Nanowaves in Finland

My own red LED and IR experiments have had to stop as my brain bleed last year has left me (for now) too clumsy. People are still active though. In the Cambridge, UK area there are both IR and visible red beacons GB3CAM active from RAF Wyton. See http://www.earf.co.uk/light_beacon.htm .

This was posted on the UKnanowaves Yahoo Group:

Greetings you light headed fellows :)

 .

 Darker times are coming and the sun is going down earlier and earlier here in Finland.

 I've been designing an IR based repeater/beacon. When not in repeater use, it transmits FSK441 and CW. It has 6 of 850nm RX heads 0, 60, 120, 240, and 300 degree directions. This enables some selectivity by choosing best RX head by SNR from the received signals. It scans through all of the RX:s and if it detects an signal, it will switch to the best SNR (this is done by MCU).

 The TX is basically 10 IR leds transmitting simultaneously in all directions (they are spread over circular 360 degree form with 36 degree increments).

 I have 6 credit card size fresnel lenses that I was thought using in front of the six BPW34. I thought that a little off-focuse would make the system less prone about the direction of the signals. What worries me is the sun. This system will be installed relatively high and it is certain that the sun will be focused to the photodiodes time to time. 

 Using a small IR filter in front of the BPW34 probably isn't the the best idea, because all of the energy from the sun is already focused to a relatively small area. Probably the best idea is to use the same sized IR filter than the primary antenna - the fresnel is. I've heard that exposed colour film would do a good job in this? Any experience?

Why I put two subjects under one message is that I just wanted to let you know what I'm doing, hi.  And all the ideas will be taken in!

73 de Janne OH1SDR

PS. This repeater will have THz input and 70cm output and vice versa.

VK5MR (16144km) on 10m WSPR

Having stayed on 10m WSPR overnight I caught an opening to Australia this morning. VK5MR (16144km) was spotted at 0912z today.  I know others e.g. G0LRD, have regularly spotted Australians but I tend to be still on MF early mornings, but not today.

10m WSPR - a good start today

4X1RF has spotted me 4 times already (still only 0722z) and DK0SC was spotting me during the very early hours. I assume DK was Es but 4X may be F2?

UPDATE 0935z: I have now been spotted 11 times already in Israel on 10m WSPR today between 0614 and now.

UPDATE 1015z: LB9YE (1533km) spotted by Es at 1002z. 4X1RF has now spotted me 12 times already today by multi-hop Es or F2, not sure which.

UPDATE 1123z:  Looking at the 13 spots of my 10m signal this morning monitored by 4X1RF there appears to be a slow QSB on the signal with peak levels separated by 90-120 minutes. I shall continue to look for this but there is a pattern. WSPR is ideal for seeing this sort of phenomenon.

Now South America too on 10m WSPR

After loads and loads of spots (both ways) with USA stations on 10m WSPR this afternoon, I now see PT2WWV (8873km), in Brasilia, is being spotted on the band, 8 times so far. 10m has been in excellent shape again. I shall leave WSPR running all this evening and maybe through the night again.  PT2WWV has been spotted at up to 0dB S/N i.e.very strong indeed. He is running 5W.

By the way, 4X1RF (3519km) has spotted me 25 times today. There is also GDX about: G3RCE (185km) spotted several times this afternoon.  Even at 1826z I am still being spotted in the USA.  Incredible 10m conditions again.

UPDATE 1930z:  N2OTO and PT2WWV still both pounding in here.

UPDATE 2010z:   PT2WWV still coming through here. Spotted 18 times today so far and it may continue for longer .N2OTO coming through here,

UPDATE 2110z:  Just locals since 2010z. Is that it for the "real DX"  today? An hour gone since the last DX.

UPDATE 2112z:  I spoke too soon as N2OTO has just been spotted. The opening to the USA is still going on and on...

10m WSPR USA - too many now

The 10m band is so wide open to the USA today on WSPR that I have now lost count of all the stations spotted and spotting me. It feels more like mid-winter conditions. I wonder how conditions have been on 6m? It would not completely surprise me to hear 6m was open to the USA briefly today.

Cameroon again

TJ3TS (5478km) is spotting me again today. He was copying me yesterday too. African stations are few and far between on 10m WSPR, I guess as without a decent internet connection (problematic in some parts of the continent) it is hard to sync time and upload spots to the WSPRnet database?  WSPR seems to be more common in more developed nations.  I think CW is more common as kit is simpler and time synchronization not an issue.

10m WSPR - quiet times?

Well, 10m WSPR is certainly far from quiet again today. These are the spots this afternoon, showing plenty of USA activity. A reminder, I use 2W and an end-fed tri-band Par antenna strung to a tree in the garden and not too high up either.

Some recent 10m WSPR spots today

10m WSPR - 4X1RF

So far today, I have been spotted 25 times already by 4X1RF (3519km) in Israel. If this is Es, what happened to the "sporadic" bit??  Signal reports are generally very strong (up to +2dB S/N) , like a single hop F2?

10m WSPR - USA yet again today

N2OTO (7088km), in EL96wi square (Florida) - damn this FCC nonsense on USA call areas -53spotted me at 1322z today on 10m WSPR. Unless I am mistaken (there have been a lot of stateside spots this summer) this is the 16th USA opening I have caught this summer. The "conventional wisdom" is this is multi-hop Es, but I have my doubts. I seem to be spotted on lots of days, so hardly "sporadic".  Maybe it is F2 backscatter?  2W to my indifferent antenna seems to be enough.KZ8C

In addition, Es to Scandinavia on 10m is still good with OH6GKW spotted.

UPDATE 1400z: I now see that KC1AWS (5308km) was spotting me from near Worcester, Massachusetts, USA i.e. New England.  At 1346z I spotted him too. WG2Z (5600km) was also spotting me. They are coming in thick and fast now from the USA. KZ8C was just spotted.

Free online magazine (part English)

Steve G1KQH has made me aware of a Dutch magazine that is partly in English and you may want to read: see http://www.dkars.nl/index.php?page=magazine .