WSPR 160m

[VK2KRR]

Any chance of any ZL stations coming onto 160m WSPR to give us VKs a signal from a different direction ??

[VK2KRR]

I was lucky enough to hear my furthest WSPR DX paths on 160m last night!

2 x EU stations RXd a number of times around 5.30am. Keep in mind, that they were only usuing 5 Watts.

2011-08-04 19:20 F6CNI 1.838017 -24dB 0 JN19qb 5W VK2KRR QF34mr 16694 Km
2011-08-04 19:24 OH5RM 1.838168 -28dB 0 KP30jr 5W VK2KRR QF34mr 14991 Km

Pretty happy with that.

[VK6DZ]

Well done Leigh, I had a very high noise level last night so very few spots.

[VK2KRR]

Got a couple last night here on 160m, helps when the lightning dies off a bit.

2011-08-10 20:52 DJ0ABR 1.838060 -24dB 0 JN68nt 10W VK2KRR QF34mr 15995 km (Germany)
2011-08-10 19:46 T61AA 1.838153 -26dB 0 MM44om 50W VK2KRR QF34mr 11196 km (Afghanistan)

[VK2KRR]

G'day everyone,

Had some good fortune last night with some unusually good conditions on 160m from the USA to my place earlier on in the evening. (Times shown are UTC). The lightning noise level was also very low.

Im running a beverage antenna which is actually aiming at EU directon. Stations K9PAW; WF7W; WD5T all came in here for about an hour and a half. Numer of times the signals were too weak to decode before and after the decode times indicated. Those are 6.58pm to 8.06pm. Most of the other VK stations were not on air at this time, so they missed out on the best condx, which was a shame as it would have been interesting to see what other stations the signals would have gotten to.

2011-08-15 10:06 WD5T 1.838099 -25 0 FN31kq 15 VK2KRR QF34mr 16480 268
2011-08-15 09:56 K9PAW 1.838189 -26 0 EN61ar 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 15257 260
2011-08-15 09:54 WD5T 1.838100 -25 0 FN31kq 15 VK2KRR QF34mr 16480 268
2011-08-15 09:44 K9PAW 1.838189 -24 0 EN61ar 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 15257 260
2011-08-15 09:34 K9PAW 1.838189 -28 0 EN61ar 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 15257 260
2011-08-15 09:22 K9PAW 1.838189 -24 0 EN61ar 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 15257 260
2011-08-15 09:02 WF7W 1.838123 -26 0 CN88hb 20 VK2KRR QF34mr 12808 244
2011-08-15 08:58 K9PAW 1.838187 -21 0 EN61ar 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 15257 260

[VK2KRR]

Good signals were received last night from John KB5NJD, Texas. John was running 10W.

John was spotted by a number of VK stations -

VK2KRR
VK3BDK
VK5PJ
VK6DZ

Good to see the weak signal picked up by Derek over the 'far side'.

[VK2KRR]

Evening

FYI anyone wishing to give 160m WSPR a go, Jim WF7W is running 200W tonight if anyone is interested.

[VK2KRR]

Last night I was able to rig up a 1/4 wave vertical supported beneath a kite

The wire was about 40m long.

I was quite amazed at the massive increase in signal that was gained.

No luck was had into Europe, but last night was great from the USA direction.

Was able to get WF7W down to -3dB. I was able to hear KB5NJD on the Beverage antenna earlier on, but he was not around after the wire antenna went up.

If the wind is favourable, I'll try put it up again tonight.

[VK2KRR]

Well done to Brian VK5BC for getting some TX spots into Europe. I believe this was a first for Brian

Brian was heard by Jon Ove LA3JJ in Norway. Brian was running 20W into an inverted L antenna.

2011-09-05 20:36 VK5BC 1.838153 -26 0 PF95jj 20W LA3JJ JO59bh 15419 323
2011-09-05 20:26 VK5BC 1.838151 -23 -1 PF95jj 20W LA3JJ JO59bh 15419 323
2011-09-05 20:10 VK5BC 1.838151 -26 0 PF95jj 20W LA3JJ JO59bh 15419 323

The same morning I was able to spot signal from F6CNI & RX3DHR in France and Central Russia using my long Beverage RX antenna.

2011-09-05 20:14 F6CNI 1.838022 -26 0 JN19qb 10W VK2KRR QF34mr 16694 76
2011-09-05 20:14 RX3DHR 1.838103 -28 0 KO94ks 5W VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99

Only fairly short windows.

[VK2KRR]

Wow fantastic conditions on 160m WSPR this morning!

I was able to hear 6 stations from Europe who were using only 5 Watts.

M0PPP, M1ENI, PE1MPX, PA0O, DL4MFC, RX3DHR.

