Just 10m WSPR today

I went QRT on 630m before breakfast. Today I am just active on 10m WSPR, giving 6m and 630m a rest today. All being well I shall return to MF tonight.

Sunspots and 10m - Sun Dec 13th 2015

Solar flux is 115 and sunspot number 89 (K=3). 10m propagation is again expected to be "poor". 10m WSPR? May be reasonable today, but yesterday was disappointing.

Climate change - NOT amateur radio

So all the countries at the Paris climate summit have reached agreement. This is just the start, but it shows a willingness to work towards a world which does not have dangerous warming. As someone pointed out on BBC TV this morning, the cost of choosing a non-carbon path has significantly reduced, so it is less burdensome to choose clean energy.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-35084374 .

UPDATE 2315z: A new challenge will be non-carbon fueled cars.  As someone who had a fair bit to do with rechargeable batteries, I do not see the electric car as the answer, unless there is staggering breakthrough in battery technology allowing 300+ mile ranges between charges. Somehow I doubt this will happen. Maybe the answer will come in fuel cells, or low cost anytime storage of renewable energy? We need efficient storage of wind, solar and tidal energy so the energy generated can be used later.  Maybe the answer is partly power in the roads, with the car picking up this inductively? This way the weight of cars could be dramatically reduced? The car would only need a smaller battery to use when in-road power is not available?

USA spots (at last) on 10m WSPR

K9AN (6505km) has spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon several times starting at 1530z.  From posts on Twitter (I get emails about these) it appears the ARRL 10m contest has sparked 10m activity and there was also 6m Es today.

UPDATE 1716z:  It looks like K9AN (6505km) was the only USA station to spot me today on 10m WSPR.  No 10m WSPR spots for well over an hour now.

QRP Club 72

This came today from Oleg RV3GM:

"Dear Club 72 members and friends,
Visitors  of  this  week  rendezvouses:  UA1CEX, UR7VT, DL7MA, UA4NU,
UA1ADF,  UA1CEG, RV3GM, S51PL, SM5MEK, PD0HRS, OM6TC, DL8NBG, YL3GIE,
RU3NJC,  UA0SBQ,  OH6NPV,  YU7AE, DK6PD, UR0ET, RV9WMZ, UR5EFD, R1OA,
HA5AEK, OH8GLZ, RV3DSA/0, OK1KW, R9WY, SO3AK, EA2CAR, EA4AND, LY2BNL,
OH9XX, R2FAE
See comments and reports (soapbox) on the blog page - http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/
Thanks everyones for comments!
See you all on next week QRP Rendez-Vous (72 Net) at
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday at 9 UTC on 14060 +/- (alternative 10116 kHz)
Comments and reports appreciated to "mr72" e-mail, please.
72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"
=== In QRP We Trust! ==="

ICOM IC7300

The IC7300 from ICOM may be available mid-January 2016 according to YO8IRF's blog. I guess this means they have CE approval. YO9IRF also quotes a price.

See http://yo9irf.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/icom-ic-7300-available-in-january.html?utm_source=amateur-radio-weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter.

No doubt dealers in most countries will be out to maximise their profits from early adopters who must have this radio. After these have sold, with early issues (?) expect the price to fall. The game is called "marketing". I call it ripping us all off.  Dealers, I for one will wait and wait and not join your silly games. Offer us the rig at a fair price. You need to make a fair margin, of course, but do not rip us off. Not everyone is a mug.

Winter 10m Es? Daytime on 472kHz.

With lots of closer Europeans spotting me on 10m, I suspect we are seeing wintertime Es on 10m WSPR today. Spots are coming in widely in the 459-1300km range. As yet, no great DX on the band.

UPDATE 1242z:   PA3ABK/2 is being spotted at 1216z on 472kHz WSPR.

UPDATE 1520z:  It looks like today will be another day without 10m DX WSPR  me on 47spots here. I guess if the band did open, my 500mW was not enough.  I really did expect to get spotted in the USA today. It could still happen I guess? There have been no 10m WSPR spots since lunchtime. A disappointing day on 10m WSPR.

UPDATE 1525z:  M0LMH (223km) spotted me on 472kHz WSPR at 1058z.  PA3ABK/2 has been spotted many times throughout the day on 472kHz WSPR. I guess he can be spotted at any time?

10m WSPR - a promising start?

LZ1UBO (2037km) has just spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon by what I assume is F2. This is a promising start on the band. At the moment I am on 10m and 630m WSPR. I may QSY from 630m to 6m later.

