6m - more Es tonight

EB3EPR (1248km) has just spotted me on 6m WSPR at 1904z.  Still no sign of super-DX here. I am still hoping to copy,or be copied, transatlantic on 6m.

4X1RF (3519km) has just spotted my 1W ERP again on 6m at 1916z. Best DX for over a month.

UPDATE 2120z:   Will leave WSPR running overnight in the hope of super DX by multi-hop Es (probably a faint hope!).  Earlier this evening v2.12  decided to close (Win 8.1 updates?) so will reset clock etc before going to bed. Best DX recently is G0LRD (25km)! Incidentally, it looks like G4IKZ (who is in Hardwick, Cambs) is more like 22km (not 18km) from me: using longer grid locators puts us further apart.

6m - transatlantic WSPR

KC1AWS tells me he was spotted in Morocco on 6m at 1700z at 5607km. I have asked Gary (in the USA) to keep looking for Gs on 6m. Gary was surprised to be copied so far away. Gary just uses a horizontally polarised PAR antenna with no gain (it's a bit like a halo). Well done Gary!

I have just QSYed back to 6m from 10m WSPR   :-) .

Just exchanged 6m spots with CN8LI (2113km) and also with G4NRG at 58km (GDX of sorts).

UPDATE 1900z:  No CN8LI spots here since 1756z.

10m WSPR - Es and F2

Since lunchtime, there has been Es spots on 10m from Italy, France and Spain. All were spots of me, none of others. I am a bit surprised and wonder if it is WSPR-X was not uploading my spots of others? Looking at the WSPR screen there were a couple of signals that should have decoded and uploaded.   I have now reverting to the standard WSPR software v2.12.

10m is easier than 6m for WSPR with Es is easier to find. Best Es DX today is 1336k.

UPDATE 1630z: Interestingly, within minutes of running the V2.12 software again, I decoded CX2ABP (11127km) running 5W by F2. He was -25dB S/N.This is a decent distance in line with solar predictions for today. At this strength, my 2W would be in the noise at his end. It may have just been co-incidental but it looks like V2.12 uploads everything whereas WSPR-X V0.3  r3058 maybe a little hit and miss? EA5CYA  has also just been decoded OK. Odd no decodes all afternoon with WSPR-X but instant results reverting to V2.12. Maybe it is a Wn 8.1 issue? I'll be sticking with V2.12.

UPDATE 1725z:    Yet more Es -  EA4GDE now being spotted with 200mW.  Since returning to V2.12 all spots have been of others.

First 10m WSPR spots today

Just been spotted by "local"  M0MVB on 10m WSPR at 30km at 1116z at -24dB S/N and 1128z at -23dB S/N.  At least WSPR-X is working.

No Es seen here yet, but it is early days still.

7 spots of M0MVB by 1240z, but still no Es or F2 on 10m here.

Blog errors

I am not sure if this is as a result of my brain bleed or just poor typing skills but I am finding errors in my blog entries after posting. Usually I spot them and correct them within a few minutes, but you may spot uncorrected mistakes if you read the blog entries soon after publication. The most common error is putting "o" where a "p" should be. These are adjacent on the keyboard.

Please accept my apologies if you spot mistakes, but please tell me so I can make corrections.

Hans Summers kit: Ultimate 3 beacon

Today I unpacked this kit which I've had a couple of months. I have been waiting until I feel a bit better (less wobbly and clumsy) but now feel well enough to start the build.

Ultimate 3 beacon kit - received from Japan

I'll build the TX low pass filter for 10m first as this looks "do-able". The other parts may have to wait a few weeks. I want the kit building but want to do it when I am fit enough. The big issue will be boxing it. My brain bleed makes drilling cases a nightmare for me.

I was surprised to find no enclosed instructions. Guess one is meant to look on the net. Only unpacked the LPF module so far.  Being very careful.

WSPR-X v0.3 r3058

Today I downloaded the latest WSPR software onto the new Win 8.1 PC. At first I could not understand why it refused to TX. Doh! Then I remembered to input VOX, the callsign, grid and audio interface details! All now seems to be working but no Es spots  yet.

