First JT9-1 QSO this summer

Like David G0LRD, I think WSJT-X (latest version certainly) seems as easy to use as JT65-HF. What's more it supports JT9-1 as well as JT65.

I tried 10m, but soon QSYed down to 20m where there was activity. Managed to work an OE (Austria) on JT9-1 (easily), for my first JT9-1 QSO is some while, running 5W from the FT817.   Just tuned to 14.078MHz and clicked away with WSJT-X.  Must try again on 10m and 6m.  JT65 is at 14.076 and 28.076MHz. USB dial.  JT9-1 is 2kHz higher. On the FT817mI use the DIG setting.

On 6m, I suspect my rig will not be stable enough for JT9-1. It should be fine for JT65.

Continuing JT65/JT9 today

When we get back from shopping I shall return to JT65-HF and JT9-1 modes hoping to work more stations. Yesterday, staying on 20m, I worked 4 Europeans running 2.5 or 5W. JT65-HF is very intuitive and works well. Althought I have had JT9-1 QSOs on 10m in the past, I suspect the rig stability is "challenging" and JT65-HF gives me a better chance. JT65-HF is some 4dB worse than WSPR but the TX period is only 48 secs (1 minute TX period but actual TX is less) so may be better with QSB?  JT9-1 is a narrower bandwidth mode than JT65-HF and is about 2dB worse than WSPR. Of course, JT65 and JT9 are proper QSO modes.

Sunspot count today is 76 (decent) and 20-30MHz conditions are supposed to be "normal" so there could well be some F2 (as well as Es) on 10m today. JT65-HF and JT9-1 on 10m are calling I think.

The great advantage of WSPR is you can set the rig running and monitor things in another room. JT65 and JT9 seem to require "hands on" operation, which is fine.

More JT65 QSOs

This evening I went on 20m JT65 again and managed a couple of European QSOs in reply to the CQs of others. I am using JT65-HF software that is very simple to use. So far I have used the FT817 at either 2.5 or 5W.

JT65-HF screenshot

If you see a station calling CQ (shows up in green) you just click on it to start a QSO with that station. If he copies you and replies then the started QSO shows up in red - all very simple. Wonder if there is a similar (easy) package for JT9-1 on HF?

Looking on PSK Reporter I see plenty of USA stations were copying me too, so it should not be too hard to work DX with just a little effort even with my compromise antenna. When 10m and 6m are open, DX should be easier still.

With JT65-HF and JT9-1,  I have to be in the shack, but at least there is no speaking, saving my poor voice.

JT65HF and JT9-1

Well, I made a start today.   Nothing much doing on 10m, so I QSYed down to 20m where answering CQ calls got me replies from UR4UHE (KO50 square) and SP6ECQ on JT65HF. Although I heard an Italian calling CQ on JT9-1 I failed to get a reply.

No great DX but the first couple of countries in the log.

6m WSPR this morning

I QSYed back to 6m about 50 minutes ago and already been spotted by G4IKZ (18km), OH5RM (1860km) and have myself spotted G6AVK (78km) and OH5RM strongly. Looking quite promising on 6m Es so far today.

6m WSPR this morning (1W ERP)

Sunspot count today is 65 (creeping up again) and 20-30MHz forecast to be "normal". I expect some F2 on 10m today.

I may stick with 50MHz (6m) WSPR today, but want to give JT65 and JT9-1 a good go on 10m and 6m. I have had JT9-1  QSOs on 10m before but believe the rig stability is probably better with JT65. At 6m I suspect JT9-1 will be unsuitable.   JT9-1 is better suited to LF and MF use. I shall use JT9-1 on 630m again soon.

UPDATE 1235z:   Still very much a Scandinavian colour to the Es with OH7AI (2000km) a new call today at 1126z. He is also spotting me. G6AVK is also spotting me.

10m - early

Until 0930z I was on 10m WSPR. GDX overnight included G8JNJ/A (184km), M0ITC (164km), G8VDQ (93km) and M0XDC (65km). The was also Es from Scandinavia early on today (SM,LB). I have now QSYed to 6m WSPR.

10m Es- central Europe

This evening, the 10m Es is favouring central Europe with HB9, DL and OK since teatime. I may give JT65 and JT9-1 a try tomorrow on 10m and maybe 6m.

UPDATE 2200z: The 10m Es event means 10m WSPR is open to EA5 to the south and SI9 (Sweden) to the north. It is pretty widespread.  I am leaving 10m WSPR on overnight again to see how extensive the opening is.

