472kHz WSPR

In the last 2 weeks I have been spotted by 27 unique stations on this band. G3YXM (148km) is, I think, a new reporter earlier today. I shall leave 472kHz running, but don't expect any real DX until this evening. Still, it was good to get a report from G3YXM. I think my 5mW ERP from the earth-electrodes is a good test for stations listening on the band. Generally, if you can copy me at any decent distance, it proves your receive system is probably good enough. I know my RX system is capable of further improvement. On RX my FT817 is a bit deaf on 472kHz and I really should add a decent, high dynamic range preamp. Another 3-4dB sensitivity is possible I think.

Solar eclipse non-event here

As there was quite thick cloud here, the partial solar eclipse was a bit of a non-event here, although it was better elsewhere in the UK. I did a walk at the best time. Although the clouds were dark and it looked like it was about to rain, the sun was not visible here sadly. This was a partial eclipse but at 95-98% in the UK still pretty full. I remember the full eclipse in 1999 as we were on holiday in Gloucestershire and got good views. The next chance is in 2026.

I have no idea of the impact of this on propagation, but I imagine the effect is marginal.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-31965456 .

Sunspots and 10m - Friday March 20th 2015

Sunspot number has gone up to 71 today, but 10m conditions are still expected to remain "poor".

My 10m beacon is still stabilising:  it takes about 20 minutes for the PA to warm up and the box to reach equilibrium and only local G4IKZ (18km) is spotting me currently. I re-synced both the 10m beacon and the 472kHz kit to internet time shortly after breakfast.

UPDATE 1116z:  G4IKZ (18km) has been the only station spotting me so far today.

472kHz WSPR this evening

G8LCO tipped me off that my PC clock looked out of sync with internet time, so I reset it.  It was last synced before 0700z and it had clearly drifted.  I have just done another sync and will check again at bedtime before leaving things running overnight.

Best DX reception of my 5mW ERP from my earth-electrode "antenna" on 472kHz WSPR this evening is a spot by F1AFJ (607km) at 2014z.  I have been received much further (over 1000km) but not this evening so far.

Cameroon and Canaries - but no USA on 10m today

EA8/LA3JJ (2870km) and TJ3TS (5478km) have both been spotting my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon, the former many times, but, no USA spots so far again today. TJ3TS is Cameroon (Africa).  The band is obviously quite reasonable for  N-S paths, but E-W paths don't seem to be as good. Maybe it will open to the USA later?

As the solar conditions decline on the higher HF bands, this sort of pattern will become more common on 10m. Of course, well into Africa and the Americas is possible via Es propagation on some occasions. Best months are June/July. In June we sometimes get weak openings on 6m from western Europe to Japan. Some theories put this down to noctilucent clouds. I think we really don't know, but this is very consistent.  Signals are usually weak and best times are in the mornings in Europe.

UPDATE 1718z:  Still no USA stations spotting me today. I shall be on 10m for a few more hours, but I think there will be no spots from the USA today.  Since 0916z EA8/LA3JJ has spotted me 115 times.

UPDATE 2040z:  No USA spots at all today again on 10m WSPR, so now going QRT on that band. EA8/LA3JJ (2870km) has spotted me 130 times since breakfast time.

472kHz WSPR

Just the "usual suspects" being spotted and spotting my 5mW ERP this morning and overnight. Best spot of me in the last 12 hours was from PA3ABK/2 (306km) before breakfast time today. I hope being active will encourage others to come on to this wonderful band.

Sunspots and 10m - Thursday March 19th 2015

Sunspot number has dropped back to 44 today. 10m propagation is again expected to be "poor".

UPDATE 0833z:  So far just G4IKZ (18km) and G4CUI (172km) spotting  me on 10m WSPR .

UPDATE 1003z:    EA8/LA3JJ (2870km) has spotted me several times now.