WSPR-X running WSPR2 on Win 8.1 PC

An advantage of the later software is the waterfall is in real time (it moves DURING the 2 minute time slot so activity is instantly visible rather than having to wait 2 minutes to see. It also supports the slower, but even more sensitive, 15 minute version WSPR-15 as long as the TX stability is good enough. I tried this on LF before but my LO drift was too poor (old PC and old QTH).

Bottom FT817ND on 10m WSPR-2

I shall stick with this latest version today to see how it performs. I expect the RX sensitivity is unchanged unless it uses improved algorithms for decoding.

6m (now 10m) WSPR

I started out today on 6m - 2 spots from local G4IKZ (18km)  - but now QSYed down to 10m in the hope of Es and maybe some F2 propagation. Sunspot count today is 112 (good) and 20-30MHz propagation forecast is "good" so decent DX prospects on 10m today N-S. I see FR1GZ has already been seen in Holland. As luck would have it, no spots yet either sent or received on 10m WSPR as of 0930z! To be fair, it is still very early.

UKAC contests

Next Tuesday is the next 2m UK activity contest.  The following Tuesday, July 8th, it is the next 70cm activity contest. I missed the last session as we had visitors. These Tuesday evening sessions are well supported and well worth coming on for if only to work a few squares and to give others some points. Even my modest power and just one session has given me a respectable place in the overall scoring.

In the last sessions I used 5W pep to either a 3el on 2m or 5el on 70cms. Even with this very modest station (FT817ND) DX out to around 200km seems to be workable, more with a lift. I am lucky to live on top of an East Anglian "hill". The take-off must be pretty good and I am blessed (for now) with a quiet noise floor on all bands.

Non radio day

Today we went on a day return by train to London to be with our son Tim, his wife Jo and our grandchildren. Tim met us and took us back to Kings Cross. Booking in advance and with Senior Rail Cards if works out cheaper than driving. At present I cannot drive because of my brain bleed last year.  It was good to spend time in their home again after so long.

With the grandchildren in London today

Totally by accident, we sat next to Nick G4IKZ on the train back from London. I'd not seen Nick since work days over 6 years ago. Many years ago we worked together in several Cambridge companies. Nick is one of the brightest minds I've had the privilege to know. There are few better RF engineers. We compared notes on 6m WSPR of course. He confirmed his 6m antenna is a horizontal Moxon.

Being late back, I decided not to turn the rigs on tonight.

6m - no Es today?

I was late getting on to 6m today, not turning the rig on until around 0940z. At around 1300z everything was disconnected because of nearby storms until mid-afternoon.  Apparently I missed some early Es to HB9. Here I have not seen any sign of Es all day on 6m.

All I have seen here are locals and GDX on 6m. There is still time for some Es, but I would be surprised to see any.

UPDATE 2042z:  Still no 6m Es here today. Going QRT within the hour.

UPDATE 2054z:  G8EPA (61km) has been regularly spotted here this evening at up to -15dB S/N on WSPR. When Doppler is " against" him (-3Hz), he has been as low as -27dB S/N. There is definite evidence of planes on his signal (up to 4 traces in single 2 min slots) but at this range I expect to be able to copy by pure tropo in the absence of planes. 

UPDATE 2105z:  Now QRT on all bands and antennas disconnected.

SSB and AM on CB legal from June 27th in UK

The excellent Southgate News page reports that SSB and AM is now legal on UK CB from June 27th 2014.

I have only briefly operated on CB many years ago and was very disappointed.  I suppose 12W pep of SSB will greatly increase the DX potential on CB. AM is also legal.

We need to watch out for more reports of TVI and hi-fi breakthrough as FM, especially at 4W legal limit, is rarely a problem whereas SSB and AM make such issues more probable. Of course,  some CBers like to use (illegal) add-on amplifiers making matters worse.

I don't think this move will encourage me onto CB any time soon, but it may result in lower cost 10m rigs.