2011-09-09 19:24 M0PPP 1.838186 -22dB 0 IO93gm 5W VK2KRR QF34mr 16837 km
2011-09-09 19:20 M1ENI 1.838039 -22dB 0 IO93qr 5W VK2KRR QF34mr 16778 km
2011-09-09 18:54 PE1MPX 1.838079 -26dB 0 JO32gc 5W VK2KRR QF34mr 16392 km
2011-09-09 19:40 PA0O 1.838054 -16dB 0 JO33hg 5W VK2KRR QF34mr 16351 km
2011-09-09 19:20 DL4MFC 1.838126 -17dB 0 JN58qb 5W VK2KRR QF34mr 16131 km
2011-09-09 19:18 RX3DHR 1.838103 -7dB 0 KO94ks 5W VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 km

Looks like the peak time was in the period about an hour before the grey line, which is interesting.

I believe VK5PJ and VK6DZ also heard a couple too.

160m WSPR can be VERY interesting at times

[VK5PJ]

I am QRT on 160M WSPR until I can sort out an alternative power source for the PC as the last power bill was a stinker while I have been using the shack PC for WSPR 24 hours a day.

[VK2KRR]

Some of the overseas spots made last night on 160m WSPR -

Two decodes here last night from RX3DHR who was running only 5W. These are around my grey line time.

19:44 RX3DHR 1.838123 -27dB 0 KO94ks 5W VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 Km
19:32 RX3DHR 1.838123 -24dB 0 KO94ks 5W VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 Km

Many stations copied the signal from Jim WF7W last night, who was running 200W.

WF7W Heard by: VK2KRR, VK3SMC, VK5AKK, VK6DZ, VK6WS, VK7DIK

Phil VK5AKK did very well and was the only VK station to decode George K9PAW, which I think was on Georges grey line area. George was only running 5 Watts -

2011-09-17 11:26 K9PAW 1.838190 -24 0 EN61ar 5 VK5AKK PF94ix 15930 265
2011-09-17 11:14 K9PAW 1.838190 -23 0 EN61ar 5 VK5AKK PF94ix 15930 265
2011-09-17 11:04 K9PAW 1.838190 -25 0 EN61ar 5 VK5AKK PF94ix 15930 265

[VK2KRR]

Last night I tried using a Balloon supported 160m 1/4 vertical. It worked quite well initially, but being a learning experience, I needed to sort out a better mounting system for attaching the balloons to the wire. Which I did but later a small gust of wind blew them and they must have hit the wheat crop out the front and one popped and the rest escaped into the upper atmosphere. I was using 4 x 17 " balloons, but one took off. Then after re-arranging the mounting found that 3 held up a single thin copper wire OK. But if there was any wind at all they would get sent back toward ground.
I can get 24" balloons so may look at this as an option.
In any case, after this, I decided to temporarily suspend the 1/4 wave wire from 30ft on the north tower, sloping 45 deg or so back to ground. Got a nice surprise when I got out of bed this morning to find I had around 30 decodes from European stations, all using only 5 watts :

2011-09-26 19:58 F6ECI 1.838152 -19 0 JN05sa 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16917 82
2011-09-26 19:48 G4BOO 1.838170 -24 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 19:48 F6ECI 1.838151 -17 0 JN05sa 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16917 82
2011-09-26 19:42 F6ECI 1.838150 -18 0 JN05sa 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16917 82
2011-09-26 19:42 RX3DHR 1.838103 -15 0 KO94ks 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99
2011-09-26 19:36 F6ECI 1.838150 -17 0 JN05sa 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16917 82
2011-09-26 19:36 PA0HCK 1.838029 -24 0 JO33ld 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16333 74
2011-09-26 19:32 G4BOO 1.838170 -23 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 19:30 F6ECI 1.838151 -15 0 JN05sa 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16917 82
2011-09-26 19:28 RX3DHR 1.838104 -14 0 KO94ks 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99
2011-09-26 19:26 G4BOO 1.838170 -24 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 19:24 F6ECI 1.838152 -20 0 JN05sa 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16917 82
2011-09-26 19:16 RX3DHR 1.838104 -10 0 KO94ks 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99
2011-09-26 18:58 RX3DHR 1.838103 -22 0 KO94ks 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99
2011-09-26 18:56 G4BOO 1.838170 -23 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 18:52 F6ECI 1.838150 -23 0 JN05sa 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16917 82
2011-09-26 18:50 G4BOO 1.838170 -19 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 18:44 G4BOO 1.838169 -19 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 18:44 RX3DHR 1.838103 -14 0 KO94ks 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99
2011-09-26 18:38 G4BOO 1.838168 -17 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 18:30 G4BOO 1.838168 -23 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 18:30 RX3DHR 1.838103 -18 0 KO94ks 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99
2011-09-26 18:26 RX3DHR 1.838102 -17 0 KO94ks 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99
2011-09-26 18:20 G4BOO 1.838168 -22 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 18:12 RX3DHR 1.838102 -25 0 KO94ks 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99
2011-09-26 18:00 G4BOO 1.838167 -23 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 18:00 RX3DHR 1.838102 -22 0 KO94ks 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99
2011-09-26 17:52 G4BOO 1.838167 -25 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67

Great! No doubt if I had the balloons it may have been even better. Will try it again soon.

