9 Jan 2015

Sunspots and 10m

Sunspot number today was 101 and 10m propagation was described as "good". Best 10m DX spot with my 500mW WSPR beacon was by CX2ABP/D (11080km). There were several spots by 4X1RF (3519km) this morning on 10m. After lunch, plenty of spots from the USA.

8 Jan 2015

10m WSPR analysis by Bert PA1B

Bert, PA1B, has analysed my 500mW 10m WSPR spots over 1600km today. It makes interesting viewing. It shows the number of spots each hour from different stations.  The best times for most DX spots was around 1000-1100z and 1400-1500z. Best DX was 1400-1500z to CX2ABP/D.

Thanks again Bert.

My shack

Shack - operating position Jan 8th 2015
As many of you know, I had a cerebellum brain bleed in Sept 2013 which was operated on. I am steadily recovering, but my voice is still poor so I much restrict operations using voice modes for now.  The picture shows the operating position in my shack. As shown, I am using 500mW on 10m WSPR (WSPR-AXE-CW beacon) and 5mW ERP on MF WSPR via a homebrew transverter (just below the clock) and the earth-electrodes in the garden.  MF uses the PC and FT817 whereas the 10m beacon is tiny and needs no PC. The loading coil (above the power meter) is not used with the earth-electrodes. It is used when on MF when loading up miscellaneous other antennas. It is not in use at all currently.

When fit again, I intend to resume field experiments.

Not shown are any of the optical, 136kHz or VLF kit or the bench used for building. The latter is currently awaiting better health again.

Stroke Update

Many of you know I had a cerebellum brain bleed in Sept 2013 (16 months ago) and was in hospital for 3.5  months. Slowly I am recovering, but it is taking much longer than I expected. 

Amateur radio field experiments and building work are on hold.  This is frustrating but I hope this will come right again in time.

Main issues are I get tired quickly,  I feel drunk when I walk, my speech is poor and drinking thin liquids is not easy. Most foods are OK now. All limbs, eyes, ears and intellect are fine.  I still feel unwell and not my old self yet.

First and last 10m spots from the USA today

N1MGO (5293km) was the first USA station to spot my 500mW 10m beacon today at 1254z. This was quite early for recent days. A  couple of other USA spotters were K3ZV (5692km) and WG2Z (5600km) at the same time. This bodes well for a decent afternoon on 10m WSPR.

At the time of writing (1758z) the last USA station to spot me was K9AN (6505km) a 1748z.

Sunspots and 10m

Sunspot number today is 106 and 10m propagation is described as "fair". Already plenty of spots of my 500mW 10m WSPR-AXE-CW from CX2ABP/D (11080km) in Montevideo on 10m over lunchtime.

7 Jan 2015

Amateur transatlantic messages on 8822Hz

See http://w4dex.com/vlf/8822hz_dec14/  .

In the last month W4DEX has successfully transmitted an amateur VLF true message across the Atlantic. Up to this only constant carriers have been copied. It seems almost anything is now possible with good equipment, hard work and patience.

Return to 472kHz WSPR

At about 1920z I gave up on 6m and returned to MF for the evening and overnight. My best DX spot was from G3WCB (101km). at -20dB S/N.   I am again using 5mW ERP from the short baseline earth electrode "antenna". Within just a few minutes on 472kHz WSPR  I am getting results whereas nearly a day on 6m drew a total blank.

Early days on 2m

My first ever RX outings on 2m were with a derivative of the CQ2 super-regen RX circuit from Practical Wireless back in the late 1960s. The very first signal I ever heard on 2m was G3VEH/P on Caradon Hill in Cornwall. I was located at Kingsbridge in South Devon. I used a small crystal earpiece and a 19 inch whip. The same receiver was later adapted with the addition of an RF amplifier in my Fredbox AM transceiver. These were the days when AM was still king on 2m. The best DX contacts with the 10mW Fredbox were impressive.

A few years ago, I rebuilt my Fredbox and had a few local QSOs on 2m AM. It still works well for something this small and simple. More details of the Fredbox are on my website. Follow the link above.

6m - another dead loss day

I've been on 6m WSPR most of the day, but no spots given or received yet again. I really am wasting my efforts on this band at this time of the year.

