WSPR operations on 144 MHz

[VK2KRR]

Well done Dale, that looks a lot better

Also shown in your attached screen shot, indicates what happens when stations have the 'Force Transmission of 6 digit locator' box ticked. The program cant transmit the full message in one go hence you see no callsign indicated in brackets initially. Looks like its for VK5KK's signal.

[VK5KK]

Hi Leigh

Thanks for solving that one, running a new PC this week (WSPR on a Ubuntu 12.04 linux box) forgot I ticked so just un ticked the box!

Cheers

David

[VK5DC]

VK5KK's callsign eventually resolved

1028 -26 0.4 144.490510 0 <VK5KK> PF95HB 37

Some WSJT deep search functionality?

[VK2KRR]

David, no problems, glad to sort that one out.

Dale, there is no deep search. Without looking it up in the manual, the program cant TX the full amount of characters that a 6 digit grid transmission & callsign holds. So it has to transmit it in 2 halves. From your screen shot it looks like its initially sent the full 6 digit grid out but no callsign. Then subsequently its sending the callsign and abbreviated 4 digit grid, then when the next 6 digit grid is sent out it can marry it up to VK5KKs callsign from the previous 4 digit grid transmission he made. So it put his callsign in brackets and shows the grid as 6 digits next to it. Initally there was no callsign as it had not received the required info at that stage.

[VK5DC]

TS2000 still not stable enough when TXing with the basic temperature mods, will need to go to an external GPS locked solution.
What are people using as a stable GPS based 10mhz source?

[VK5PJ]

Hi Dale

TS2000 still not stable enough when TXing with the basic temperature mods, will need to go to an external GPS locked solution.
What are people using as a stable GPS based 10mhz source?

If you do not want to go the GPS route, then you have a few good choices, just moving the master osc out of the rig is a big step forward. Joe, vk7jg had a TXCO sitting in a waste paper bin padded out with styro foam, it was temprature neutral and once netted sat there for a long time on freq, he then fed that into his rigs via various multiplier/ divider setups.

I beleive vk3hz and others are about to release an interface for the TS2000 (Xref) that will take in an external 10MHz, so look out for that one, there are threads on here about it. My older ICOM's have similar problems with the multiple BFO and mixing xtals that get air blown past them that then causes drift, so your not on your own.

Regards,
Peter, vk5pj

[VK5DC]

Thanks for the info Peter
I will keep a close eye on the 3HZ option and give that a try.

Dale

Hi Dale

TS2000 still not stable enough when TXing with the basic temperature mods, will need to go to an external GPS locked solution.
What are people using as a stable GPS based 10mhz source?

If you do not want to go the GPS route, then you have a few good choices, just moving the master osc out of the rig is a big step forward. Joe, vk7jg had a TXCO sitting in a waste paper bin padded out with styro foam, it was temprature neutral and once netted sat there for a long time on freq, he then fed that into his rigs via various multiplier/ divider setups.

I beleive vk3hz and others are about to release an interface for the TS2000 (Xref) that will take in an external 10MHz, so look out for that one, there are threads on here about it. My older ICOM's have similar problems with the multiple BFO and mixing xtals that get air blown past them that then causes drift, so your not on your own.

Regards,
Peter, vk5pj

[VK5ZD]

Hi

Strange result here. Two decodes on different frequencies from the same station (VK5LA).

Aircraft reflection, perhaps?

73
Iain

[VK5LA]

That would appear to be the case Iain.
I have seen this a few times, especially between 2KRR and myself.
My signal at .515 with no drift is the main signal and the reflection is above it.
Are you reference locked? You always decode my sig at .515 (my TX freq.) with no drift, so I'm assuming you are...
My FT817 is rubidium locked as of last Friday, gratifying to know I'm on frequency and I'm not drifting!

Andy - VK5LA

[VK3DXE]

Thanks for the info Peter
I will keep a close eye on the 3HZ option and give that a try.

