Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:17:33 +0000 (GMT)
From: Peter Cleall <peter.cleall@virgin.net>
To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
Cc: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
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Subject: LF: defence of WSPR Signals
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I have always been interested in propagation.
These WSPR signals are seen by some as repetitious rubbish.

 If you use , WSPR, the Internet database and your own receptions you soon realise that there are subtle variations in signal particularly QSB that are different over day/ night paths, transitions at dawn and dusk and differences on N/S and E/W paths. Northern stations seem favoured for E/W propagation and distance between stations also has an effect.

At last we have software and a process for examining in near real time the subtlety of these variations. We can see the signal reports from many distances and directions at the same time. I think we will learn a lot more over the winter if we continue with these tests. I would like to think that in the future we could have some coordinated test times which would get a greater number of receiving participants available at the same time.

Personally I have been working on propagation with WSPR for several months on 30m. But  the recent activity by Andy, Jim and others has resulted in me hunting out my 137kHz equipment that has not been used for a couple of years and rebuilding a converter to hear my first signals on 500khz , since the commercial stations disappeared. I can see from the other reports on the database that I need to do more work on Aerials and i suspect that I still have a lot to learn about signals and equipment overload. Thee existence of a few known reference signals is essential to improving ones equipment and knowledge. I t think this is all part of the spirit of amateur radio for our self education in radio techniques which is a major justification for us to have licenses.

regards
peterG8AFN


Sep 21, 2009 10:52:38 AM, rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org wrote:

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WSPR signals last evening copied from G4JNT, G4WGT, G7NKS and SM6BHZ on 500kHz. Also very strong signal during the day from M0BMU on 137kHz.My report of your DFCW signal on 137 the other day, Jim, had the wrong frequency - sorry about that, added the difference 20Hz rather than subtracted from my RX offset - should have been 137.68 of course.Tend to agree with Mal's comments, I am having difficulty in seeing the point of some of this when there is little in the way of exchanged information between stations. There is a place for beacons, certainly. What concerns me is that the casual listener tuning across the band probably has no idea there's anybody on.Vy 73,Chris, G4AYT, Whitstable, Kent, JO01MI.