10m - Es returns

At teatime, Es returned to 10m WSPR with EA5CYA (1376km) and GM4SFW (662km).   No F2 propagation seen here so far today. I suspect there will be further Es this evening.

10m - GDX this afternoon

After a busy Es morning, all is quiet this afternoon. I am seeing wispy traces towards to lower WSPR band edge which I think are from M0BOB (74km) whom I decoded earlier. These have the usual GDX "signature", which is multiple traces (often well below 2mins in duration) due to aircraft. Since 1446z, these have NOT decoded.

10m Es - southern Europe

The 10m Es season continues, this morning with solid opens to southern Europe with Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and Italy in the logs since last evening. Even during the night, 10m was open to Italy.  Another decent Es day on 10m WSPR.

10m - Es season continues

When 10m is very good, with Es openings across Europe, it is all too easy to take this for granted. The Es season (in the Northern Hemisphere) is May, June, July but I think there will be openings most days through August and into September on 10m but less probable on 6m. I hope enough "stay faithful" to 10m WSPR to help us find out how many openings Es and F2 there are at other times of the year.

No transatlantic Es here today.

10m - decent EU Es today

Overnight and today, I have been on 10m WSPR. Es has again been decent with plenty of EU spots.

Unique 10m WSPR spots today so far

Sunspot count today is 55 and 20-30MHz propagation is described as "normal". I would expect some N-S F2 today.

Today, I have not looked on 6m. Yet again,there are pitifully few USA stations active, making the chances of stateside reception on 6m very slim only.

10m - real DX tonight

CX2ABP (11127km) has just been spotted by F2 propagation and K9AN (6505km) has also been spotted by multi-hop Es in EN50wc square which is Illinois. 10m has been good all day and this is the second time the band has opened to the USA today.

10m WSPR - excellent across Europe this afternoon

WG2Z (5600km) copied me just once at lunchtime - he may have copied me more times if I was operating on the correct frequency initially - but this afternoon 10m has been in excellent Es shape today with stations from across the continent copyable after lunch with a few G stations copied out to 184km by tropo or plane reflection.

10m WSPR unique reports since lunch today (repeats not shown)

6m then 10m WSPR - no Es here (right frequencies help!)

Overnight until 1115z, I was on 6m WSPR before QSYing down a band to 10m WSPR. Although locals G4IKZ and G0LRD were spotting me on 6m, no-one is currently spotting me on 10m. There appears to be no Es on either band at present. It is very quiet on 10m WSPR.

Sunspot count is 40 (creeping up again) and 20-30MHz conditions are described as "fair". We just might see some F2 DX on 10m today. if we are lucky.

UPDATE 1158z:  Just spotted that I had the wrong 10m frequency for 10m WSPR!  For some reason I was 3kHz  too high. No idea why. It remains to be seen now if this now results in 10m spots.

UPDATE 1205z:  First spot of my 2W on 10m was from WG2Z (5600km) just outside of New York by multi-hop Es (I assume).  Report was -22dB S/N, not too bad.  This is now the third time I have caught North American DX this summer on 10m.  WSPR is excellent for spotting such DX on the band. Sadly there is zero 6m WSPR activity from the Eastern USA at this time, so trying 6m WSPR is a waste of effort at the moment with regard to transatlantic DXing.

Back on 6m WSPR tonight

One of the great advantages of WSPR is it can be done silently and activity can be monitored in the lounge. Tonight I am WSPRing on 6m in the shack and watching progress in the lounge on WSPRnet whilst the grandchildren sleep, peacefully.

G6AVK has spotted me 5 times so far and local G4IKZ plenty of times, but no Es on 6m here since this morning. Tomorrow, I shall go back to 10m.

6m UKAC this evening

As my little grandson is asleep in the adjoining room, I was unable to stay on the 50MHz UK activity contest for more than a few minutes tonight.  In the short time I was on I heard plenty of QTH locator squares (JO02,JO03, IO81, IO82, and others). It would appear quite a number of stations must be vertically polarised like me. The next chance of being in this 50MHz UKAC is about a month away.  If I can, I'll come on 6m to see what can be worked. My voice is not good, so I'll have to limit talking to about 1 hour.

One way to see the windmill next door

There was a man dangling from a rope painting the cap of our local windmill. I felt like telling him there are easier ways of seeing the windmill! Rather him than me.

Someone suggested I string a long wire to the top of the mill from my bungalow next door. But what happens when the cap turns and the sails go around?

6m - GDX WSPR this evening

As well as lots of local spots from G4IKZ (18km), I see there are GDX spots from G8PMA (90km) this evening. As far as I recall these are the first spots from this station. They are at quite a low level (around -27/-28dB S/N). The was no Doppler, suggesting pure tropo?

