WSPR disappointment (so far) on 472kHz

Results to date suggest my ERP is at least as good as in previous seasons yet (up to now at least) very few stations have spotted me. I think there are fewer WSPR stations active? My best DX so far, and my daylight range on TX, suggest many more reports should be possible. Where is everyone?

I hope 472kHz isn't going to disappoint as 6m WSPR did. On 6m WSPR there was a real lack of transatlantic stations.  On 472kHz WSPR there seem to be fewer WSPR stations full stop.

I shall leave the kit running again tonight and hope I get some nice surprises.  Of course, it could be the local noise floor is higher than it was for many stations and they've just given up on the band? At the moment I'm lucky: my sensitivity is rather low, but my noise floor is very low too. This may not last.

UPDATE 2110z:  Since returning to 472kHz WSPR I have spotted just 10 unique stations and been spotted by 8 unique stations. Some years ago on 500kHz I was spotted by nearly 100 unique stations. My setup is not that different. OK this was over several months and in the autumn/winter seasons, but there do seem to be fewer different stations active. I'll certainly stick with 472kHz WSPR to give it a fair chance though.

UPDATE 2134z:  Currently there are 32 stations shown as being active on 472kHz WSPR. 24 of these are European. This is a good number.

472kHz WSPR stations active in last 10 minutes

Obsolete, unsupported software

Steve G1KQH has been at it again, noticing that, as well as no longer supporting XP, Microsoft is also stopping support for older versions of it web browser,  IE.

Update your Web browser. I got rid of IE years ago and moved to Firefox. some still run IE6???

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/08/07/microsoft_old_ie_end_of_support/

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

Incidentally, I am told Microsoft Security Essentials got a good review in a recent "Which".   I still use MSE on some machines and have never, yet, had any security issues, although I tend to be careful with dodgy attachments.
 

Back on 472kHz

Meadow at Ickworth

We returned from a walk at Ickworth just before lunch. I have switched on my 472kHz WSPR station, still with the strapped feeders to the Par antenna. I moved up one tap on the 3C90 matching transformer, to get a slightly better match. Initial daytime results are very encouraging with several spots from GM4SLV (896km) and others. No bad weather due before tomorrow.

WSPR reports on 472kHz QRPp today

"Normal service" later today.

After last night's thunder and lightning, I hope to resume "normal service" around lunchtime: we are otherwise busy until then. The weather today looks sunny and calm,before more storms on Sunday. Not sure what band I will use yet - probably 472kHz, but possibly 28MHz (10m).

Sunspot count today is 101 (pretty decent) and 20-30MHz propagation forecast to be "good" so a good day for N-S F2 propagation, as well as Es and GDX on 10m. On 6m only some Es and GDX likely.

Gone QRT - storms

As there is local thunder and lightning, I've had to abandon 472kHz operation. All antennas, rigs, PSU and the PC have been disconnected. Darn shame, but sometimes one has to be safer than sorry.

6m transatlantic - but NOT on WSPR

See http://hamspots.net/10-6/ .

I see on Hamspots that 6m has been open to N.America and the Caribbean this evening but there are NO suitably located stations active on WSPR.  It seems WSPR on 6m is mostly a total waste of time unless stations come on to make transatlantic WSPR tests meaningful. In previous seasons I have monitored SSB and CW and had success copying transatlantics for as long as I can recall.

I am not returning to 6m WSPR in a hurry. It's a great pity. Next Es DX season I think I shall try again on CW and SSB again.

472kHz - on same antenna tonight

I have decided to continue using the same antenna for this evening so I build up more data before trying another antenna configuration over the weekend. So I am still using the end-fed Par antenna with strapped feeders, 3C90 matching coil and base loading coil.

UPDATE 1940z:  Still G3WCB and G0LRD spotting me and being spotted so far this evening

472kHz WSPR so far today

472kHz WSPR unique reports so far this summer (duplicates NOT shown)

So far this summer, a reasonable number of WSPR spots, but an absence of WSPR spots of me from stations outside the UK.

G8ALS on 472kHz WSPR

G8ALS (126km) is consistently receiving me on 472kHz WSPR in daylight. My QRPp signals seem to be a few dB over the noise threshold but he is copying me, which is good. I am still using the end-fed PAR wire antenna with feeders strapped via a 3C90 matching coil and a 110mm diameter indoor loading coil.

Storms to (just) miss us today?

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .   For now, the local thunder and lightning appears to be just avoiding us: it has tracked from Cambridge up into the Fens and seems to be moving NE. This is good news.

http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en

UPDATE 1600z:  There are new storms to the south of Newmarket and we can hear thunder in the distance now.  At the moment these are moving NE as well but I shall disconnect rigs, antennas and PC if they get too close.

UPDATE 1606z:  Lightning now just east of Newmarket and getting closer! Decision on going QRT will be taken in next few minutes.