UPDATE 2015z:  Nevada are now selling the President Lincoln 2  (3rd improved version of this model) covering 10m only (as sold - but expandable illegally to cover CB bands) with a £10 discount.

6m - after the storms

I reconnected the V2000 vertical antenna and rigs just before 1500z today as the storms have passed through and gone for now.

No Es seen yet but G8EPA (61km) is my most distant WSPR spotter in this session. Doppler/drift was low at -1Hz so this is probably direct tropo and not (necessarily) involving planes but I cannot be sure. In the other direction I can check his traces on my WSPR software. With WSPRnet I can see Doppler (or drift) on  my signal but cannot tell if the software at the far end is trying to cope with multiple traces as commonly seen with airplanes.

G0OQK (98km) has been spotted a couple of times this late afternoon at around -21dB S/N.

Solar decline

There is little doubt now that we have passed the solar peak and we are now on the way to the minimum. This is still years away mind you. This graph (located at http://www.solen.info/solar/images/solar.png) illustrates this well. As I said before, it is too early to say just how poor HF conditions will get.

http://www.solen.info/solar/images/solar.png

6m - G0OQK (98km) Saturday WSPR

G0OQK (98km) was on 6m TX again this morning. This is the first transmission I copied from Nick, with clear evidence of aircraft Doppler (see at least 2 traces).

6m - G0OQK with aircraft Doppler - June 28th 20014

In the shack

This is a photo of me in the shack just before lunch today. Since lunch, I have had to disconnect everything because of an approaching lightning storm. At the last count (flashes to thunder) it was about 2km away but I think the storm is now moving away.

G3XBM in the shack today

For storm maps see http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en . The storm seems to have moved off: I can still hear thunder (to the east) but no nearby lightning. We have heavy rain, which will do the garden good.

Just a moment ago there was a flash and thunder almost overhead.  This showed up on the lightning map. Storms still rolling around. I shall not reconnect the antennas and radio gear for a while yet.

Maplin sold

That font of all knowledge :-)   Steve G1KQH has just informed me that Maplin has changed hands for £85M. Although not a frequent customer, I do use their shop in the Beehive Centre, Cambridge.

See http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/10930541/Electronics-retailer-Maplin-sold-for-85m.html

Not sure what it will mean for the business. One of the two stores in Cambridge is always busy, the other less so. Maybe less profitable shops will close?  A bit like Jessops?

Not sure if they still sell them,but I used to buy their small aluminium boxes for QRP projects.

Storms stop play, again

As of mid-afternoon I have gone QRT on all bands, disconnected antennas and turned off all rigs because of the threat of storms. These are also forecast tomorrow. It is a pity, but I believe a wise precaution.

There will be plenty of opportunities to chase Es and GDX on 6m and 10m.

On 2m I was again beacon hunting: there is one heading that allows me to hear (by ear) the GB3VHF, ON0VHF and PI7CIS beacons. I need to look again for the Cornish 2m beacon. Last time I searched I could not find it even on MS pings and I was wondering it was off the air?  This search will have to wait until the threat of storms has passed.

For lightning maps: http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en . This shows storms steadily crossing this region.

UPDATE 1910z:   It looks like the storms have bypassed our area today.

UPDATE 2030z:  Another storm moving this way.  May be here during the night?  Will leave things disconnected.

A contigious 60m band?

OFCOM is consulting on the agenda items for the World Radio Conference WRC2015 which takes place November 2015. See http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/wrc15/ .

The proposal is to support moves to allocate 5250-5450kHz to the Amateur Service on a secondary basis. This would replace the messy channels currently available. I recommend you write to OFCOM to support this move, which would give us a new ham band at 60m - ideal as the current sunspot cycle declines.

If allocated, it could be a few years before available.

Cashback on Yaesu products

It doesn't surprise me but G1KQH has told me that Moonraker (and others?) is offering the FT817ND for just £459.95 after a Yaesu cashback deal. I paid £499 from MLS for cash a few months ago.

Based on the favourable change in exchange rate much lower prices should be expected soon. And, of course, the replacement for the FT817ND is nowhere to be seen.

