4X1RF's amazing spots on 6m JT65

Although I have yet to be spotted on 6m JT65 by 4X1RF (me being vertical probably does not help!) he does spot some amazing DX on the band regularly. Every time I look I see spots by him at great distance on 6m. He only uses a 3 element according to PSKreporter - nothing too grand.

I assume these long distance spots are Es, but some could be tropo across the Med, but unlikely.  I still wonder about chordal-Es as he seems to regularly spot stations a long way away. I have been spotted in Israel this summer (1W ERP) and I have spotted a station in Kazakhstan twice. Kazakhstan is a very long way!

4X1RF (3519km) again spotting me on 6m WSPR

Since lunchtime, 4X1RF (3519km) has again been spotting my 1W ERP WSPR signal on 6m. I am pretty convinced this is E layer, but remain skeptical this is multi-hop Es which is the conventional wisdom. 3519km is a long way for Es multi-hop. This path seems pretty regular so I wonder if some other E layer mechanism is going on? Possibly some E layer chordal hop?  Signal levels suggest even lower power would have been successful such as 250mW or even less. So far today he has spotted me 6 times already. He has spotted me on several days this season as well as last summer. There are a reasonable number of stations active on the 6m WSPR band.

UPDATE 1607z:  Yesterday was one of the worse days I can recall in recent months on 6m and 10m WSPR. Today has been one of the best with plenty of Es on both bands.  Both are "magic" bands and you can never be quite sure what the day will bring.

Sunspots and 10m - Tues July 28th 2015

Sunspot number is 53 (K=3) but 10m propagation remains "poor".  There was early Es on 10m and 6m which bodes well for nearer DX.  4X1RF (3519km) was copying me on 6m WSPR before breakfast. I think this is some form of E layer propagation, although I have grave doubts it is classic multi-hop Es.

Back on 6m WSPR (daytime)

As there were no MF reports since last evening and there were Germans by Es early today on 10m, I have returned to 6m WSPR for the daytime. I shall probably switch back to MF later.  A reminder that I use 1W ERP on 6m and my 6m antenna is a V2000 vertical omni. On MF I use 5mW ERP to my earth electrode "antenna".

UPDATE 0850z:  The daytime move was worth it with very early (before breakfast) 6m spots by 4X1RF (3519km) as well as lots of spots of G0OQK (98km).

UPDATE 1350z:  No further DX spots at all on 6m WSPR.

UPDATE 1900z:   As there is still good Es on 6m WSPR, I am sticking on the 6m band for now. 4X1RF (3519km) again spotted me this afternoon. In recent minutes, OK1DX (994km) was spotted strongly on 6m WSPR. Several Scandinavian stations have spotted me on 6m WSPR. I may QSY to 630m (472kHz) later.

UPDATE 1922z:   Now being spotted in Germany on 6m WSPR. This opening is very good with strong reports.

Back on 6m WSPR and spotted by 4X1RF yet again at incredible range

Around 0730z I QSYed from MF to 6m. I am expecting some decent Es on 6m today.

UPDATE 0856z:   Just been spotted on 6m WSPR by 4X1RF (3519km) in KM72ls square. Apart from this, just spots exchanged with G0OQK (98km). As I mentioned before, I am not at all convinced that these spots from Israel are multi-hop Es. Es (maybe)  but they occur so often!  I think this is the 4th day this season and he copied me last year too.

4X1RF (3519km) spotting me yet again on 6m WSPR

I truly believe this is too regular and too far for multi-hop Es.  I remain to be convinced. Yet again 4X1RF (3519km) has spotted my 1W ERP signal on 50MHz. So far, he has spotted me 4 times today on 6m WSPR. Amazing. Signal at the moment seem to be getting stronger.

UPDATE 1726z: 4X1RF (3519km) has now spotted me 9 times on 6m WSPR so far today and the signal is getting stronger. The last report was -15dB S/N.
 
UPDATE 1821z: 4X1RF has now spotted my 6m WSPR signal 13 times today so far. There is other Es about too at much shorter range.

UPDATE 2005z: 4X1RF has now spotted my 1W ERP on 6m 22 times today.  Incredible almost.

UPDATE 2018z:   Plenty of 6m Es about with spots from HB9 and EA1. Spots from 4X1RF seem to have stopped now.

6m magic

Until I went QRT last evening (thunderstorm risk) most spots were G stations.

Then, out of the blue, at 2120z last night a spot from 4X1RF (3519km) in Israel of my 1W ERP 6m WSPR signal. No Es around indicating multi-hop Es. In fact I am convinced this is not multi-hop Es. He has now spotted me on 3 different days this summer and many times last summer on 6m WSPR. No, if this is Es then it is some other mechanism. These spots occur often and there is no evidence of Es at closer (intermediate) range.

