10m short-skip (wintertime Es?)

Yet again, plenty of short-skip European stations on  10m WSPR today. This is probably wintertime Es, although we are moving into February now and the peak is usually December and January. I guess this could be back-scatter although the distance suggests Es as does the restricted a rea affected. If back-scatter I'd have expected a much wider spread geographically of stations.

UPDATE 1716z:  Still plenty of 10m short-skip, although no DX spotted here on 10m WSPR, unlike recent days. I think my antenna could be far better on 10m.

UPDATE 1838z:  SP5TWA (1303km) was spotted as late as 1836z on 10m WSPR. I shall stay on 10m WSPR until the 2m UKAC at 2000z, maybe later.

Unique 10m WSPR spots today - Es?

UPDATE 1930z:  HA9AL (1455km) is still coming in on 10m WSPR. This must be Es. He was still coming in at 1940z. I suspect 6m will have opened to central Europe too during the day, although I am not on that band currently.

BOF - NOT amateur radio

On Mondays I travel into and out of Cambridge on the bus. As a boring old f**t (BOF) I have a new hobby - "like" spotting. A teenage girl got on the bus and she said "like" 52 times in 2 miles. As a BOF I said nothing, you know what I mean like.

Sunspots and 10m - Tues Feb 2nd 2016

Solar flux is 99 today with sunspot number 42 (K=2). 10m propagation is expected to remain "poor" although Australia has been possible on the last 2 days here on 10m despite a "poor" forecast!

QSYed to 60m WSPR

At around 2045z I QSYed again to 60m WSPR. Most spots have been by Europeans although a few minutes ago I was spotted by KK1D (5409km) at 2210z. Up to now, no stations have been spotted here this evening. I am staying on 60m overnight and hope for some more DX. KK1D is in the south of New England,  USA.

UPDATE 2244z:    I have been spotted by KK1D again on 60m WSPR.

Australia again on 10m WSPR

VK2KRR (16789km) was spotted here this morning along with many Europeans by short-skip. Yet again, 10m DX is coming through. Never give up on 10m.

Sunspots and 10m - Mon Feb 1st 2016

Solar flux is 100 and sunspot number 39 (K=3) today. 10m forecast for propagation remains "poor".  So far, just one OH spotted on 10m WSPR today.

WSPRnet - owner trying to fix it

The database query form has been taken down so the owner (W1BW) can try to fix it.  I hope he succeeds.  Like many, I'd happily pay something if this would help reliability. WSPRnet is so useful when it works, allowing almost instant feedback of propagation. In my current state of health it has been wonderful.

UPDATE 2152z:   At the moment, the database seems to be working.  I am QRT on all bands until after breakfasttime.

Looking forward a few years

I just spotted this image from the last solar minimum. See http://www.solan.info/solar for the latest info. By comparison, things are still good. Note months without sunspots and the low solar flux. 2020?

http://www.solan.info/solar

Now on 10m WSPR

For just under an hour now I have been on 10m WSPR. WSPRnet is still unreliable so I am unsure who has copied me. I have copied G4KPX (14km) but I need to check WSPRnet!

UPDATE 1340z:  WSPRnet is back again (for now) and I see I was spotted on 10m WSPR by VK2KRR (16789km) at 1140z. Who said 10m was "poor"? Don't believe all you read!

UPDATE 1552z: W1VR (6965km located in Florida) has been spotted several times this afternoon, as well as CX5BBF (11123km). Today has been another good 10m day. There is still plenty of life left in the band. It is just a pity some just don't bother.

60m WSPR overnight

I stuck with 60m WSPR overnight, although all attempts to access WSPRnet before breakfast were unsuccessful. This service definitely needs help, both financial and practical.  If WSPRnet cannot be relied on, WSPR is dead. The unreliability of WSPRnet is one reason I want to do more with JT9-1 and JT65 this year.   PSK Reporter seems very reliable.

On 60m I was being copied in the USA by KK1D (5409km) well before midnight despite 2W and a very poor antenna.  A few stations were spotted here too, despite the high local noise floor. At the moment I am still on 60m with plenty of Europeans spotting me.

60m looks useful.