Belcom LS-707 70cm multi-mode rig

A radio amateur in Nottingham,Vic G0RVA, recently bought one of these Belcom rigs. It appears to be an all-mode 70cm rig, although I am not familiar with this unit.

I know Belcom did a 2m version (the famous Liner-2, which I did once own) and a similar version for 70cm. The Liner-2 was a modification of their 10m version, which I don't think was ever sold in the UK.  Inside Vic's rig was what looked like a canned preamp with the marking "AngleLinear" but again I am not familiar with this unit. Angle Linear appear to be based in the USA http://anglelinear.com/ .

In its day, the 2m Liner-2 transformed 2m. It was a synthesised SSB rig and was frequently pushed too hard so that splatter was a problem. I was amazed how far I could work on 2m SSB with 10W pep. From Cambridge I could work stations that would have been impossible on FM or AM. I found I could work 200-300km with a simple antenna under ANY conditions.

Many were critical of these early Belcom transceivers, but I enjoyed my Liner-2 as did many others. Later I bought an ICOM IC202 which was a better radio, but with less ERP. The IC202 had a mock military style, that really was not too clever.

The "coming of age" of 2m SSB marked the change from "tuning high to low" to single frequency working. Sadly, there is far less activity on 2m SSB outside of contests so people think VHF is only really any good for local QSOs. With 10W SSB, or even less, it is possible to work a long way on VHF irrespective of conditions. From my current QTH, I think 200km is reachable with 5W pep and a 3 el beam on 2m. It is not that different on 70cm where I use 5W pep and a 5 el beam. Both my beams are hand rotated.

Sunspots and 10m - May 6th 2015

Sunspot number has climbed back up to 99 (K=3) today and 10m is expected to be "fair". 

So far, just EA8BVP (2986km) who has been spotting my 500mW all morning and local G4IKZ (18km). No real DX to report as yet. Whenever EA8BVP is active he seems to copy me on 10m.

Churches blog updated - NOT amateur radio

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

The East Anglian Churches blog has been updated to include Exning, St Martin, church which dates back to the 1100s.

Exning is older than nearby Newmarket which is world famous as the home of horse racing. Exning is about 2 miles from us and Newmarket about 4 miles away from us.

We do most of our food shopping in Newmarket as it is the nearest main town with the main supermarkets like Waitrose, Asda and Tesco. There is also an M&S.

Amateur radio as a gateway to a career in engineering?

See http://www.kb6nu.com/is-amateur-radio-still-a-gateway-to-electrical-engineering/  .

At one time, amateur radio was a good gateway into an engineering career, but I have real doubts this is true today.  In my younger days, when I started as a professional radio engineer nearly everyone who was any good was a radio amateur.  When I left 7 years ago, I was the only person doing any amateur radio building over my lunch break.  The magic is no longer there.  In fact people are embarrassed to admit they are radio amateurs. We need to find what connects with the younger generation  or the future of our hobby is at great risk.

I think I have mentioned on my blog before that when interviewing potential RF design engineers with good honours degrees I was appalled to find that most knew nothing about radio. I knew more as a schoolboy. This is a sad indictment of our times. It was not that I was good (I was not) but the quality of good engineers was not there any more. There was little intrinsic interest in radio - if it was in the course they might know about it. As youngsters, we were excited about radio! Where is that spark today?

Heathkit coming back?

There are rumours suggesting that Heathkit is being resurrected and may yet again sell kits.  I sincerely hope this is correct as Heath made some of the very best kits in its time. When it stopped selling amateur radio kits it left a big hole.

In my time I owned the HW8 (15, 20, 40 and 80m QRP CW transceiver), plus an Electronics Workshop when I was first interested in radio way back in the early 1960s. The Electronics Workshop enabled me to do some Medium Wave broadcast DXing around Christmas 1961) and some decent DX was worked with the HW8 in the late 1970s.