6m WSPR - real VHF DX

4X1RF (3519km) has spotted my 1W ERP on 6m VHF WSPR already 6 times this morning by 0914z. This is my best DX so far on 6m this season. Probably Es?  There was plenty of European Es about on 6m WSPR very early, but this just possibly could be single hop F2? It is a long way for Es and 4X1RF often spotted me on 6m last summer. Multi-hop Es is the likely propagation although I am surprised no intermediate range stations were spotted.

6m VHF WSPR spots of my 1W ERP by 4X1RF early today

UPDATE 1148z:  As well as G stations this morning I see I have been spotted on 6m WSPR by OH1KK (1848km) and EA4ETR (1325km) both I assume via Es. Funny how both of these would be "real DX" but are nothing compared with the spots from Israel earlier.

4X1RF on 10m

4X1RF (3519km) was spotting my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon early today at 0854z.

UPDATE 1425z:   4X1RF has spotted by 500mW 10m WSPR beacon no less than 30 times so far today.

4X1RF now spotting my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon

At last, I am now being spotted on 10m outside the local area. 4X1RF (3519km) has spotted me a couple of times starting at 1056z this morning. Reports are weaker than usual.

Maybe I shall be spotted in the USA on 10m WSPR after lunch after all?4
 
UPDATE 1124z:  So far, just a couple of weak spots by 4X1RF. Conditions on 10m do seem down on the last few months.

UPDATE 1210z:  Better reports now from 4X1RF (-13dB S/N). Looks like 10m is coming to life.

10m WSPR - a good start today

4X1RF has spotted me 4 times already (still only 0722z) and DK0SC was spotting me during the very early hours. I assume DK was Es but 4X may be F2?

UPDATE 0935z: I have now been spotted 11 times already in Israel on 10m WSPR today between 0614 and now.

UPDATE 1015z: LB9YE (1533km) spotted by Es at 1002z. 4X1RF has now spotted me 12 times already today by multi-hop Es or F2, not sure which.

UPDATE 1123z:  Looking at the 13 spots of my 10m signal this morning monitored by 4X1RF there appears to be a slow QSB on the signal with peak levels separated by 90-120 minutes. I shall continue to look for this but there is a pattern. WSPR is ideal for seeing this sort of phenomenon.

6m - 4X1RF - even more WSPR spots!

So far today, up to 1718z, 4X1RF (3519km) has spotted my 1W ERP no less than 8 times today. He has spotted me on many other days already - this is no "sporadic" reception: it happens time and time again.  I find it quite remarkable that my QRP is so well, and consistently, being reported on a VHF band from such a distance. The experts tell me it is Es, but how many hops?

 

4X1RF 6m spots today to 1718z.

6m - WSPR spots from 4X1RF (3519km) yet again

My 6m 1W ERP WSPR signals are yet again being spotted in Israel.

I think this is now 5 days this season he has spotted me at this incredible distance. In all I must have had around 20 spots if not more from him?  The considered wisdom is this is Es, but I do sometimes wonder what the propagation mechanism is. The lack of stations at intermediate distances may be because few are active on WSPR, but it "feels" like a single long hop, not unlike F2. My station and antenna are basic.

People who know better than me tell me it is not F2. Whatever, I am very pleased to have my QRP station being spotted so often in Israel.

 Today, starting at 0704z,  he has spotted me 6 times already by 0846z.

6m spots by 4X1RF (1W ERP here) to 0830z today

Most Es spots seem to be from Scandinavia currently, just 1 from Italy.

UPDATE 0942z:   Just Scandinavian Es for the last hour here.

UPDATE 1530z:  Another spot from Israel of my QRP 6m signal at 1314z. That makes it 7 just today!

6m - 4X1RF spots me yet again with 1W ERP (3519km)

At 1308z 4X1RF spotted my 1W ERP WSPR on 6m for the 9th time this season. I assume it is Es and not single hop F-layer. I am amazed that 4X1RF can copy me so often. There was no sign of  intermediate distance stations. On 10m Chris regularly copies me when I am using low milliwatts. He has very good ears and must have a quiet QTH.  3519km is a great distance on 6m and I am even more pleased as my antenna is just a V2000 triband vertical fed with lossy CB coax. My FT817 is on the mid-power setting only.

I am still hopeful of transatlantic multi-hop Es propagation with WSPR. Patience! I must stick with 6m and keep everything crossed. If, as I have, worked K1TOL on CW in the past on 6m (summer 2007), then WSPR should certainly be possible as long as there are stations active on WSPR in the USA.  K1TOL has a BIG antenna farm but with WSPR more modest antennas in the USA should be fine.

