Concentrate on 6m and 10m?

10m is my favorite band of all: there is the possibility of local QSOs on 10FM out to 30-40km (at least) even with very modest (CB level) powers to a 1/2 wave vertical. It is good for GDX with suitably equipped stations out to many hundreds of kilometres. F2 and Es propagation allow really long distances.

6m is the "magic band". It seems to be good for locals and GDX seems to work out pretty well too out to several hundred kilometres, as for 10m. Although F2 is rare except close to good sunspot maxima, Es is there every spring and summer and at other times too, but more rarely. More stations active (e.g. on WSPR - a great DX mode) would indicate more openings, I suspect.

Actually one could do a lot worse than concentrate on WSPR on these 2 bands only. That is what I may do in future. In effect I  am already doing this, but I could better optimise the antennas - maybe a 1/2 wave vertical on 10m and a halo on 6m? My antennas may be compromised but in my present state of health (stroke) they will have to do.

UPDATE 1820z:   All afternoon on 6m it has been just locals G4IKZ, G4KPX and G0LRD only here with no signs of GDX or Es at this QTH. Things on the "magic band" can change quite quickly, so I shall be staying on 6m for the rest of the day. We'll see.

UPDATE 1830z:  Looking back through the WSPR logs I see G3IGU (172km) near Doncaster was being spotted here at 1254z with only very slight Doppler or warm-up drift (-1Hz).  This may have been tropo or a favorable aircraft again. So there was some GDX around.  I have seen a surprising number of GDX stations now on 6m at decent distances. Theseare all "accidental" spots - no skeds, I just happened to see these stations.

As I write this I see G6AVK (78km) is spotting my 1W ERP at -27dB S/N at 1830z , yet more GDX.

UPDATE 2030z:   Just the locals reporting me. No Es or GDX currently.

UPDATE 2155z:   Still just the locals.  Soon be time to pull the big switch to off.

Back to 6m

After a fun day on 10m, I've now gone back to 6m and my 1W ERP was immediately spotted on WSPR by locals G0LRD and G4IKZ. On the lookout for more distant 6m stations now by any mode.

UPDATE 1120: G4KPX (14km) is spotting me well on 6m and the first 6m GDX today G4HBA (189km) using 10W from IO93fn square (near Barnsley, Yorkshire) is being spotted here at -25dB S/N with 3Hz Doppler, suggesting aircraft involvement.

10m Es and early morning MS?

LB9YE and I have been exchanging WSPR spots since 0458z this morning. In both directions there is considerable Doppler. On another signal (not currently decoding) there are clear signs of meteor reflections as the signals are strong but in short bursts. I wonder if MS was playing a part in LB9YE's decodes?

Earier in the night PB0AIC (288km) was decoded STRONGLY at -8dB S/N . At this range I assumes this was early morning tropo or again possibly MS? At the very same time 0404z, G8VDQ (93km) , was decoded strongly at -12dB S/N.

Otherwise all quiet on the Es front.

I do wonder sometimes about Es (SPORADIC E-layer) reflections. Many signals do come into this category with fleeting, often quite localised, strong openings, but many others are anything but sporadic. Are these really Es as we know it or some other propagation?

Even more 10m GDX and Es

At 1936z G8VDQ (93km) in IO91um was spotted here at -26dB S/N.  When there are GDX stations they seem to be copied. G8VDQ's signal had -3Hz Doppler, suggesting aircraft reflection was involved.

UPDATE 1950z:  Es is still in evidence with DK6UG spotting me 4 times (so far) now at around -22/-23dB S/N.

UPDATE 2120z:  Es again; this time  IK1WVQ (1084km)  spotted at -20dB S/N.

10m Es - all quiet for a few hours

There has been no Es here since 1714z. I shall leave 10m WSPR running as it is quite possible there will be Es later, but the last hour has been very quiet on 10m.

At 1816z just spotted G0LRD who is a semi-local at a strong -13dB S/N. A few minutes later he spotted me at -23dB S/N. This may be conditions or that my antenna could be improved or is (unintentionally) directional.

