mW.
UPDATE 1925z: 6m WSPR again proved to be totally useless with not a single station copied here or copying me. Having tried so hard out of the Es season, I am now giving up on 6m until spring 2015.
UPDATE 1945z: Just gone QRT on 6m, but left the 10m WSPR-AXE 500mW beacon still running.
UPDATE 1950z: The last USA station appears to have been KB9AMG (6300km) at 1844z.
16 Nov 2014
Last USA spot of the day?
It looks as if N2NOM (5581km) was the last USA spot of my little 500mW beacon today at 1812z. Since then, just local G4IKZ (18km) spotting me now.
UPDATE 2004z: N2NOM was the last spot from the USA this evening.
UPDATE 2046z: Now gone QRT - just G4IKZ now spotting me since 1812z.
UPDATE 2004z: N2NOM was the last spot from the USA this evening.
UPDATE 2046z: Now gone QRT - just G4IKZ now spotting me since 1812z.
146-147MHz allocated to UK full licencees under NoV - why?
My original post on this seems to have magically vanished. Don't know how this happened.
Basically, I totally fail to understand why OFCOM has allocated this band to some UK amateurs. It is only ad interim, by NoV to full licence holders, is only for a limited time, and only in a limited geographical area.
The 144-146MHz (2m band) is generally under-used in the UK and the rest of Europe and white noise is the most common thing to hear. Take a listen. It NEVER sounds busy here in Cambridgeshire, even in contests.
Personally, I would have preferred OFCOM to have given us smaller bands (100kHz wide?) at 40MHz and maybe 60MHz, renewed access to the old 73kHz band and allowed free access to 0-8.3kHz. The RSGB thinks the new 146-147MHz band will be used for digital TV experiments - this is rubbish - it is hard enough to get any DATV experiments at 432MHz and 1296MHz where most amateur TV takes place. Maybe a few very dedicated individuals will try DATV 146-147MHz, but just a handful.
Personally, I think OFCOM lost credibility allocating 146-147MHz to amateurs. This was clearly a sop to make up for messing with microwave bands. Far more radio science would have been possible with new allocations in other parts of the spectrum. There are already some beacons at 40MHz and 60MHz,which bands would have been ideal for Es experiments. 40MHz is mid-way between the 10m and 6m bands. Surely 50-100kHz could have been made available?
I hope OFCOM supports a contiguous 5MHz (60m) amateur allocation worldwide at WRC2015 next year. We'll need this in the quiet years ahead.
Basically, I totally fail to understand why OFCOM has allocated this band to some UK amateurs. It is only ad interim, by NoV to full licence holders, is only for a limited time, and only in a limited geographical area.
The 144-146MHz (2m band) is generally under-used in the UK and the rest of Europe and white noise is the most common thing to hear. Take a listen. It NEVER sounds busy here in Cambridgeshire, even in contests.
Personally, I would have preferred OFCOM to have given us smaller bands (100kHz wide?) at 40MHz and maybe 60MHz, renewed access to the old 73kHz band and allowed free access to 0-8.3kHz. The RSGB thinks the new 146-147MHz band will be used for digital TV experiments - this is rubbish - it is hard enough to get any DATV experiments at 432MHz and 1296MHz where most amateur TV takes place. Maybe a few very dedicated individuals will try DATV 146-147MHz, but just a handful.
Personally, I think OFCOM lost credibility allocating 146-147MHz to amateurs. This was clearly a sop to make up for messing with microwave bands. Far more radio science would have been possible with new allocations in other parts of the spectrum. There are already some beacons at 40MHz and 60MHz,which bands would have been ideal for Es experiments. 40MHz is mid-way between the 10m and 6m bands. Surely 50-100kHz could have been made available?
I hope OFCOM supports a contiguous 5MHz (60m) amateur allocation worldwide at WRC2015 next year. We'll need this in the quiet years ahead.
73kHz again?
Well I, for one, would welcome the chance to experiment on the 73kHz band. I can, I believe, legally (even without a licence) do so with earth-mode but I'd like to see how effective earth-electrode antennas work as radiating structures on this band. With modem digital techniques there are so many experiments to do.
Sadly, like much of our spectrum, this is now managed by "the military" in the UK so it is very unlikely we'll get access to this band again. When originally available in the UK, I was not active on LF.
Sadly, like much of our spectrum, this is now managed by "the military" in the UK so it is very unlikely we'll get access to this band again. When originally available in the UK, I was not active on LF.
10m - stateside
The first spot of my 500mW 10m beacon was at 1248z today by WB1FIG (5304km). Since then, several USA stations have spotted me, although I have not been spotted outside of Europe and the USA so far today.
Conditions seem "OK" on 10m, but certainly not what I'd call brilliant. For example, no spots from Asia, Africa or South America yet. I am still waiting for a first first spot of my little beacon from Australia.
UPDATE 1500z: So far today reports of my little 500mW 10m beacon have been received from 28 different stations, so far. The majority of these are located in the USA and Canada. Lots of hours left still today too!
UPDATE 1540z: Best DX report today is still from K9AN (6505km).
UPDATE 1640z: Best DX report today is from WA5NGP (7878km). Still no reports today from further afield. Time is running out today.
Conditions seem "OK" on 10m, but certainly not what I'd call brilliant. For example, no spots from Asia, Africa or South America yet. I am still waiting for a first first spot of my little beacon from Australia.
UPDATE 1500z: So far today reports of my little 500mW 10m beacon have been received from 28 different stations, so far. The majority of these are located in the USA and Canada. Lots of hours left still today too!
UPDATE 1540z: Best DX report today is still from K9AN (6505km).
UPDATE 1640z: Best DX report today is from WA5NGP (7878km). Still no reports today from further afield. Time is running out today.
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