First and last 10m WSPR spots today

My first 10m spot by a station in the USA was K3ZV (5692km) at 1446z.  He was also the last to spot me at an early 1626z. There may yet be other spots later, although I doubt it. There have been plenty of European spots, presumably winter Es or maybe F-layer backscatter?

Trying yet again on 6m WSPR

Yet again, I am WSPRing on 6m (1W ERP vertical 20% TX, 80% RX) but so far no success at all on RX or TX.  I am still on 10m (500mW) 100% TX.

Sunspots and 10m conditions - Jan 7th 2015

Sunspot number has climbed a little to 102, but 10m propagation is forecast to be "poor".

Best DX, so far this morning, on 10m WSPR with my 500mW WSPR-AXE-CW beacon (designed by Jay W5OLF) is EA8/DL9XJ (2981km). I wonder if there will be 10m propagation to the USA this afternoon?

UPDATE 1130z:  Best DX spot is now by 4X1RF (3519km).

UPDATE 1315z:   Plenty of 10m WSPR spots from around Europe and Israel ,but nothing further as yet.

6 Jan 2015

2m UKAC this evening

Unfortunately I was unable to rotate my small (hand rotated) 2m beam this evening. I think one of the fixings has worked loose and it was dark so I did not fancy fixing it in the dark. I was active for around 70 minutes but only raised locals and then gave in to my poor voice and went QRT.  Working SSB VHF contests really does strain my voice. Usually I have had enough after an hour.

Next Tuesday is the first 70cm UKAC. I'll have a go in that, after fixing the beam supports!

6m - a dead loss today (again)

I spent most of the day on 6m WSPR (1W ERP vertical) 20% TX and 80% RX.  I was also on 10m WSPR (500mW) 100% TX.

Although 10m opened to the USA, 6m was a dead loss with no spots given or received all day long. 472kHz is much more productive even though my ERP on 472kHz is far lower than my ERP on 6m.

10m WSPR - USA spots today

My 500mW 10m WSPR-AXE-CW beacon was again being copied in the USA today by several stations. I think something odd was happening yesterday. K9AN (6505km) copied me first at 1406 and he was again the last to copy me at 1600z. The USA opening here was less than 2 hours.

UPDATE 1805z:  I spoke too soon!  At 1756z I was being copied by K4COD (6826km). The 10m band is still open to the USA.

UPDATE 1840z:  No further spots since 1756z. Often the longest distances occur just before the band closes.  K4COD gave me a report of -11dB S/N, which was very strong for 500mW.

DXCC chasing

I have never really been a DXCC chaser, or a serious contester, although I usually enter the low power section of the UKAC VHF/UHF contests on Tuesday evenings. I think this evening it is a 2m event starting at 2000z. I'll see if my voice lasts an hour! The UKAC events are 2.5 hours long but up to an hour is enough for my poor voice right now.

When I did a rough count of 10m QRP SSB DXCC countries worked over the years it was way over 100. I have worked around 50 DXCC on 6m all QRP SSB and CW.  I have never claimed any awards, but it was interesting to see just how many countries I had worked on 10m QRP SSB. Other HF bands, apart from 10m don't interest me as much.

Sunspots and 10m - Jan 6th 2015

Sunspot number has dropped back again, standing at 89. Overall, we are now on the downward slope although there will still be good days.

10m propagation is forecast to be "fair" today. Yesterday was diabolical here with no USA stations spotting my 500mW WSPR for the first time in months. Today has to be better surely?

UPDATE 1108z:  So far just Europeans spotting me on 10m WSPR.  Still, more stations than all of yesterday.

5 Jan 2015

Jack Jones - the answer is NO!!!!

"Jack Jones" - pirate, please get the message: every comment you add to my blog will be deleted. I do NOT support pirate stations.

Please get a legal licence and join our great community instead.

No USA today on 10m?

For the first time in months, not a single USA station has spotted my 500mW WSPR beacon on 10m. It is now 1610z so time is running out fast!   Others may have been more successful, but it tells me conditions are changing for the worst on 10m.

UPDATE  1630z:   Still just spots earlier from LZ1OI (2153km) and not a single spot from the USA of my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon.

UPDATE 1735z:  Still no other spots than those earlier by LZ1OI. This looks like the first day since the summer not to have been spotted in the USA.

UPDATE 1755z:  Bas, from The Netherlands, wonders if 10m conditions were poor because of a recent aurora (see his comment below). If he is right conditions might get better over the coming days.