UPDATE 1522z:  In the end I stuck with 630m and 10m WSPR.

Sunspots and 10m - Sat Dec 12th 2015

With a solar flux 114 and a sunspot number of 77 (K=3) we could see some reasonable propagation on 10m today despite the 10m propagation forecast remaining "poor".

Doh! 472kHz WSPR overnight

I was wondering why I got not a single WSPR spot on TX overnight on 472kHz. EA5DOM (1525km) was spotted 50 times. Then I twigged! TX mute was somehow enabled so I was not transmitting at all! Even now PA3ABK/2 (306km) is still being spotted in broad daylight.

FT991 review

The Yaesu FT991 is reviewed in the latest edition of Practical Wireless. Apparently this rig is proving very popular in the UK. I think this is the first review of this rig in the UK.

Lunch - NOT amateur radio

This lunchtime we enjoyed lunch at a local gastro pub with old friends who live quite close to us. They came back to us for tea/coffee afterwards. The food was good as always.

Back to 472kHz WSPR

At about 1800z I went QRT on 10m and 6m WSPR and have returned to 630m (472kHz) WSPR for the evening and night. DK7FC (669km) has been spotted here already many times, although Stefan has one of the best signals on 472kHz WSPR and he is regularly spotted across the Atlantic.

UPDATE 2115z:  No-one has yet spotted me on 472kHz WSPR, but EA5DOM (1525km) is now coming in on MF together with more German and French stations.

UPDATE 2124z:   LA3EQ (769km) has now been spotted a couple of times.

10m and 6m WSPR. No MF last night.

Overnight I stayed on 10m and 6m WSPR and, for a change, I did not go on 630m (472kHz) WSPR. No spots on 10m overnight but G8VDQ (93km) was spotted a few times on 6m. There is definitely a path between us on 6m which is impacted by aircraft Doppler. Not all reception decodes.

At around 1000z I did a reset of my 10m WSPR beacon so if there are any 10m openings this morning I should catch them. At the moment all is quiet on that band.

UPDATE 1005z: I shall be on 10m WSPR and 6m WSPR all day.

UPDATE 1210z:  RZ6AOJ (2780km) has spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon twice so far.

UPDATE 1622z:    RZ6AOJ seems to be the only station spotting me on 10m WSPR. G8VDQ has been spotted on 6m WSPR a few times.  No 10m WSPR spots again.

Sunspots and 10m - Fri Dec 11th 2015

Solar flux is 108 today and the sunspot number 88 (K=3). 10m propagation is yet again forecast to be "poor".  I somehow think 10m WSPR will be better today than of late?

Another day with no 10m WSPR spots from the USA

We are nearing winter and sunspot activity is sliding. Today was yet another day without 10m WSPR spots from the USA. Conditions are on the change sadly.

Stroke voice - NOT amateur radio

Today I had to go to Addenbrooke's Hospital for an outpatient appointment at the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) clinic. This meant having a camera down my nose into my throat. Sadly, the diagnosis was that my poor voice is "neurological" and there is nothing that can be done to make it better. I am seeing the "main man" later just in case, but it sounds like I am stuck with my poor voice unless it gets better over time. This is a blow, although at one time I was told I would never eat ever again. For the last year I've been able to eat just about anything. Moral? Never, ever give up. It maymean I am stuck with digital modes for a long time!

"Our Nectar programme is changing" - NOT amateur radio

Yet another email from one of the many computers at British Gas. Another example when headless chickens make benefits worse than before. British Gas are not alone. Now we will be able to earn fewer Nectar points.  I'd change energy suppliers, but from what I can tell one is as bad as another.

Amateur VLF transmissions

Although my health has rather put a stop to VLF earth-mode tests here, I see that radiated tests are still happening. Uwe, DJ8WX has been doing radiated VLF tests at 8.27kHz recently.

Brazil on 10m WSPR

KD0VWO (7412km) monitoring in Brazil was the only person to spot my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon this morning.

472kHz WSPR overnight

It was good to see EA5DOM (1525km) in the 472kHz logs on RX several times. At some points he was strong at -11dB S/N.  In all, he was spotted 38 times last night. Again this was just using the earth-electrodes and the FT817 without a preamp. He  have a very effective MF system as he gets out well.

