GM4WJA on 10m WSPR - a real puzzle

GM4WJA (624km) has been spotting my 500mW a few times  on 10m WSPR of late.  This is too far for tropo and aircraft reflections, and far too close for F2 propagation. I assume propagation in either F-layer back-scatter or possibly Es.

10m WSPR GDX

Today, during the day, a couple of GDX stations have been copied around 170km range, but these are no longer being seen. To me, this suggests I am copying these stations on back-scatter as once good F-layer goes, so does the GDX. Of course, it could be that these stations are no longer on 10m as the DX seems to have now gone.

UPDATE 2212z:    Only real locals spotting me or spotted by me. No GDX seen this evening, supporting to F-layer back-scatter as the most probable means of the GDX spots earlier in the day. I'll leave 10m WSPR running overnight to see if any GDX is copied. This, of course, requires others to be active too and currently there are very few active UK stations.

UPDATE 2252z:  Just re-synced the PC clock to internet time, so the WSPR should be spot on overnight. However, I am not really expecting to see other than locals until breakfast time, but any DX or GDX in the night would be very good. TX is on about 20% and RX (looking for others) about 80%.  Running 500mW, on the FT817 currently, so I can both TX and RX.

High sunspots

Sunspot count today is high at 147 (with blackouts) and 20-30MHz propagation is "excellent". Earlier this morning I was copying a VK portable on 10m WSPR and I was being spotted early by Souty 1310zh Americas on 10m WSPR. F2 conditions seem very good on the 10m band.

UPDATE 1312z:  VK3KCX (16883km) was spotting my 2W at 1250z on 10m WSPR at a decent -17dB S/N.  VK5MR (16144km) was spotting me. This morning, PU3WSF (10416km), PY3FF (10440km) were spotted and ET/G8DYK (5931km) in KJ98ix square was spotting my 2W on 10m WSPR. VK5MR has spotted me 7 times on 10m WSPR today and ET/G8DYK (5931km) was spotting me in Ethiopia.

ZL - my best ever 10m WSPR spot on TX

This morning on 2W 10m WSPR at 1044z I was spotted in New Zealand by ZL1RS (18047km) at a relatively strong -17dB S/N. He was in RF64vs square, which is in/near Kirikiri on North Island. Years ago I worked ZL on 10m QRP SSB just before heading to work. The 10m band is in great shape today.

Today's ZL report suggests, if he has a quiet location with a low noise floor, he might  have copied me with 20 times less power i.e. around 100mW ERP.

UPDATE 1135z:  South America is putting in an early appearance with PU2UIB (9524km) spotting my 2W WSPR as early as 1052z this morning at -22dB S/N.

Unique 10m WSPR reports of my 2W this morning

10m WSPR - 4 immediate spots

Turning on 10m WSPR at just before 0942z, I received 4 spots of my first transmission with best DX being R0AU at 5546km way over in Siberia. The other spots were by locals. Not a bad start today.

UPDATE 1100z:  OH5MD recently spotted here as well as EA5WO.  Seems Europeans are still about on 10m WSPR, but apart from R0AU no real DX yet seen on the band which is a bit surprising.

UPDATE 1210z:  F2 in evidence, RN6LLV (2878km) has been spotted 3 times so far. This is classic single hop F2 propagation.

VK spotted on 10m WSPR today

VK3KCX (16883km) was spotted 4 times on 10m WSPR this afternoon. He was using high power (for WSPR) at 20W but his reports peaked at -19dB suggesting 5W or less would have been fine.

FR1GZ (9724km) has also been spotted 7 times today so far.  He also spotted my 2W at 1338z.

...and today 10m conditions were supposed to be "poor" - VK3, TJ3, FR1 and lots of USA stations - yes "poor" conditions! Wonder what "good" 10m conditions look like?

PA0O (440km) is being spotted again. Still unsure of propagation mode.

UPDATE 1745z: OH5XO (1943km) is coming through now, probably Es?

UPDATE 1900z: 10m is open to Spain. I assume this is Es? The opening seems to be confined to Spain only.   If this was F2 backscatter, I'd have expected a more widespread opening, but I am no expert.

UPDATE  2116z:  EA7IHT (1643km) was still spotting me at 2112z.

10m wakes up

TJ3TS (5478km) in Cameroon was spotting me at 1144z and ZS1ANF (9720km) was spotted here at 1210z. Both are F2 propagation. This was after a very quiet morning on 10m WSPR.

Even with 20-30MHz propagation supposed to be "poor",  N-S F2 seems to be good.   

OH5RM (1860km) has also been spotted several times this lunchtime - this could be late Es or F2.

UPDATE 1240z: TJ3TS was spotted  here a few minutes ago.

