G4NUA visit

Ted G4NUA

Since my stroke last September, it has been harder to get out, so I always appreciate visits especially from fellow radio amateurs. G3TFX pops in regularly. Today Ted G4NUA called. Ted is usually a regular on our Monday 8pm 2m FM net.

It is always best to make sure it is convenient to visit in case we are out - I have twice weekly gym sessions and we try to get out for walks quite often.

Ted and I chatted for about an hour about amateur radio and his XYL who has been unwell recently. Ted is very fit and looks about 10 years below his age. Years ago we worked together.

10m Es? - this morning

This morning 4X1RF (3519km) has spotted me (strongly) 12 times already on WSPR. This could be F2 or multi-hop Es. The latter is more probable.  CT1JTQ (1843km) is definitely Es. In addition, local G0LRD (25km) was strong and M0EMM (192km) was copied pretty well by tropo and aircraft reflection.

I see VKs were coming into N.Europe by F2 on 10m around breakfast time, but there was no copy here sadly on 10m.Others with better antennas may have done better than me?

Sunspot count today is 92 (stable) and 20-30MHz propagation is "normal". I was expecting F2 on 10m here yesterday, but copied none. Maybe better luck today?

Resistors

From our old friend Steve:

You want some Resis? These seem Good VFM! Paypal ordering too!

 

http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-New-Best-selling-2500-PCS-50-Values-1-Or-4W-0_25W-1-Pencent-Metal-Film-Resistor-Kit-p-40424.html

 

73 Steve G1KQH

http://www.g1kqh.talktalk.net/

10m WSPR - a quiet afternoon

Since the Es this morning it has been very quiet on 10m with just G0LRD and M0EMM copied here. I am still hopeful of some more Es (and F2) propagation before the day is over. It has been very quiet this afternoon - quieter than I was expecting.

UPDATE 1953z:  Still just local G0LRD (25km) and no sign of more 10m Es propagation or any 10m F2.

10m WSPR - Es all morning

CT1JTQ (1843m) has been spotting my 10m 2W WSPR almost all morning. 10m Es has been good again today and I suspect that (with WSPR which allows very weak signals to be decoded) there will be Es seen right through the month and beyond. Yes, I expect the frequency of Es openings to decrease as we move into autumn, but I think there will be some openings every week to somewhere in Europe by Es. The moral is never give up on 10m WSPR: in the years ahead we'll learn a lot about fleeting openings thanks to WSPR. This applies to tropo, aircraft reflection, Es and F2. Magic bands 10m and 6m.

Sunspots today

Sunspot count today is 105 and 20-30MHz propagation "fair", so a decent chance of some 10m N-S F2 propagation at some times during the day and evening.  Es is still good on 10m. Plenty of life on the band still.

UPDATE 0930z:  HB4FL (835km) last seen by Es at 0854z.

10m WSPR - breakfast time Es

10m was open early again this morning by Es with DC8SE copied at 0820z and HB4FL copied at 0814z.   M0EMM (192km) has been coming in on tropo several times.

2m UKAC contest this evening

At the moment I am 114th out of 182 stations in the AL (low power) section (annual) of the 2m UKAC contests that take place on the first Tuesday of the month.

Operating SSB is very hard work with my poor voice (because of my brain bleed last September), so I usually stop after about 1 hour. Even that 1 hour is hard work. I am quite pleased with these results considering I have only entered 2 contests so far this year, for well below half the operating time allowed and with just 5W SSB and a 3 el hand-rotated beam up not very high.

All being well, I shall be on 2m SSB for the contest this evening.

UPDATE 2115z:  A good contest this evening with 13 QSOs in just under an hour before my voice gave in. It really was very very hard on my voice. Best DX MM0GPZ/P in IO85AK way up in Scotland. All QSOs were SSB at 5W.  My best contest yet with 5W from the new QTH with the hand rotated 3 el beam. Interestingly not a single QSO with stations in IO92 square . Last time I worked loads.

2m QSOs this evening. 5W and 3el from home

10m WSPR - GDX

With no Es on 10m this afternoon, GDX was the only excitement. M0EMM (192km) was copied by a mix of tropo and aircraft reflections. I spotted him and he spotted me. I am still hopeful of some Es and F2 propagation on 10m before the day is out.

UPDATE 1855z:  G8JNJ/A (184km) was spotted at 1848z on 10m WSPR.

No 10m Es here this afternoon

Since CT1JTQ (1843km) at lunchtime there has been no Es here on 10m, just exchanging spots with G0LRD (25km) who suffers from an intermittent high noise floor.  At this QTH, so far, I have been very lucky with local noise. I know this may not last.