I went QRT on 630m (472kHz) WSPR at breakfast and am now active in 6m and 10m WSPR

Sunspots and 10m - Thurs Dec 10th 2015

Solar flux is 108 today and the sunspot number is 77 (K=4). Predictions for 10m propagation remain "poor". 10m cannot be worse than yesterday!  With quite disturbed conditions, I have doubts about 10m WSPR spots from the USA today.

UPDATE 1000z:  All quiet so far on 10m and 6m WSPR.

2m and 70cm UKACs

It must be my age!  My XYL said last Tuesday "have you got a contest tonight?" I said, "no" thinking it was the end of November. Somehow I also read my email reminder of the 70cm UKAC too late last night.  So, I managed to miss both the 2m and 70cm December legs of the monthly RSGB activity contests, thinking it was the end of November still!

Incidentally, my article on the big-wheel antenna for 2m is in the January RadCom. If I had remembered, this is the antenna I would have used! It works well and is a horizontal omni with gain. Mine was very kindly erected by David G0LRD, to whom I am much indebted.

Steve's blog (G1KQH)

A reminder to check out Steve's blog from time to time:

More from the Blog:

http://g1kqh.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/usb-simple-idea-of-attachment.html

 

73 Steve 

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

 

Sunspots and 10m - Wed Dec 9th 2015

Solar flux is 105 and sunspot number 58. K index is 1 so quite undisturbed today. I think 10m WSPR should open to the USA this afternoon. If not, there is little hope for the rest of the winter and spring! The forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor" though.

UPDATE 1104z:  No spots at all on 10m WSPR as yet. By now, I'd have expected a few Russians on 10m WSPR at least.

Return to 6m and 10m WSPR. QRT on MF

Just before breakfast I returned to 10m and 6m WSPR. G8VDQ (93km) has been spotted several times on 6m WSPR.

Back to MF

I have closed down on 10m and 6m WSPR and returned to 630m (472kHz) for the evening and night. G8VDQ (93km) was spotted 3 times on 6m WSPR probably by a mixture of tropo and aircraft reflection. On 10m WSPR only the single spot of me was by DK6UG this morning. Where are the USA WSPR reports?

UPDATE 2148z:  On 472kHz WSPR just the same stations copied on RX with best DX, so far,  DH5RAE (995km). No-one has copied me yet this evening.

UPDATE 2238z:   PA0O/1 (440km) has copied me this evening on 472kHz WSPR as has G4AYT in Kent.

Stroke exhaustion - NOT amateur radio

It is perhaps surprising that well over 2 years since my stroke, I still get very exhausted so easily. We have had good old friends staying for a couple of nights and after helping to prepare lunch, I was totally exhausted. After 10-15 minutes I am OK again, but anything physical or mental gets me very tired after a short time. I guess I have to accept this is how it is going to be, although people tell me I am getting slowly better. They can see progress, although I cannot generally see it.

ICOM IC7300

Although UK dealers are happy to take a deposit, I am not aware of a "final" (initial!) price or of any shipments. Maybe the design is still be optimised? I would hope that 5MHz is covered as standard as there will be a worldwide allocation (in most countries) from 2017 and some European nations have contiguous allocations of up to 150kHz I believe. Maybe they are looking at the FT991 to see if there are any bands/features that can/should be added?

Personally, I hope they release the 10W version in Europe as well as Japan. This would be a fine successor to the IC703. I'd buy one of these. Buy the 100W version? Probably not.

It is a pity 472kHz TX is not included in any Japanese (any?)  transceivers. I guess this design would stretch the PA and ATU designs too far.

Sunspots and 10m - Tues Dec 8th 2015

Solar flux is 101. Sunspot number is 50 (K=2) but 10m propagation is yet again expected to be "poor". How 10m will be today is anyone's guess!

UPDATE 1054z:  All quiet, so far, on 10m and 6m WSPR here.

UPDATE 1122z:  Again DK6UG (633km) has spotted me on 10m WSPR.

QRT on 630m and active again on 10m and 6m WSPR

After an evening and night on 630m (472kHz) WSPR, I have QSYed back to 6m WSPR and 10m WSPR. Overnight PA0O/1 (440km) spotted me several times on 472kHz WSPR. He is a new station this season.

Back to 472kHz WSPR

FR1GZ (9724km) was spotting me this afternoon on 10m WSPR but yet again there were no spots of my 500mW WSPR beacon from the USA. It looks like the declining solar activity is already having an impact. To be honest, I was not expecting to notice this until late next year. DK6UG (633km) also spotted me on 10m WSPR - winter Es?

