Overnight 472kHz was quite productive and certainly the best night so far on the band this late summer.
Best DX copied here using the barefoot and somewhat deaf FT817 and earth-electrode "antenna" was DH5RAE (995km). The best report of my own 5mW ERP was by PA3ABK (306km) overnight. Others who copied my tiny signal were G6AVK (78km) and G8LCO (58km).
5 Sept 2015
Sunspots and 10m - Sat Sept 5th 2015
Sunspot number is 36 today (K=3) but 10m propagation remains "poor". I am not expecting conditions on the higher bands to do much today.
4 Sept 2015
PA3ABK/2 on 472kHz WSPR
PA3ABK/2 (306km) has been spotted here at good strength (around-13dB S/N) several times this evening. As yet, no-one has yet spotted my 5mW ERP MF signal.
UPDATE 1838z: Although I am still beaconing on 10m WSPR (500mW) as well as being active on MF, no further 10m Es reports since this morning.
UPDATE 2040z: PA0A copied and G6AVK has been copying me on 472kHz WSPR.
UPDATE 2224z: There are definitely more stations being copied on 472kHz WSPR than last month. The latest is F5WK (436km) at 2218z.
UPDATE 1838z: Although I am still beaconing on 10m WSPR (500mW) as well as being active on MF, no further 10m Es reports since this morning.
UPDATE 2040z: PA0A copied and G6AVK has been copying me on 472kHz WSPR.
UPDATE 2224z: There are definitely more stations being copied on 472kHz WSPR than last month. The latest is F5WK (436km) at 2218z.
Back on 472kHz WSPR
At around 1535z I moved from 6m WSPR to 630m WSPR (80% RX, 20% TX at 5mW ERP). My RX is a bit deaf I know on MF, without the preamp. It certainly cannot be less busy on 630m than 6m, which is a dead loss here most of the time now. There is very very little Es on 6m WSPR, at least for me now. I know my set-up is quite reasonable for 6m Es. Presently there are 23 stations active in the world on 630m (472kH)z WSPR. On 6m WSPRnet shows just 11 active in the world!
eBay deals - NOT amateur radio
See http://www.ebay.co.uk/
There are some amazing deals on eBay. For example, you can buy a brand new Vivitar 4.1 megapixel camera with SD slot, with a manufacturer's warranty for 12 months for just £5.99. This is supplied from a dealer in the UK too.
It is some years since I last used eBay. At this price it is very tempting.
There are some amazing deals on eBay. For example, you can buy a brand new Vivitar 4.1 megapixel camera with SD slot, with a manufacturer's warranty for 12 months for just £5.99. This is supplied from a dealer in the UK too.
It is some years since I last used eBay. At this price it is very tempting.
472kHz WSPR this weekend
As 6m is not showing much of interest, I shall probably switch to 630m (472kHz) WSPR this weekend when I am not active in the 2m contest. This should mean I'll be on evenings and overnight (80% RX, 20% TX) with about 5mW ERP from the earth-electrode "antenna". I have still to try my preamp on 472kHz.
Sunspots and 10m - Fri Sept 4th 2015
With the sunspot number at 27 (K=4) and 10m propagation expected to remain "poor" I am not expecting that much today on the higher HF bands. K=4 suggests quite disturbed conditions, so the only real hope is a sporadic bit of Es if we are lucky.
10m Es but only tropo on 6m WSPR
Yes, there still is some 10m Es about, with OZ7IT (853km) spotting my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon this morning several times. It pays to have a beacon running in the background to catch these fleeting openings. G4IKZ (18km) is a regular local who is also spotting me.
At the moment only tropo/aircraft reflections on 6m with several spots yet again of G0OQK (98km) on 6m WSPR. He also spotted me at breakfast time.
At the moment only tropo/aircraft reflections on 6m with several spots yet again of G0OQK (98km) on 6m WSPR. He also spotted me at breakfast time.
3 Sept 2015
10m and 6m WSPR disappointment
No Es today seen here on 10m WSPR. It is definitely the end of Es on the band with just really sporadic short openings if we are lucky. Low levels of WSPR activity do not help. At the moment there are just 20 active WSPR stations in the world on 10m!
UPDATE 2200z: Still no signs at all of 10m Es here today.
UPDATE 2202z: No sign of Es on 6m WSPR either. Tropo yes, but no Es.
UPDATE 2200z: Still no signs at all of 10m Es here today.
UPDATE 2202z: No sign of Es on 6m WSPR either. Tropo yes, but no Es.
FTSE up over 2% today - NOT amateur radio
Despite the bad times in China that are rocking markets around the world, the UK FTSE 100 share index is currently up 2.11%. It seems like it wants to recover lost ground but is being held back.
My own view is that what is happening in China is deadly serious and we are heading for another huge crash that, especially for the average Chinese, will make the Wall Street Crash of 1929 seem tame. This could result in revolution in China and real turmoil over there. We will not come out of this unscathed. The world is just shutting its eyes and pretending it is "business as usual". It is not! The age of low cost imports from China is gradually ending and the world has to adjust. No doubt sweat shops in other poorer countries will replace China, but personally I hope it means more real manufacturing in the EU and USA. At the moment almost everything you buy is "made in China".
My own view is that what is happening in China is deadly serious and we are heading for another huge crash that, especially for the average Chinese, will make the Wall Street Crash of 1929 seem tame. This could result in revolution in China and real turmoil over there. We will not come out of this unscathed. The world is just shutting its eyes and pretending it is "business as usual". It is not! The age of low cost imports from China is gradually ending and the world has to adjust. No doubt sweat shops in other poorer countries will replace China, but personally I hope it means more real manufacturing in the EU and USA. At the moment almost everything you buy is "made in China".
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