Sunspot number - "only" 73

I say this with a degree of sarcasm, knowing that we'd be thrilled with a SN of 73 in a year or two's time. 10m conditions are expected to be "fair". So far, my 500mW WSPR beacon is getting no spots since switch-on just after 1100z.

UPDATE 1240z:   The 10m WSPR sub-band seems to have "woken up" around 1142z, with plenty of EU activity since that time.

QSYed to 472kHz

At around 1515z, I QSYed down to MF (472kHz) WSPR and immediately spotted PA3ABK/2 (306km) when using my short baseline earth-electrode "antenna".

Already, G0LRD (25km) and G8HUH (250km) have spotted me on 472kHz WSPR. The earth-electrode antenna does really work pretty well both on RX and TX despite my very low ERP (5mW) on the band.

UPDATE 1624z:  PA0O (440km) also spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1832z:  G7NKS (46km) has now come on and is spotting me.

UPDATE 1800z: G8LCO (58km) now spotting me.

UPDATE 2100z:   Best DX on RX so far this evening is F1AFJ (607km) at -29dB S/N at 1946z.

UPDATE 2318z:   My 472kHz 5mW ERP WSPR will remain on overnight using the earth-electrode "antenna".

6m WSPR - I am giving up soon!

Well, I did think that today I'd have more success on 6m, but I think it was wishful thinking: I've now been on the band for nearly 6 hours and it is DEAD.  I'll give it a little longer then QSY to 10m or 472kHz.

Looks like there was a little Es in Australia otherwise very quiet on 6m. GDX requires stations to be active and I guess outside the Es season, people don't use the band much outside of the occasional contest.

Sunspots

Sunspot number today has declined to 97 today. 10m propagation is forecast to be "fair". Today looks like an average day on 10m. As said in my previous post I am trying 6m, but so far no success!

6m WSPR - what a waste of effort, so far

Since around 0915z, I have been using about 30dBm (1W) ERP vertical on 6m WSPR on 20% TX, with the remainder of the time on RX. In all that time I have seen NOTHING and been seen by NOBODY at all. I was hoping to catch a little GDX or wintertime Es, but no luck so far.

I shall stick with 6m for a few more hours, but think it now unlikely I'll spot anyone or anyone will spot me on 6m now. Not quite sure why I bother as I always draw a blank on 6m. The summer Es season was very productive and I am disappointed by the "out of season" 6m activity.

Stateside on 10m today

This afternoon has, again, been good with lots of spots of my 500mW 10m WSPR from North America. These are just some of the spots this afternoon, showing in time order.  As you see, most spots are from North America.

UPDATE 1745z:  K4COD (6826km) is still spotting me.

UPDATE 1906z:  KB1TLC (4983km) spotted by 500mW WSPR on 10m at 1812z. At the moment, this looks like the last spot today from North America, although I shall be on for a while yet.

UPDATE 1922z:  Currently,WSPRnet is showing 61 stations active on 10m WSPR. However, if the propagation is not there, stations cannot be copied.

UPDATE 2000z:  Just G0LRD (25km)  running 50mW now being copied on 10m WSPR. UPDATE 2003z:  I may try 6m WSPR tomorrow to see if there is any wintertime Es. UPDATE 2230z:  Now QRT.

10m winter Es?

DL6YCU (522km) is now spotting my 500mW 10m WSPR. I am seeing lots of closer EU stations on the 10m band. I am wondering if this is the start of the winter Es season? It usually occurs December and January. I should return to 6m WSPR soon!

OFCOM statement: Updating the Amateur Radio Licence

OFCOM here in the UK have decided to make 470kHz and the 5MHz slots available to full licence holders without the need for an NoV. There are some other changes too, mainly affecting microwave bands in the UK.

See http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/amateur-radio-licence/statement?utm_source=updates&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=amateur-statement-dec14 .

Sunspots and 10m

Sunspot number today is 137 yet 10m propagation is only forecast to be "fair". This is the day I spot New Zealand on 10m WSPR!   On previous days when 10m propagation was "good"  I did not.  

Moral - on 10m the forecasts are a guide. Do not always take them as gospel.

UPDATE 1020z:  Still just Europeans copying my 500mW on 10m WSPR . No more "super DX" seen yet today.

ZL on 10m WSPR today

ZL2IT (18569km) running 5W was spotted here on 10m WSPR this morning at 0946z, not long after turning the rig on.  He was not strong at -25dB S/N.  As yet, no reports of my 500mW from Australia or New Zealand today.

Just Europeans spotting me so far this morning. Distances seem to suggest F-layer propagation, although I am unsure about some of the closer stations e.g. Italy which could be back-scatter or even Es. Every day now my 500mW is copied right across Europe.

UPDATE 1105z:   Just spotted LX and DL on 10m WSPR. This far too short for F2 propagation. I suspect this is Es as there are now lots of closer EU stations being copied. No Doppler evident on these signals.

UPDATE 2200z:  The day ended with reports of my 500mW WSPR from no further than the USA. In 2 years time I'd be thrilled to bits with this! Today, the USA and Canada are easy even with 500mW.