18 Jan 2014

5mW on 40m WSPR

With considerable difficulty (because of my stroke) I made a 20dB attenuator to reduce my 500mW down to just 5mW. This attenuator is right at the FT817's output coax connector. It also reduces the RX signal by 20dB too of course. Let's see what happens!

Normally such a small project would take just minutes but I found the whole job hard work taking at least twice as long. In the same way, PC work takes me longer as I am forever correcting  typos.

My 5mW has been spotted locally once and in Denmark 853km away on 2 occasions and once in Holland. Results are in line with expectations so far. Sunspot count still good at 95. The last report of my 5mW signal was at 1744z. It must just be popping out of the noise with a few stations, rarely. I'll leave running overnight to see what happens.

On RX I see I spotted VK6XT, even with a 20dB pad in the antenna line.
RX reports (mine) with 20dB pad in line on 40m

40m 5mW WSPR spots this afternoon

4 comments:

PA2RF said...

Would be a great achievement if only one station would receive this QRPp signal. 73 Ron PA2RF

PE4BAS, Bas said...

I got a reasonable antenna for NVIS on 40m. I can listen out for you from 19:00 UTC on 40m. But best would be late in the morning I think. Till now a see no spots yet with you 5mW. Very curious how many will receive your tiny signal. 73, Bas

Anonymous said...

Also running 5mW, and have been spotted in Cambridge with 20dB attenuator!

Timestamp Call MHz SNR Drift Grid Pwr Reporter RGrid km az
2014-01-19 11:00 G6AIG 7.040047 -18 0 JN18 0.005 G3XBM JO02dg 462 337

Regards, Hugh F/G6AIG (nr Paris)

PE4BAS, Bas said...

Remarkable!

2014-01-19 01:50 G3XBM 7.040115 -31 0 JO02dg 0.005 IZ3ATV JN55vk 1131 128

73, Bas