472kHz power shown WRONGLY

Since turning on 472kHz WSPR earlier I have been showing the wrong power. On LF and MF (because antennas are usually so inefficient) it is convention to show ERP, not TX power. I simply forgot to change from 2W to 5mW ERP when I QSYed from 10m. This is such an easy mistake to make.

After 1440z the ERP is now correct. My TX power (from the transverter) is actually about 12W but the measured ERP is very low (around 5mW) as the antenna is so poor. I measure antenna current and calculate the antenna's effective height.

UPDATE 1820z: I am still surprised how few G stations are active on TX on 472kHz. G6AVK and G3WCB have both been received this evening.

UPDATE 1945z:  G4KPX has now come on and is being copied.

472kHz WSPR uniques in last hour

UPDATE 2130z: The same old stations yet again tonight. Still no new reporters on 472kHz.

472kHz continued

Still just M0LMH and G0LRD spotting me currently on MF. I shall (probably) stick on 472kHz WSPR for the rest of the day now. Things should liven up after dark.

472kHz WSPR

As 10m is behaving "normally" I have QSYed down to MF (472kHz) to see what daylight propagation is like. I am using the feeder to my 2m halo and V2000 vertical tuned against mains ground and one radial. The very first transmission got me reports from G0LRD (25km) and M0LMH (223km) and it is only 1150z.

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 - quiet here so far today on WSPR

Sunspot count is 82 (disturbed) today and 20-30MHz propagation is forecast to be "poor". It seems unlikely I will see F2 propagation today on 10m, but you never can be sure on 10m. My PC stopped WSPR running around breakfast time (more updates?) and on restarting the software just G0LRD (25km) spotting me so far. Es is always possible.

I may return to 472kHz later today if things stay quiet on 10m.

UPDATE 1950z:  Well, 10m is always a band of surprises! CX2ABP (11127km) was copied several times after tea by N-S F2 and CT1JTQ (1843km) by Es. The PC was off (being swapped) most of the afternoon so I may have missed some of the action on 10m.

UPDATE 2000z:  Will be going QRT on 10m shortly.  472kHz (maybe) tomorrow night.

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.

Yet more stateside and some F2 and Es

What a remarkable day on 10m WSPR! This morning plenty of spots of FR1GZ (9724km) on Reunion Is (Indian Ocean) and several USA stations coming through or spotting me, starting with KB1YMI (5156km) in FN43rl square at 1306z and later KD6RF (7526km) and ND6M (6914km). In most cases, spots were exchanged 2-ways. This is the 11th USA opening that I have caught on 10m this Es season.  I actually find it hard to believe this is really multi-hop Es. Maybe we are seeing a new sort of propagation? The (very brief) openings seem to be too regular for a form of Es.  It is getting late in the Es season now and these openings are just about daily.  Quite remarkable.

Despite the "6" call area, these "6" stations were in Texas and Tennessee. In recent years you can no longer assume "6" stations are in California for example. For non-USA stations (if not also for stations in the USA) this is a bad, backward step,  resulting in lots of confusion. The FCC does seem to be a bit short-sighted.

UPDATE 1915z:  I just noted that VE3GEN (5593km) was spotting me this afternoon at 1524z. As far as I recall, this is the first VE in the log this summer on 10m WSPR. There is still widespread Es on 10m from across Europe.

UPDATE 1935z:  I see WG2Z (5600km) was spotted at 1134z this morning. GM4SFW was also spotted today by Es. Transatlantic summertime propagation seems so common (suprisingly) that it is almost not worth reporting!

UPDATE 2120z:  VE3GEN (5593km) was logging me again at 2046z this evening.  Remarkable, albeit at - 28dB S/N (weakly) and no other transatlantic stations copied around that time. If I count unique occurrences, I think this is 13th (or is it 14th?) time this Es season that I have seen the 10m band open across the North Atlantic.

Sunspots and 10m Es

Sunspot count today is 112 (going lower and with blackouts) but 20-30MHz propagation is forecast to be "good". We should see F2 today on 10m.

Already on WSPR this morning there is 10m Es to LZ1OI (2153km) and IK1WVQ (1084km).  I suspect another decent day on the 10m band is in store.

UPDATE 0905z:  EA5CYA (1376km) now being spotted.

And again! N2OTO spotted on 10m last night

10m was open very briefly again last night transatlantic. Just single spots exchanged (each way) on WSPR with N2OTO (7088km) at around 2242z.  Local G0LRD (25km) also spotted him. This is now the 11th transatlantic 10m Es opening this summer by Es. WSPR certainly helps!