BTW, I recommend you don't buy patch leads from Moonraker - the ones I bought were useless at both ends with intermittent joints. I guess they just buy these in, but it would be good if they actually checked some as well! All I am saying is Moonraker (and others?) should periodically do quality checks on products they sell. There really is no excuse in the 21st century for selling poor quality goods. I did complain to Moonraker who offered me money back or exchange. Exchange for the same quality?  No thanks.  Andrew G6ALB kindly replaced the coax connectors at both ends  - a decent solution. I guess buying a rig from them is low risk. Patch leads? Definitely dodgy unless you know the supplier checks stock for quality.

6m - G0OQK and aircraft

G0OQK (98km) is coming in here regularly today on 6m WSPR. Looking at his traces on my WSPR screen, there is clear evidence of airplane involvement:  most 2 minute transmissions appear with 2 or 3 Doppler shifted lines, suggesting planes along/crossing the path between us.

What I cannot be 100% certain of is if the path would "work" without airplanes As all successful decodes seem to be when there is evidence of planes, I think the path is only possible when there are planes, but honestly I am still unsure.

The last decode at 1124z had drift (probably Doppler) of 3Hz, which is a lot. Sometimes the drift/Doppler was 0Hz. So far this morning Nick G0OQK has been seen 9 times. The other Nick G4IKZ (18km) has seen me countless times, but he is very local.

Interestingly, G4IKZ had 0Hz Doppler/drift on all his spots overnight of G0OQK. The distance is 83km with crossed polarisation (I think).  Perhaps this is evidence of pure tropo? At night few/no planes etc..

10m, then 6m, WSPR

Overnight, I remained on 10m but the only spots were by Es were from Norway, France, Spain and Germany plus G4KPX( local). No Es "super DX" here sadly!

At around 0904z I moved back up to 6m WSPR. with 1W ERP.  G0OQK (98km) was spotted 3 times (so far)  with moderate drift or Doppler , G4IKZ (18km) was spotting me at good strength and OH7AI (2000km) spotting me by Es at 0928z at -21dB S/N for the best DX so far today.

Sunspot count is 72 and 20-30MHz propagation "normal" so I'd expect F2 DX N-S today on 10m.

G0OQK - 6m WSPR GDX via planes

G0OQK (98km) has just spotted me on 6m WSPR with a large 4Hz Doppler, suggesting reflection/scatter from aircraft somewhere along the path. I am surprised that the software decoded with this much Doppler. My signal was not strong at  -28dB S/N.

I hope G0OQK comes on TX again soon as I'd like to see his trace on my software to see if he can be decoded by pure tropo. It seems to me that planes have to be around for the path to "work" and even then the Doppler has to be low enough, ideally much lower than 4Hz. There was a successful decode of G0OQK on 6m a few days ago with 0Hz Doppler but I think that was an aircraft crossing our path and not pure tropo. I'd like to think the path between us can be worked without the help of planes.

UPDATE 1750z:   Apart from a single spot of me by G0OQK, all recent 6m WSPR spots have been by local G4IKZ (18km).  I may go back to 10m.

UPDATE 1840z:  Returned to 10m but it is very quiet with no Es, no GDX and no locals being copied on WSPR. Earlier JT65 attempts on 10m (called CQ) were no good. I had success with JT9-1 on 20m.

UPDATE 2112z:  10m "woke up" briefly here at 2012z with an Es opening to OE3ODW.  Just a couple of 2 minute WSPR slots and he was gone.

As G0LRD has pointed out, drift on 6m (and higher) is as likely to be TX drift as aircraft reflection. Looking for multiple lines in any 2 minute slot is the only sure way to know if there was Doppler, and this only works with several planes with differing Doppler shifts. What we can never know is if a single line, drifting maybe, is TX drift on a direct (tropo) path or aircraft reflection.

