Useful info on Steve G1KQH's blog

Steve has some useful links to the new 2m extension NoV (on the RSGB website) and to the draft manual for the new LNR Precision HF rig. See http://g1kqh.blogspot.co.uk/ .

Early USA spot on 10m

WB1FIG (5304km) was spotting my 500mW very early on 10m WSPR today at 1116z.  As far as I recall, this is the earliest so far this autumn.  Conditions look pretty decent on 10m so far.

UPDATE 1547z:  My best DX WSPR spot on 10m so far with 500mW from the FT817 is WB5B (8238km) at 1526z.

Back on 10m WSPR

Yesterday I remained on 472kHz WSPR all day, but today I have moved back to 28MHz (10m) during the day running 500mW from the FT817. So far it has been all Europeans spotting me, but the reports are coming in from right across the continent. On RX here, I am copying as far as Australia.

All grandchildren have now gone home again. The house is very quiet and outside it is miserable: heavy persistent rain.

Sunspots and 10m propagation

Sunspot count today has climbed back to 138 but daytime 10m conditions are again forecast to be just "fair". Nonetheless, I was copying VK2EMA (16558km) at 1016z on 10m so the band is certainly supporting long distance F2 propagation.

472kHz today.

Today I decided to stop on 472kHz all day and not QSY up to 10m. PA3ABK/2 (306km) is yet again a decent daytime signal with me at around -9/-10dB S/N. Spotting me so far it has just been the usual locals and semi-locals. This will change after dark when more distant Europeans should copy me.

In the last 2 weeks 27 different stations in 7 countries have copied my 5mW ERP on 472kHz WSPR.  My all time list of reporters from this QTH on this band is even higher as GM4SLV  (896km) is not included, and possibly others too.

Unique  spots of my 5mW WSPR on 472kHz TX in last 2 weeks

Sunspot number dropping

Sunspot number dropped to 78 today and 10m daytime propagation is "fair". Checking on WSPRnet I see that 10m opened to the USA again today starting well before lunchtime for European stations, CX2ABP has also been copied in Europe. 10m is in decent shape yet again. I have not been on 10m today.

472kHz DX this evening

DX from EA3NE (1198km) and IW4DXW (1190km) is appearing very early on 472kHz WSPR this evening. F5WK (364km) is a consistent signal too.  On TX, just locals and relatively locals spotting me so far.

Sunspots

Sunspot number today is 138 and 10m daytime conditions,are expected to be "fair". So far 10m is in good shape with immediate spots from LZ and OH at excellent strengths. No F2 DX outside Europe yet seen.

SPRAT on DVD - new version

I am a great supporter of the GQRP club. Their quarterly magazine SPRAT represents the very best in Amateur Radio. If you are interested in QRP then please join the GQRP Club. It is excellent.

There is now a new, up to date version of the DVD with all back copies of the excellent SPRAT magazine.  If I had to stop all subscriptions and magazines then the GQRP club (and SPRAT every quarter) would be the only one I'd keep  - it is that good.

Hi

Tony & I have been working away and we have produced the latest version of the Sprat-on-DVD. This includes all Sprats right up to the one that has just been sent to members (number 160).

It is now available to members at £5 plus £1.20 postage. I will have them at the Galashiels rally and at Rishworth of course. The local guys who represent us at some of the other rallies will also have some shortly.

As we have known that this issue has been on the way for a while, as a concession, we will let anyone who bought the current DVD (1 to 148) after 1st August this year, have a copy of the new DVD for the special price of £2.50 including postage. To get this deal, you have to tell me when you bought the old DVD – if at a rally, which rally it was, and send me the CD case paper label together with the £2.50 in stamps. I do not want the actual DVD, just an assurance that you will destroy it when you receive the new one.

I should add that this is for members only of course, and applies just to UK members! Overseas members who think they also qualify should contact me direct and we may be able to work out a deal for them also.

Overseas prices are on the club website - http://gqrp.com/sales.htm

The new DVD is available to non-members at £12 plus the appropriate postage.

Thanks

73

Graham

G3MFJ

WSPR 4.0 (Beta release)

http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/WSPR4.00r4171.exe

This is a beta release of WSPR (version 4.0). It has worked fine for me.

This is the version I currently use on all bands. Unfortunately, it does not have the real-time waterfall. You see the action only after a 2 minute TX period and not during the transmission as was the case for WSPRX.

The interface looks very similar to WSPR V2.2.

Please let me, and others, know if there are more recent releases by adding a comment and link.