30 Jul 2014

10m - transatlantic yet again by Es

Just before midnight local time here KZ8C (6290km) was spotted running 5W WSPR on 10m. This is the 5th transatlantic Es opening I have caught on 10m this summer.  Despite letting WSPR run through the night, no other transatlantic DX was seen and no EU Es either, just wispy traces from G8JNJ/A (184km) - partial decodes of Martin's QTH locator through the night, but no full decodes. Signals had all the hallmarks of aircraft reflection or MS - several traces in each burst , Doppler and short duration.

This morning (early) I am seeing EU Es DX from SI9AM (1503km) Sweden and IK1WVQ (1084km) Italy by 0702z.
Sunspot count today is 160 (good) and 20-30MHz conditions are expected to be "normal". We may see F2 propagation. but none was seen here on 10m yesterday, surprisingly. This may be a lack of active WSPR stations rather than a lack of F2.  WSPR is the ideal mode to check for fleeting band openings. I would never have noticed KZ8C without WSPR. I just wish more people would use it, and in more places.

UPDATE 0918z:  OH1W (1646km) spotted me at 0848z.  I think I'm switching to 6m now!

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