All,

Thank you all for the support you've given me regarding the WSPR animated GIF generator program! I've tweaked it, added a few features, fixed a glaring bug, and have released version 1.0 at this URL. Please continue to send me feedback, bugs reports, and ideas for additional features!

PS - For those of you that used it and got the dreaded 'No Spots Found' message, please try again.

From time to time WSPR's reports a decode that is just "Too good to be true".
To a newcomer they are something to get excited about. Is this WSPR mode really that amazing.
Sometimes they just "don't look or feel right" to an experienced WSPR's eye.
Sometimes they are just plain "WRONG"

If it fails the Database filters, IT thinks it is Suspect and is simply not entered in the DB.
If it passes the Database filters and is entered it may still be suspect.
Filters are not intuitive, they don't ask all the right questions and think about the Answers.

There are a few simple checks you can do, that should confirm if a Decoded Spot is Suspect.

Date and Time are rarely suspect, unless you know you were not on air at that time.

Look at the Callsign, Is it a Normal Format (prefix, number, suffix), recognise the prefix?
No, a quick check with QRZ.com or a similar DX Call book Listing.
"The search for 6p7frs produced no results!, MMM, 6p7frs looks like a callsign from Pakistan".
Not a good result, Suspect ?

Look at the Band/Distance, 50MHz, 5123kM, a Long way to go on a quite band, 1600kM is my best DX today. Not a good result Suspect?

Look at the S/N ratio -29dB, thats right at the decoders limits. We know WSPR was working very hard trying to decode something, ALL_WSPR.txt confirms the 6p7frs data looped through the error correction system 16,018 times to produce this Decode. Not a real good sign!

Look at the Grid Square BG24 the WSPR Map tells me in the middle of Antartica, Only 4 digits, A Pakistani in Antartica far from all known bases. Not an expected result Suspect?

Look at the Power, 501 Watts, Odd figures, Wattmeter that accurate?, Not really QRP,
(10 Watts or Less). Again Not a good looking result Suspect?

So our Suspect Spot Below Failed on most of the Simple Tests and I Believe it should be consigned to the Bit Bucket where it obviously belongs.

Timestamp Call MHz SNR Grid Pwr Reporter RGrid km az

Well, I joined WSPRnet and made an account some time ago but just finally started actually using WSPR now that I have decent HF radio.
I now have a Yaesu FT-450 and am amazed at how far a low watt signal will travel in wspr.
I am really enjoying this mode and seeing so many stations active around the world.

73
Tom
N2BEW

All,

After getting very positive feedback from many of you regarding the WSPR map generator I wrote, I decided to go ahead and make it available to all Amateurs. You can find it here.

Remember, it's a beta, and for now there's only data for December 1, 2011 thru 23:58 on the previous UTC day (assuming my auto upload scripts work!). Please enjoy!

Some of the features:

Current Features
1) Search By receiving callsign (Who did I hear?)
2) Search By Transmitting station (Who heard me?)
3) User-defined spot aggregation time
4) User-defined delay between frames
5) Choice of 2- or 4-character gridsquare blocks
6) Option to draw and label grid boxes
7) Option to suppress frames with no spots
8) search limits by start/stop time
9) use transparency to make files smaller

Already Planned Features

1) Add search limits for bands(s), distance, power, etc
2) Customize legend to only show bands heard

Since I started WSPRing 3 years 38 weeks ago on 30M, I have heard data signals above the Wspr slot. Of course you actually listen to the audio when starting Wspr.

Just this morning I heard a JT65 signal inside the Wspr passband, starting up WSJT I monitored the JT65.

It was a C91 station sending a CQ, also on the WSJT waterfall was my old data signals.
Looking at the screen capture it looks like a narrow FSK signal from one station to another, one strong (S9) and the other weaker signal in return, then stops.

The signals have been on the same frequency never changing, possibly a comms link, for what purpose I haven't got a clue.

Have you heard them?

Does anyone know what it is for please post a reply.

WinRadio

If any 160m WSPR enthusiasts are interested, I've recently opened a "160m WSPR" Facebook page.

Just myself and Derek VK6DZ on there at present, but others from around the world most welcome and let us know what your up to in the world of 160m WSPR.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/149900118453784/

I had the need to download a number of WSPR CSV files so I threw together a PowerShell script. If anyone has the same need here is the PowerShell code to use as is at your own risk. It goes out to the WSPR web site and downloads the month you specify unzips the file and then creates a CSV file with only spots containing the call specified, then it deletes the downloaded ZIP and associated CSV files leaving only a file by the name of the call specified .csv. This was coded for a quick project and DOES NOT have any type of error checking and it assumes you know what input parameters are needed. I named the script download.ps1 and it needs three parameters: the year, month and call. If you run the script multiple times using the same call the results will be concatenated into the one call file.

