Australian Ham Radio Discussion Forum ( AHRDF )

28 Feb 2019

I extracted just a one hour block from my WSPR reception reports for 30M tonight and was amazed by the coverage area. It reinforces an earlier comment that I made : 30M FT8 is a prime mode for working DX at this time of the solar cycle.

These reports are based on a transmit power of about 2 Watts and a near-random wire about 11 metres long angled up into a gum tree and fed via a 4:1 un-un. A decently matched resonant antenna and 100W of power on FT8 would make a major difference to the reported SNR levels.

Times are UTC.

DK0ABT , -21, 10.140168, JN49pb, 16118, 2019-02-28 08:06
SM0EPX/RX2 , -20, 10.140190, JO89si, 15144, 2019-02-28 08:06
ON7KO , -23, 10.140202, JO21ce, 16324, 2019-02-28 08:06
DK6UG , -20, 10.140203, JN49cm, 16168, 2019-02-28 08:06
KA7OEI-1 , -22, 10.140204, DN31uo, 12379, 2019-02-28 08:06
AI6VN/KH6 , -26, 10.140208, BL10rx, 7667, 2019-02-28 08:06
KD6RF , -17, 10.140209, EM22lr, 13570, 2019-02-28 08:06
DK8FT/A , -23, 10.140209, JN58oe, 16025, 2019-02-28 08:06
ZL3003SWL , +1, 10.140210, RE68mx, 2352, 2019-02-28 08:06
VK5EI , -12, 10.140210, PF95gd, 1580, 2019-02-28 08:06
VK3KHZ , -15, 10.140210, QF22pe, 1330, 2019-02-28 08:06
DK8FT/B , -23, 10.140210, JN58oe, 16025, 2019-02-28 08:06
K5XL , -24, 10.140210, EM12kp, 13379, 2019-02-28 08:06
OE9GHV , -14, 10.140211, JN47wk, 16148, 2019-02-28 08:06
VK3LU , -16, 10.140211, QF22rs, 1268, 2019-02-28 08:06
LX1DQ , -19, 10.140211, JN39cq, 16288, 2019-02-28 08:06
DK8FT/C , -21, 10.140212, JN58oe, 16025, 2019-02-28 08:06
WA5DJJ , -26, 10.140213, DM62ph, 12511, 2019-02-28 08:06
WA5DJJ , -21, 10.140215, DM62ph, 12511, 2019-02-28 08:06
PI4THT , -25, 10.140216, JO32kf, 16107, 2019-02-28 08:06
EA8BFK , -6, 10.140216, IL38bo, 18721, 2019-02-28 08:06
DL1GCD/1 , -27, 10.140223, JN48ar, 16217, 2019-02-28 08:06
ON7KB , -29, 10.140232, JO21, 16263, 2019-02-28 08:06
VK2KWW , -26, 10.140249, QG61re, 130, 2019-02-28 08:06
DL/PA0EHG , -24, 10.140271, JO32sq, 16042, 2019-02-28 08:06
SM0EPX/RX2 , -21, 10.140190, JO89si, 15144, 2019-02-28 08:16
KB4NEW , -25, 10.140196, EM98di, 14860, 2019-02-28 08:16
ON7KO , -27, 10.140202, JO21ce, 16324, 2019-02-28 08:16
DK6UG , -22, 10.140204, JN49cm, 16168, 2019-02-28 08:16
KA7OEI-1 , -25, 10.140204, DN31uo, 12379, 2019-02-28 08:16
ZL3003SWL , +9, 10.140210, RE68mx, 2352, 2019-02-28 08:16
VK5EI , -12, 10.140210, PF95gd, 1580, 2019-02-28 08:16
VK3KHZ , -15, 10.140210, QF22pe, 1330, 2019-02-28 08:16
OE9GHV , -17, 10.140211, JN47wk, 16148, 2019-02-28 08:16
LX1DQ , -21, 10.140211, JN39cq, 16288, 2019-02-28 08:16
WA5DJJ , -25, 10.140213, DM62ph, 12511, 2019-02-28 08:16
WA5DJJ , -22, 10.140215, DM62ph, 12511, 2019-02-28 08:16
EA8BFK , -8, 10.140216, IL38bo, 18721, 2019-02-28 08:16
VK2KWW , -26, 10.140249, QG61re, 130, 2019-02-28 08:16
DL/PA0EHG , -24, 10.140271, JO32sq, 16042, 2019-02-28 08:16
DK0ABT , -24, 10.140169, JN49pb, 16118, 2019-02-28 08:26
SM0EPX/RX2 , -25, 10.140191, JO89si, 15144, 2019-02-28 08:26
KB4NEW , -25, 10.140197, EM98di, 14860, 2019-02-28 08:26