UPDATE 1906z:  Still no more Es here this evening since 1714z. Intrigued why G0LRD is so much better here than me with him. Don't imagine Dave has a very bad noise issue on 10m at his QTH so it is probably the antenna inefficiency here. I'd like to try a different antenna for 10m but this means antenna work which is very hard currently. The present antenna covers 10, 20 and 40m which is very useful and it does seem to get most of the F2 and Es stations OK. My 2W WSPR has been copied in Australia this year on 10, 20 and 40m.

UPDATE 1926z:    Es still around on 10m. DK6UG (633km) spotting me at -22dB S/N at 1922z which is similar to the report he gave G0LRD. We are both running around 2W.

10m GDX

Just noticed that I spotted G4HZW (209km) at -22dB S/N this morning on 10m WSPR. This is a good GDX distance but it does not surprise me. Later this afternoon  G8JNJ/A (184km) was spotted at -24dB S/N.

During evening time 10m contests organised by the RSGB during sunspot minima I could regularly work stations up and down the country when I was using 10W SSB and CW and just dipoles at my end.

209km with 2W WSPR sounds very do-able. Oh for more GDX stations on 10m, and 6m!

UPDATE 1520z:  OZ7IT spotting me on Es at a STRONG -11dB S/N. Even if little GDX is around there are Es openings to be enjoyed at this time of the year.

10m WSPR - a good move

CX2ABP (11127km) and FR1GZ (9724km) have both been spotted here today on 10m WSPR, so there was/is N-S F2-layer propagation on 10m, as expected.  So far only EA1KV (1304km) has spotted my 2W 10m signal, but it is early days.

I will stick on 10m at least this afternoon but may go back to 6m later chasing transatlantic Es DX.

It is possible that this 10m N-S DX propagation is a mix of F2-layer and Es. EA1KV is spotting me consistently via Es and it could be only F2-layer from further south where the F2 MUF will be higher?

UPDATE 1530z:  More Es about now on 10m. Spots from Norway, Sweden and Denmark. As I recall from previous Es seasons, openings to Scandinavia seem to become more frequent later in the Es season. Is this to do with thunderstorm activity or some more obscure Es connection? PA0O (440km) is also being spotted by me. This could be short skip Es, or even tropo. I notice G4IKZ regularly spots him by tropo on 6m.

10m unique WSPR spots so far today (now 1545z)

Sunspots

The sunspot count today is 196 (high) but with blackouts possible. 20-30MHz forecast is "normal".

Today could be quite productive on 10m for N-S F2 propagation so I may QSY to 10m (from 6m) shortly. On 6m still just local G4IKZ spotting me so far (to 1018z).

"WSPR has stopped working" message

I think this is a Windows 8.1 issue? It happened around 0700z this morning and has been fixed by resetting internet time and reopening the WSPR software. I wonder if it is linked to Windows doing an update?

Anyway, all is now fine and only about 1hr missed on 6m. So far just the usual STRONG reports from G4IKZ (18km) on 6m. I may QSY to a different band later for a change.

G4IKZ 6m spots of my 1W ERP so far this morning (13.6.14)

WSPRing on 6m needs patience: there are long periods of relative silence punctuated by a little DX activity, usually Es but occasionally GDX.  Most days in the last few weeks I have just let the software run to see what turns up. It has been rewarding. 

I just wish more east coast USA/Canadians would come on 6m WSPR.  If there are any stateside multi-hop 6m Es openings WSPR is the ideal mode to find them. You can then do other things at the same time.

6m GDX

There is clearly Es around on 6m WSPR this evening, but there is also some GDX.  G8JNJ/A (184km) spotted my 1W ERP WSPR signal at 1910z at -25dB S/N and again at 2028z and 2046z.

CN8LI was last spotting me (still) at 1920z. at -18dB S/N presumably on Es.

UPDATE 2150z:   No GDX or Es now.  I am leaving 6m WSPR on overnight - ever hopeful!