West coast Canada to New Zealand on 6m

I heard recently of a 6m 2-way CW QSO between New Zealand (ZL3RC) and a station in Western Canada (VE7DAY). This was probably a combination of Es and transequatorial propagation. At over 12000km it is some QSO. For those prepared to invest in big antennas and high power and lots of patience, this magic band does produce some very long distance contacts, even when there is a lack of F2 propagation. My own more modest attempts on 6m WSPR have been almost a total failure but I was just using a V2000 vertical and 1W ERP. I wonder if I would have had a lot more success with 10W and a beam?

See www.amateurradio.com  .

Sunspots and declining 10m conditions

Sunspot number today is 124 (respectable) but 10m conditions are expected to be just "fair" again. I have had my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon on for about 30 minutes but so far no sign of any USA spots.  Just a few weeks ago I could just about guarantee a USA opening on 10m by now. No doubt 10m will open to the USA, but a little later and close a little earlier. Hopefully conditions will improve as the days lengthen again.

4 Jan 2015

Digital systems and amateur radio?

At the moment there seem to be several competing digital modulation schemes First there was ICOM's D-star system, then C4FM from Yaesu, and of course DMR, which is gaining ground in the commercial PMR world.  There are even a few experimenting with TETRA, as used by the public services. Like Betamax and VHS, the best system may not win in the end.

At the moment, I am just not interested. I'll wait to see who wins in the end. My bet is DMR will win in the end as there will be a plentiful second hand market from PMR. This will never be so with any proprietary system. DMR is an open standard, so there will be plentiful radios around and at decent prices before too long.

10m WSPR analysis by Bert PA1B

Bert has kindly analysed 10m WSPR spots of my 500mW beacon as received by K9AN on several days in the last few days. Clearly mid-afternoon (1400-1500z) has been his best time with most spots.

A day NOT on 10m

2 of our grandchildren enjoying dad's cooking
Today, we went on the train to see our younger son and family who live near Canterbury. The train  ride is about 2.25 hours each way and we get about 5 hours in Canterbury, which in my current condition, is just long enough.

As I was out most of the day, I was NOT active on 10m during the day as usual.  Sunspot number was 122 today (going up) but 10m conditions were only "fair".

Since about 2000z I have been on 472kHz WSPR and spots have been exchanged with the usual suspects!

3 Jan 2015

472kHz WSPR

The best DX reception here on 472kHz last night (using the earth-electrode "antenna") was LA4ANA (1042km). The most recent 472kHz spots with 5mW ERP from the earth-electrodes are shown below.

10m USA WSPR spots today

The 10m USA openings in the afternoon are definitely getting shorter.

First USA station to spot me on 10m WSPR was K9AN (6505km) at 1426z. He was also the last station in the USA to spot me at 1632z.

This morning, we were at our neighbours for coffee and this afternoon with other friends in the close for drinks and mince pies.  Both were nice occasions. Not being able to speak easily as a result of my brain bleed is a real handicap. I do hope this recovers during 2015.

Still no USA spots on 10m WSPR

It is now 1345z and, as yet, no-one in the USA has spotted my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon.  A range of Europeans copying me. It may be just too early for the USA at this time of the 10m.

Sunspots and 10m

Sunspot number today is 113 and 10m propagation is expected to be "fair". Having only just turned on the 10m 500mW WSPR beacon, I have still to find out for myself.

2 Jan 2015

472kHz again

In the end I gave up on 6m and returned to MF (472kHz) shortly before tea. G8HUH (250km) and PA0O (440km)  have both spotted my 5mW ERP already.
Unique 472kHz spots of my 5mW ERP from earth-electrodes today.

First and last 10m USA WSPR spots today

The first spot of my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon was W3CSW (5886km) at 1320z.  The last 10m WSPR spot of my 500mW beacon was K9AN (6505km) at 1624z.  The openings are getting shorter.

The evenings are getting slightly lighter now: I was in the garden trimming branches today until nearly 1630z. Official sunset (when the sun actually goes down) is before 1600z, but afternoons are a little longer now. Next week the mornings get better too. Roll on spring!

6m - another 1 hour then QSY?

I'll give 6m WSPR another hour, then I'll probably go back to 630m (472kHz) where there seems to be activity. 6m really is (almost) a total wasteland at this time of year.10m is good.

