You may recall I had not copied this 2m Cornish beacon, even on MS pings here in East Anglia and was wondering why. Well, it turns out it is off air because it interferes with a local repeater. I was actually quite pleased to read this - my kit was not deaf after all. On 2m I use the FT817ND with a 3el beam.The QTH is on an East Anglian "hill" i.e. a small bump. In UKAC Tuesday evening contests I can usually work 200km+ with 5W from home. In the last UKAC 2m contest I worked a /P station in Scotland, which was much further.
UPDATE 5.10.14 0932z: According to the beacon keeper, they plan to turn the 2m beacon back on at GB3MCB when coax has been replaced and antennas re-sited. It is a small group though and funds are tight.
4 Oct 2014
472kHz WSPR this afternoon
It has been interesting to see who spots me in the daytime on 472kHz WSPR. Only 3 stations spotted me (2 quite locals - G0LRD (25km) and G3XIZ (46km), plus G8HUH at 250km, who receives people well).
On RX, I copied 3 stations - G4KPX (14km), G8HUH (250km) and PA3ABK/2 (306km). I shall stick with 472kHz WSPR this evening. No doubt range will increase at night.
UPDATE 1636z: 29 stations currently active on 472kHz WSPR of which G4KPX, G3ZJO and myself are in the UK and transmitting. I think we are all 3 of us are very QRP ERP stations. I know Richard G4KPX was running 1mW ERP (or less) to an indoor TX loop in a spare bedroom on 472kHz. He gets out very well.
UPDATE 1820z: DH5RAE (995km) and DJ0ABR (983km) now being spotted here on 472kHz WSPR.
UPDATE 2000z: G8LCO (58km) situated between Stevenage and Welwyn has copied me 6 times so far this evening. No great DX, but nice to be seen by someone relatively new (I think?) on the band.
UPDATE 2200z: G8LCO has now spotted me 12 times tonight so far. My best DX report so far is from PA0A (417km).
On RX, I copied 3 stations - G4KPX (14km), G8HUH (250km) and PA3ABK/2 (306km). I shall stick with 472kHz WSPR this evening. No doubt range will increase at night.
UPDATE 1636z: 29 stations currently active on 472kHz WSPR of which G4KPX, G3ZJO and myself are in the UK and transmitting. I think we are all 3 of us are very QRP ERP stations. I know Richard G4KPX was running 1mW ERP (or less) to an indoor TX loop in a spare bedroom on 472kHz. He gets out very well.
UPDATE 1820z: DH5RAE (995km) and DJ0ABR (983km) now being spotted here on 472kHz WSPR.
UPDATE 2000z: G8LCO (58km) situated between Stevenage and Welwyn has copied me 6 times so far this evening. No great DX, but nice to be seen by someone relatively new (I think?) on the band.
UPDATE 2200z: G8LCO has now spotted me 12 times tonight so far. My best DX report so far is from PA0A (417km).
Now QSYed to 472kHz WSPR
Even with 500mW out on 10m I was being spotted in Cameroon by TJ3TS (5478km), so I have QSYed down to 472kHz WSPR (5mW ERP) to see what daytime propagation is like. Initially just a spot from local G0LRD (25km) but I am hopeful of others too. Activity is not yet high (27 stations, many RX only) on MF.
The rain is just arriving here and not expected to clear through until 1600z.
The rain is just arriving here and not expected to clear through until 1600z.
Sunspots 128 and 10m conditions
Sunspot count today is a respectable 128 and 20-30MHz propagation "normal". Already been swapping 10m WSPR spots with 4X1RF (3519km) several times since around 0700z and at 0948z VK7AB (17342km) near Hobart in Tasmania was coming through weakly. No other Australians seen yet on 10m but the band is clearly open by F2 to some very distant places.
Nearer to home G0LRD (25km) is running 100mW and being copied OK here. I have just dropped down to 500mW from the FT817.
Nearer to home G0LRD (25km) is running 100mW and being copied OK here. I have just dropped down to 500mW from the FT817.
3 Oct 2014
South America on 10m WSPR
PT2WWV (8873km) was spotting me this evening at -21dB S/N at 1810z. So far, this is my first report today from South America. If I stick around on 10m, I doubt this will be the last report. PT2WWV seems to copy me well and I often copy him on 10m.
UPDATE 1855z: So far, PT2WWV has spotted me 3 times tonight.]
UPDATE 2230z: Last overseas spot of me was HB9ADJ (816km) at 1932z. Just locals since then. Staying on 10m through the night now to see which Europeans appear during the night.
UPDATE 1855z: So far, PT2WWV has spotted me 3 times tonight.]
UPDATE 2230z: Last overseas spot of me was HB9ADJ (816km) at 1932z. Just locals since then. Staying on 10m through the night now to see which Europeans appear during the night.
Should I try a new band?
As 10m is getting quite predictable these days and I think I just about know how far my 5mW ERP will get on 630m (472kHz), I am tempted to try a new band tonight, maybe 80m or 160m WSPR although activity levels are low.
Sunspots and 10m WSPR activity
Sunspot count today is 105 (decent) and 20-30MHz propagation forecast to be "excellent". This should mean some good long distances on 10m F2. So far, I am only being spotted by the locals.
