Back on 472kHz WSPR - and a new reporter!

About 50 minutes ago, I returned to 472kHz WSPR and was rewarded by a report from a new reporter this summer G3XDV. In the last 2 weeks of MF operation I have been spotted by 16 different stations. A lot more stations, if active, would be in range. Activity seems low regrettably.

Early evening on 472kHz WSPR

UPDATE 2030z:  The last time I looked there were 41 stations active on 472kHz WSPR. This is more than I can ever recall.

Now back to 20m

As 10m was the same as before (plenty of Es) I have returned to 20m WSPR but will try 20m JT65 and JT9-1 shortly. 10m F2 propagation is being seen in S.Europe, but has been absent with me.

UPDATE 1422z:  Best report so far on 20m WSPR is LA9JO (2096km). Nothing outside Europe so far.

UPDATE 1555z:  Just spotted VK5MR (16144km) on 20m WSPR. He was spotted again a little later. This is the best DX today. VK5MR was -23/-25dB S/N with 10W. This means my 2W (ERP less) would be inaudible his end.  He'd need to be around -16dB S/N with me for a chance of him copying me.  In the past, I have been spotted in  Australia on 40m, 20m and 10m with 1W WSPR or less, but not today.

UPDATE 1745z: VK5MR has now been spotted 4 times.

Gone back to 10m

Since about 5 minutes ago, I have QSYed back to 10m WSPR.  OZ7IT and G4KPX are good signals currently. I may try JT65/JT9-1 later on 10m or 20m.

UPDATE 1400z: All very quiet on 10m now with just locals G0LRD and G4KPX.  I may QSY back to 20m?  SM67464 (999km) was the last Es spot before lunch. G8JNJ/A (184km) was spotted at lunch time presumably by tropo and aircraft reflection (GDX).

40m WSPR

For the last 40 minutes I have been on 40m WSPR with the very indifferent PAR end-fed. Plenty of spts given and received, as might be expected. Will QSY back to 10m soon.

40m WSPR uniques in first 40 mins

Mistakes

It must be my stroke, but I seem to make at least one typo with every blog entry that I later have to go back and correct. Sometimes it takes me a while to even notice the error. As an example, "handicap" was "hadicap" for some while in the last post even though the spell checker had pointed this out to me.

If you see typos please tell me so I can correct as soon as possible.

20m WSPR - too easy?

For a change, I QSYed to 20m WSPR where my low Par end-fed is even more compromised, Despite this handicap,  I seem to get 4-6 reports with each 2 minute WSPR transmission.  Reports so far have been all from EU stations.

I may try JT65 and JT9-1 on 20m before perhaps QSYing to 40m. I am getting a bit tired of reports from the same stations!

UPDATE 1032z:  Best DX so far is spotting R2DDX (2493km).

QSYed to 10m

After being on MF (472kHz) overnight, I have at 0815z QSYed to 10m. 472kHz was disappointing with the same reporters. Best DX spot by me on 472kHz WSPR was DH5RAE (995km).

Sunspot count today is 73 but 20-30MHz conditions are expected to be "poor". Sounds like an unlikely day for 10m F2, but we'll see.

10m WSPR early Saturday

UPDATE 0900z:   EA5CYA (1376km) already spotted by 10m Es at 0834z.

UPDATE 0944z: Now Sweden SI9AM (1503km).

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.