DK6UG , -22, 10.140205, JN49cm, 16168, 2019-02-28 08:26
AI6VN/KH6 , -26, 10.140208, BL10rx, 7667, 2019-02-28 08:26
VK3LU , -10, 10.140211, QF22rs, 1268, 2019-02-28 08:26
VK3KHZ , -11, 10.140211, QF22pe, 1330, 2019-02-28 08:26
VK5EI , -15, 10.140211, PF95gd, 1580, 2019-02-28 08:26
ZL3003SWL , -6, 10.140211, RE68mx, 2352, 2019-02-28 08:26
OE9GHV , -19, 10.140212, JN47wk, 16148, 2019-02-28 08:26
LX1DQ , -23, 10.140212, JN39cq, 16288, 2019-02-28 08:26
WA5DJJ , -27, 10.140214, DM62ph, 12511, 2019-02-28 08:26
WA5DJJ , -24, 10.140216, DM62ph, 12511, 2019-02-28 08:26
EA8BFK , -8, 10.140216, IL38bo, 18721, 2019-02-28 08:26
JQ2WDO , -27, 10.140219, PM95gi, 7176, 2019-02-28 08:26
VK2KWW , -27, 10.140249, QG61re, 130, 2019-02-28 08:26
DL/PA0EHG , -26, 10.140272, JO32sq, 16042, 2019-02-28 08:26
SM0EPX/RX2 , -25, 10.140191, JO89si, 15144, 2019-02-28 08:36
ON7KO , -27, 10.140203, JO21ce, 16324, 2019-02-28 08:36
DK6UG , -24, 10.140205, JN49cm, 16168, 2019-02-28 08:36
VK3LU , -10, 10.140211, QF22rs, 1268, 2019-02-28 08:36
VK3KHZ , -13, 10.140211, QF22pe, 1330, 2019-02-28 08:36
VK5EI , -14, 10.140211, PF95gd, 1580, 2019-02-28 08:36
N6GN/K2 , -29, 10.140211, DN70jo, 12915, 2019-02-28 08:36
OE9GHV , -21, 10.140212, JN47wk, 16148, 2019-02-28 08:36
LX1DQ , -25, 10.140212, JN39cq, 16288, 2019-02-28 08:36
KA7OEI-1 , -24, 10.140204, DN31uo, 12379, 2019-02-28 08:46
AI6VN/KH6 , -27, 10.140209, BL10rx, 7667, 2019-02-28 08:46
VK3KHZ , -10, 10.140211, QF22pe, 1330, 2019-02-28 08:46
VK3LU , -11, 10.140211, QF22rs, 1268, 2019-02-28 08:46
VK5EI , -14, 10.140211, PF95gd, 1580, 2019-02-28 08:46
ZL3003SWL , -2, 10.140211, RE68mx, 2352, 2019-02-28 08:46
WA5DJJ , -26, 10.140215, DM62ph, 12511, 2019-02-28 08:46
EA8BFK , -14, 10.140217, IL38bo, 18721, 2019-02-28 08:46
DK0ABT , -26, 10.140170, JN49pb, 16118, 2019-02-28 08:56
KA7OEI-1 , -21, 10.140205, DN31uo, 12379, 2019-02-28 08:56
VK3KHZ , -10, 10.140211, QF22pe, 1330, 2019-02-28 08:56
VK5EI , -13, 10.140211, PF95gd, 1580, 2019-02-28 08:56
VK3LU , -6, 10.140211, QF22rs, 1268, 2019-02-28 08:56
ZL3003SWL , -10, 10.140212, RE68mx, 2352, 2019-02-28 08:56
LX1DQ , -24, 10.140213, JN39cq, 16288, 2019-02-28 08:56
WA5DJJ , -29, 10.140215, DM62ph, 12511, 2019-02-28 08:56
VK2KWW , -27, 10.140249, QG61re, 130, 2019-02-28 08:56
N6WXD , -26, 10.140193, DM12lx, 11639, 2019-02-28 09:06
KA7OEI-1 , -28, 10.140205, DN31uo, 12379, 2019-02-28 09:06
KD6RF , -22, 10.140211, EM22lr, 13570, 2019-02-28 09:06
ZL3003SWL , -10, 10.140212, RE68mx, 2352, 2019-02-28 09:06
VK5EI , -11, 10.140212, PF95gd, 1580, 2019-02-28 09:06
K5XL , -27, 10.140212, EM12kp, 13379, 2019-02-28 09:06
VK3LU , -7, 10.140212, QF22rs, 1268, 2019-02-28 09:06
VK3KHZ , -9, 10.140212, QF22pe, 1330, 2019-02-28 09:06
EA8BFK , -13, 10.140217, IL38bo, 18721, 2019-02-28 09:06
WA5DJJ , -32, 10.140217, DM62ph, 12511, 2019-02-28 09:06
JQ2WDO , -24, 10.140221, PM95gi, 7176, 2019-02-28 09:06
VK2KWW , -29, 10.140249, QG61re, 130, 2019-02-28 09:06

Look up the callsign prefixes if you aren't sure where they hail from.

