70cms UKAC this evening

2000z to 2230z this evening (Nov 11th) is the next 70cms UK activity contest. Although my voice is poor, I shall try to come on for about an hour this evening. Contacts out to around 200km seem to be possible from the home QTH using 5W SSB and my hand-rotated 5 element beam. As it is now cold and dark and autumn, I suspect there may be less activity?   Activity is usually good with plenty of stations to work.

This is a very friendly sort of contest: just reports, serial numbers and QTH locators exchanged.   I only enter contests for fun, never to win, especially with my low power! If you can, come on 70cm SSB this evening.  Your presence would be welcomed warmly.

See http://www.rsgbcc.org/vhf/ for dates and times of all UKAC sessions.  These are excellent sessions.

Using the W5OLF 500mW 10m WSPR beacon today

W5OLF WSPR beacon - complete - no PC needed

This WSPR-AXE really is a very impressive little rig, in my case for 10m WSPR.  Because of my current disabled state -  I find all electronics building just about impossible - Jay very kindly sold me a built unit to evaluate. Results in just a few hours of operating have been truly impressive. No PC is needed as long as the push button is pressed at the start of an even minute. Jay says it stays stable for weeks thereafter. I ran mine for 3.5 hours and got masses of decodes. After lunch it has been getting LOTS of spots from the USA. I am sure it will reach Australia soon.

The unit needs about 15 minutes to frequency stabilise and is always on (the PA can be turned off), but it randomises the slots within the WSPR transmit window. This means it is unlikely to be "clobbered" by more powerful stations or cause others co-channel issues. 500mW seems plenty. In a word - BRILLIANT.

Best DX report (so far) today is FR1GZ (9724km).

10m WSPR - unique spots with the W5OLF beacon today, arranged by distance

If you want to buy one Jay W5OLF may be contacted on w5olf@comcast.net .

Sunspots - Nov 11th

Sunspot number has dropped to 68 and 10m daytime propagation is "fair". 10m is open to the USA again from here with my first USA spot (with 500mW) being at 1206z from WG2Z (5600km).

UPDATE 1510z:   Best DX report today (so far) is from K9AN (6505km).

Sunspots

Sunspot count today is 78 and 10m daytime propagation is forecast to be "fair".  Already by F2, 4X1RF is copying my 500mW 10m WSPR well and Karen RA3APW's 100mW Moscow 10m WSPR beacon is being copied here well.

Amateur radio on Wikipedia

For the current Wikipedia "take" on amateur radio take a look at this link below.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_radio .

472kHz WSPR

Since just before 1800z I QSYed to 472kHz WSPR using my 5mW ERP from my indifferent "strapped feeder" antenna.  Best DX spot so far this evening is by PA0RDT (243km) at 1900z although I expect better later.

UPDATE 2248z: The best spot, so far, of my 5mW ERP is by G3XKR (347km) in IO70ux square in North Devon.

Australia on 10m WSPR - 500mW

Just before lunch time VK5MR (16144km) managed to copy my 10m QRP (500mW) WSPR at -21dB S/N implying he might just have copied me at 50mW ERP.

Again, the band was wide open to the USA after lunch. The first USA station to spot my 500mW 10m WSPR was W3CSW at 1206z.

Last USA spot of me looks like it was N2BJW (5262km) at 1724z. Since then just locals spotting me.   I have now moved to MF with 5mW ERP.

Sunspots

Sunspot number is 92 today and 10m propagation expected to be "fair" although based on recent days that seems to suggest F2 propagation should be expected.

UPDATE 1900z:   It turned out to be an excellent day on 10m with lots of USA spots and a very decent spot of my 500mW from Australia. 10m is still at its best.

10m WSPR - results overnight

G0LRD (25km) running 50mW was coming through all night. At around 0630z UA6AAK (2780km) started to come through by F2.

10m WSPR overnight

Rather than QSY to MF I have decided to stick with 10m overnight tonight. Just G4IKZ spotting my 500mW since tea time, but it will be interesting to see who I spot first in the early hours and who spots my 500mW outsie of the UK. I have a good idea who this might be!