Although the Heathkit website (www.heathkit.com) worked yesterday it does not appear to work today, at least not when I tried.  Http:/heathkit.com does work. It does not like the www. Try deleting this if it appears in your browser.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathkit .
See also http://www.amateurradio.com/heathkit-2/ - post by Neil W2NDG.
See http://stores.ebay.com/datapro/_i.html?rt=nc&LH_BIN=1

QRP Kits reopens

That font of all knowledge Steve G1KQH reports:

"Hendricks QRP Kits http://www.qrpkits.com has re-opened for business under its new proprietors, James Bennett and Kathy Long of Pacific Antenna.  James writes:

"We are excited to resume operations as of May 1 providing Hendricks QRP Kits and in the very near future, we will be bringing back the entire Pacific Antenna line of antenna kits and parts.  We very much appreciate the patience that has been shown as we worked through this transition and we look forward to serving the QRP community.  73 James and Kathy"

6m WSPR - very quiet

Apart from a spot yesterday evening at 2002z from G6AVK (78km), 6m WSPR has been very quiet here. I am still using an ERP of around 1W from my V2000 vertical. This should reach most DX stations on WSPR.  No GDX spotted, or spotting me, overnight. I'll stick with the band today in the hope of some Es later.

UPDATE 1110z:   I spotted 2E0BMG (62km) several times this morning. Doppler suggests aircraft reflections were involved.  Judging by the Doppler, I think aircraft were involved.

UPDATE 1820z:   G4FGJ (44km) has been exchanging 6m WSPR spots with me around teatime.

472kHz transverter

Over the winter I have been using my simple, small transverter for the 630m band on WSPR with my earth-electrode "antenna". It has been widely copied with best DX on TX being over 1000km. 630m is an interesting band.

See my website for more details: http://www.g3xbm.co.uk  (lots of QRP stuff) and specifically  https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/mflf/472khz_tvtr.

Sunspots and 10m - May 5th 2015

Sunspot number has rebounded to 85 (K=1) and the forecast for 10m is "fair".  Things just might be a little better on 10m today? Well will know later.

UPDATE 0900z:  So far only locals G4IKZ (18km) and G4KPX (14km) spotting my 10m beacon, but it is still very early.

UPDATE 1316z:   Some 10m Es in evidence with  OE6PWD  (1232km) spotting me around lunchtime. No sign of any real DX yet.

UPDATE 1442z:   EA8BVP (2986km) has yet again started to spot me.   I have totally lost count how many days he has spotted me on 10m, but it is a lot.

UPDATE 1552z:   EA8BVP continues to spot me lots of times, but still no sign of any "real" DX today on 10m WSPR.  No North or South Americans.

UPDATE 2150z:  No sign of any spots from the USA.

Cuckoo - NOT amateur radio

We visited West Stow today with 2 of our young grandchildren. This is a reconstructed Anglo-Saxon village. We heard a goldcrest and the first cuckoo whilst there, but saw neither. A cuckoo is a sign if the return of spring. I have yet to see house martins or swifts and have only seen 2 swallows so far this spring.

6m - only just gone on

I have not been on 6m WSPR most of the day.   In fact I have only just gone on after our regular 2m sked in East Cambridgeshire on 144.575MHz FM.

At this late time I only expect to get spotted (or to spot) GDX stations off aircraft, or locals. I have been on 10m all day TX only. On 6m I expect I will have missed any Es that may have been around. It was my error that the 6m kit was off. I had not planned to be off 6m.

UPDATE 1938z:  No spots given or received on 6m so far this evening.

USA 10m WSPR spots - none today,so far

Mainly locals and EA8BVP (2986km) spotting me today on 10m WSPR. A slight Es opening to Italy but, so far at least, no sign of  any 10m WSPR spots from the USA yet again today.

Fredbox - 2m transceiver

Many years ago I designed and made the 2m AM Fredbox 2m AM transceiver. At the time it was the smallest 2m transceiver I'd ever seen or used.  Several close copies were made.  It worked some impressive DX including several 60 mile handheld contacts and one over 100 miles to Brittany from the South Devon coast.  All these were with whip antennas on the rig and not beams. Most QSOs were with locals. The power was only 10mW AM. It was ideal for contacts around Cambridge where I lived at that time.

Some years ago, I rebuilt the transceiver and had some decent QSOs yet again.

As with the Sixbox, I would suggest the design is taken as a springboard for your own version. It is certainly ripe for further development.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/fredbox .

Sunspots and 10m - May 4th 2015

With a sunspot number of 25 (K=3) and 10m expected to be "poor" we cannot expect great things on 10m today.

6m Es

GM4FVM (428km) spotted me on 6m Es at 1112z this morning. He must be monitoring several bands as this was the same time as the Es spot on 10m.  This is the first Es I have experienced on 6m this season. Apart from the GM, M0MVB (30km) spotted me a few times this morning. Otherwise very quiet on the 6m band, at least as far as WSPR was concerned. Last Es season 4X1RF and a CN8LI appeared in the logs several times. Not yet this season! I am hoping that the Atlantic will be spanned on WSPR this season on 6m. I've done it on CW before with the same ERP, so WSPR should be easier as long as there are active stations on WSPR. Last Es season there were far too few stations active on 6m WSPR.