10m WSPR, sunspots and storms

Just turned on 10m WSPR about 12 minutes ago. Already being spotted by CT1JTQ (1843km) several times and I am spotting  IK1WVQ (1084km). I would have thought Portugal and N.Italy would have been much the same distance. Not so. Portugal is much further.  I assume this is Es?  G0LRD (25km) and I are exchanging WSPR spots at around -14 to -16dB S/N.

Sunspot count today is 91 and 20-30MHz propagation "normal". We should expect some F2 DX later.

The thunder storms are, currently, well south of here. I am still watching the lightning map though. Last night I went QRT but heard no storms overnight.

UPDATE 0942z: Now  EA5CYA is being spotted. Still plenty of EUs around on 10m either Es or F2 backscatter. A great pity I am spotting the same stations . Where is everyone else?

UPDATE 0954z: 4X1RF (3519km) has spotted me for the first time today.  I think this is F layer propagation.

10m WSPR - USA again and Brazil

Yet again 10m WSPR has "come up trumps" with several spots of PT2WWV (8873km) in Brasilia by F2 and recently WG2Z (5600km) spotting my 2W. No other USA stations seen here, or seeing me, as yet.

The USA must surely be F2 or F2 backscatter rather than Es?  Interesting that propagation into the USA started coming through after Brazil. Almost like there had to be F2 over the equator for signals to get through, although, at the moment, it is just the one station copying me. I would have expected F2 or F2 backscatter to be far more widespread.

4X1RF and DK6UG are both still spotting me at just before 1800z.

UPDATE 1802z: I spoke too soon: KD6RF (7526km) near Dallas, Texas, running 5W, is now being spotted here at -20dB S/N at 1758z.  GM4WJA (624km) is spotting me now. If the Scots vote to leave the United Kingdom,  presumably they will have to have their own version of OFCOM and new callsigns. It will be interesting to see how Scotland votes.

UPDATE 1836z: Plenty of USA stations spotting me now e.g. WB8ELK/01 (6872km).  PT2WWV has been spotted 5 times already. He has spotted my 2W 2 times so far tonight.

UPDATE 2058z: All quiet on 10m (just locals) in nearly the last hour. Is that it for today? Clock checked and WSPR will be running overnight.

10m WSPR and sunspots

Sunspot count continues to slide with the sunspot count today being 85.  The 20-30MHz propagation forecast is "normal" however.

Already TJ3TS (5478km) in Yaounde, Cameroon is exchanging WSPR spots with me lots of times. He has been doing so since well before breakfast time. F2 propagation is looking good on 10m.

UPDATE 1110z:  I see DK6UG (633km) is spotting me now. I assume this is Es.

UPDATE 1114z:   TJ3TS has spotted me 14 times already since before breakfast. Excellent N-S F2.

UPDATE 1124z:  CT1JTQ (1843km) is now spotting me. I assume this is Es.

UPDATE 1337z: OZ7IT (853km) has been spotting me, and been spotted, and a few German stations have been spotted me too. I assume these are all Es. 4X1RF (3519km) has also spotted me 7 times since lunch so far - I assume this is Es or maybe F2 propagation. TJ3TS continues to spot me.

UPDATE 1535z:  Plenty of Es (?) coming through - IK, CT , HB9 etc all coming through.

10m - a repeat of yesterday?

Conditions on 10m today seem to be similar to those yesterday. FR1GZ (9724km) and I have exchanged spots several times, mainly this morning, and KD6RF (7526km) was spotted at 1436z. TJ3TS (5478km) has spotted me a few times. F2 conditions appear good on 10m again.

Sunspot count today is 92 (gradually dropping) and 20-30MHz propagation is "normal". We have already had excellent F2 propagation on 10m today. I am convinced that the USA is coming in by F2 or F2 backscatter and not multi-hop Es.

DK6UG is spotting me by Es (I think) or F2 backscatter perhaps. Also, probably Es, GM4WJA (624km) is spotting me.

WB8ELK/01 (6872km) is spotting me now.

10m WSPR - brilliant start Sunday

4X1RF (3519km) has been spotting me since the early hours, At the last count 9 times already. Also spotting me be Es was LB9YE (1533km) in the middle of the night. I have spotted ZS1ANF (9720km), FR1GZ (9724km) and FR5ZX (9740km), the latter spotted 5 times already by 0928z,  all by F2 propagation.

Sunspot count today is 164 (more blackouts possible) and 20-30MHz propagation is "normal", although I have already seen very good F2 propagation. I have the feeling today will be another good 10m day.

UPDATE 1020z:   FR5ZX has been spotted 10 times on 10m WSPR so far this morning already at up to -13dB S/N.  FR1GZ has also been spotted several times. F2 over the equator is solid today.

UPDATE 1042z:  Lots of Es from Scandinavia this morning on 10m WSPR.  Date check?  Oh yes Sept 14th and the Es season has ended!

