2024 10m QRSS Challenge: - IK2JET & N8NJ 16th Feb

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 16th of February, I managed to get screen captures of IK2JET in the north of Italy and N8NJ in Ohio in the US.

1) IK2JET... At 16:17 UTC, I managed to get a successful screen capture of the QRSS signal from Alberto, IK2JET.

As can be seen from the image above, the signal wasn't too strong but it was a positive ID all the same and a new DXCC for 2024.

You can note how the QRSS signal has a slight 'fuzz' to it and is slightly distorted. It's similar to the backscatter signals from G0PKT & G0MBA which are going across the centre of the screen.

2) N8NJ... At 16:24 UTC, I got another screen capture and this time, I got a nice QRSS signal from Larry, N8NJ in Ohio.

The signal from N8NJ can be seen above at the top of the screen and it looks cleaner with less 'fuzz' than some of the other signals.

These are the WSPR decodes that I got from N8NJ during that hour and it suggests that the QRSS signal might have been in the region of -10dB.

local   y-m-d txCall txGrid rxCall rxGrid MHz W SNR drift kms  
2024-02-16 17:00 N8NJ EN81go EI7GL IO51tu 28.126084 1 -13 0 5574 
2024-02-16 16:50 N8NJ EN81go EI7GL IO51tu 28.126082 1 -5 0 5574 
2024-02-16 16:40 N8NJ EN81go EI7GL IO51tu 28.126084 1 -13 0 5574 
2024-02-16 16:30 N8NJ EN81go EI7GL IO51tu 28.126083 1 -10 0 5574 
2024-02-16 16:20 N8NJ EN81go EI7GL IO51tu 28.126084 1 -10 1 5574 
2024-02-16 16:10 N8NJ EN81go EI7GL IO51tu 28.126084 1 -7 0 5574 
2024-02-16 16:00 N8NJ EN81go EI7GL IO51tu 28.126084 1 -12 0 5574

Propagation Modes???.... What were the propagation modes responsible for these signals? I generated this propagation map below with VOACAP and the stations are marked in black.

N8NJ at 5570kms seems to be about right for two F2 layer hops and that one is easily explained.

The signal from IK2JET at 1550kms is more difficult. If it was a few more hundred kms away, I'd be more certain of one F2 hop but it seems a bit close. 

It could be Sporadic-E but we're in the middle of February and not the Summer Sp-E season. I did note plenty of other of WSPR signals on the day from the white skip zone around my location.

The signal as noted had some 'fuzz' to it which is unlike a nice clean one hop signal and that might suggest a back scatter or multi-path quality about it.

Sometimes, you just look at the evidence and it's hard to come to any firm conclusion.

In summary... That brings the QRSS tally so far for 2024 up to 12-callsigns & 7 DXCC.

1) 08 Jan 2024: VE1VDM - DXCC #1
2) 10 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

Trans-Atlantic opening on 28 MHz (QRSS signals from VE1VDM & N8NJ) - 19th June 2021

19th June 2021: After getting an email from Vernon VE1VDM, I fired up the Spectrum Lab programme and managed to grab TWO trans-Atlantic QRSS signals on 28 MHz...

(QRSS are morse code signals sent very slowly over a period of several minutes. This is an analogue method of reading signals that are buried in the noise)

It was probably the strongest capture I've got to date of VE1VDM and the first time I've managed to capture N8NJ. His power was 2-watts.

N8NJ is also the longest distance QRSS signal on 28 MHz I've captured as well. His power was 1-watt.

These are the WSPR reports around that time so you can compare what the QRSS signal looks like against the WSPR signal report.

2021-06-19 13:20 VE1VDM FN85ij EI7GL IO51tu 28.126151 2 -15 0 4001
2021-06-19 13:20 N8NJ EN81go EI7GL IO51tu 28.126069 1 -20 0 5574
2021-06-19 13:30 VE1VDM FN85ij EI7GL IO51tu 28.126151 2 -13 0 4001
2021-06-19 13:30 N8NJ EN81go EI7GL IO51tu 28.12607 1 -24 0 5574
2021-06-19 13:40 VE1VDM FN85ij EI7GL IO51tu 28.126151 2 -15 0 4001

VE1VDM at -13 to -15dB was at a level which would be barely detectable by ear. It's too weak for CW sent at normal speed.

N8NJ at -20 to -24dB was buried well into the noise.

In truth, there's nothing that remarkable about hearing Canada or the USA on 28 MHz during the peak of the Summer Sporadic-E season but it was still nice to get a screen capture of two low power stations from the other side of the Atlantic.