10m has (again) been good today with plenty of USA station spotted and spotting me. Also, as of 1633z FR1GZ has now spotted me 7 times so far.
UPDATE 1840z: WG2Z (5600km) was still being spotted here at 1826z, but at present there is a shortage of South Americans on 10m WSPR. This, I think, is a lack of active 10m WSPR stations rather than poor conditions. No doubt other modes like PSK31 and JT65 may be "humming" with South Americans! Europeans seem plentiful with several 10m WSPR stations logged presumably Es or F2 backscatter.
28 Sept 2014
USA (again) on 10m WSPR
Right on time, the USA is coming through yet again on 10m WSPR. K3GEN (5883km) was copied at 1514z and again at 1524z. So far (at 1534z) he has spotted me once. FR1GZ has been copied 4 times so far this afternoon. KZ8C was copied at 1528z.
The band is opening by F2 to the USA.
UPDATE 1833z: WG2Z (5600km) is still being spotted here at 1826z at a fairly weak -26dB S/N. The surprise (here at least) is the total absence of any stations from South America so far. I would have expected to spot a few by now.
The band is opening by F2 to the USA.
UPDATE 1833z: WG2Z (5600km) is still being spotted here at 1826z at a fairly weak -26dB S/N. The surprise (here at least) is the total absence of any stations from South America so far. I would have expected to spot a few by now.
Sunspots and a return to 10m
Sunspot count today is a respectable 159 (but with blackouts) and 20-30MHz conditions are described as "normal". Having been excluded from my shack for the last 2days (nearly - granddaughter's cot), I have just returned to 10m WSPR to see how conditions are.
Already EA5WO (1428km) and FR1GZ (9724km) have been spotted here and local G0LRD (25km) has spotted me. Conditions on 10m look normal for late September not long after a weak solar peak. Next year is likely to be harder going.
On current form, South and North America will appear soon on 10m.
Already EA5WO (1428km) and FR1GZ (9724km) have been spotted here and local G0LRD (25km) has spotted me. Conditions on 10m look normal for late September not long after a weak solar peak. Next year is likely to be harder going.
On current form, South and North America will appear soon on 10m.
27 Sept 2014
Early QRT this evening
As I have a very young granddaughter in a cot in the shack, I have now gone QRT and no doubt missed some choice DX on 10m WSPR! It is always the case that best conditions occur just after I close down, irrespective of the band.
This afternoon, PT2WWV (8873km) was spotted here 20 times. He spotted my 2W WSPR 6 times before I went QRT. Another new station and country was TA2AEG (Turkey) who was a huge signal but he was using 50W. I don't think he knows that WSPR only needs a few watts. He'll soon realise he can save on his fuel bills!
This afternoon, PT2WWV (8873km) was spotted here 20 times. He spotted my 2W WSPR 6 times before I went QRT. Another new station and country was TA2AEG (Turkey) who was a huge signal but he was using 50W. I don't think he knows that WSPR only needs a few watts. He'll soon realise he can save on his fuel bills!
Sunspots and 10m
Sunspot count today is 203 (high, but with blackouts), yet 20-30MHz conditions are only forecast to be "fair". It remains to be seen how 10m performs today, but already we have seen a wide geographical spread of Europeans on 10m WSPR, presumably Es, but just possibly F2 backscatter.
Last night the last USA station spotted here was WG2Z (5600km) at 2222z, very late indeed. SI9AM (1503km) was being spotted early this morning at 0512z here (before breakfast). I only noticed this station as I'd been running WSPR overnight, during which time only locals and GDX copied.
I have the feeling today will be a good 10m day.
UPDATE 1020z: FR1GZ (9724km) copied for the first time today at 1008z.
UPDATE 1342z: Already PT2WWV (8873km) has been spotted 7 times this lunchtime on 10m WSPR. He has also spotted my 2W a few times too.
Last night the last USA station spotted here was WG2Z (5600km) at 2222z, very late indeed. SI9AM (1503km) was being spotted early this morning at 0512z here (before breakfast). I only noticed this station as I'd been running WSPR overnight, during which time only locals and GDX copied.
I have the feeling today will be a good 10m day.
UPDATE 1020z: FR1GZ (9724km) copied for the first time today at 1008z.
UPDATE 1342z: Already PT2WWV (8873km) has been spotted 7 times this lunchtime on 10m WSPR. He has also spotted my 2W a few times too.
26 Sept 2014
10m WSPR - overnight
As 10m is still wide open I shall leave 10m WSPR running overnight to find out when the opening to the USA/Canada ends. If it follows the pattern of previous evenings it will draw to a close soon but this is 10m, a band full of surprises.
It will be interesting to see if any Europeans are copied during the night.
I shall check the PC clock sync before I go to bed.
UPDATE 2144z: KC1AWS is still spotting my 2W on 10m WSPR.
It will be interesting to see if any Europeans are copied during the night.
I shall check the PC clock sync before I go to bed.
UPDATE 2144z: KC1AWS is still spotting my 2W on 10m WSPR.
Evening on 10m WSPR
The last USA station spotted here on 10m this evening was at 1902z and that was KZ8C. There may be others later, but at the moment that looks like it for the day.