UPDATE 1215z: T5/T61AA (6960km) in Mogadishu, Somalia was spotted at 1114z this morning. This is the second day running Ross has been copied here on 10m WSPR. Es is also still around.  4X1RF has been spotting me all morning. I think this must be F2 as it seems far too consistent for multi-hop Es.

10m WSPR - 2 stations from Reunion Is and also Cameroon

FR5ZX (9740km) and FR1GZ (9724km) were copied this morning several times on 10m WSPR. FR5ZX , TJ3TS (5478km) in Yaounde, Cameroon and 4X1RF (3519km) Israel were all copying me on 10m WSPR. These were all F2 propagation.  

ON7KS (295km) was probably via tropo, aircraft reflection, or backscatter as 295km is too close for Es. G8JNJ/A (184km) is tropo with aircraft reflection.

No Es yet today, but it is still early days.

Sunspot count is 157 (with blackouts) and 20-30MHz propagation "normal". 10m is in decent shape with decent F2 propagation about.

UPDATE 1235z:  LB9YE (1533km) spotted me via Es at 1226z and DK6UG (633km) at 1216z - yet another Es opening on 10m.  Also M6NNB (127km) spotted me by tropo. We do seem to be seeing Es at times outside the peak Es months and WSPR certainly helps find these brief openings. LB9YE running 500mW is also being spotted here.

Recent 10m WSPR spots

10m Es and F2 - this evening

It was worth waiting for. Since 1834z OH5XO (1943km) has been spotted 4 times already. This is the second station on Es seen here today. I am glad I did not QSY to 472kHz too early.

      OE6PWD 
      OH5XO

Yet again, 10m Es is still with us.

UPDATE 1946z:  Now DK6UG (633km) has spotted me a couple of times. Es a May, June, July phenomenon?  No - with WSPR it is longer.

UPDATE 1958z:   CX2ABP (11127km) in Uruguay is now spotting me via F2. This was a long time coming, but come it did.

UPDATE 2130z:  No DX (Es and F2) for the last hour and a half. Is that it for the day?  Time to go QRT now.

10m F2 this morning on WSPR

This morning has started promisingly on 10m WSPR with ZS1ANF (9720km) logged at 1034z by F2 and a few GDX stations out to 184km. All stations were using 5W or less.

Sunspot count today is 170 (good) but 20-30MHz propagation described as only "fair".

UPDATE 1326z:  ZS1ANF has already been spotted 5 times today. F2 seems pretty good N-S on 10m today.

10m Es? - this morning

This morning 4X1RF (3519km) has spotted me (strongly) 12 times already on WSPR. This could be F2 or multi-hop Es. The latter is more probable.  CT1JTQ (1843km) is definitely Es. In addition, local G0LRD (25km) was strong and M0EMM (192km) was copied pretty well by tropo and aircraft reflection.

I see VKs were coming into N.Europe by F2 on 10m around breakfast time, but there was no copy here sadly on 10m.Others with better antennas may have done better than me?

Sunspot count today is 92 (stable) and 20-30MHz propagation is "normal". I was expecting F2 on 10m here yesterday, but copied none. Maybe better luck today?

Sunspots today

Sunspot count today is 105 and 20-30MHz propagation "fair", so a decent chance of some 10m N-S F2 propagation at some times during the day and evening.  Es is still good on 10m. Plenty of life on the band still.

UPDATE 0930z:  HB4FL (835km) last seen by Es at 0854z.

10m Es - still good on WSPR

10m Es is good this morning with plenty from Scandinavia already (SI9, OZ and OH) spotted or spotting me.

Sunspot count today is 78 (stable) and 20-30MHz propagation "fair". There is a chance of F2 propagation today. For several days G0LRD (25km) has spotted VKs around breakfast time on 10m. I have been later getting active, so missed these.

10m GDX and more F2 and Es

M0EMM (192km) has been spotted at 1114z and 1134z from  IO82sq square, presumably tropo with some aircraft reflections. This morning I am seeing GDX, Es and F2 propagation: this is why the band is so interesting.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Mogacapital.jpg/800px-Mogacapital.jpg

UPDATE 1412z:  Is this really meant to be a "poor" propagation day on 10m?  T5/T61AA (6960km) has been spotted many times since lunch. This is Ross (who was in Afghanistan) now in Mogadishu, Somalia, East Africa.

UPDATE 2035z:  Just G0LRD (25km) in recent hours. All DX, for now, has disappeared here.

10m F2 this morning and sunspots

FR1GZ (9724km) was be copied here first at 1056z this morning by 10m F2 propagation.There have beenseveral spots since and he has also spotted me.

Sunspot count today is 81 (disturbed) and 20-30MHz propagation expected to be "poor". Quite surprised to see Reunion Is in the log today, but  this 10m, a band filled with surprises every day.

There is already Es about on 10m with CT1JTQ (1843km) spotting me several times from 1024z.