Antennas

At the moment, I can cover 6m, 2m and 70cm vertical with the V2000, 2m omni-horizontal with the 2m halo, 2m and 70cms SSB/CW/digital with the small, hand rotated beam (3el/5ele) and 10m, 20m and 40m with the end-fed PAR wire antenna strung up to a tree. I can get on 630m by loading up the coax cables to various antennas or using the earth electrodes in the ground. I can get on other bands too by tuning various coax feeders.

V2000, 2m halo, and 2m/70cm beam (hand-rotated).
PAR end-fed is not visible but goes to a tree.

I will probably take down the V2000 and 2m halo later and replace them with a 10m halo (Homebase-10) for the months until next spring. I think the 10m halo will be a more effective antenna for 10m than the PAR. It will certainly be higher. Main problem at present is my mobility: climbing ladders is not a good idea in my present state, so antenna work is all but impossible.

Despite the low  power (5W or less) and lowish elevation, I am able to work out to around 200km on 2m and 70cm SSB in contests.

UPDATE WEDS: 449km best DX (Scotland) on 2m in the UKAC last evening with 5W and 3el.

10m WSPR - Sept 2nd 2014

Yet another good morning on 10m with lots of Spanish and Portuguese Es seen and local G0LRD (25km),

10m WSPR this morning

Best spot of my 2W WSPR so far today is by 4X1RF (3519km). I think this is multi-hop Es, but it could be F2.

20m - real DX at breakfast time!

20m WSPR was running overnight and lots of Ws seen last night. Breakfast time on 20m WSPR was excellent with ZL3DMH (18887km) in RE66im square (Christchurch,NZ) and several VKs spotting me. It was a very good start, especially as my 20m antenna is so low and so poor (PAR 10/20/40m end-fed at about 3-4m AGL).

Sunspot count today is 94 and 20-30MHz propagation "fair". A QSY to 10m is now called for to check for F2 and Es propagation.

I am still in awe of the pure magic of radio: 2W into a very indifferent antenna and this can be detected on the far side of the planet. I know others have done far better, but it still sends shivers down my spine!

20m activity

I called CQ on 20m in JT9-1 and then JT65 just before tea without success. Since switching to 20m WSPR I was met with immediate success.  VK5MR was copied and now there are plenty of Canadian and USA stations being spotted or spotting me.  WSPR really is a good mode.

UPDATE 1856z:  OX3XR (3206km) was a new country on 20m WSPR just now. 12 reports received in a single WSPR 2 minute transmission!

10m - still good Es and GDX , but no F2 seen here yet

PT2WWV stopped coming through late last evening but this morning Es has been good from southern Europe since before breakfast. Overnight  a couple of new G stations were seen G3ZTU (144km) and G7EOB (76km).

Sunspot count today is 90 and 20-30MHz propagation "fair". F2? Any ones guess.

UPDATE 1507z: Spanish stations have been coming in by 10m Es all day. So far,no F2 propagation has been seen here,

UPDATE 1525z:  QSYing to 20m for some JT9-1 2-way QSOs I hope,

73 magazine online

Just received this from Martin Mann in Cambridge. For some years Martin ran Cambridge Kits although I think he is now retired. When looking for a particular edition of 73, be sure to replace the year and month with the one you need. The year has to be changed in two places in the link!

"Roger, 

Have you heard of Bill Hoisington, K1CLL, now sadly a silent key?  He was a prolific contributor on UHF to 73 Magazine in the '60s and 70s and is still a good read today, at least for a dabbler like me.  No expensive ICs, ha.  There is a list of his articles at http://mikeyancey.com/73mag/listauthor.php?Author=K1CLL and you can download complete copies of each issue of 73 Magazine as at http://library.vss.pl/lib/mag73/1967/73%20Magazine%20-%201967-07.pdf .  The files are about 30MB and take about 5 min to download, the 73 server being rather slow.  For something a bit meatier the HICKMAN, I. (2002). Practical Radio-Frequency Handbook (3rd ed.) at http://worldtracker.org/media/library/Electronics%20and%20Communications/Electronics%20ebook%20collection%20II/HICKMAN,%20I.%20(2002).%20Practical%20Radio-Frequency%20Handbook%20(3rd%20ed.).pdfis pretty good and only 2 MB.  Do you know any other magazines with back issues on pdf ?  Hoping talking is easier for you now,  

Martin"

Sunspots and 10m

Sunspot count today is 64 (modest) and 20-30MHz propagation "normal". 10m F2 is possible. Es and GDX are still quite likely, although so far on 10m WSPR it has been quiet with just local G4KPX (14km) spotted strongly at -7dB S/N.