EA7KZ is still coming in (Es?) at 2000z and I suspect will be coming through for a while yet.
UPDATE 2040z: Well I was wrong as K9AN was spotted at -24dB S/N at 2038z. A few minutes later quite a few North Americans were spotting me. The opening to the USA and Canada is far from over. The band may have been late coming to life, but it is good now. 10m - another magic band.
EA7KZ is still coming in (Es?) at 2000z and I suspect will be coming through for a while yet.
UPDATE 2040z: Well I was wrong as K9AN was spotted at -24dB S/N at 2038z. A few minutes later quite a few North Americans were spotting me. The opening to the USA and Canada is far from over. The band may have been late coming to life, but it is good now. 10m - another magic band.
Sunspots and 10m WSPR
Sunspot count today is a decent 139 (with blackouts) and 20-30MHz propagation is "good". And yet, 10m has been disappointing.
I started on 10m WSPR quite early but FR1GZ (9724km) has only been spotted 3 times so far and USA stations only started coming through quite late this afternoon. There have been some Europeans spotted and spotting me as there has been many times in recent weeks. 10m has been rather disappointing today really. Yes,there is DX about, but it is not what I would call "wide open" as the forecasts might suggest.
10m is another "magic band". It rarely behaves quite as one might expect.
I started on 10m WSPR quite early but FR1GZ (9724km) has only been spotted 3 times so far and USA stations only started coming through quite late this afternoon. There have been some Europeans spotted and spotting me as there has been many times in recent weeks. 10m has been rather disappointing today really. Yes,there is DX about, but it is not what I would call "wide open" as the forecasts might suggest.
10m is another "magic band". It rarely behaves quite as one might expect.
25 Sept 2014
USA at last on 10m WSPR today!
Well, just as I was about to QSY down to 472kHz, blow me if 10m doesn't open to the USA! N4AU (6976km) was spotting my 2W at -6dB S/N at 1854z and WA9JWL (6360km) at -17dB S/N at 1902z. 10m is an odd band - just when I was about to move off the band, it "comes good".
UPDATE 1922z: Interestingly, KZ8C was spotted by local G0LRD and KZ8C also spotted G0LRD too. But (certainly to this time) Dave has not been spotted by other USA stations.
UPDATE 2116z: KZ8C (6290km) was spotted here at 1926z. Since then, just local G0LRD.
UPDATE 2153z: A late spot at 2138z of G6NHU (78km) to end another day on the fascinating 10m band. Now QRT.
UPDATE 1922z: Interestingly, KZ8C was spotted by local G0LRD and KZ8C also spotted G0LRD too. But (certainly to this time) Dave has not been spotted by other USA stations.
UPDATE 2116z: KZ8C (6290km) was spotted here at 1926z. Since then, just local G0LRD.
UPDATE 2153z: A late spot at 2138z of G6NHU (78km) to end another day on the fascinating 10m band. Now QRT.
Worldwide 136/137kHz grabbers + a simple 2200m RX (kit or ready built)
This link to a very useful list of 2200m grabbers worldwide was found on the website of Yuki JA5FP. If you are interested in 136/137kHz this list of grabbers may be very useful. A grabber is a receiver that uploads what it receives to the internet, usually as a spectrograph.
For how to make your own grabber, see how I did it. My grabber is usually only active when I do experiments. See https://sites.google.com/site/sub9khz/vlf-grabbers/vlf-grabber-creation . I used a public folder in Dropbox and pointed my grabber website to this location. In my case I was monitoring 8.97kHz VLF, or thereabouts, but the same idea will work at any frequency. I used Spectrum Lab or Spectran software to do the actual "grabbing". Other methods are equally valid.
Also on Yuri's site are details of his 136/137kHz receiver. See http://icas.to/lineup/idc-136ii-kit-eng.htm . This simple, but very effective, receiver uses a divided down HF crystal to give a very stable LO frequency of 130kHz. The output feeds a PC using Spectrum Lab or Spectran software. The receiver is available as a kit or ready built. Ready built the cost (with enclosure and shipped to Europe) is currently $110. I have no idea if duty is payable. Kits (less enclosure) is $75 shipped to Europe.
For how to make your own grabber, see how I did it. My grabber is usually only active when I do experiments. See https://sites.google.com/site/sub9khz/vlf-grabbers/vlf-grabber-creation . I used a public folder in Dropbox and pointed my grabber website to this location. In my case I was monitoring 8.97kHz VLF, or thereabouts, but the same idea will work at any frequency. I used Spectrum Lab or Spectran software to do the actual "grabbing". Other methods are equally valid.
Also on Yuri's site are details of his 136/137kHz receiver. See http://icas.to/lineup/idc-136ii-kit-eng.htm . This simple, but very effective, receiver uses a divided down HF crystal to give a very stable LO frequency of 130kHz. The output feeds a PC using Spectrum Lab or Spectran software. The receiver is available as a kit or ready built. Ready built the cost (with enclosure and shipped to Europe) is currently $110. I have no idea if duty is payable. Kits (less enclosure) is $75 shipped to Europe.
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