As I can now use the FT817 with PC totally separate from my WSPR-AXE beacon for 10m (this needs no PC or separate rig), this morning I continued use of the FT817 on 472kHz WSPR.
G8VDQ (93km) is still being spotted and locals G0LRD and G4KPX are still spotting me. I need to check clock sync.
24 Nov 2014
10m WSPR this morning so far
Using the 500mW WSPR-AXE beacon on 10m, it has just been Europeans spotting me so far. Spots have been from France, Norway, UK and Ukraine. I expect the 10m band will open to the USA for me shortly. The USA is already open for some Europeans.
UPDATE 1216z: Still no stateside 10m spots as yet.
UPDATE 1216z: Still no stateside 10m spots as yet.
Bang good portables
There is some confusion over these radios. Although some are limited in the number of channels and some may come pre-programmed, for example, for the European licence free 446MHz band, several models (such as the ones shown yesterday) say they can be re-programmed in the 400-470MHz range. If so, they would make very low cost 70cms portables.
On the Bang good website there are even lower cost units for the USA market.
On the Bang good website there are even lower cost units for the USA market.
Sunspots - Nov 24th 2014
The sunspot number has slipped a little lower to 66 but 10m daytime conditions remain "good". Some F2 propagation should be expected.
23 Nov 2014
Unbelievable prices!
I cannot believe these prices. £13.91 for a pair covering 400-470MHz, 500mW, with free shipping to the UK. That is under £7 each for a 70cm transceiver from Bang good. Just how do they make any profit? Buy 3 sets and it is even cheaper. Quite remarkable!
The link says T688 but the photo T668. Not sure which is the correct number but the link works.
The rigs run from 3 x AAA batteries (each) and the price does not include a charger.
ARRL propagation forecasts
For those of you who subscribe to the ARRL (not everyone does and I have no plans to renew my subs next year), the weekly propagation forecasts make interesting reading. Even more interesting are the archived old forecasts, so we can see just how good conditions are compared, for example, with the same time in 2007. As I mentioned before, if you are not an ARRL member you will not be able to follow the link, I believe.
ARRL members see http://www.arrlrg/w1aw-bulletins-archive/ARLP054/2007 .
Why am I not renewing my digital subscription with ARRL?
Earlier in the year I could not use my password and it took a week to sort it out. The online help was no help at all. It took several emails before anyone actually helped me. Most of QST seems to be ads similar to those in UK magazines. I cannot see the value in continuing ARRL membership. In summary, the ARRL seemed a pretty useless organisation. I was NOT impressed.
GQRP Club membership is much better value in my view.
ARRL members see http://www.arrlrg/w1aw-bulletins-archive/ARLP054/2007 .
Why am I not renewing my digital subscription with ARRL?
Earlier in the year I could not use my password and it took a week to sort it out. The online help was no help at all. It took several emails before anyone actually helped me. Most of QST seems to be ads similar to those in UK magazines. I cannot see the value in continuing ARRL membership. In summary, the ARRL seemed a pretty useless organisation. I was NOT impressed.
GQRP Club membership is much better value in my view.
472kHz WSPR - 5mW ERP
As well as TX beaconing on 10m, I have again been on MF (472kHz) but so far no great DX either spotting me or being spotted here using the short baseline earth-electrode "antenna". Best DX, so far, in daylight, is PA3ABK/2 (306km) being copied here. Things may be better later?
UPDATE 1642z: G3WCB (101km) is now spotting me (1618z) at -22dB S/N. Darkness has just fallen here. It is a miserable day with lots of rain.
UPDATE 1720z: DK7FC (669km) is now being spotted here.
UPDATE 1758z: Several 472kHz DX stations now being spotted including LA3EQ (769km) and F1AFJ (607km).
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| Unique WSPR spots with the earth-electrode "antenna" and 5mW ERP on 472kHz |
UPDATE 1720z: DK7FC (669km) is now being spotted here.
UPDATE 1758z: Several 472kHz DX stations now being spotted including LA3EQ (769km) and F1AFJ (607km).
10m spots of the WSPR-AXE 500mW beacon so far today
The tiny little W5OLF designed WSPR-AXE beacon continues to do a great job with lots of spots again today. Although things were a little slow towards the USA and Canada earlier, there are plenty of stations over there spotting me now. This is a list of the unique 10m spotters so far (to 1600z). In most cases, stations have reported me multiple times.
UPDATE 2022z: The last USA station to spot me was AB4QS at 1736z.
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| Unique 10m WSPR spots with WSPR-AXE 500mW beacon so far today. |
MST SSB transceiver kits
See http://www.ozqrp.com/index.html .
A nice line of SSB QRP transceivers for 80, 40 or 20m with power up to 5W. These kits come from Australia and payment is by PayPal. I have no experience of these kits so have no idea how they perform when bands are busy as in Europe.
It looks like these are easy to build kits.
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| https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B2o8mpYIgAAX6Pc.png:large |
It looks like these are easy to build kits.
More 10m USA spots
As the afternoon has progressed. quite a few more USA stations have been spotting me. As usual, it is the same old stations that have spotted me before like K9AN, W3CSW, KB9AMG plus others. WSPR tends to be like this with similar stations spotting one. I think there is more variety on JT65 and JT9-1 modes.
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