VHF/UHF WSPR Waterfall images

[VK2KRR]

Considering the size of the original 2m WSPR thread, I'll make this new sub thread to make things easier to find. We sometimes get interesting waterfall images posted so I making this thread dedicated to such posts.

This morning I received this large meteor burst. I think it was from VK3JTM near Ararat. I was beaming west but his heading is SW from here.

VK3JTM meteor burst

[VK2GOM]

Does that mean you can feed the same audio in the PC to both SpectrumLab and WSPR at the same time?

I didn't know that!

I thought once a program had 'commandeered' the sound card, no other program could use it.

73 - Rob VK2GOM / GW0MOH

[VK3DXE]

Hi Rob,

I often run WSPR and/or WSJT plus SpecLab AND Spectran at the same time. Depends on how much grunt your computer has, but my i5 machine handles it fine.

Spectran is excellent for watching meteors and you can very easily set it up to take a screen shot every 30 seconds, then leave it on a beacon overnight. I have a folder full of some really fantastic images from Spectran.

[VK2KRR]

Hi Rob,

When Im in the shack I always run Spect Lab & WSPR at the same time, that way it gives a real time spectral view of whats being heard and also enables you to see if there is someone running outside the WSPR bandpass. Also if you spot a weak signal you can move your beam heading and peak the signals while watching Spect Lab screen.
It works fine here as you can see.

[VK2GOM]

Good stuff, thanks chaps. I'll give it a go.

73 - Rob VK2GOM / GW0MOH

[VK5PJ]

Hi Rob,

Good stuff, thanks chaps. I'll give it a go.
73 - Rob VK2GOM / GW0MOH

my record so far is three copies of WSPR (-200Hz normal and +200Hz to copy those who have drifted off frequency) and a copy of spec lab all sampling the same sound port....

[VK3BQ]

Got a strange shift tonight. That's 3xpt top and 3amz bottom. Both strong at my place. But the strange spot up higher at about 1min in?

[VK2KRR]

HI Andrew, which time slot are u talking about ?

Also it looks like u have someone down really low on the graph, maybe outside the bandpass?

[VK3BQ]

8:30 timeslot. Maybe a plane turning through 3xpt beam heading? Out and back?

[VK2KRR]

You mean 0820 ?

Its just a usual AE line. Dont ask me to explain the doppler, need VK3BJM for that one.

[VK2GOM]

The bright dot is the mid path point of constructive signals. If you listen on air, you hear a kind of slowing down beating of the two signals as the point of mid path gets closer, and at mid path there is a much longer constructive addition, which is that bright dot.

73 - Rob VK2GOM / GW0MOH

[VK2KRR]

Got quite a few signals, aircraft and all sorts of stuff here -

2m WSPR Fri night

[VK4JUD]

Lee,
Do you ever beam your 2m WSPR tx to the north. I live in the Atherton Tablelands and I have just set up to use the digital modes but I don't know what frequency to put the Rx on or the best time to listen. Is it 144.890 for WSPR? My qth is on a hill @ 765m with a 9 element LFA yagi at 9m. We have a 2m net up here every morning at 7:30 local time on 144.125. It is run by John VK4FNQ in Charters Towers. He is about 300 km south of us but we usually get through at about 5/8 levels. I am retired so I have plenty of time.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Cheers, Ken VK4JUD

[VK2KRR]

Hello Ken,
I dont really beam to the north much no, only when there is sporadic E around in summer. Large hill in the road, but also you dont tend to get troppo paths from here into VK4 as the weather systems dont usually run north south. And its a very dry inland path. But, like we saw recently some great paths from Adelaide area to VK2XN in northern NSW on 2m WSPR, who knows what a changing climate may bring.
Dont bother with me though because you do have a few experienced guys in VK4 who will run 2m WSPR for you. Probably closest to you will be Lloyd VK4FP at Townsville. Lloyd was also looking at running 2m WSPR 24/7 again. Then you also have VK4MIL, VK4CZ, VK4MJF, VK4UH, VK4NE, VK4KSY, VK4LHD, VK4NFZ. There may be others but I think thats about right.
The radio dial frequency for 2m WSPR is 144.489 USB.
VK4FNQ does know how to use WSPR also I believe, so perhaps you could encourage John to fire up on 2m WSPR after your SSB net. Im sure Lloyd would also join in. You could probably all beam toward Brisbane and still be able to hear your other more local stations off the sides of the antennas etc. Im pretty sure there should be some long paths available more often than is currently thought.
The most important thing though is that everyone is on the right freq and that the radios are very stable (dont drift) and your timing is very accurate.
If you need any other assistance, dont be afraid to ask. Myself or one of the other guys mentioned will be sure to be able to help. It can take a little while to get your head around how the whole thing works, but once you've sorted it out its great.

[VK4JUD]

Leigh,
Sorry I misspelled your name. I got that from your QRZ entry. Thanks for the advice. We will try and get a few more of the Brisbane guys to beam north.
Cheers, Ken

[VK2KRR]

Ken, dont worry about it, I always tell people its 'Lee' when Im on air as its easy - Lima Echo Echo.
If some of the other VK4's see you on the WSPR map, they will look your way no doubt. You will find they will be on the logger chat and you can liase through there also when trying to set things up.

[VK4CZ]

Ken

Very happy to try, but the shear size of VK4 may be our challenge!

A quick look at the distances, of 2m WSPR stations from my QTH:

VK4CZ -> VK4MIL 129.0km
VK4CZ -> VK2XN 429.1km
VK4CZ -> VK4FLR 497.3km
VK4CZ -> VK2KRR 1,042.1km
VK4CZ -> VK4JUD 1,338.8km
VK4CZ -> VK3DXE 1,382.7km
VK4CZ -> VK5PJ 1,546.6km

Whilst the sub-500km paths to VK4FLR and VK2XN have been achieved from QG62lp, we're yet to see the longer paths 'opened'. Partly due to the amount of operating, but also due to the impact that the topography has on creating tropo paths.

The best bet will be to look towards dedicating time during the year when we have the maximum opportunity for coastal tropo.

As Leigh suggested, it would be great to have a few stations 'bridge' the gap and provide us with reason to run WSPR more frequently

[VK2KRR]

Scott, Ken

A bit of info from my observations.
There is usually an increased chance of longer coastal paths when an inland trough develops and pushes across to be north -south along the coast and ranges. The trough needs to be on the western side of the path. Example below.

VK4 coastal trough

Usually find voice paths along this approx area as shown in diagram below. Brisbane Cairns being more difficult due to terrain as Scott mentioned as its tucked back a bit from the straight line path.

VK4 Path map

AIS reception example from last year by VK4FBG in Cairns, with omni vertical antennas and 12Watts.

VK4FGB AIS

With the extra abilities of WSPR to identify weak paths, it could show up extra possibilities. Ideally stations at mid points along the coast would be very handy to give an idea of the extent of any possible conditions.

[VK2KRR]

Big sig from Arie VK3AMZ, while beaming at Melb. AE on this sig you can see the QSB fluttery lines in the first 60 sec, then it peaks, then just before the end it starts to QSB again on the way out. Very surprised to get a decode off this, it was a +9dB result. If Arie's setting are right, this was 2 Watts. He does have a very good path to my QTH though @ 365 km.

Huge VK3AMZ sig

[VK2KRR]

Came in this morning and found quite a spectacular meteor burst from Iain VK5ZD on the screen at 2052, would have loved to have had Spect Lab running for this one. Also at the end of VK5LA's last TX was some more meteor activity. Note also how weak VK5ZD's signal is at 2106 which still decoded OK.

VK5ZD meteor burst