Full marks to Hans Summers

Thanks to my blog post about the Ultimate 3 beacon yesterday, Hans Summers has arranged to send me the missing GPS unit from my order earlier in the year. I was going to write, but Hans beat me to it! Hans - thank you.

UPDATE 2022z:   I agree that the Ultimate 3 is a pretty comprehensive beacon, but currently it is beyond my (currently clumsy) building skills. I hope next year I'll be able to manage it.

Sunspots and 10m

Sunspot number has risen to 175 and 10m daytime propagation is forecast to be "good". Looks like a good day ahead on 10m.

Ultimate 3 WSPR (and other modes) beacon

The Ultimate3 QRSS/WSPR Transmitter Kit is the third version in the "Ultimate" QRSS/WSPR kit trilogy. It can produce QRSS, Hell, WSPR, Opera and PI4 slow-signal modes anywhere from audio to 10m and above. Plug-in LPF filters are available for all 12 HF/MF/LF bands.

The price is USD $29.00. To order please visit QRP Labs.

The Ultimate 3 is probably the lowest cost beacon available. I still have my unbuilt kit awaiting better health to build, although several kind folk have offered to build mine for me. Jay W5OLF kindly supplied me a 10m 500mW, single PCB, WSPR beacon (WSPR-AXE-CW) ready assembled and that has blown me away: it has been copied in every continent on 10m.  The Ultimate 3 is the more flexible design but the WSPR-AXE-CW is an ideal tiny WSPR only beacon.

My Ultimate 3 kit was ordered with GPS, but it was supplied without this, but with an extra PCB - I think I got the wrong order. I really should write to Hans Summers, but I have been too unwell. For now, the kit remains unbuilt. I intend to build it when I am fitter and less clumsy, hopefully in 2015.

472kHz WSPR - much more productive!

Despite my very low ERP (5mW) on 472kHz and just a short baseline earth-electrode "antenna" system I am decoding M0PPP, G8VDQ, PA3ABK/2 (306km) and PA0O (440km) and I am being spotted by G0LRD (25km).  These are all within minutes of switch-on.

UPDATE 2030z:  4 spots per transmission on latest TX period - not too bad considering the non "antenna" and my very low ERP.  Good to be spotted by G3ZJO (79km).  Eddie must have made improvements as he is regularly spotted here and he often spots me.

6m - I gave up!

Having left 6m WSPR running all night -1W ERP vertical  20% TX, 80% RX - I have now given up and QSYed to MF. There were zero spots given or received. A total dead loss yet again. I think I am going to give up on 6m at this time of the year. To be honest, I was expecting to spot someone last night - probably GDX but nothing at all was a total disappointment. I tried very hard and have done so on about 8 different days in the last month. There is just a lack of 6m activity at this time of the year here in the UK.

Sunspots and 10m - Sunday Dec 14th 2014

Sunspot number today is currently 121 and 10m daytime conditions are "good", so the ARRL 10m contest should be a good one for those taking part. It is on all weekend. I am unable to take part because of visitors although I am WSPRing on 10m and 630m.

HF contests

I am not a great fan of HF contests.  As a QRPer, I find CW contests all but impossible as people tend to send and receive at incredible speeds usually with PCs. SSB is usually better and often the "other end" has worked you before realising you are running QRP.  Later stages of contests are usually easier as the big guns are sweeping for remaining points and looking to work weaker stations.

I have been unable to work in the ARRL 10m contest (visitors this weekend) ) and I forgot the CQWW SSB contest this year! Last year, I was in hospital. It is 2 years since I last took part in CQWW SSB, which I find a very fruitful contest. I usually stick with 10m only.

Each Tuesday evening the RSGB organises a rotating series of VHF/UHF contests (UKAC) and I try to come on for the 50, 144 and 432MHz contests where I am at home and available.  I use 5w pep and a V2000 vertical on 50MHz, a 3 el on 144MHz and 5 el on 432MHz.  On 144 and 432MHz the antenna is hand-rotated. On 50MHz it is vertical and fixed.  I can usually work 150-250km in these contests despite my 5W.

First and last USA 10m WSPR spot today

WG2Z (5600km) was the first in the USA to spot my 10m 500mW beacon at 1226z and 1228z. My signal report was  up to -11dB S/N, which is strong for 500mW. I suspect there will be lots more stateside reports later this afternoon.

My last spot from the USA was at 1640z (quite early) by K9AN (6505km). Local G4IKZ(18km) has not been spotting me. I think his beam is pointing somewhere else.

6m MS - Geminids shower tonight

MS should be good overnight as we are at the peak of the Geminids MS shower.  Overnight I'll leave 6m and 10m WSPR running to see if I get any long pings and possible spots.

Sunspots and 10m

Sunspot number is 132 . 10m propagation is expected to be "good". I am already getting 10m WSPR reports from all over Europe and FR1GZ (9724km) for my 500mW beacon.

A reminder that the ARRL 10m contest is today and tomorrow.