It's also interesting to note the variation in reported frequencies indicating basic errors in the receivers' internal frequencies given that they are mostly all under the control of WSJT-X for dial frequencies - and they should all be the same there. Maybe 30Hz makes little difference on voice (SSB) but can easily put you outside the 200Hz wide signal "band" on WSPR, FT8 etc.. Time for some re-calibration work ?

UPDATE:

Band:160M,80M,60M,40M,30M,20M,17M,15M,12M,10M,6M,4M,2M,432,Error
Totals,,,,,12510,7541,1214,645,,,462,,1,,9,
Record Count:22381, Unique callsigns: 333
Start:2019-01-08 12:14, Finish: 2019-02-28 22:00

So out of 22381 WSPR reports in my local log file, 12510 were for 30M, 7541 for 20M, 1214 for 17m, 645 for 15M and 645 for 6M over a near-two month period.

What I notice is the skip distance. Of the VK and ZL stations, those 1000 to 2000Km
get better signal reports than the closer stations ie. VK2 with only one station always
showing very weak signals.

I'm looking for Voice Coms hence my interest in Codec2.

Alan VK2ZIW

I have been crunching numbers from my 30M WSPR reports for the last couple of days and come up with a textual 'graph' of distances versus time of day UTC for my grid square of QG62 (/ Brisbane area). It gives an idea of what time of day to operate on this band.

Unfortunately it requires the use of a monotype font to produce a reasonably scaled representation of the distances.

Missing hours means there were no reports at all during that UTC hour :

Time Distance in thousands of KM

Hrs 0-1 1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5 5-6 6-7 7-8 8-9 9-10 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21
2019-02-12
04 * * *
05 * * * * * *
06 * * * * * * *
07 * * * * * * * *
08 * * * * * * * * * *
09 * * * * * * * *
10 * * * * * * * * *
11 * * * * *
12 * * *
13 * *
16 * * *
17 * * * * * *
18 * *
19 *
20 * * *
2019-02-13
00 * *
01 * *
02 * *
03 * *
04 * * * *
05 * * * * *
06 * * * * * * *
07 * * * * * * * * * *
08 *
09 * * * * * *
10 * * * * * * * *
13 * * *
14 *
15 *
16 * * * * * *
17 * *
18 * *
19 * * *
20 * * * *
21 *
23 * *

Time Distance in thousands of KM

Hrs 0-1 1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5 5-6 6-7 7-8 8-9 9-10 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22

2019-03-01

00 * * *

01 * * *

02 * * *

03 * * *

04 * * * * * *

05 * * * * * * * * * *

06 * * * * * * * * * * * *

07 * * * * * * * * * * * *

08 * * * * * * * * * *

09 * * * * * * * * *

10 * * * * * * * * *

11 * * * *

12 * * * * *

13 * * * * * * *

14 * * * * * * *

15 * * * *

16 * * *

17 * * *

18 * * *

19 * *

20 * * * * *

21 * * * * *

22 * * *

23 * * *

2019-03-02

00 * * *

01 * * *

02 * * *

03 * * *

04 * * * *

05 * * * * * *

06 * * * * * * * * * * *

07 * * * * * * * * * * *

08 * * * * * * * * * * * * *

09 * * * * * * * * * * *

10 * * * * * * * *

11 * * * *

12 * * * * *

13 * * *

14 * * * *

15 * * * *

16 * * * * *

17 * * * *

18 *

19 *

20 * * * *

21 * * *

22 * * *

23 * *

I will probably try to reproduce this in a pure graphic format but it does at least give an idea as to when...

Moved from LF/MF/HF

2nd April 2019, UTC

Time Distance in thousands of KM

Hrs 0-1 1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5 5-6 6-7 7-8 8-9 9-10 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20

2019-04-02
00 * * *
01 * * *
02 * * *
03 * * *
04 * * *
05 * * * * * * * * *
06 * * * * * * * * * *
07 * * * * * * * * * *
08 * * * * * * * * *
09 * * * *
10 * * *
11 * * * *
12 * * * * * *
13 * * * * *
14 * * * * * *
15 * * * *
16 * *
17 *
18 * *
19 *
20 * * *
21 * *
22 * * *
23 * * *

Prefixes: ZL3, VK7, VK1, VK3, VK5, ZL2, AI6VN/KH6, KPH, SM0EPX/RX2, KA7, WA7, DG7, DK4, DK6, HB9, AI6VN/BEV, PI4, LX1, KE3, WD8, PY2, EA8, AC7, W3, GM0, JA9, KD2, N2, N6GN/K2, NO1, ND7, ZL1, ZL3,

VK4ADC

VK2ZIW

VK4ADC

VK4ADC

VK4ADC