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run your radio as WSPR beacon when not in the shack!


Maybe I am not telling you any news but this WSPR  system is a real  genius system.
Easy to set up.  It needs a PC  + internet for time synchronization and logging in the WSPR database.
If a Transceiver   already is used for data RTTY / PSK    it is practical ready to be a WSPR beacon.
It uses the same audio  CAT connections.
WSPR is a full automatic multi band beacon TX and RX system that uses very low power and very small frequency resources. 
More information at:  http://wsprnet.org/drupal/

I have always been active in CW  and other  non   PC  related communication.
But this WSPR  is just to good and simple  not to be used when your radio station is idle.
1W power would be enough  in a simple GP f.i.  to run a WSPR beacon that will be reported  over the Globe!

I  am  running my station as WSPR beacon  when away QRL  or doing something else.
I simply do not understand why a lot of DX-rs  do not make use of this GREAT!  beacon system.

I get reports from VK ZL on the low bands with 1 or 5W and  report a lot of DX

But    WSPR outside EU  USA  VK  is rare .   (i am mainly talking 10,15 80 160 bands)
2  South America 1 PY 1 CX    
2 TX only 1W beacons in South Africa and FR5GZ  1 or 2 ZS6   that's all from 2 continents !  Asia  just a few  Oceania 2 or 3  
It is a bit of a shame!... and a waste of good radio locations.
Not  a single WSPR  beacon  in the  Caribbeans.  

WSPR in my opinion is just about designed  for 6M.   Hoping  that ZD8SIX will be a WSPR  / CW ID beacon this season.
The "Magic band" means 99% digging into noise. Most openings are not noticed due to inactivity.
But WSPR  never gets tired listening to noise.
And WSPR is not interfering much with its low power and  200Hz tiny band-slot. All beacons of 6M would fit in 200Hz.
Every DX interested HAM will know that the major factor of success is being at the right time at the right frequency.
WSPR meets those two conditions at low costs in energy and time.

I am an old school  HAM  i started with hand-key first some years.
I should be very conservative....  
But it puzzles me why most of the ?DX-interested HAM's?  Keep stick-ed to the old QRM! steam-age beacon systems.
Why not make (much) more use of some of the most fantastic radio locations?

I am on air  24*7* ( months  already)  when not in he shack.  
WSPR   10 15 80  day time         80 160  600m rx   nighttime      the frequency hopping option gives more bands.   
  A WSPR PC can if necessary be remote controlled  easy by Team viewer   or other common used remote desktop systems.
Even by  mobile phone HTC with Teamviewer it is possible to control the beacon remote if that would be needed.

I hope someone in the WSPR blank area's will try WSPR   i am sure it will be a success and addictive too.

Comments

PE4BAS, Bas said…
Hallo Jaap, ik kwam op het NAT een amateur tegen die zelfs nog nooit van WSPR gehoord had. Het word tijd dat er nog meer aandacht aan besteed word. Ik zou graag een WSPR beacon 24/7 draaien, maar dan moet ik wel iets vinden als alternatief voor het lichtnet. Zit te denken aan zonne-energie. En dan een laptop die ik op 12V kan draaien. 73, Bas

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