As it is dark here, I have returned to 472kHz WSPR wth 5mW ERP, although I am on RX 80% of the time. Lots of Europeans being copied on MF with best DX on RX again 995km.

G8VDQ (93km) was copied several times on 6m WSPR by aircraft reflection/tropo earlier.

Quiet - NOT amateur radio

The house is very quiet. My XYL is out in Cambridge at her weekly U3AC course and I am just quietly relaxing. It is good to do nothing much and just relax. I think it does me good.

QSYed

About 10 minutes ago I went QRT on MF. I am now on 10m WSPR and 6m WSPR instead. It takes a little while for things to settle, but all is very quiet as yet. Certainly no choice DX yet, although I'd be surprised. I shall return to 472kHz (630m) WSPR tonight when it gets dark.

UPDATE 1100z:  G8VDQ (93km) has just been spotted on 6m WSPR.

IARU VHF news

The next WRC, to be held in 2019, could see some threats to some of our microwave bands. I have to confess very little interest in microwaves. I preferred lightwaves as I was able make all my own kit and test gear. Although 10GHz operation is possible without that much test gear, having some decent 10GHz test equipment must help.

At present, the after effects of my stroke have meant very little building, or field work, has been possible. I sincerely hope that things will get better next year.

See http://www.iaru-r1.org/images/VHF/newsletters/Newsletter_68.pdf

472kHz WSPR update

I stayed on 472kHz WSPR overnight but only spotted the same stations again. At breakfast G4AYT (114km) in JO01mi was spotting me from 0732z lots, although he was spotting me through the night at times.

Overnight I received spots from 5 unique stations with the best DX being (again) a report from DL-SWL (701km). I was also spotted by G3XKR (347km) in north Devon. My ERP is still around 5mW from the earth-electrode "antenna", so all credit to these stations for finding me down in the noise! Here, on RX, my best spot was (again) DH5RAE at 995km.

Sunspots and 10m - Mon Dec 7th 2015

Solar flux is 103 today. Sunspot number is 38 (K=3).  10m propagation is expected to remain "poor" today. I do not expect great things on 10m today.

First 10m WSPR spots from the USA

With improved conditions, I was not surprised to see my little 500mW 10m WSPR beacon has been spotted in the USA this afternoon. KZ3X (5737km) was the first at 1508z. I expect there will be some more.

UPDATE 1545z:  We must be on the downward slope of the sunspot cycle now as 1508z was late for a first 10m WSPR spot from the USA. Still, we must be grateful.  This time next year, we'd be grateful if 10m opened E-W at all! Some of us can remember winter afternoons when 6m was wide open to the USA! I recall hearing lots of USA stations on 6m with just a fixed wire dipole. Never again in my lifetime, although I expect to hear the USA on 6m some summers via Es.

UPDATE 1600z:  PA3ABK/2 (306km) has been spotted a few times already on 472kHz WSPR late this afternoon.

UPDATE 1712z:  No further 10m WSPR spots from the USA. KZ3X may have been it for the day.

Storm Desmond - NOT amateur radio

As I write this, storm Desmond is dropping record quantities of rain over northern England and Scotland.  I can imagine little worse than having your home or business flooded out, especially at this time of the year.  My heart bleeds for those affected, who may be without homes for months and, even when they get back, there is the ongoing threat of it all happening again.  There is also the worry over insurance. No,  flooding is going to become a major issue in the years ahead.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35019021 .

Sunspots and 10m - Sun Dec 6th 2015

Solar flux is 110 today and sunspot number is 75 (K=2).  Although the forecast for 10m propagation remains "poor",  it would not surprise me if 10m WSPR was quite decent today.

UPDATE 1356z:  FR1GZ (9724km) spotted me once on 10m WSPR this morning.

UPDATE 1715z:  Did I read the wrong day? Solar flux is currently 100, sunspot number is 41 and K=5. Conditions are consistent with this.  MF is lively with lots of stations being copied.

SAQ VLF CW transmission

The next Grimeton SAQ transmission will be on Christmas Eve, December 24th 2015 at 8:00 UTC (9:00 CET). It will also be broadcast LIVE on their webpage.

See http://alexander.n.se/.
See http://alexander.n.se/the-radio-station-saq-grimeton/lyssna-pa-saq/?lang=en for ideas for suitable ways of receiving this 17.2kHz CW transmission.

