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. On the 19th of October, I heard / saw the QRSS signal of DJ5CW in Germany.
QRSS is a mode where a morse code signal is sent very slowly over the space of several minutes allowing very weak signals to be displayed on a waterfall display.
The story behind this reception report started at 10:23 UTC when I got an email from Fabian, DJ5CW to say that he was doing QRSS tests on 28 MHz until 14:00 UTC and if I wanted to try and capture his signal.
The thing about QRSS is that it is a 'visual mode' and I use the SpectrumLab software to capture the waterfall display in 10-minute periods. This means that if I'm not checking the screen on a regular basis then it can be easy to miss a signal.
I checked for the QRSS signal from DJ5CW and there was nothing on the screen. I did notice however that I was hearing WSPR signals from Germany so I suspected that there was some Sporadic-E propagation about.
I sent Fabian an email an email at 10:41 UTC to say that I would look for his signal. Needless to say, as soon as I sent the email, his signal appeared! 😂
At 10:52 UTC, I got a good capture of the QRSS signals on the waterfall and these are shown above.
As noted already, I believe the signal from DJ5CW was via Sporadic-E and as can be seen, it's a nice clean display.
I think the signals from G0PKT and G0MBA near London are via F2 layer backscatter and there is a certain amount of fuzz on these signals. I see these two signals every day and they are almost ever present as long as there is some sort of decent F2 propagation on the 10m band.
G0MBA and G0PKT are about 650kms from my location and are usually a bit too close for Sporadic-E. DJ5CW at just under 1500kms is just about perfect for Sporadic-E when it appears on the band.
Equipment... For this reception report, I was using a simple CB half-wave vertical about 4m above ground level. DJ5CW was using an Elecraft K2 transceiver which is keyed by an Arduino microcontroller. The power output was 1-watt into a 13m long vertical antenna on a fiberglass mast looking out of a skylight window of his 4th floor flat in central Munich
LCWO... As you might guess from the callsign, Fabian is a big fan of CW / morse code. He is the owner of the Learn CW Online website... https://lcwo.net/
In summary... That brings the QRSS tally so far for 2024 up to 25-callsigns & 11 DXCC.
2) 10th Jan 2024: VA1VM
3) 15th Jan 2024: G0MBA - DXCC #2
4) 15th Jan 2024: G0PKT
5) 15th Jan 2024: AE0V - DXCC #3
6) 16th Jan 2024: RD4HU - DXCC #4
7) 16th Jan 2024: W1BW
8) 17th Jan 2024: OH5KUY - DXCC #5
9) 18th Jan 2024: TF3HZ - DXCC #6
10) 6th Feb 2024: VA3RYV
11) 16th Feb 2024: IK2JET - DXCC #7
12) 16th Feb 2024: N8NJ
13) 21st Feb 2024: PY3FF - DXCC #8
14) 26th Feb 2024: VE6NGK
15) 27th Feb 2024: NM5ER
16) 28th Feb 2024: VK4BAP - DXCC #9
17) 2nd Mar 2024: WA1EDJ
18) 5th Mar 2024: FR1GZ/B - DXCC #10
19) 30th Apr 2024: IK1WVQ
20) 8th May 2024: IW0HK/B
21) 14th May 2024: IZ1KXQ/B
22) 3rd Jun 2024: M0GBZ
23) 3rd Jun 2024: G0FTD
24) 17th Oct 2024: AA7US
25) 19th Oct 2024: DJ5CW - DXCC #11
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