JT9 QSO

As my vocal chords are still not right, I am trying to limit myself to digital (keyboard) modes like WSPR, JT65 and JT9. This afternoon I worked SV1BHF on JT9 on 20m when using 5W.  No great DX but I see from PSK reporter I was copied in the USA as well.  CQs by me on 10m and 6m in JT65 went unanswered. I have now gone back to 6m WSPR.

We had our 3rd Virgin Media broadband outage this afternoon.  I reported it (someone already had) and it was quickly fixed (under 3 hrs) but it is annoying when it happens. Still, the  broadband is fast now with claimed speeds up to 50MB. Even over wi-fi it was almost 30MB, so can't complain.

Chinese X108 QRP transceiver can now be ordered

G1KQH has told me that the 9-band multmode transceiver, the X108 from China, can now be ordered on-line.

http://www.wouxun.us/item.php?item_id=346&category_id=65

Personally, I'd prefer the FT817 but, even with shipping to the UK, taxes and duty , the price is attractive, even if the product looks rather ugly (to me). It still looks "back shed" design to me. Personally I'd rather wait until the Chinese are really there with their designs. Others may disagree, but the industrial design of this product certainly lets it down.

Also, this is a kit, but with very little soldering.

10m - very early F2 propagation

FR1GZ (9724km) was being spotted on 10m WSPR as early as 0614z, which is very early. I have already seen him 3 times with the last one (so far) at 0738z.  He has not spotted me yet, although I am running less power (2W rather than 5W).

G8JNJ/A (184km) has been seen a couple of times (0018z and 0828z) for good 10m GDX with low Doppler.  
G7EOB   (76km) was also spotted with -2Hz Doppler (planes?) at 0518z, again 10m.

Sunspot count today is 52 and 20-30MHz conditions described as "normal".

UPDATE 1055z:  No more F2 DX since breakfast time, just Spanish and Italian stations on 10m Es and  G8JNJ/A at 1014z (184km with 1Hz Doppler).

10m WSPR and Es

When 10m is in good Es shape it is really easy to work all around Europe and further sometimes. With WSPR (some 12-14dB better than CW) it is even easier. At the moment I QSYed to 10m WSPR for a change from 6m where I was copying and being copied by the same stations.

1000 visits a day

This blog seems to receive an average of around 1000 visits a day. Sometimes it is less if I've not had much to say. I thank you all for your continued interest.

It has not been easy of late because of my stroke and the fact that (presently) I am doing far less building than in the past because of my poor health. I hope to be back to near normal health again soon (later this year?) with a similar level of experimentation as in earlier years. Right now, I'm still too wobbly to solder and climb ladders. People have been very kind. My voice is still poor so digital modes are best e.g WSPR, JT65 and  JT9.

For now, I write about what I can still do and the things that interest me. I hope you stick with me until the sun shines fully in my life again. At the moment it seems to be hiding in the clouds.

10m WSPR results so far today

These are the unique reports sent and received on 10m WSPR today. In most cases there were multiple reports each way and this list shows these just once. In all, a widespread Es opening on 10m plus some useful distances on GDX signals.

10m WSPR unique reports today

Currently HB9JOI (835km) is coming in here on 10m WSPR at a colossal +12dB S/N signal with 2W, stronger than the locals! Such is Es when the skip is just right.

UPDATE 1840z: IK1WVQ is coming through at -2dB S/N which is also big.

UPDATE 1845z:  Best 10m DX here today is still a spot from EA1KV (1304km). This is far less than on 6m.

SAQ - historic 17.2kHz CW transmission this Sunday.

A reminder that the historic alternator TX on 17.2kHz VLF will be sending a message this Sunday twice. They usually QSL via the amateur QSL bureaus. See http://alexander.n.se/in-english/saq-transmission/ for more details of this and other transmissions.

Some years ago I copied the transmission, QSLed and am the proud owner of one of their QSL cards. It is not hard to copy in Europe unless you have local noise problems. A small tuned loop is all the antenna needed. There are even a software receiver available free on the net capable of receiving the transmissions with a suitable antenna connected to the PC. The SM6LKM software receiver is excellent and covers 0-22kHz. It makes a very useful VLF receiver. I describe it on my YouTube Channel G3XBM.  See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDxRhQYg7lQ.