Return to 472kHz WSPR

After an abortive couple of days (and overnight) on 6m WSPR I have abandoned 6m WSPR as a right off and returned to 472kHz WSPR this evening.

Within the first few minutes I have been spotted by 5 unique stations despite running only 5mW ERP from my earth-electrode "antenna". Certainly, 630m (472kHz) is far more productive than 6m at this time of year. No great DX, as yet, this evening, but at least there is activity!

Initial 472kHz WSPR results this evening

Another total blank on 6m WSPR

After another whole day on 6m WSPR not a single spot was given or received. This is the last time I try until the Es season. Really, I am wasting effort on 6m.

No 10m USA spots again today

Although several spots were received by EA8/LA3JJ (2870km) and 4X1RF (3519km) on 10m WSPR today of my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon, not a single spot was received again from the USA.

Conditions have been disturbed but they are also on the change. I shall continue to WSPR beacon on 10m in the weeks and months ahead.

The finest church in England? - NOT amateur radio

Alec Clifton-Taylor once called Walpole St Peter the finest church in England. Today, for the 4th time, we visited it and I have updated our East Anglia Churches blog accordingly. It is a real gem.

See http://eachurches.blogspot.co.uk/ .

Sunspots and 10m - Wed March 18th 2015

Sunspot number is 60 today but conditions remain disturbed with 10m propagation expected to remain "poor".

So far this morning on 10m WSPR, apart from local G4IKZ (18km), I see my 500mW WSPR beacon has been spotted by 4X1RF (3819km) at 0722z and by EA8/LA3JJ (2870km) several times. It is now 1045z.

Auroras and WSPR?

I have never (before) now used WSPR on 10m and 6m during an auroral opening.  Certainly on 2m the Doppler is likely to make it impossible, I would think.  On 10m ,and maybe 6m, I think the mode might have some promise.

I have decided to leave both my 10m and 6m WSPR systems running overnight just in case.

Anyone know what happens to WSPR in a typical auroral opening?

UPDATE 2128z:  Well 10m and 6m WSPR are dead currently, with just local G4IKZ (18km) spotting me on 10m. No-one at all on 6m WSPR.

UPDATE 2140z:  Just checked outside for signs of visible aurora but street lights and poor weather make it impossible. I saw a visible aurora once at the old QTH years ago and once out of a plane window at night when returning from the west coast of the USA near the North Pole.

Severe solar storm

We are currently experiencing the most severe solar storm in very many years with HF very badly disturbed. There are auroras expected far further south than normal. This is a result of a CME event on the Sun interacting with the magnetic field of our planet.

If the weather is clear, check for a visual aurora!

It is also worth keeping eyes and ears alert for auroral propagation on 10m, 6m, 4m and 2m. I have in the past worked stations via aurora using QRP SSB and CW with very simple wire antennas on 10m and 6m. As frequency goes down SSB becomes more possible. What may be a very rough hissy CW note on 2m maybe a fairly decent SSB signal on 10m. The 10m and 6m bands are very worth a try when there is an aurora about.

See http://spaceweather.com/ .

Israeli Elections - NOT amateur radio

So exit polls suggest no clear winners, so no surprises then. Coalition governments are a way of life in Israel and there will no doubt be some tough bargaining in the coming weeks.

All I hope is that whatever coalition is formed that it takes the peace process very seriously. The Middle East has too many conflicts and a good, solid peace deal with Israel's neighbours is way overdue.

I am always amazed that the Israeli's seem to choose conflict and violence to settle old scores. Let peace blossom.  Israel, you know it makes sense.

Yes, I know it takes at least 2 to forge peace, but frankly Israel has not even been trying for as long as I can remember. I was born in 1948.  Peace, as a result of quiet talks, has worked in Northern Ireland (Ulster) and in South Africa. 30 years ago these would been thought impossible. Peace works.

Israel, sit down with your enemies and really negotiate a peace deal that is fair to you and to your historic enemies. Give peace a real chance, please.
  .
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel .

Did you realise that about one fifth of the population of Israel is composed of non-Jewish people? Neither did

UPDATE 18 March 2015:  Peace has NO chance as the existing PM is likely to form the next government.

10m and 6m - both hopeless this afternoon?

Since getting lots of WSPR spots from around the borders of Europe this morning, I have only been getting spots from  local G4IKZ (18km) all afternoon.  No signs of USA spots on 10m today.

I have been on 6m most of the day but not a single spot given or received - totally hopeless.

I shall stick around on both 10m and 6m for several more hours yet, ever hopeful.

UPDATE 1950z:   I think today is only the second day since last September when I was spotted by not a single USA station on 10m WSPR.  On the vast majority of days someone over there has spotted my 500mW WSPR beacon, but not today.  I know conditions are badly disturbed today (a visual aurora is forecast down here, which is very rare) and conditions are starting to change. Only EA8/LA3JJ (2870km) has spotted me late this afternoon apart from local G4IKZ.   EA8/LA3JJ is probably single hop F2 although the time of day and distance could possibly suggest Es?  On 6m I have had no success at all on TX or RX. I shall now abandon 6m until the Es season starts.

6m WSPR

Not quite sure why I bother as I usually get no spots (TX or RX) but I am again WSPRing on 6m. TX 20% 30dBm ERP vertical and 80% RX on 50.293MHz USB dial setting.

At this time of the year, outside the Es season, the most likely propagation is tropo and aircraft assistance up to about 200km. I am not expecting Es or F2 propagation on 6m.

UPDATE 1654z:   So far, not a single spot given or received all day on 6m. Outside the Es season 6m has proved useless here with 1W ERP from my V2000 vertical.  I shall stick around longer today (ever hopeful!) but I probably won't bother with 6m again for several weeks.

Sunspots and 10m - Tues March 17th 2015

Sunspot number today is 57. 10m propagation is expected to be "poor" according to the forecasts I have just seen.  So far 10m spots have only been received from local G4IKZ (18km), but it is still very early.

UPDATE 0925z:   4X1RF (3519km) has already spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon twice.

UPDATE 1052z:  4X1RF has spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon 17 times already today.   So far, my 6m WSPR attempts (TX and RX) have again drawn a total blank so far.

UPDATE 1155z:  Now being spotted in UR, CT, G, LZ, and 4X1.  Nothing outside Europe and near Asia yet today. I think the non-G spots are F2 propagation?

UPDATE 1225z:   4X1RF has spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon 45 times so far today.

UPDATE 1700z:  No USA spots received all day, well not so far. Yesterday, 10m did open to the USA  very very late in the afternoon and my 10m 500mW  WSPR beacon was copied only by 3 unique stations. Today, so far, looks dire on 10m to the USA. All HF bands have "poor" predictions so maybe it is a bad day, full stop.

10m USA spots - at last!!

KD6RF (7522km) has just spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon at 1738z. This is very very late indeed for a first USA spot. It will be interesting to see if any other stateside stations copy me today.

UPDATE 1746z:  AA1UI (5256km) is now spotting me too on 10m WSPR. Very late.

UPDATE 1850z:  AA1UI has now spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon 4 times this evening, with the latest at 1836z.

UPDATE 1945z:   3 unique USA stations spotting me, with the last at 1922z.  I guess there is still a chance of later USA stations spotting me.

UPDATE 2034z:   No more USA spots now for over an hour, so I think the USA opening has ended. Will go QRT on 10m soon.  

EI0CF (602km) is spotting my 5mW ERP on 472kHz WSPR. I'll stay on MF overnight again.

Changing propagation

If proof were needed that we are now on the way down to the next minimum then take a look at the sunspot number graphs at http://www.solen.info/solar/ .