UPDATE 1920z:  G6AVK (78km) is spotting me at -21/-26dB S/N.

6m WSPR

Since just after 1030z I have been on 6m WSPR. Apart from a couple of spots from OH7AI (2000km) early on, all spots have been by local G4IKZ (18km). I shall stay on 6m but really 10m is a much more productive band for Es and the occasional F2 DX.

Sunspot count today is just 16 and 20-30MHz conditions only "fair", so 10m F2 is unlikely.

UPDATE 1620z:  From 1054z up to now, the only 6m WSPR spots have been by G4IKZ (18km), all rather boring now on 6m. 

UPDATE 1640z:  Later tonight, if I can creep past my sleeping grandson in the adjoining bedroom, I may give the 50MHz UK Activity Contest a brief go this evening. Brief as it will strain my voice to stay on too long.  I am vertically polarised, so this will compromise my chances and I can only use 5W maximum.

Overnight 10m Es and GDX

Overnight, I left 10m WSPR running. It was a productive night with 10m Es more or less all the time with spots from GM, DK, SI9, SM, LA3 and OZ. I also spotted similar Northern European stations plus PD0OHW. I am glad I left the kit running as this was as good as it gets on 10m ES around Europe.

I still don't understand why later in the Es season the openings are more northerly in direction. It is similar every year.

G8JNJ/A (184km) was copied during the night a couple of times too (GDX).

Staying on 10m WSPR overnight

As the lightning map looks very clear, I have decided to leave 10m WSPR running overnight.

Although it has quietened down in the last 30 minutes, I can still see lots of watery traces, probably GDX, coming through, but not decoding.  We'll see if any of these decode during the night. If the good Es conditions continue, I'd expect some EU decodes during the night.

Should there be any storms, I can be QRT very very quickly. 

UPDATE 2230z:  No decodes in last hour. Bedtime.

HF JT65 and JT9-1

A few people have suggested I try these modes more seriously. I have used both these modes in the past but never too seriously. As I cannot do much building or "in the field" experimenting until my health really improves, these modes will provide me with a "no talking" challenge for the autumn - my voice is still poor making modes like SSB challenging. I can manage VHF and UHF contests for short periods, but it really strains my voice and voice modes are best avoided. Unlike WSPR which is an excellent beaconing mode, the JT modes are 2-way so allow proper QSOs, if rather rubber stamp. WSPR is a few dB more sensitive but JT65 and JT9-1 use 1 minute transmission slots.

10m Es - still good here at 2100z

Well, 10m has been in good shape all afternoon and evening here.

This afternoon it opened well to the USA east coast by Es and it is still wide open to great chunks of Europe as I write. This is a great Es day on the band - in my opinion the best this season. Mind you, I have been on 6m WSPR a good part of the last few months and only recently moved down to 10m in a more serious way. Today I might have tried 6m transatlantic WSPR but there were very few USA stations active on the mode, so I stuck with 10m. 10m is a far more productive Es band, but being nearly half the frequency, that is to be expected. 2W WSPR, even to my indifferent antenna, is enough.

UPDATE 2112z:  Best DX in the last 15 minutes is TF3HZ (1837km) up in Iceland. Still lots from continental Europe coming through too. LA3JJ (993km) in Norway is a very consistent signal.

UPDATE 2135z:  My 2W is still being spotted on 10m WSPR, now by DK0SC (827km) at a strong -9dB S/N.  The 10m band is still humming.  I shall have to go QRT before too long, more is the pity.

Monday night East Cambs Net 2m

Every Monday night at 8pm clock time, a number of amateurs in Cambridge and the villages in East Cambridgeshire meet for a net on 144.575MHz FM.  This is down in the "all modes" section as originally we used AM until one who joined the net did not have that mode.

At the moment, I tend to speak very little as my voice is so poor still. There are usually a few of us on and please feel free to call in and join the net. We always finish by 9pm local time and often well before.

Currently I am monitoring the net and WSPRing on 10m.

10m - transatlantic Es this afternoon

I switched to 2W WSPR on 10m around 1406z and was rewarded (in addition to reception of a Dutch station) by reception of K3NAL (5930km) and  KZ8C (6920km). Neither has copied me yet, if they are indeed monitoring on RX. Both are using 5W.

This must be multi-hop Es. It is certainly my best Es DX this season.  At this time of the year it is highly unlikely to be F-layer. Anyway, today F2 conditions today are very poor. K3NAL and KZ8C have been copied lots of times. K3NAL has been copied 10 times by 1608z!