QRP Club

From Oleg:

Dear Club 72 members and friends,
All reports and comments of Saturday's QRP Rendez-Vous here - http://qrp-club72.blogspot.ru/
Round table visitors today -
ON6KZ,  UR7VT, UR5EFD, UR5QCG, OH6NPV, IK6IJF, OH5UY, RZ4NWA, UA1ADF,
IW2HTH, G3ETD, G3UD, SM6NZA, M0MDL
Thanks for activity and comments! See "rendezvous" schedule here - www.club72.su
72! Oleg RV3GM / KH6OB "Mr. 72"
=== In QRP We Trust! ===

Winter - NOT amateur radio

The Met Office official "winter" is December, January and February.  To me, this makes a lot of sense. In just over 2 weeks time the evenings will start to get lighter again, although the mornings get darker still for a few more weeks. Once January has passed the nights are quite a bit lighter. By mid-February there are usually clear signs that spring is on its way. Mind you, snow is not unusual in January and February and the summer bird migrants don't usually arrive until April mainly.

10m WSPR today

10m is a band of surprises! I see that OH3NE (1737km) has spotted my 500mW WSPR several times today already. I assume this is single hop F2. I was expecting no spots today!

UPDATE 1558z:  So far today OH3NE has been the only 10m WSPR spot all day. I have the feeling the day will end up this way too.

472kHz WSPR - some more surprises

Over the last 2 weeks, I have been active on 472kHz WSPR most evenings, most nights and a few days. To my surprise I see that 21 unique stations spotted me and I spotted 21 unique stations in the same period. My best DX on TX (5mW ERP) was last night when LA3EQ (769km) spotted me for the first time this autumn. I am still using the earth-electrode "antenna". Not copied in the last 2 weeks was EA5DOM who is a good signal when he comes on 472kHz WSPR.

Giving 6m a miss today. I'm active on 630m (472kHz) WSPR and 10m WSPR all day.

472kHz WSPR stations that copied me in last 2 weeks

472kHz WSPR stations copied here in last 2 weeks

Sunspots and 10m - Sat Dec 5th 2015

Solar flux is 97. Sunspot number is 25 (K=4) and 10m propagation is again just expected to be "poor".  I am not expecting 10m to be much good today, but in the past I have been surprised. I was on 10m overnight, but no spots.

MLS Hog Roast today

A reminder that one of the largest UK amateur radio retailers has an event today until 4pm. MLS is holding its Hog Roast. If you are in the area, you may want to go along.

See http://www.hamradio.co.uk/  .

472kHz WSPR - same stations

It is sad that no new stations are being spotted on 472kHz WSPR.  Almost without exception, I am spotting the very same stations I have spotted night after night. We urgently need a few new stations on the band.  For several nights I have been among a very small number of UK stations transmitting. There are a few more on RX only, but this an interesting band and the low take-up puzzles me. It is not as if high power or large antennas are needed for WSPR.  Please, consider 472kHz.

UPDATE 1952z:  G3KEV (232km) has spotted me for the first time this evening. I know he has big antennas and a quiet noise environment. With my signal being very weak, this was necessary for him to copy me at all. I am grateful. As yet, I have still to copy him.

UPDATE  2220z:  Tonight DG3LV (707km) has become the most distant station to spot me on 472kHz WSPR this autumn.

QSYed

Not long ago I decided to go QRT on 6m WSPR (no spots) and fire up 630m (472kHz) WSPR instead. So far, their are zero spots on 10m WSPR, which rather surprised me. I am still on 10m WSPR too and will remain active on 10m WSPR until after dark. After dark, I shall be exclusively on 472kHz until Sat breakfast time.

UPDATE 1500z:  I see that LA3EQ (769km) has been spotted in broad daylight this afternoon on 472kHz WSPR. This is without the RX preamp. He is a few dB above the noise threshold with me. No doubt with the preamp in he would be quite a decent signal.

UPDATE 1614z:   Much to my surprise K9AN (6505km) spotted me on 10m WSPR at 1536z and 1538z this afternoon. After the poor start on 10m this was not expected.

UPDATE 1734z:  M0LMH (223km) has spotted my 5mW ERP on 472kHz several times in daylight this afternoon.

Another UK rally this weekend

I have been notified of this one:-

Sunday 6 DECEMBER : BISHOP AUCKLAND RADIO AMATEURS CLUB RALLY
Spennymoor Leisure Centre, Co Durham DL16 6DB. CP, TI S22 (V44), OT 10.15 /10.30, £2 (U14 free). TS, B&B, C, LB, DF, FAM. John, G4LRG, 01388 606 396

A list of rallies can be found at http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/