Although conditions are sliding, do not abandon the higher HF bands like 10m. There is (usually) quite a lot of good DX around still. In the last solar minimum I was still able to work well into southern South America on 10m with QRP SSB.  WSPR should be even more reliable when conditions are edgy.

I really do hope a strong core of WSPR operators stick with 10m as, in many ways, in the poorer times are when WSPR will be most valuable as a tool. I am hoping that when not on traditional modes like SSB or CW people will still WSPR so we can catch fleeting openings, which are probably far more common than people expect on 10m. Remember, the F2  or transequatorial propagation has only to go above 28.126MHz for 120 seconds and someone on WSPR may spot it!

10m - single hop F2 only? Es season coming.

At the moment, it looks like all my 10m reports are from 1-hop F2 propagation e.g. 4X1RF and EA8/LA3JJ. Next month onwards we should see the start of the Es season with plentiful short skip on 10m and 6m into Europe, and occasionally much further. In previous years I have heard (and even rarely worked) some really choice DX with real QRP on 6m. My best 6m DX ever was a W on 6m CW when my ERP was about 1W. This was back in 2007.

This spring and summer I intend to run WSPR on 6m whenever I cannot be on SSB or CW. Last summer, the 6m WSPR activity was low, so I hope this season will be better. JT65 and JT9 are more popular but really need me to be in the shack. With WSPR I can monitor on another PC in a different room, or even when in the garden.

Local 2m FM net

Most Mondays, a group of us in Cambridge and East Cambridgeshire meet for a net on 144.575MHz FM. We started as an AM net on 144.55MHz but had to QSY as one net member had no AM.

Although my voice is still very poor, I try to come on most Mondays but I prefer to listen more than talk. The net is open and we welcome newcomers. Some Mondays there is no-one around, but that is the exception. Usually there are about 3-5 of us on. Note 144.575MHz FM, not 145.575MHz. 8pm local time Mondays.

UPDATE 2035z:  Only 2 of us this evening G3KKD and G3XBM.

EA8/LA3JJ on 10m WSPR and no USA spots?

EA8/LA3JJ (2870km) has been spotting my 500mW 10m beacon nearly all morning. This counts as Africa, so my little WSPR beacon has been copied in 4 continents this morning.

UPDATE 1350z:  No USA spots, as yet, on 10m. It does seem as if the big, long USA 10m openings can no longer be guaranteed. It may open later - we'll see.

UPDATE 1355z:   EA8/LA3JJ has spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon no less than 44 times today so far.

UPDATE 1500z:    Still no sign of spots from the USA today on 10m. If there are going to be any,  they will be very late, although I have the feeling that my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon will not be spotted in the USA today at all.

UPDATE 1615z:   Still no spots at all from the USA but EA8/LA3JJ has spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon 95 times so far today.

UPDATE 1719z:   Still not a single spot from the USA, so it is now most unlikely I'll get any.  EA8/LA3JJ has now spotted me 120 times today! Propagation is fine in his direction.

UPDATE 1752z:   132 spots, so far, today from EA8/LA3JJ and very recently a couple of USA spots. Odd conditions?

UPDATE 2045z:  In the end 167 spots received from EA8/LA3JJ today.

Sunspots and 10m - Monday March 16th 2015

Sunspot number today is 54 and 10m propagation is expected to be "fair". Already I am having my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon spotted on the edges of Europe and near Asia, but conditions don't, as yet, look to be anything other than ordinary - certainly no superb DX on offer.

Scarce 10m USA WSPR spots today

Although the 10m band has opened to the USA again today, the  number of stations spotting me is very small. I think 10m conditions E-W across the Atlantic have been very poor today.

UPDATE 1700z:  It is very noticeable just how few USA stations are spotting my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon today. On better days, there is an almost continuous flow of reports all afternoon and evening. The last USA report today was at 1612z.

UPDATE 1948z:  N1SQ (6251km) was the last USA station to spot my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon at 1856z.

UPDATE 2034z:   Now QRT on 10m.