Dale

Hi Dale
If you do not want to go the GPS route, then you have a few good choices, just moving the master osc out of the rig is a big step forward. Joe, vk7jg had a TXCO sitting in a waste paper bin padded out with styro foam, it was temprature neutral and once netted sat there for a long time on freq, he then fed that into his rigs via various multiplier/ divider setups.

I beleive vk3hz and others are about to release an interface for the TS2000 (Xref) that will take in an external 10MHz, so look out for that one, there are threads on here about it. My older ICOM's have similar problems with the multiple BFO and mixing xtals that get air blown past them that then causes drift, so your not on your own.

Regards,
Peter, vk5pj

Hi Dale,

Try TXing for 3 or 4 periods in a row. I have to do that with my IC-7000 to ensure TX stability. Generally the first 2 periods are chuck aways because of the drift at the start of the period.

[VK2KRR]

Iain, as Andy mentioned, it would be an AE reflected signal where the doppler was stable enough (3Hz) to allow a 2nd decode. Have seen this before also from a number of stations.

[VK2KRR]

Those running 2m WSPR on 23.04.13, were able to detect a nice little boost in the tropo conditions which picked up around 2pm EST not long after a cold front sweept across the SE area. This persisted for around 10 hours to around midnight. There were some big signals noted from many stations and some stations gained access to paths not normally available under the usual average level conditions.
Attached is a shot of the 2m WSPR map mid to late afternoon.

2m WSPR opening afternoon 23.04.13

[VK2KRR]

A fantastic roll out of VK5 stations starting get their stations active on 2m WSPR. This shot taken over the past 24 hours. Great to know all that equipment is being put to good use on the air If we could pick up some others over Port Lincoln, Cowell and Whyalla or Port Pirie, would be amazing.

VK5's on 2m WSPR

[VK5ZRL]

Just thought I would post some screen captures of 2m wspr activity around the Adelaide area.
The signals seen on these are received on a vertical dual band colinear antenna EG: nothing fancy.

[VK2KRR]

Some crazy AE patterns on there Rob! thanks for posting.

[VK5ZRL]

Hi Leigh,
thought you might like to see what I see at this end on 2m wspr.
Problem is I live close to Adelaide airport hence all the crazy AE
especially on VK5KK's signal (flightpaths are between his station and mine).

Cheers.

[VK3DXE]

Being near the southerly approaches to Melbourne Airport, I get some similarly crazy doppler patterns too. Oddly enough though, the wierdest ones come from signals in Gippsland out to the east, particularly from the mid-Latrobe Valley region. I'll post up some screen caps when I get a chance.

On another note, yesterday I decided to run with the AX prefix for a while, but found that either the program or the WSPR site placed me about 50km to the north. When I changed back to the VK prefix, it placed me at my true location, then I went back to AX and it again put me in the northerly position. Any ideas anybody?

[VK3BJM]

Hi Alan.

Did you look out the window, just to confirm? Perhaps the programme was telling you the truth?

Sorry, been up since 4, howling at the moon (again)...

73,
Barry
VK3BJM

[VK5PJ]

Again tonight I have noticed some weak WSPR signals below the WSPR passband, tried using the RIT to net them up but I was too late and no decode. hmmm what to do? Initially I thought it was an image of another station but there were no locals transmitting to cause the signal.

I have made two other copies of my WSPR directory, one called WSRP-LOW and the other WSPR-HIGH. In each of these I have edited the WSPR.INI and altered the BFO freq from the standard 1500Hz to be one on 1300Hz and the other on 1700Hz. I now have three instances of WSPR running on the shack PC, only one is set to upload spots to avoid confusion.

I will be interested to see if I can capture a decode of the LOW station tonight, will post results later not sure if anyone has ever tried it before but it all seems to work.

Peter, vk5pj

[VK2KRR]

Interesting idea Peter, let us know how it goes.