There are a couple of signals coming through for much less than 2 minutes that may be Es or even MS. So far, these have not decoded.

G0LRD (25km) has spotted me now at -13dB S/N.

UPDATE 1538z:   PT2WWV (8873km) has been spotted by F2 this afternoon. Earlier in the afternoon,there was Es from Spain.

UPDATE 1835z: Italians now being spotted by 10m Es - IK1WVQ (1084km) and IK3NLK (1136km).

UPDATE 1900z: PT2WWV (8873km) is again being spotted. Not sure if this pure F2 or a combination of F2 and Es. So far, the Brazilian has been spotted 5 times.

UPDATE 2025z:  PT2WWV has been spotted 11 times so far today.

UPDATE 2200z: PT2WWV  has been spotted 19 times on 10m WSPR today so far. I shall leave WSPR running overnight to see when this F2 opening finally ends. 8873km is a decent distance on 10m this long into the evening and darkness here.

472kHz WSPR overnight

Overnight, I ran 472kHz WSPR but only the same old stations spotting and being spotted.  After G3XDV last night, no new stations in the log. Even with 5mW ERP, I don't think I am missing much: this seems enough to reach most stations.

Have now QSYed to 10m WSPR.

Back on 472kHz WSPR - and a new reporter!

About 50 minutes ago, I returned to 472kHz WSPR and was rewarded by a report from a new reporter this summer G3XDV. In the last 2 weeks of MF operation I have been spotted by 16 different stations. A lot more stations, if active, would be in range. Activity seems low regrettably.

Early evening on 472kHz WSPR

UPDATE 2030z:  The last time I looked there were 41 stations active on 472kHz WSPR. This is more than I can ever recall.

Now back to 20m

As 10m was the same as before (plenty of Es) I have returned to 20m WSPR but will try 20m JT65 and JT9-1 shortly. 10m F2 propagation is being seen in S.Europe, but has been absent with me.

UPDATE 1422z:  Best report so far on 20m WSPR is LA9JO (2096km). Nothing outside Europe so far.

UPDATE 1555z:  Just spotted VK5MR (16144km) on 20m WSPR. He was spotted again a little later. This is the best DX today. VK5MR was -23/-25dB S/N with 10W. This means my 2W (ERP less) would be inaudible his end.  He'd need to be around -16dB S/N with me for a chance of him copying me.  In the past, I have been spotted in  Australia on 40m, 20m and 10m with 1W WSPR or less, but not today.

UPDATE 1745z: VK5MR has now been spotted 4 times.

Gone back to 10m

Since about 5 minutes ago, I have QSYed back to 10m WSPR.  OZ7IT and G4KPX are good signals currently. I may try JT65/JT9-1 later on 10m or 20m.

UPDATE 1400z: All very quiet on 10m now with just locals G0LRD and G4KPX.  I may QSY back to 20m?  SM67464 (999km) was the last Es spot before lunch. G8JNJ/A (184km) was spotted at lunch time presumably by tropo and aircraft reflection (GDX).

40m WSPR

For the last 40 minutes I have been on 40m WSPR with the very indifferent PAR end-fed. Plenty of spts given and received, as might be expected. Will QSY back to 10m soon.

40m WSPR uniques in first 40 mins

Mistakes

It must be my stroke, but I seem to make at least one typo with every blog entry that I later have to go back and correct. Sometimes it takes me a while to even notice the error. As an example, "handicap" was "hadicap" for some while in the last post even though the spell checker had pointed this out to me.

If you see typos please tell me so I can correct as soon as possible.

20m WSPR - too easy?

For a change, I QSYed to 20m WSPR where my low Par end-fed is even more compromised, Despite this handicap,  I seem to get 4-6 reports with each 2 minute WSPR transmission.  Reports so far have been all from EU stations.

I may try JT65 and JT9-1 on 20m before perhaps QSYing to 40m. I am getting a bit tired of reports from the same stations!

UPDATE 1032z:  Best DX so far is spotting R2DDX (2493km).

QSYed to 10m

After being on MF (472kHz) overnight, I have at 0815z QSYed to 10m. 472kHz was disappointing with the same reporters. Best DX spot by me on 472kHz WSPR was DH5RAE (995km).

Sunspot count today is 73 but 20-30MHz conditions are expected to be "poor". Sounds like an unlikely day for 10m F2, but we'll see.