Concert in Cambridge - NOT amateur radio

This is advanced publicity for my wife's concert in Cambridge, UK in April. The West  Road Concert Hall is an excellent venue with superb acoustics, good seating, warmth, comfort and local parking.  If you can make it, it should be a good evening.

Sunspots and 10m propagation Sun Mar 15th 2015

Sunspot number is moderate at 56 but 10m is currently forecast to be "poor".

Despite the poor predictions for 10m, my tiny 500mW WSPR beacon has been widely spotted:  4X1RF, LZ1OI, 5B4AHL, 9H1US, G4IKZ and best DX this morning  3B8CW (9751km) at 1054z. Not a bad list for a morning with "poor" 10m conditions! Surprisingly often, days when 10m is supposed to be "fair" or "poor" I have my little 500mW WSPR beacon copied all over the place. Never ever take 10m for granted.

472kHz WSPR DX this evening

I see that both EI0CF (602km) and F59706 (560km) have spotted me this evening on 472kHz. I am still using 5mW ERP and the earth-electrode "antenna".

On 10m I turned off the beacon some while ago as I was only being spotted by G stations.

In the last 2 weeks I have been spotted by 27 unique stations on 472kHz WSPR.

UPDATE 2130z:  EI0CF (602km) has spotted me 4 times this evening so far on 472kHz WSPR.

Sand martins - NOT amateur radio

Spring has (almost) sprung! There have now been several sightings of 20+ sand martins in South Devon. These are among the first of the migrants to return. They are the smallest hirundine.

Sand martins have dark brown upper parts and they winter in Africa.  In recent years sand martin numbers have plummeted and they are now on the RSPB's "amber" list.  There are estimated to be 54,000-174,000 nests in the UK. This sounds a lot, but numbers are dropping because of droughts on their migration routes in some years.

Every year I remember my dad telling when he'd first seen them arrive.

By the month end we should have house martins and swallows back in Devon who will have flown 6000 miles to be here in the UK again. When the swallows return here in East Anglia you know all is still well with the world: they have been making this journey for many thousands , if not millions, of years. Most return to the very same nests they used last summer, if they can. I find the return of the martins, swallows and swifts a real joy. It makes me glad to be alive.

 See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_martin .

10m USA WSPR spots today

The first USA station to receive my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon today was KZ8C (6290km) at 1302z.  At -17dB S/N this was a decent report for the power used.  At least 10m has opened across the Atlantic today.  I did think it might not have done so, although it has opened on most days now for many many months. The exceptions seem to have been when conditions were very disturbed. Even with low sunspot number, the 10m band has been OK across the North Atlantic, certainly for QRP WSPR.

UPDATE 1356z:  Quite a few different USA stations now spotting my 500mW 10m beacon. :

UPDATE 1912z:  The 10m opening to the USA is still in full swing.

UPDATE 2020z:  W3GXT (5840km) was the latest USA station to spot me at 2002z. Just local G4IKZ (18km) since then.

472kHz WSPR - the last 24 hours

In the last 24 hours (I stayed on overnight) the best report of my 5mW ERP WSPR signal from my earth-electrode "antenna" was by F59706 (560km) yesterday evening. 9 unique station reports received in the last 24 hours.

Unique spots of my 5mW ERP WSPR on 472kHz in last 24 hours

10m early F2

Despite the "fair" propagation forecast 4X1RF (3519km) was spotting me as early as 0824z this morning on 10m WSPR. It will be interesting to see who else spots my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon today.

UPDATE 0845z:   Just after 0830z and 4X1RF has spotted me 4 times already on 10m.

UPDATE 1010z:    So far, 8 spots of my 500mW beacon from 4X1RF (3519km) but no reports from any other DX station so far today on 10m.

UPDATE 1032z:  I see LZ1OI (2153km) and  RK3ABW (2429km) have spotted me a few times now. No 10m DX, as yet, from outside Europe or near Asia.