QSYed down to 10m WSPR

In view of the quiet conditions on 6m, I have moved down to 10m WSPR instead just after 1330z. EA1KV (1304km) has spotted me 4 times already at good strength by Es. I am really hoping for some F2-layer DX but conditions don't look too favourable today.

EA1KV was spotted by me at 1414z at -3dB  S/N. Very strongly. I also spotted him at 1422z.  No other Es stations yet seen on 10m. No locals or GDX either.

UPDATE 1512z:   EA5CYA recently spotted by me. 10m is open to Spain at least. PA0O also spotted at 440km. Wondering if this is Es? Very short skip if it is. Doesn't look like tropo or aircraft.

UPDATE 1535z:  V53ARC is being spotted at good strength by DK6UG, so there is F2 propagation N-S on 10m today. I wonder if I'll see him here later?

UPDATE 1609z: EA1KV, DJ3LE (100mW) and PA0O all being spotted. This looks like a widespread EU Es opening on 10m. Still no sign of V53ARC here (yet) from Namibia.

UPDATE 1642z:  Just spotted (and been spotted by) M0MVB (30km) for my first "local" on 10m. With 3Hz Doppler on his signal, it is pretty likely planes were involved. Interestingly, there was zero Doppler on my signal with him.

6m Es - path to CN8LI again open

My first Es copy by CN8LI (2113km) today on WSPR was at 1124z this morning when he gave me a strong -12dB S/N report. I suspect we'll exchange lots more spots later by Es.

Sunspot count today is a modest 37 and 20-30MHz propagation forecast to be "fair" only. There may be some F2  propagation on 10m later, but probably not today.

Most 6m spots so far are from local G4IKZ (18km) and a few from G0OQK (98km - last spot 0846z 0dB Doppler). Still not certain if G0OQK is copyable by tropo without the presence of planes. I suspect not, but would be happier if I could receive G0OQK by tropo alone.

At the times of writing, there are only 31 station active on 6m WSPR in the entire world. There are even fewer on 10m (29). These are very low indeed in my view.

UPDATE 1320z:   No more reports from CN8LI since 1124z.

More lightning maps

In an earlier blog post comment, a reader pointed out that on the latest version of these maps there is more detail: the maps show where the lightning flashes are being detected, so giving an idea of intensity.  See http://www.blitzortung.org/Webpages/index.php?lang=en. These maps really tell you a lot. It shows no thunder or lightning at present in the UK. Over the Alps it is still intense and now in Russia as well.

G0LRD tells me this data is also available on the maps I linked to if "stations" are selected.

6m - overnight

Just resync'd the internet clock and will leave WSPR running on 6m overnight looking for very long distance, multi-hop Es (ever hopeful), GDX and near continentals by tropo or aircraft reflections. Just got to hope the software does not stop working on my Win 8.1 machine in the middle of the night!

There is some debate about tropo versus aircraft reflection on 6m. David G0LRD is of the view that most of my 6m WSPR GDX is tropo, whereas I feel it is because of aircraft reflection, but only when the Doppler is low enough. Sometimes you have to wait hours and hours for  this.

I'd much prefer it if these relatively long (for me) GDX paths were pure tropo, but feel the evidence points to aircraft reflections. The debate and evidence gathering continues, HI.

G0OQK by pure tropo?

The most recent transmission from Nick G0OQK (98km) was at 1854z. Unlike earlier transmissions this was received as a single straight line on the WSPR software screen with not even a hint of aircraft reflections. I wonder if this was pure tropo?  His signal strength was -20dB S/N.

The alternative explanation is this was just a single plane flying in such a direction that there was no Doppler on the signal. I think this means a plane exactly crossing the path between us. I need to dig out that software G3WKW mentioned to see when planes are optimally placed. A reminder it was http://www.airscout.eu.

