Since the start of 2024, I've been trying to see how many QRSS signals I could capture on the 28 MHz band. The QRSS signals are just below the WSPR frequency (28.1246 MHz) so both modes can be monitored at the same time.
On the 12th of Auguest 2025, I managed to get a screen capture of DL3PB in Germany as shown in the above image. On this occasion, Peter DL3PB was using the visual SlowHell visual mode instead of morse code but the callsign can be clearly seen.
You'll notice the small graphic before and after the callsign. At first I thought this was a bird but I later found out it's supposed to be a rat! 😄
Peter was running 1.5-watts into a vertical sleeve dipole.
It was surprisingly difficult to capture this signal. I knew Peter was sending QRSS signals occasionally on 28 MHz during the summer but I never saw anything. I hear CW beacons very often from Germany but why was capturing DL3PB so difficult? Was I checking at the correct time?
The issue is 'perception' versus 'reality'. I associate Germany with an easy distance on Sporadic-E so it's very easy for me to work and hear Germany on 28 MHz. Most of the signals I see on 28 MHz from Germany at a distance of about 1200-1600 kms.
However, Germany is a big country and DL3PB is in the far west. At 1030 kms, DL3PB is no further away than say some stations in the Netherlands.
A distance of 1000kms for Sporadic-E on 28 MHz isn't that rare but it's certainly more unusual than say 1500kms. This is a result of the signals at 1500kms being returned from the Sporadic-E layer at a shallower angle. The closer the station like say 1000kms, the higher the angle and the less likely it is.
So the combination of someone sending signals on an intermittent basis and the lower chance of shorter skip made a capture from DL3PB more difficult.
In summary... That brings the QRSS tally so far for 28 MHz up to 29-callsigns & 12 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
26) 21st Oct 2024: KC2CHK
27) 16th Jul 2025: GB3PKT
28) 20th Jul 2025: ON4CDJ - DXCC #12
29) 12th Aug 2025: DL3PB