10m WSPR early Saturday

UPDATE 0900z:   EA5CYA (1376km) already spotted by 10m Es at 0834z.

UPDATE 0944z: Now Sweden SI9AM (1503km).

472kHz power shown WRONGLY

Since turning on 472kHz WSPR earlier I have been showing the wrong power. On LF and MF (because antennas are usually so inefficient) it is convention to show ERP, not TX power. I simply forgot to change from 2W to 5mW ERP when I QSYed from 10m. This is such an easy mistake to make.

After 1440z the ERP is now correct. My TX power (from the transverter) is actually about 12W but the measured ERP is very low (around 5mW) as the antenna is so poor. I measure antenna current and calculate the antenna's effective height.

UPDATE 1820z: I am still surprised how few G stations are active on TX on 472kHz. G6AVK and G3WCB have both been received this evening.

UPDATE 1945z:  G4KPX has now come on and is being copied.

472kHz WSPR uniques in last hour

UPDATE 2130z: The same old stations yet again tonight. Still no new reporters on 472kHz.

472kHz continued

Still just M0LMH and G0LRD spotting me currently on MF. I shall (probably) stick on 472kHz WSPR for the rest of the day now. Things should liven up after dark.

472kHz WSPR

As 10m is behaving "normally" I have QSYed down to MF (472kHz) to see what daylight propagation is like. I am using the feeder to my 2m halo and V2000 vertical tuned against mains ground and one radial. The very first transmission got me reports from G0LRD (25km) and M0LMH (223km) and it is only 1150z.

10m Es - still good on WSPR

10m Es is good this morning with plenty from Scandinavia already (SI9, OZ and OH) spotted or spotting me.

Sunspot count today is 78 (stable) and 20-30MHz propagation "fair". There is a chance of F2 propagation today. For several days G0LRD (25km) has spotted VKs around breakfast time on 10m. I have been later getting active, so missed these.

10m - quiet here so far today on WSPR

Sunspot count is 82 (disturbed) today and 20-30MHz propagation is forecast to be "poor". It seems unlikely I will see F2 propagation today on 10m, but you never can be sure on 10m. My PC stopped WSPR running around breakfast time (more updates?) and on restarting the software just G0LRD (25km) spotting me so far. Es is always possible.

I may return to 472kHz later today if things stay quiet on 10m.

UPDATE 1950z:  Well, 10m is always a band of surprises! CX2ABP (11127km) was copied several times after tea by N-S F2 and CT1JTQ (1843km) by Es. The PC was off (being swapped) most of the afternoon so I may have missed some of the action on 10m.

UPDATE 2000z:  Will be going QRT on 10m shortly.  472kHz (maybe) tomorrow night.

10m GDX and more F2 and Es

M0EMM (192km) has been spotted at 1114z and 1134z from  IO82sq square, presumably tropo with some aircraft reflections. This morning I am seeing GDX, Es and F2 propagation: this is why the band is so interesting.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Mogacapital.jpg/800px-Mogacapital.jpg

UPDATE 1412z:  Is this really meant to be a "poor" propagation day on 10m?  T5/T61AA (6960km) has been spotted many times since lunch. This is Ross (who was in Afghanistan) now in Mogadishu, Somalia, East Africa.

UPDATE 2035z:  Just G0LRD (25km) in recent hours. All DX, for now, has disappeared here.

10m F2 this morning and sunspots

FR1GZ (9724km) was be copied here first at 1056z this morning by 10m F2 propagation.There have beenseveral spots since and he has also spotted me.

Sunspot count today is 81 (disturbed) and 20-30MHz propagation expected to be "poor". Quite surprised to see Reunion Is in the log today, but  this 10m, a band filled with surprises every day.

There is already Es about on 10m with CT1JTQ (1843km) spotting me several times from 1024z.

Yet more stateside and some F2 and Es

What a remarkable day on 10m WSPR! This morning plenty of spots of FR1GZ (9724km) on Reunion Is (Indian Ocean) and several USA stations coming through or spotting me, starting with KB1YMI (5156km) in FN43rl square at 1306z and later KD6RF (7526km) and ND6M (6914km). In most cases, spots were exchanged 2-ways. This is the 11th USA opening that I have caught on 10m this Es season.  I actually find it hard to believe this is really multi-hop Es. Maybe we are seeing a new sort of propagation? The (very brief) openings seem to be too regular for a form of Es.  It is getting late in the Es season now and these openings are just about daily.  Quite remarkable.