GM by 10m Es

GM4FVM (428km) was perhaps the most interesting spot of me today at 1112z. This was quite short skip and almost certainly Es. Apart from EA8BVP (29886km) who spots me just about every day on 10m WSPR it has been very quiet with no other F2 in evidence. Certainly no signs, so far, of USA stations spotting me.

Over the months I notice that my nominal 10m  frequency has lowered. I guess this is the reference aging. It means some of the randomised transmissions are just LF of the WSPR window.  At some point I need to reset the 10m slightly higher. Not a major issue.

Sunspots and 10m - May 3rd 2015

Sunspot number is 25 today (K=3) and 10m propagation is forecast to be "fair". Not quite sure what 10m will be like today. So far just locals spotting me today, although Es will no doubt liven things up a bit.

Grandchildren - NOT amateur radio

We have 2 of our 4 little grandchildren staying (on their own) for a couple of nights, so amateur radio takes a back seat until Monday evening. We love them all to bits and want to make their young days with us happy and memorable ones.

No 10m USA WSPR spots today?

It is currently 2046z and, so far at least, no sign of any 10m WSPR spots by stations in the USA. EA8BVP (2986km) has been spotting me yet again this evening. This path seems to be open just about every day.

UPDATE 2050z:  6m has been quiet again apart from 3 spots of M0YOU (116km) via plane reflections.  Signals were quite strong, as if often the case with aircraft reflections.  Nobody spotted me.

Sixbox QRP rig for 6m

Sixbox 6m AM rig - a simple design

Several years ago I designed and built a derivative of my 2m Fredbox but for 6m AM. The same basic design would easily translate to a 10m version.  Both bands could be useful for cross-town natters, especially when both 10m and 6m behave like VHF bands, which is in the quieter sun years and at night on 10m. The Sixbox is simple and certainly capable of further development.

Treat the design as a starting point. A 10m version of the RX has copied transatlantic USA AM stations well, but this is NOT a rig for DX use. It is better suited to cross-town/inter-village natters.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/vuhf/sixbox .

10m early Es

IZ6QZB (1475km) has spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR a couple of times already this morning. This is quite early as it is only 1005z. Otherwise pretty quiet with lots of spots by local G4IKZ (18km) and 1 spot overnight by G4CUI (172km), the latter presumably off aircraft in the very early hours.

UPDATE 1010z:  Yesterday there were no 10m spots by USA stations. With worse conditions expected today, I doubt I'll be spotted by USA stations on 10m today either.

UPDATE 1234z:  No F2 spots on 10m WSPR this morning and no lunchtime Es spots of me. In fact just the 2 spots by IZ6QZB earlier apart from the G stations. So far a very quiet day on 10m. 6m has been dead with me. nothing

Sunspots and 10m - May 2nd 2015

With a sunspot number of just 13 (K=2) and a "poor" forecast for 10m I'd be very surprised to see much, if any, choice DX today on 10m.

Sepura to buy rival Teltronics - NOT amateur radio

Today it was announced that my old company, Sepura, is to buy its Spanish communications rival Teltronics. I have been retired 7 years now and feel quite out of touch.   I hope the acquisition goes well. Teltronics are strongest in Latin America and Spain. I suspect Sepura are keen to strengthen their position in the Americas.

Sepura designs, makes and sells TETRA radios. In recent years it has entered the DMR market where competition is very fierce.  Sepura has great opportunities in the USA where for many years TETRA was excluded for patent reasons. TETRA is a very good digital radio system for those requiring good frequency use, security and data as well as speech.

For years, Sepura has been a very successful business. Certainly one to watch for the years to come. Today Sepura shares bounced upwards strongly.

HF or VHF?

Depending on the solar cycle, and how good it is, both 10m and 6m can behave quite differently. Sometimes 10m is a true HF band with good worldwide DX possibilities. In better years, even 6m can support F2 worldwide propagation. However, for a lot of the solar cycle both 10m and 6m behave like VHF bands.  This means Es can be an effective mode on both bands especially in the spring and summer months. Other modes like tropo can also be used on 10m and 6m. Both bands can be used for local natters on any mode.