Israel on 6m - 3519km with 1W ERP

After earlier success on 6m QRP WSPR (1W ERP) with CN8LI imagine my delight to be spotted seven times this afternoon on 6m by 4X1RF (3519km). If Es, this is multi-hop but there were no reports from nearer in Europe, so it could be single hop F layer? Again, the antenna is the V2000 vertical fed with quite lossy coax. 6m - magic band!

4X1RF 6m WSPR reports - 1W ERP 3519km!

G4IPX was also copying me at just 14km.

10m WSPR - no more DX seen (yet!)

Since mid-afternoon 10m seems to have fallen back and the DX (such as it was) has disappeared. 4X1RF and DK6UG have spotted me but no more South Americans, Central Americans or North Americans. Being 10m, everything can change in a few minutes!  If it does, you will find out here - I intend to remain WSPRing on 10m into the early evening, at least and whilst on 70cms.

UPDATE 1900z:  CX2ABP just spotted again, so 10m is still open to South America.

10m quiet today - so far

10m WSPR is very quiet currently, with just 4X1RF (3519km) and 4X1DA (3597km) spotting me so far today. No South Americans  so far, even though the sunspot count is 164 and 20-30MHz propagation is forecast to be "good".  The band may well open up later to the Americas. It would be nice to see the 10m long path to Australia open up later (~20000km) as it did a few days ago. That was a total surprise.

UPDATE 1455z: Just  been spotted by EB3EPR (1248km) on 10pm WSPR. No great DX - another station probably via Es.

UPDATE 1500z: Just spotted WP4JT (6849km) in Puerto Rico in the Caribbean. He claims to be using 10mW and I gave him -12dB S/N report which is remarkable . I suspect this power level is an error and his actual power is much higher. Otherwise I'd expect to see many more stations from that general direction.  At 1536z he spotted my 2W at -6dB S/N.

UPDATE 1520z :  CX2ABP (11127km) was spotted, by me, nearly an hour ago. I missed that one. Classic 10m N-S propagation.

Things are warming up!

10m early start

4X1RF was spotting me from 0442z today which is very early indeed. Are we in for a good day? Sunspot count is 137 and 20-30MHz conditions meant to be "good". We'll see.

At the moment (0830z)  4X1RF and 4X1DA are the only stations spotting me. Sometimes their reports are identical whereas at other times they differ by 11dB, I assume because of different antennas and the exact path by which my signal arrives at their stations.  Fascinating.

UPDATE 0840z:  Just been spotted in Norway by LB9YE (1533km) presumably by Es. No "decent" DX yet.

UPDATE 1245z:  Still very quiet on 10m WSPR.   Mainly 4X1RF and a few spots from LB9YE. A very quiet day on 10m.

UPDATE 1515z:   Just one South American spotted me - PU8MET  (7842km). So far today conditions have been dire.

UPDATE 1745z:  10m is an amazing band: just when I was ready to give up on the band WA6JRW (8664km) in DM14he was spotting me at -24dB S/N. A little earlier I spotted K9AN. Maybe there will be others?

UPDATE 2020z:  No more North or South Americans? I think the DX has passed now: 4X, DH and GM only now.

UPDATE 2015z:  Sorry, this is 10m, the band filled with surprises! In the last few minutes W1 call area spotted and being spotted. Probably yet more to come?

UPDATE 2100z:    WSPR spots exchanged 2-way with a couple of stations in the W1 call area. Conditions really are surprising after the lack-luster N-S conditions earlier in the day.

UPDATE 2130z:  Still DX about and those mysterious spots from Scotland again:

Recent 10m WSPR spots

GB3NGI - there again today

A few moments ago I came into the shack to start 10m WSPR (immediately spotted by 4X1RF).

I turned on the other rig to 144.482MHz CW and the GB3NGI N.Ireland beacon (530km) was immediately copied and is still there keying away with callsign, QTH locator and a dash. Maybe this is audible more often than not?  It may be GPS locked as the frequency is very accurate. Here it is spot on 144.482MHz dial.

Someone asked about the noise floor here on 2m. Well, currently I am lucky as on any beam heading man made noise is very low, not lifting the FT817ND's S-meter at all. For reasons I don't understand it is quieter here than at the old QTH which was on the village edge. Maybe the slightly greater distance from other houses is helping? I can hear the odd whistle as I tune through the beacon band. These are very weak though.

Back on 10m, nothing around yet apart from 4X1RF. Conditions 20-30MHz are meant to be "good". Not here as yet!  On 10m WSPR RX only a few wispy traces, none decoded.

4X1RF's RX system?

This station in Israel seems to copy my WSPR beaconing on ANY band and at ANY power down to 5mW. I have no idea what he uses on RX but he must be situated in a nice and quiet radio environment to hear so well. Now I EXPECT to be copied in Israel and think my gear is faulty if I am not!