10m Es WSPR - transatlantic today

It is a great pity there are not more stations in the USA on WSPR on 6m. Good to copy USA stations in the summertime on 10m.

UPDATE 1700z:   K3NAL has been copied 14 times already.  WG2Z (5600km) has now copied my 2W at 1626z.

UPDATE 1820z:   Lots of EU Es audible on WSPR but the transatlantics have stopped.

UPDATE 1856z:    PD0OHW (459km) at +12dB S/N on WSPR - incredibly strong Es propagation.

6m after the storms.

Last night I decided to stay off air until the storms were well clear. They moved away from this area by mid evening but as they were very scattered I decided to stay off-air until the morning.  A check on WSPRnet showed I was not missing too much - just Es around Europe and no "super DX".

In the end, I returned to 6m at 1058z this morning after a shopping trip into Newmarket with the wife.  Apart from usual G4IKZ (18km) I was rewarded by a -21dB S/N spot by OH7AI (2000km) up in Finland at 1106z. At 1120z, he was spotting me at a strong -6dB S/N.

WSPR spots of OH7AI and G4IKZ on 6m this morning

Sunspot count is 17 today (low) and 20-30MHz conditions are described as "fair", so F2 DX is less probable on 10m. I may QSY to 10m later just in case.

UPDATE 1150z:  SQ9SIM has just been spotted on 6m WSPR. The band is opening well by Es.

UPDATE 1400z:  My WSPR software was stopped (for a short while after lunch) but just G4IKZ spotting me now. Maybe there will more 6m Es later.

Solar activity

See http://www.solen.info/solar/ .

Looking at the data on this excellent page, it now looks pretty certain that we have started on the downwards part of the current cycle. This does NOT mean an end to decent HF conditions. For several years to come there will be good days and 15,12 and 10m will still support DX but far less easily than around the sunspot maximum years.

Even in the depths of the last minimum N-S DX was still there to be worked on QRP SSB, so expect some decent openings. This is really where regular WSPR operation will help, by seeing just how often 10m opens up.  As I have said before, operating on the weaker parts of the solar cycle are, in many ways, more challenging and interesting. When 10m is wide open it becomes too easy.

Also, don't forget Es (sporadic-E) which can produce some spectacular DX at the right time of the year - in the northern hemisphere this is usually May, Jun, July and August but Es can occur (more fleetingly) at other times times of the year. This is why regular WSPR operation will help.

6m - storms stop play

Just as things on 6m Es were hotting up, I can hear distant thunder and an approaching storm. Currently the storm is tracking to the west of Cambridge and may miss us, but as a precaution I have disconnected antennas, PSU and rigs. If the storm moves further away I will reconnect things. Darn! 6m was great today and I fear I may miss some good DX.

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .

UPDATE 1912z:  Looking at WSPRnet.org it appears I am not missing any great super-DX from across the Atlantic on 6m. All I can see are decent Es paths around Europe. For now,the antennas and rigs will remain disconnected just in case the storms reappear. For now, the storms seem to have moved away east.

6m WSPR Es

In the last few minutes IK1WVQ (1084km) has been spotted a few times at up to -5dB S/N (strong) and HB9FGQ (804km) at -12dB S/N (pretty strong). There is still plenty of Es around on 6m.

Most spots were by local G4IKZ (18km) though.

6m WSPR spots this afternoon (so far)

UPDATE 1605z:  IK6HIR (1312km) has just spotted my 1W 6m ERP at an amazing +11dB S/N - stronger than if he was local. Phenomenal conditions.

UPDATE 1615z:  Strong signals on 6m now from OK1DX and OH7AI. This opening seems Europe wide.

UPDATE 1630z:  In terms of the spread and intensity, today here is one of the best days on 6m this season.  It would be nice to round off a great EU Es day with a transatlantic 6m opening.

10m WSPR - unique spots this morning

10m WSPR - unique reports this morning

As already mentioned, the 10m Es reports have been good this morning. The above shows the unique spots (repeats are not shown) on 10m Es today. G0LRD (25km) is a local. I am running about 2W out.

I am now going to QSY to 6m WSPR.  On 6m my ERP is lower because of cable losses - around 1W ERP maximum on 6m.

Doppler on local and GDX 10m and 6m signals

G0LRD has already shown that what I have described as Doppler on 6m is, sometimes, the drift as my FT817 goes from TX to RX and cools down. Certainly some WSPR signals are affected by aircraft reflections, evidenced by multiple traces. It is an open question whether or not some signals are only propagated at decent GDX distances as a result of aircraft or whether it is just the tropo signal that is decoded. My strong suspicion is that at least some GDX is only possible when planes are in the right orientation and Doppler shift is low enough to allow a successful decode.