UPDATE 1105z: A few spots exchanged with 4X1RF (3519km) on 10m and EA5WO (1428km) spotted here. DK6UG (633km) has also spotted me. As yet no really long distance F2 DX copied, but I expect that to soon change.
UPDATE 1120z: Seeing the above 10m WSPR spots you do wonder how often this band is open very briefly by Es or F2. For a WSPR decode you need the band to be open for nearly 2 minutes only. I suspect we will find it briefly opens far more frequently than was thought. After all, the MUF has just to creep above 28.1246MHz very briefly for WSPR to catch it. On CW or SSB you'd have to be very very patient. WSPR is some 12-14dB better than CW.G0MGM
UPDATE 1144z: G0MGM (101km) and M6NNB (127km) have been spotting me. These are interesting GDX distances. I assume these are pure tropo or plane enhanced, although there was little or no Doppler on my signal.
UPDATE 1434z: Have been exchanging 10m WSPR spots with USA stations since 1252z: 10m is well open to the USA yet again. It has been open daily to the USA for weeks now. This must be F2.
UPDATE 1615z: My 1550z TX transmission resulted in 14 spots of which 11 were from the USA and one of the remaining was even further afield from FR1GZ.
UPDATE 1105z: A few spots exchanged with 4X1RF (3519km) on 10m and EA5WO (1428km) spotted here. DK6UG (633km) has also spotted me. As yet no really long distance F2 DX copied, but I expect that to soon change.
UPDATE 1120z: Seeing the above 10m WSPR spots you do wonder how often this band is open very briefly by Es or F2. For a WSPR decode you need the band to be open for nearly 2 minutes only. I suspect we will find it briefly opens far more frequently than was thought. After all, the MUF has just to creep above 28.1246MHz very briefly for WSPR to catch it. On CW or SSB you'd have to be very very patient. WSPR is some 12-14dB better than CW.G0MGM
UPDATE 1144z: G0MGM (101km) and M6NNB (127km) have been spotting me. These are interesting GDX distances. I assume these are pure tropo or plane enhanced, although there was little or no Doppler on my signal.
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| Recent 10m WSPR spots |
UPDATE 1615z: My 1550z TX transmission resulted in 14 spots of which 11 were from the USA and one of the remaining was even further afield from FR1GZ.
Overnight success on 472kHz
Need to check if any new stations were spotting me overnight, but good results here on RX with 2 Italians spotted on 472kHz WSPR.
IW4DXW (1190km) was spotted 4 times around 0230z. IZ7PDX (1815km) was spotted here 2 times around 0200z. He is a new DX record on RX from this QTH.
This morning, in daytime, G8HUH (250km), G3WCB (101km) and G0LRD (25km) were spotting me. I have now moved to 28MHz (10m).
IW4DXW (1190km) was spotted 4 times around 0230z. IZ7PDX (1815km) was spotted here 2 times around 0200z. He is a new DX record on RX from this QTH.
This morning, in daytime, G8HUH (250km), G3WCB (101km) and G0LRD (25km) were spotting me. I have now moved to 28MHz (10m).
2 Oct 2014
FT991 multi-mode, 160m-70cm all mode transceiver
The first UK price looks like around £999 from Nevada who expect stocks spring/summer 2015. This is more than I was expecting.
This image is the best I could find. The image is located on the Universal Radio site in Ohio and the link to the image will be removed if this is a problem.
I would consider investing in this transceiver, but would be looking for a better price. The FT450D is currently £699 in the UK (even less at MLS £619.95 according to G1KQH) I wonder if they will spin out an FT817 replacement based on the FT991 design? I am sure there would be a good market for a 5-10W version here in the UK.
This image is the best I could find. The image is located on the Universal Radio site in Ohio and the link to the image will be removed if this is a problem.
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| http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamhf/3991lrg.jpg |
Click the image for a bigger, clearer picture.
I would consider investing in this transceiver, but would be looking for a better price. The FT450D is currently £699 in the UK (even less at MLS £619.95 according to G1KQH) I wonder if they will spin out an FT817 replacement based on the FT991 design? I am sure there would be a good market for a 5-10W version here in the UK.
10m WSPR - now spotting Canada
At 1550z VE3KCL (5696km), running 200mW WSPR, is being spotted here (just) at -29dB S/N.
UPDATE 1735z: 4X1RF (3519km) has spotted me 10 times so far today.
UPDATE 1910z: For well over an hour now I have been spotting, and been spotted by, just locals. It is too soon to call it a night and there might yet be more DX on 10m WSPR. For now, I shall stick with 10m to see what happens. Later I might QSY to MF.
UPDATE 1958z: No DX on 10m WSPR for 2 hours, so soon time to QSY to 630m (472kHz) WSPR.
UPDATE 2200z: Been on 472kHz since about 2020z.
UPDATE 1735z: 4X1RF (3519km) has spotted me 10 times so far today.
UPDATE 1910z: For well over an hour now I have been spotting, and been spotted by, just locals. It is too soon to call it a night and there might yet be more DX on 10m WSPR. For now, I shall stick with 10m to see what happens. Later I might QSY to MF.
UPDATE 1958z: No DX on 10m WSPR for 2 hours, so soon time to QSY to 630m (472kHz) WSPR.
UPDATE 2200z: Been on 472kHz since about 2020z.
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