UPDATE 1354z:  So far today I have been spotted 29 times by 4X1RF.

Sunspots and 10m - Sat March 14th 2015

Today should be interesting on 10m as propagation is expected to be "fair" despite sunspot number being up to 87. I am sure the earlier forecasts were poorer.

472kHz WSPR this evening

I shall probably go QRT on 28MHz (10m) in the next 20 minutes as I think the USA 10m opening has now ended for the day.

On 472kHz WSPR my best spot this evening is from PE1RKT (285km) although I have received from further afield. My intention is to stay on 472kHz WSPR overnight, as long as the PC does not decide to install updates at around 0300z as it did this morning when I was on 20m!

40m Pixie now on 7.030MHz

Thanks to Andy Cutland, my 40m Pixie is now on 7.030MHz, the QRP frequency. Although I have not seriously tried for other than local QSOs, I shall do so. When fitter, my intention is to switch between two crystal frequencies to increase my chances of QSOs. As the TX and RX netting is perfect and BC breakthrough quite reasonable, sensitivity not bad,  QSOs at decent ranges are entirely possible.

USA 10m WSPR spots today

The first USA 10m WSPR spot today was from WB8ELK/01 (6872km) at 1342z.

UPDATE 1830z:   The 10m opening to North America is still in full swing.

UPDATE 1930z:  W8QYT (5798km) at the moment is the last USA station to spot my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon at 1912z. We'll see if any others spot me later. Somehow I doubt it.

UPDATE 2002z:  As if just to prove me wrong KB9AMG (6300km) has just spotted me at 1930z and again at 1932z!  K1OF (5500km) has now spotted me too as had WG2Z (5600km). This 10m stateside opening ihas not ended yet.

UPDATE 2056z:   K4BYN (6231km) has just spotted me. Opening still going strong.

UPDATE 2100z:  WB8ELK/01 (6872km) has just spotted me. I wonder if the end of the opening is near?

UPDATE 2115z:  Since 2056z all spots have been from G4IKZ (18km). I think the USA opening on 10m WSPR is now over.

UPDATE 2150z:   Just locals on 10m now for nearly an hour. QRT now on 10m WSPR.  A good day though.

500mW 10m WSPR spotted in VK today

The image below is on VK6XT's website and not on this blog. If copyright or any other issues exist it will be immediately removed.

http://vk6xt.com/communities/7/004/011/576/907//images/4586656359.jpg

VK6XT (14719km) in Western Australia has spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon twice already this morning.  

4X1RF (3519km) and other "usual suspects" on the fringes of Europe are spotting me too on 10m WSPR.

At the moment, despite predictions of just "fair" 10m conditions, this is shaping up to be a very good day on 10m WSPR.  It surprises me how good 10m often is when the forecasts are "fair".

UPDATE 1630z:  It looks like VK6XT spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon 6 times today.This was pretty impressive considering my antenna is nothing special at all.

10m VK WSPR spots of my 500mW today

14MHz WSPR

Overnight, for a change, I decided to give 14MHz WSPR a go, although the PC decided to install updates at 0300z and turned off the computer! At breakfast I restarted everything. Stateside late at night and Europeans now.   Will go back on 10m shortly.

UPDATE 0951z:   Now back on 10m and 630m (472kHz)

Sunspots and 10m - Friday March 13th

Sunspot number has risen a bit to 56. 10m propagation is expected to be "fair" yet again.

UPDATE 0958z:  Only local G4IKZ (18km) spotting my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon on 10m so far.   Best DX on 472kHz (earth-electrode "antenna" and 5mW ERP) is a spot from G8HUH (250km).

RadCom Plus

This morning I received a request to write for RadCom Plus, the on-line RadCom supplement for members only. I shall have to think about this. My health is still not too brilliant but I do enjoy writing, so may try to give this a go. Need to think what to write about first, HI.