6m - CN8LI copied on WSPR

At 1646z I copied CN8LI (2113km) on 6m WSPR for the first time today at a strong -9dB S/N. I think we are seeing the teatime peak in Es. He was also copied again at 1754z at a strong -9dB S/N. No other Es seen today (yet). He copied me again strongly at 1806z.

UPDATE 1844z:   CN8LI has (so far) been seen 5 times this evening. He was a remarkably strong +4dB S/N at 1826z.  Just like a real local!  So far, he has spotted me 6 times already today. The "pipe" to Morocco is in place again today!

UPDATE 1945z:  CN8LI has copied me loads of times today so far:

CN8LI's 6m WSPR spots of my 1W ERP so far so far today

UPDATE 2242z:  My last 6m spot of CN8LI seems to have been at 2008z.

Sunspots slowly falling?

Today's sunspot count is 65 with "normal" 20-30MHz conditions. It looks to me as if the solar activity is now on the slide downwards. This does not mean an end to good conditions. This autumn 15, 12 and 10m should still be in very good shape and it will be a few years before we really see the changes.

There are all sorts of predictions about the next few cycles. The consensus is the next few cycles will be ones with low solar activity. It is still too soon to say if we are really entering another Maunder minimum. Don't worry: this is a chance to explore HF in different times. There is unlikely to be any (much) East-West F-layer propagation on 12,10 and 6m but North-South propagation will be possible some of the time and openings on Es can be surprisingly distant in all directions at the optimum times of the year.

And there are always VHF, UHF, microwaves and nanowaves to explore!

Let us see the coming years as a challenge. We may never see really good conditions again in our lifetimes but there will still be interesting propagation and DX to be worked and heard.

6m WSPR - G0OQK spotted (with Doppler) and CN8LI

For the first time G0OQK (98km) has been on TX so this was my chance to see if reception here was pure tropo or aircraft assisted.

Well, looking at his last traces here I can see 2 or 3 traces in each 2 minute burst suggesting reflection from planes. This is far cleaner than I've seen some stations. I guess it says something about the flight paths.  WSPR seems to  decode the transmission with little Doppler, but there is little doubt that Nick's 2W to a V2000 is helped by aircraft reflection. Of course, being in the Chilterns I wonder if it is reflections from gliders?

This suggests almost all (or all?) 6m GDX signals copied here are aided by aircraft reflection and few/none are traditional tropo. For more local stations most signals are tropo but even over 25km paths people frequently see Doppler from aircraft on my traces. I guess it depends whether the direct path, or aircraft reflected path, dominates? For locals, the direct (tropo) path usually dominates.

UPDATE 1510z:  No 6m Es here so far today and just a couple of spots received  of G0OQK (98km).  I noticed more traces of Nick than proper decodes, either Doppler wrong or MS pings too short.

UPDATE 1516z:  My WSPR software decided to close on its own this afternoon (Win 8.1 issue with updates) so I have resync'd the internet clock and restarted the WSPR software. It is now working OK as G4IKZ is spotting me at 1506z. Seeing 50Hz sidebands on the very strong reports from this Nick. Not sure if it is his issue or mine. Not really worried as it only appears, sometimes, on strong signals.

UPDATE 1532z:  I spoke too soon as CN8LI (2113km) spotted me at 1516z just after I spotted G4FFC (45km). There is Es about today.

6m WSPR return

After the nearby storms had passed, I reconnected rig, PC and antenna at 0900z this morning.  G4IKZ (18km) is back looking - I wonder if he closed down for the storms too? - and he is spotting me well.  G0OQK (98km) is also looking and giving me similar (low Doppler) reports as on earlier days. As yet, no Es seen here today.

Alpine storms and Es

I cannot remember the supposed link between Es and thunderstorms (something to do with sprites going upwards from thunder clouds?) but with plenty of thunderstorms in the Alps, I wonder how Es will be tomorrow? Maybe conditions to southern Europe will be good on 6m Es?

Although I probably could safely reconnect antennas this evening now the storms have passed, I think it will be better to wait until the morning.

Knowing my luck, the 6m band will open transatlantic tonight and I shall miss it all! That would not be the end of the world.