At the moment we are in a transition period. On better days 10m is still good for worldwide DX but as time progresses, it will behave more and more like a VHF band with long periods of quiet. Especially as we move to more VHF conditions modes like WSPR become even more useful: short DX openings can be detected with WSPR.   Leaving a simple WSPR rig running can be so useful and take very little power.

As I have mentioned before, I have worked real 10m N-S DX (11000+ km) on QRP SSB even in the quietest of sunspot years. WSPR is considerably better than SSB, requiring far less power and can be used unattended running in the background. I tend to run 10m and 6m WSPR most days and monitor WSPRnet on a different PC in the lounge.  It takes just seconds to go into the shack and make any adjustments needed.  It means, whilst running WSPR, you can do other things.

Stroke update - NOT amateur radio

Although, on  average, I am a little less tired overall, I still have very bad days, like today, when I feel very exhausted.  I still have problems with thin liquid drinks and still feel wobbly on my feet. Progress is painfully slow.

Never, ever take your health for granted, as you never know when things might change. Before Sept 2013 I was fit and healthy. These days, still, I feel just a shadow of my old self.  How I wish I was back to as I was!

I am told that I should make a full recovery eventually, but I was expecting this last year and still I struggle.  Field experiments left me totally drained recently.

UPDATE 1920z:   Although I eat most foods OK now and eat big meals, I still feel hungry often.   Although I had a big pasta and bacon meal just a few hours ago, I am already hungry! A recent blood test did not show any problems and neither did a test for bowel cancer.

10m and 6m Es

With the Es season definitely upon us, I am starting to get 10m WSPR spots from nearer Europeans now. For example OE1RWU (1222km) has spotted my 10m 500mW several times this morning.

As yet, I have no Es spots on 6m despite a higher ERP although these will come with time.  Es starts a little later (in the season) on 6m than on 10m and openings tend to be less often. Having said that when 6m is open by Es, signals are often there day after day at good strength.  Last Es season there were fewer stations on 6m than I was expecting, which was a pity. I am hopeful there will be more stations on 6m WSPR this summer. WSPR is a great mode for winkling out short openings, so is an ideal mode to leave running when not active on SSB or CW.

UPDATE 1435z:  Several spots from central Europe on 10m WSPR by Es.

UPDATE 1521z:   Although I see the forecasts are showing 50MHz Es in Europe, there is no evidence of this on WSPR. Only 18 stations in the whole world are shown as active on 6m WSPR, although 10 are in Europe.  Es is sporadic so unless there are stations active in the right places, openings will be missed.

UPDATE 1528z:  On 10m WSPR I see that EA8BVP (2986km) has only just started to spot me. I presume this is F2 and not Es.

UPDATE 2140z:  Still no sign of any USA WSPR spots this evening. I have the feeling there will be none today, but will blog results in the morning.

Sunspots and 10m propagation - May 1st 2015

Little change with a sunspot number of 27 (26 yesterday) and 10m still forecast to be "poor". K=2 so a little more disturbed than yesterday. I guess some 10m Es is our best hope?

UPDATE 0746z:   Signs of Es with an early spot received from DK0FHW (544km) in Germany on 10m WSPR at 0638z.

UPDATE 0830z:   So far, 6m WSPR is very quiet with nobody spotting me since yesterday. No signs of 6m Es seen here yet.

2200m and 630m in the USA a step closer?

Southgate News reports that the FCC is, at last, supporting USA amateurs being given access to the 2200m and 630m bands. I sometimes complain that OFCOM here in the UK needs a kick up the backside, but the FCC seem an order of magnitude worse. I do hope that the USA gets these bands. I've had an article of mine on 472kHz approved by the ARRL now for nearly 2 years, awaiting the release of the 472kHz band over there! I am amazed just how slow the FCC seems to be. In many ways the USA takes a far more "grown up" attitude to the use of the radio spectrum, but the unbelievable slowness over the release of these 2 bands just beggars belief.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2015/april/fcc_proposes_to_permit_amateur_access_to_2200_and_630_meters.htm#.VUKSWpNQqPc

UK General election - NOT amateur radio

The UK General Election next week still looks far too close to call. Some opinion polls show the Conservatives ahead and others show Labour.  UKIP seem to be gradually losing support.

At the moment my intention is to vote Lib Dem as they do have a chance of winning here in East Cambs. Labour really have no chance at all having won just 6.5% of the vote last time. UKIP could well split the Conservative vote, so the Lib Dems have a decent chance.

Personally, I think the moderating influence of the Lib Dems on either the Conservatives or Labour would be a good thing. I supported the Greens in the European elections but in a "first past the post" General Election they (sadly) have no chance here. Elsewhere, who knows?