Notice the (additional), aircraft reflected, signal from G0LRD ((above 100) earlier. Clearly the decode was on the flat trace coming directly and not that coming via a plane. Sometimes I have seen as many as 6 aircraft reflections. The traces lower in frequency did not decode as the Doppler was too great. Doppler on 6m is worse.

10m Es - Sunday morning

This morning I was late starting 10m WSPR, but already it has been very good with WSPR spots sent and received from across Europe already (S51, EA, DL, SM , OZ, LB, I etc). I would describe Es conditions as "wide open" on 10m. I may QSY up to 6m shortly.

Sunspot count today is 27 and 20-30MHz conditions described as "fair". I shall be lucky to see any 10m F2 propagation today.

What next for the autumn?

My thoughts are starting to turn towards amateur radio this autumn.

Unlike in previous years, I cannot imagine being fully fit by then. So, I shall be on the lookout for some new challenges that don't involve driving, don't involve building and probably don't require much, if any, antenna work. Also, it would be helpful if actual talking is kept to a minimum as I find talking very tiring.

I suspect JT65 and JT9-1 will be on the list as I can use (some of) these modes on 630m, 40m, 20m, 10m, 6m, 2m and 70cm with existing antennas.  I may ask for some help to improve my earth electrode antenna for 630m. With luck I may be able to drive again later this year. This means I might be able to restart some field work again.

If you have any suggestions let me know.

Maybe I should try for QRP DXCC on JT65/JT9-1? No talking, use existing antennas and rigs, and a new challenge.

Sprites and Es?

DK0SC (827km) spotted my 2W at 1938z this evening. I wonder if there is correllation between lightning and Es? There is intense lightning over (close to) the mid path. I seem to recall that the link relates to sprites rising upwards from lightning clouds but forget the details.

Currently the storm centre appears to be tracking up the North Sea.

10m GDX

The 10m Es seems to have stopped at around 1806z, for now. I am still copying GDX from G8VDQ (93km). I shall be disconnecting the rigs and antennas shortly if the storms get closer, although the nearest storms seem to be moving further away.  It certainly feels very close and stormy here.

Storms - missing us again?

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en  .

Having just got back from my twice daily "constitutional" walk of 400m "around the block" (to help my balance post brain bleed), I noticed how close and thundery it feels this evening.

The nearest storms currently are about 70 miles west of here, but this could change. It certainly feels like we are in for a storm within hours, although there is no thunder audible locally at present. The lightning map is proving very useful and I have unplugged rigs, PSU and antennas when storms are on their way.

At present, the storms seem to be tracking well west of us. We'll see how the storms move in the next few hours.

10m WSPR unique reports today (so far)

Currently it is 1712z. These are the unique spots today, so far, on 10m.  Repeat reports are not shown. It has been a decent day on 10m WSPR. I was late starting because of the risk of local storms this morning.

WSPR unique reports on 10m today, so far.

EA5CYA has been coming through for the last hour very well with good signals for 200mW.

Sunspot count is low today (29) and 20-30MHz propagation described only as "fair".  No F2 DX seen here today as yet, and I am not expecting any.

UPDATE 1800z: The risk of storms locally seems to have subsided , at least for now. Overnight I'll still disconnect everything, just in case.

I wonder if there will be Es at some (low) level all year around on 10m?   I suspect that if I leave WSPR running on 10m all year I'll find openings into Europe every week. At the moment, the "common wisdom" is Es is mainly a May, June July phenomenon in Europe with a smaller peak in January. This is probably correct as the peak months  - the question is how common is it at other times of the year?

UPDATE 1810z:  EA5CYA (1376km) has been spotted no less than 8 times since 1636z.

10m WSPR after a brief foray on 6m

After the storm risk had passed, I ventured on to 6m but was only spotted by usual local G4IKZ (18km) so QSYed down to 10m WSPR where there is more happening.

Spots seen of G4MLA (53km) and G0LRD (25km) with lots of airplane Doppler on G4MLA. Later Es seen from SM, OZ and EA5.

Storm risk passed?

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en  .

About 3 hours ago there was thunder and lightning less than a mile away and very heavy rain, but all is now quiet here.  The nearest storm activity was at Wicken and Dullingham but these have subsided now. I suspect the main danger has now passed and I can safely reconnect rigs and antennas.

Will probably go on 6m WSPR later today.