As part of a challenge for 2024, I've decided to see how many QRSS signals I could capture on the 28 MHz band during the year.
QRSS are very slow morse code transmissions where the dots and dashes are several seconds long and the signals are decoded by looking at a waterfall display on a screen rather than listening to the signal.
The QRSS signals are usually just below the WSPR signals on the amateur radio bands. This means it's possible to have your PC decoding WSPR signals up around 1500 Hz while you look at the QRSS signals about 500 Hz or so lower in the audio spectrum at the same time.
2024 #3 & #4 - G0MBA & G0PKT... The QRSS signals shown above were captured at about 10:40 UTC and it shows the QRSS trace from G0MBA and G0PKT who are 650kms to the east of my location in Essex, England. From what I know, I think both are running 0.2-watts into vertical antennas.
You'll notice that the signals have a slight 'fuzz' as opposed to a clean tone. I hear/see these two stations practically every day and I think the signals are F2 layer backscatter. If I was to try again during the Sporadic-E season during the summer, both signals would be nice and clean.
At 650kms, both signals from G0MBA & G0PKT are way too far for ground wave and too close for normal F2. The signals are probably being propagated off the F2 layer, being reflected in some distant region and then returning to my location.
2024 #5 - AE0V...In the afternoon, I got a capture of the QRSS signal of AE0V in Minnesota (EN34FU) in the USA who is about 6,000kms from my location.
Ned, AE0V reports using a solar powered transmitter with no battery storage running 100mW into a 1/4 wave stainless whip about 8m above the ground.
The signal from the USA is easily explained as it's via multi-hop F2 layer propagation.
In summary... That brings the QRSS tally so far for 2024 up to 5-callsigns & 3 DXCC.
2) 10 Jan 2024: VA1VM
3) 15th Jan 2024: G0MBA - DXCC #2
No comments:
Post a Comment