I believe in living within our means both personally and nationally, but austerity measures should be toughest on those who caused the problems in the first place and NOT those who really have very little. Bank bonuses should be stopped or very heavily taxed until we live within our means. In almost 40 years of work I never got a bonus for working hard and neither do most workers. Why should a few "wide boys" get millions in bonuses for gambling with OUR money?

So, I was amused "11 element stealth antennas"

Maybe I have the definition wrong, but I thought "stealth antennas" meant antennas that were somehow hidden or disguised so you could not easily tell they were there?

So imagine my amazement to see an 11 element HF beam listed as a "stealth antenna". Maybe every house but mine has one to hang their washing on? No surely not!

In my book an 11 element (compact?) HF beam is in no way a stealth antenna. By all means sell these - no doubt they sell well to some at over £1090, but not as a "stealth antenna".

As I have said before, a simple wire antenna and 500mW is enough for my signal to reach the far corners of the planet and I see no need whatsoever for such a big and, in my personal view, ugly antenna in my garden. My HF antenna is practically invisible: I am sure most are unaware it is even there! This is a hobby to be enjoyed in many different ways. All are valid.

Big, expensive beams are not for me.  Of course if you have this antenna you need a big, strong rotator and a big mast. Then you probably need a big rig.  Sorry, not amateur radio in my definition.

See http://www.force12inc.com/categories/applications/stealth-ham-radio.html?sort=pricedesc

No 10m USA WSPR spots, well not yet (1512z)

So far, apart from quite a bit of Es on 10m WSPR, EA8BVP (2986km) has been there spotting me a lot this afternoon presumably by single-hop F2.  As yet, no signs of 10m WSPR spots by any USA stations, but if the band opens at all in that direction, it is likely to be later. Sunspot number is lower than the last few days but we are seeing relatively undisturbed conditions, so a very brief opening is not out of the question.

UPDATE 2055z:  No USA 10m WSPR spots today, and it seems unlikely now.  However, last night one station did not copy me until after 2200z, so who can tell?

UPDATE 2155z:  We I'll be  .........(expletives go here).  KA4M (6916km) spotted me at 2132z. So far, this is the only spot today from the USA of my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon but I was amazed to be copied at all.

Kanga Products

See http://www.kanga-products.co.uk/.  Although I have to admit that I have not used this supplier or its sister site in the USA, they seem to have a useful range of kits and products in stock.  If you are after QRP or QRSS frequency crystals, then these are at a decent price.  I have no idea how well priced their other items like solder are compared with other suppliers.

As I have said before, these suppliers could soon disappear if they do not get enough trade. The competition from China is fierce indeed and many very good bargains may be had on eBay.  I wish Kanga well.

Sunspots and 10m - Thursday April 30th 2015

With the sunspot number even lower at 26 (K=1) and 10m expected to be "poor" today, one should expect 10m to be marginal, but this band is full of surprises and anything is possible. With 10m having allowed my 500mW WSPR to be spotted in the USA for the last few days, I am not ruling out a brief USA opening later.

Certainly Es is livening up things on 10m at last, although I have not yet been spotted by Es on 6m, and neither have I spotted others on 6m by Es.

UPDATE 1334z:  The Es season is definitely here now with 10m WPSR spots received from across Europe.  EA8BVP was probably single hop F2, but the rest (apart from local G4IKZ) so far today look like spots of me by Es.

Unique 10m WSPR spots received today so far.

Yesterday on 10m WSPR - 3 USA stations spotting me

With a very late spot by KA4M (6916km) at 2202z, the total of USA stations spotting my 500mW 10m WSPR rose to 3 different stations. KA4M, at this late hour was a total surprise. I had just about given up for the day. As always, 10m is filled with surprises!

This morning the 10m band has lots of Es in evidence with OE, HA and I stations spotting me. We are now definitely in the Es season.

6m WSPR analysis by PA1B

Bert PA1B has done some analysis of my recent aircraft scatter WSPR spots on 6m.

As is usually the case, clicking the image will bring up a larger chart.

PA1B's analysis on my 6m WSPR spots

Hello Roger,
At the moment I am very busy with all sort of things.
I am making a new website in Wordpress, which is taking a lot of time.
We did some house improvement, for about two more weeks.
And today we went to the opening of the outdoor swimming pool with my grand children.
(great fun)
This evening I took some time to make an analysis of a number of spots on 6 meter.
I took the most interesting spots for airplane scatter.
I hope you like it and can place it in your blog.
I left in M0EMM to show the difference. hi
Positive drift means the path is becoming shorter.
It's my pleasure.