Despite the "6" call area, these "6" stations were in Texas and Tennessee. In recent years you can no longer assume "6" stations are in California for example. For non-USA stations (if not also for stations in the USA) this is a bad, backward step,  resulting in lots of confusion. The FCC does seem to be a bit short-sighted.

UPDATE 1915z:  I just noted that VE3GEN (5593km) was spotting me this afternoon at 1524z. As far as I recall, this is the first VE in the log this summer on 10m WSPR. There is still widespread Es on 10m from across Europe.

UPDATE 1935z:  I see WG2Z (5600km) was spotted at 1134z this morning. GM4SFW was also spotted today by Es. Transatlantic summertime propagation seems so common (suprisingly) that it is almost not worth reporting!

UPDATE 2120z:  VE3GEN (5593km) was logging me again at 2046z this evening.  Remarkable, albeit at - 28dB S/N (weakly) and no other transatlantic stations copied around that time. If I count unique occurrences, I think this is 13th (or is it 14th?) time this Es season that I have seen the 10m band open across the North Atlantic.

Sunspots and 10m Es

Sunspot count today is 112 (going lower and with blackouts) but 20-30MHz propagation is forecast to be "good". We should see F2 today on 10m.

Already on WSPR this morning there is 10m Es to LZ1OI (2153km) and IK1WVQ (1084km).  I suspect another decent day on the 10m band is in store.

UPDATE 0905z:  EA5CYA (1376km) now being spotted.

And again! N2OTO spotted on 10m last night

10m was open very briefly again last night transatlantic. Just single spots exchanged (each way) on WSPR with N2OTO (7088km) at around 2242z.  Local G0LRD (25km) also spotted him. This is now the 11th transatlantic 10m Es opening this summer by Es. WSPR certainly helps!

10m - transatlantic YET again today!

This lunchtime, 10m opened to the USA yet again with K9AN (6505km) and KC2GMM (5562km) being spotted here. I think this is the 10th time I have caught a 10m stateside opening this Es season. I am sure that WSPR is helping to discover these brief openings. 

I find it amazing that 10m gets to the USA so often. If this is multi-hop Es (I think it is) similar openings are likely any summer Es season, even right in the sunspot minima.  Some even think Es gets better as we approach the minima, although I am unsure if this is true.

UPDATE 1425z:  EA5CYA (1376km) has been spotted several times since lunchtime by Es. Otherwise mainly locals G4KPX (14km) and G0LRD (25km).

UPDATE 1920z:   GM4WJA (624km) has spotted me several times this evening by Es.  OK2SAM (1283km) has been spotted on Es here at 1906z.

UPDATE 2133z:   LZ1OI (2153km) spotted at -18dB S/N on WSPR by Es at 2018z. There has been Es throughout the day, but it has been absent far more than "there". I guess this is how it is going to be now as we enter the quieter Es months.

Sunspots today and 10m this morning

Sunspot count is 128 with 20-30MHz propagation forecast to be "good". This should be another good day for 10m F2 long distance propagation. I'd expect more Es too at some time.

So far today, just locals G4KPX (14km) and G0LRD (25km) spotting me and being spotted, apart from OZ7IT at breakfast time by Es.  No sign (yet) of F2 propagation.

UPDATE 1045z:  OK2UGG (1164km) has just spotted me by Es.

UPDATE 1050z:  G0LRD tells me I missed VK3KCX at breakfast time this morning by F2.  I think Dave's antenna on 10m is better than mine.

UPDATE 1208z:  No further Es (or F2) seen here since OK2UGG at 1032z.

10m - yet more transatlantic

Very late last night, 10m yet again was open across the Atlantic to the USA.  N2OTO (7088km) was spotting my 2W at around 2312z at -16dB S/N and a little earlier WB2TQE (7097km) was copying me slightly less strongly. Although most probably multi-hop Es, it is just possible it was F2 back-scatter from near the equator. 10m has opened to the USA very many times this summer. I think I have caught 8-9 openings now, and I will have missed a few.

These are just the sort of fleeting openings that regular WSPR operation will reveal.

10m - still being spotted in Brazil

PT2WWV is still spotting me at 2142. I suspect he will copy me even later too. This is now the 6th time he has spotted me this evening.

VLF experiments

My neurosurgeon believes I should now be driving again and so do I.   I am waiting to hear from the DLVA. It is now a year since I last drove or touched alcohol, because of my brain bleed and the op that followed it.

One of the first things I want to do is some 8.97kHz tests from the "new" QTH. I say new QTH, but we have lived there over a year now, although I was in hospital for 3.5 months. This test will involve driving to some local test  sites to see how strong (or weak) my 5W test signal from home is. The drives are quite short.