Sunspots

Sunspot count today is 91 and 20-30MHz propagation described as "normal".  Judging by 10m WSPR results I translate this to be very good. Certainly 10m conditions (using WSPR at least) are as good as I remember. Cycle 24 has a lot of kick in it still.

10m WSPR is "humming"

With 12 spots (already) of FR1GZ (9724km) in the log since before breakfast and he is spotting me too, and with KD6RF (7526km) in the log again 10m WSPR is again "doing the business". These are all F2 propagation I am sure. Nice to see transatlantics just about daily.

Overnight, M0EMM (193km) was a consistently spotted GDX station.

At 1210z  DU1MGA (10674km) in the Philippines was spotting my 2W at -25dB S/N.

This morning, an old colleague, Karen,from Sepura days, was spotted many times running 100mW to an indoor antenna on 10m WSPR: RA3APW (2443km) in Moscow. At best, he was -7dB S/N with just 100mW (measured carefully). Incredible.

Yet again, 10m is in good shape.

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.

Antennas

I was going to take down my V2000 and replace with a 10m halo to give me better performance on 10m than the tri-band end-fed Par wire to the tree (tree is visible but Par wire is not visible in picture).
However, I would lose 6m, 2m and 70cm vertical coverage and the Par seems to be doing a credible job on 10m, 20m and even on 40m. It is very low for 40m. On 10m it seems to be a few dB down on better antennas, but I can live with this. The V2000 works pretty well on 6, 2 and 70cms.

So, for the foreseeable future, I'll stick with the current antennas. Getting up ladders to work on antennas is currently out of the question (health issues) but lots of kind people would help, I know. 

Although not the world's best, I can cover 40, 20, 10, 6, 2 and 70cms pretty well with the current antennas in the air. Using strapped feeders and an ATU, other MF and HF bands can be covered too. I can also work MF with the earth-electrode system in the ground.

Rotating by hand the 2m/70cm antenna for UKAC sessions is not a problem, judging by results.

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 - quiet overnight

10m WSPR was left running through the night but only spots were exchanged with locals. No DX seen here on the band overnight until just before breakfast time.

10m WSPR transatlantic again

As late as 1924z KD6RF (7526km) was being spotted from EM22lr square near Dallas, Texas. There were other USA stations being spotted here earlier too. In addition, CX2ABP (11127km) was spotting me at 1850z (and several times earlier) and there is extensive Es about (this could be F layer backscatter I suppose). Conditions on 10m WSPR remain good.

UPDATE 1955z:  KC1AWS (5308km) was spotting me at 1940z.

UPDATE 2025z:  CX2ABP (11127km) in Uruguay still spotting my 2W at 1958z.

UPDATE 2240z:  Just locals for the last 2.7 hours. The real DX has now ended for the day. I shall leave 10m WSPR running overnight to see what turns up. The clock has just been resynchronized to internet time.

Not ham radio......

See http://qss2.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/spre-2m-anyone.html .

http://search.savills.com/content/assets/properties/gbetrsexs140087/EXS140087_02_gal.JPG

There is a house on the market (Landmark) in Salcombe, Devon, the seaside town where I was brought up as a child, that is likely to be sold to the highest bidder and the site redeveloped purely for greed and a quick profit.

The house was the home of author Paul Gallico and is in the "Arts and Crafts" style. It is a rare gem. Ideally, it should be a listed building. Locals are being priced out of their own town by those with "loads of money" but very little sense.  The lovely home is on the market for £1.95M - far too much for me!

Please, write to English Heritage to see if the building can be listed to stop redevelopment of the home and site.   Write to customers@english-heritage.org.uk .

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 transatlantic - yet again

Surely, these 10m openings - there yet again today - must be F2 and not multi-hop Es? Already spotted are K3NAL (5930km) and KZ8C (6290km).

FR1GZ (9724km) on Reunion Is, Indian Ocean, has also been spotted here several times and TJ3TS (5478km) in Cameroon is spotting me too.

It seems to me we are experiencing decent F2 propagation on 10m, and it is only mid-September. Maybe it is WSPR being so sensitive that openings that would have been missed in the past are now being noticed?

UPDATE 1639z:  10m has been open to the USA all afternoon on WSPR. This must be F2 rather than Es as it is almost predictable.

UPDATE 1845z:  I went QRT on 10m just before teatime as I needed the PC for something else. When closing, the band was still wide open to the USA.

UPDATE 2210z:  I returned to 10m WSPR at 1912z. The last USA station to spot me was AF5ES at 2008z. CX2ABP (11127km) was spotted here at 1944z.