Old magazines

Yesterday I came across these magazines which date to around the time I was born. Clearly amateur radio was very popular back then! 

In those days they were A5 size. It would not bother me if radio magazines were that size again. It reduces costs of paper and postage.

630m WSPR RX last night

 Last evening and overnight I was on 630m WSPR using my coax to my 2m big-wheel antenna via an ATU and a mains earth.

In all, 5 stations were spotted with the best Norway. See table, and map by Phil VK7JJ.

UPDATE 1036z:  My darn Windows PC wanted me to "finish setting up my PC" and turned off WSPRnet and WSPR-X so was probably off through much of the night.

Sunspots - Tuesday February 10th

 Solar flux is 144 and the SSN 107. A=6 and K=0.

630m WSPR with a different antenna

Last evening and overnight I tried 630m WSPR RX using my earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. 

There were fewer stations received and the reports were weaker than the night before when I was using the coax up to my 2m big-wheel via an ATU.

It is hard to be categorical as conditions might have been different, the antennas better in some directions, etc..

My overall conclusion, with these caveats, is that the earth electrode was, at worse, about 1 S point inferior to the antenna used on the night before. I would expect this to be somewhat down on an antenna optimised for the band. So, maybe just 2 S points down. Considering the total lack of hassle, it is far from bad.

10m 200mW WSPR (Monday)

 When I get home later I expect to go on 10m 200mW WSPR TX.

Sunspots - Monday February 9th

 Solar flux is 167 and the SSN 118.  A=8 and K=1.

630m WSPR RX - with a different antenna

 This evening and overnight I am on 630m WSPR RX with the Zachtek RX using instead my earth electrode "antenna" in the ground to see how this compares with the coax to my 2m big-wheel via an ATU

10m WSPR RX with the Zachtek RX (Sunday)

So far, I have not tried the Zachtek WSPR RX on 10m, so I am trying it now. 

The impression I am getting on other bands is good. It is small and works on all the bands I have tried.

UPDATE 1550z:  3 stations spotted on 10m WSPR RX this afternoon with the best W3HH (7005km).

10m FT8 RX with the Zachtek WSPR RX

 Even though there is a 400Hz wide audio filter I am still spotting lots of FT8 stations including the USA.

10m 200mW WSPR (Sunday)

 My beacon was turned on at about 1030z.

UPDATE 1050z: So far just lots of spots of me by EA8BFK (2880km).

UPDATE 1418z: Spotted by 23 stations. See table.