Also I should add, the very first spot I got with the balloon antenna was WF7W using only 5 Watts -

2011-09-26 08:46 WF7W 1.838124 -24 0 CN88hb 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 12808 244

[VK5BC]

Hi Leigh

I decided to temporarily suspend the 1/4 wave wire from 30ft on the north tower, sloping 45 deg or so back to ground. Got a nice surprise when I got out of bed this morning to find I had around 30 decodes from European stations, all using only 5 watts :

I think it is fairly conclusive what type of antenna you should put up for 160m, either an inverted L or sloper

73 Brian
VK5BC

[VK2KRR]

Good on ya Derek, keeping 160m WSPR alive from Australia.

DZ 160m

2012-01-16 21:22 VK6DZ 1.838109 -23 0 OF84ux 5 GM4SLV IP90gg 14914 323
2012-01-16 21:10 VK6DZ 1.838109 -18 0 OF84ux 5 GM4SLV IP90gg 14914 323
2012-01-16 20:58 VK6DZ 1.838108 -8 0 OF84ux 5 GM4SLV IP90gg 14914 323

[VK2KRR]

Any 160m enthusiasts wish to try 160m WSPR tonight, Ive rigged up a 160m Inv V dipole.
Wayne VK2XN is also running.

We're the only 2 at present, be good to get a few others.

Quite a bit of lightning static as you can imagine, but still getting through OK.

[VK2KRR]

Any ZL stations available for 160m WSPR?

[VK2KRR]

Quite a surprise last night when Trevor VK0TH came up on 160m WSPR for a few hours

VK0TH Macquarie Island

[VK4KGW]

Last night I tried using a Balloon supported 160m 1/4 vertical. It worked quite well initially, but being a learning experience, I needed to sort out a better mounting system for attaching the balloons to the wire. Which I did but later a small gust of wind blew them and they must have hit the wheat crop out the front and one popped and the rest escaped into the upper atmosphere. I was using 4 x 17 " balloons, but one took off. Then after re-arranging the mounting found that 3 held up a single thin copper wire OK. But if there was any wind at all they would get sent back toward ground.
I can get 24" balloons so may look at this as an option.
In any case, after this, I decided to temporarily suspend the 1/4 wave wire from 30ft on the north tower, sloping 45 deg or so back to ground. Got a nice surprise when I got out of bed this morning to find I had around 30 decodes from European stations, all using only 5 watts :

2011-09-26 19:58 F6ECI 1.838152 -19 0 JN05sa 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16917 82
2011-09-26 19:48 G4BOO 1.838170 -24 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 19:48 F6ECI 1.838151 -17 0 JN05sa 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16917 82
2011-09-26 19:42 F6ECI 1.838150 -18 0 JN05sa 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16917 82
2011-09-26 19:42 RX3DHR 1.838103 -15 0 KO94ks 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99
2011-09-26 19:36 F6ECI 1.838150 -17 0 JN05sa 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16917 82
2011-09-26 19:36 PA0HCK 1.838029 -24 0 JO33ld 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16333 74
2011-09-26 19:32 G4BOO 1.838170 -23 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 19:30 F6ECI 1.838151 -15 0 JN05sa 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16917 82
2011-09-26 19:28 RX3DHR 1.838104 -14 0 KO94ks 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99
2011-09-26 19:26 G4BOO 1.838170 -24 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 19:24 F6ECI 1.838152 -20 0 JN05sa 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16917 82
2011-09-26 19:16 RX3DHR 1.838104 -10 0 KO94ks 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99
2011-09-26 18:58 RX3DHR 1.838103 -22 0 KO94ks 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99
2011-09-26 18:56 G4BOO 1.838170 -23 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 18:52 F6ECI 1.838150 -23 0 JN05sa 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16917 82
2011-09-26 18:50 G4BOO 1.838170 -19 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 18:44 G4BOO 1.838169 -19 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 18:44 RX3DHR 1.838103 -14 0 KO94ks 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99
2011-09-26 18:38 G4BOO 1.838168 -17 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 18:30 G4BOO 1.838168 -23 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 18:30 RX3DHR 1.838103 -18 0 KO94ks 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99
2011-09-26 18:26 RX3DHR 1.838102 -17 0 KO94ks 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99
2011-09-26 18:20 G4BOO 1.838168 -22 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 18:12 RX3DHR 1.838102 -25 0 KO94ks 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99
2011-09-26 18:00 G4BOO 1.838167 -23 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67
2011-09-26 18:00 RX3DHR 1.838102 -22 0 KO94ks 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 14256 99
2011-09-26 17:52 G4BOO 1.838167 -25 0 IO91ij 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 16927 67

Great! No doubt if I had the balloons it may have been even better. Will try it again soon.

Also I should add, the very first spot I got with the balloon antenna was WF7W using only 5 Watts -

2011-09-26 08:46 WF7W 1.838124 -24 0 CN88hb 5 VK2KRR QF34mr 12808 244

I have had some success with a sheet of light fishing net with the ballons contained and then the wire secured , the amoung required is small and only a few grams

[VK2KRR]

I have had some success with a sheet of light fishing net with the ballons contained and then the wire secured , the amoung required is small and only a few grams

Great idea! thanks for the input will keep that in mind if I attempt it again.