6m activity

In the summer Es season there is usually no shortage of 6m WSPR activity, but once the main Es season has gone, activity takes a nosedive. This is a pity as it is outside of the Es season when WSPR is so useful. In the main Es months I can work all over Europe, North Africa and occasionally further with a few watts of SSB and a vertical omni on 6m. I regularly spot, and get spotted, on 6m WSPR out to 200km+ in the Es season with QRP WSPR by tropo and by aircraft reflections.   The better equipped stations can probably work real DX by scatter at most times of the year.

Please, can we have a few more on 6m WSPR at the quieter times of the year?

Giving 6m WSPR another try

Well, I must get points for effort!  Yet again, I have both 10m (500mW) and 6m (1W) WSPR running. Whilst the 500mW is getting plenty of spots on 10m, my 1W ERP on 6m is being spotted by no-one and I am spotting no-one either!

In the last few days I have exchanged 6m WSPR spots with G6AVK (78km) a few times and no-one else. I was expecting some winter Es but no luck on 6m as yet. GDX should be possible out to around 200km on 6m by tropo and aircraft reflection but there is very little activity on 6m within range at this time of the year.

Sunspots and 10m

Sunspot number today, Jan 2nd 2015, is 101.   10m propagation is expected to be "fair".   So far my 500mW 10m WSPR beacon is only being spotted around Europe.

1 Jan 2015

On 472kHz WSPR again

Since about 2010z I have been back on 472kHz WSPR using 5mW ERP from the short baseline earth-electrode "antenna".  These are the results in the first 44 minutes on the band (TX and RX).
472kHz Jan 1st 2015 - results in first 44 minutes
UPDATE 2130z:   Since this chart was created I have spotted G8HUH (250km) and PA0A (417km).

UPDATE 2212z:    Best DX (on RX) so far this evening is F1AFJ (607km). I shall leave the 472kHz system running overnight.

QSY from MF to 6m WSPR (still on 10m WSPR too)

At 1415z I QSYed my FT817 from MF (via the transverter and earth-electrodes) to 6m WSPR. On 6m WSPR I am running 1W ERP at 20% TX and 80% RX using my V2000 vertical omni-directional antenna.

I am still also on 10m WSPR 100% TX using 500mW using the Par tri-band end-fed antenna.

UPDATE 1806z:  No spots given and received on 6m today. A very disappointing day again on 6m. I'll give 6m a little longer, then QSY to 472kHz WSPR.

UPDATE 1902z:   Still no luck at all today on 6m. Time to QSY down to 472kHz within the hour.

UPDATE 1958zStill no results on 6m today so time to QSY down to 472kHz now.

No USA yet on 10m!

For the first time in months, there is no reception (yet) of my 10m 500mW WSPR beacon in the USA. Things way well change later this afternoon. Conditions certainly have started poorly on 10m this year.

I notice the path from the USA to Germany was open earlier though.

UPDATE 1356z:  I spoke a moment too soon!  W3CSW (5886km) was copying me just a few moments ago at a respectable - 19dB S/N.  Later than in previous days, but there! Since then, there are plenty of 10m WSPR spots from the USA.

UPDATE 1746z:  10m was closed to the USA very early today with K9AN (6505km) spotting me last at 1556z. This is is the earliest for months, even though the evenings (not mornings yet) are getting a bit lighter.

Sunspots and 2015 predictions

Sunspot number today is 94 and 10m propagation is forecast to be "fair". We'll soon find out just what this means.

I turned on the 10m 500mW WSPR beacon about 15 mnutes ago. Best DX so far this morning is 4L1QX (3299km). I'm still on 472kHz too, but will QSY to the 6m band soon.

In 2015 we might expect the following:
  • Declining sunspot numbers. We could see peak numbers in the 40s by the year end;
  • Possibly a new contiguous 60m band (with a favourable WRC meeting outcome);
  • The USA on 472 and 137kHz properly at last;
  • More interest in optical comms,especially IR and NLOS (non line-of-sight);
  • Possibly world-wide DX on amateur VLF frequencies below 9kHz.
I sincerely hope my health picks up too as I am keen to do field work again.

Best wishes for 2015

As I write this, it is still 2014 here in the UK but in most of Europe, Asia and Australasia it is already 2015. I wish all my blog readers the very best for 2015.

I really hope my health improves in 2015 so that I can resume field experiments!