73, Bert PA1B

Hello Roger,

The spots of M0MVB shows spots where the path is becoming shorter (+3Hz per minute)
and spots where the path is becoming longer.   (-2 Hz per minute)

I just saw that the spots of M0YOU with scatter, are much stronger than the spot without scatter.  The lower the lowest possible power, the stronger the signal.  A lowest possible power of 1 mW is 17 dB stronger than 50 mW. hi.

I left in the spots of M0EMM, to show that there is no Doppler andthe signals are not that strong.

Good luck in further analysis,

73, Bert PA1B

Windmill - NOT amateur radio

We live right next door to this 200 year old windmill that has recently been fully restored. This photo was taken just after the rain. It has 4 sails although you cannot tell in this view.

At the moment, the sails are facing in the direction of our bungalow, although they change direction quite often with the wind. The sails have flaps that can be closed or open. The sails usually go around (flaps closed) on Thursdays and Sundays when the museum is open.

10m WSPR - USA yet again today!

So far just a single (very early) spot from the USA today: K9AN (6505km) at 1140z . No other 10m WSPR spots from the USA today.  Signal report was weak at -26dB S/N.

I just wonder if this was F2 or multi-hop Es?  I guess it could even have been F2 backscatter? Anyway, yet another day, quite late in the season, when a USA station has spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon. Will there be others later I wonder?

UPDATE 1735z:   At the moment, it looks like th(e single spot by K9AN this morning was a "one off".  Things could get better later?

UPDATE 1804z:    WB2TQE (7097km) has been spotting me a few times recently.

UPDATE 2004z:    The last USA spot was WB2TQE at 1828z. I am wondering if that is it for the USA  today (2 unique stations) or whether there will be surprises later.

Shack tidy-up: exhausted!

This afternoon I attempted to do, what in the past, would have been totally trivial: tidy up my shack a bit. After trying to sort just a couple of boxes I was totally exhausted. This is still an after-effect of my cerebellum brain bleed in September 2013.  Although, on the whole, I get less tired than I did, I still find that almost any burst of physical or mental activity leaves me exhausted.  I just have to relax, then I feel better. About 10-15 minutes and I am "done in". Oddly just walking or driving don't have the same effect. I have been able to walk about a mile OK for a year or more.

More aircraft reflections on 6m WSPR

M0YOU (116km) has been spotted again on 6m WSPR at a strong -9dB S/N. What is interesting is that all his recent signals have shown multiple reflections off planes (up to 5 at one time in the 2 minute TX window) but, so far, just one successful decode. Clearly these planes need to be flying in the right direction for a successful WSPR decode to take place. The reflected signals are strong but the WSPR TX burst is too long. A shorter TX burst would be better for this propagation mode.

M0YOU - catching reflections off planes in the Heathrow stack?

I suppose the Doppler would be less of an issue on 10m but far more of an issue on 2m. G3WKW (134km) and I managed to exchange 2-way WSPR on 2m last year, but it took a whole day to catch that right moment as I recall. Also as you go higher in frequency, rig drift becomes far more of an issue, so it can be more difficult again. For 70cms WSPR this becomes super-critical and an external reference frequency is all but essential so that you can know your frequency precisely.

G4FGJ (44km) has spotted me this afternoon but I think this was plain simple tropo as no Doppler was apparent. He was very strong with me at -2dB S/N.

6m WSPR

G3WKW (134km) was spotted yesterday on 6m WSPR.  I am pretty sure I can only get a path to Bob via aircraft reflections and I think it was aircraft approaching London Heathrow. Although I copied Bob's 5W I did not get spotted by him, although I am using a lower ERP and my signal was probably in the noise at his end, if indeed he was listening/looking.  Bob's 5W was around -24dB S/N with low Doppler. Of course, with aircraft, the WSPR software may not have decoded a stronger signal with more Doppler or more multi-path. It is not uncommon to see reflections from many aircraft in a single WSPR burst. Often decodes are impossible unless aircraft flight patterns result in low Doppler.

In this regard, WSPR may not be the best mode. Also WSPR TX bursts are nearly 2 minutes long and this is a long time with passing planes. Other digital modes with shorter TX bursts are probably better. In this regard, passing planes are more like MS bursts so modes well suited to MS would be better.