# Script to download WSPR spot file, unzip file and create a specified call file.
# By N9RO January 01, 2012
# To run program CD to the script's directory and type ./download.ps1 year month call in the
# PowerShell window. New call file will appear the the script's directory.
param($year,$month,$call)
$source = "http://wsprnet.org/archive/wsprspots-$year-$month.csv.zip"
echo "***** Downloading file: $source *****"
Get-Date -DisplayHint time
$destination = "c:\projects\wspr-adif\wsprspots-$year-$month.csv.zip"
$wc = New-Object System.Net.WebClient
$wc.DownloadFile($source, $destination)
echo "***** File Download Complete *****"
# Now unzip File
echo "***** Unzipping WSPR File *****"
Get-Date -DisplayHint time
$shell_app=new-object -com shell.application
$filename = "wsprspots-$year-$month.csv.zip"
$zip_file = $shell_app.namespace((Get-Location).Path + "\$filename")
$destination = $shell_app.namespace((Get-Location).Path)
$destination.Copyhere($zip_file.items())
echo "***** Unzip complete *****"
# Create Call file
echo "***** Creating WSPR Call File for $call *****"
Get-Date -DisplayHint time

You all have the best New year ever... May good things come your way this year 2012...

See me on facebook www.facebook.com/casey.hamlin

A proper 1/2 wave antenna.

http://tinyurl.com/6M-half-wave-vertical

The old Quickfix

The silly season is upon us downunder, 6M (Magic band) madness has proven to be same as every year after the Summer Solstice.
Sporadic E forms and the various forums and chats all get excited, luckily the vklogger forum has added the WSPR mode to its posting board.
Now we can post a WSPR mode contact along with SSB and CW etc.
I made a 1/2 wave vertical for 6M recently, it took 10 minutes to assemble and test with 1.1 SWR first time.
But it was rather heavy being constructed from 3/4 inch copper pipe (leftover from Magloop making).
About 2.940 Metres tall it was bending its mount in the wind.
So, some Googling and I found a solution, just slightly modify a 10M 1/2 wave base antenna.
Having such a monster, converted from 11M CB to 10M ham, it was ideal.
By just shorting out most of the large aluminium coils it tuned to 6M, my local beacon on 50.066MHz increased from S1 up to S7.
The SWR was 1.1, woohoo!
Wspering on 10M using that antenna has spotted the world, it is now on 6M with a small wire link
I did a bothways with VK2XN Wayne on the east coast 3,246KM.
Just spotted Leigh VK2KRR at 2,901Km too.

Keep it simple - I am basically lazy HiHi

Happy New Year to all

My callsign has changed due to a licence upgrade. Can you please change my WSPR username to reflect this?

Previous callsign: VK2POP

New callsign: VK2GHO

My email address and all other details remain the same.

With thanks,
Greg Homer

Great to get my Genesis Radio G59 board hooked upto the GPA10 Linear amplifier and carry out my very first full working tests this evening. What a nice and relaxing mode to pass a bit of time along with a great sense of fun when you look at the map and realise who is hearing you and where. All Excellent Stuff!!

This station "VKFRG" decoded my wspr-signal on 30m and I would like to know: Who is vk?frg?
The number is missing!
The only station I found on qrz.com and which matchs with VK?FRG is VK2FRG.
Pse correct your callsign, dr OM.
vy 73 de DK3CW

I have found a new radio under development that is supposed to come out next year some time. It is the SDR-ONE. Looks like it will do everything that I want. The FLEX 1500 is also a contender. Here is the info on the SDR-ONE. I have no connection with this company other than being a satisfied customer with an SDR-IQ.

http://www.sdr-one.com/

I have a blog here:
http://oh3ggq.blogspot.com

I've tried this software from http://www.contestsoftware.com/ but it doesn't copy the gridlocator data. Is there a way to convert that to ADIF as well. It should be possible with a excel sheet. But my knowledge of excel is limited. I've tried with the help of
http://www.qsl.net/ab2rf/Excel-ADIF-conversion.html but it gives me so many errors that excel crashes. I need at least CALL, DATA, TIME, BAND, MODE, RST_RCVD and GRIDSQUARE to convert.
For someone with a little more knowledge of excel then me it should be piece of cake!
Most handy would be to copy from the database output at the database link. Insert it in excel with special paste as txt and then convert it to ADIF at a second tab. Copy it again to a .txt file and import it in your favourite logger.

Edit 16-12-2011: Due to pneumonia I had some time to investigate more about converting the WSPR data to ADIF format. It actually surprised me that I had no comment at all responding to my search for help. Am I the only one that actually want to put the WSPR data in my favourite logger? Anyway, for those that want a solution read it here:

http://pe4bas.blogspot.com/2011/12/converting-wspr-data-to-adif.html

It's probabely not the only solution, but it works for me.

73,
Bas PE4BAS

On Dec.12, 2011 K6HLH and W6SZ, both members of the San Bernardino Microwave Society ( SBMS ) made their first WSPR
exchanges on 10368.305 MHz ( 3 cm ) The equipment consisted out of normal type narrow band transceivers as being used
in present day microwave amateur radio.

Computers were time synchronized by GPS. K6HLZ uses a GPS disciplined 10 MHz source, W6SZ has a double oven 10 MHz source as
frequency determining element. K6HLH worked from his home QTH, W6SZ worked from a field location.

The exchanges were point to point. No frequency stability problems were encountered. Placing the WSPR signal within
a predetermined 200 Hz wide frequency band presented no special problem.

This first test was mainly done to check for operational problems.

WSJT65A tests on 10 GHz with AF6NA, also a SBMS member, and W6SZ had been made already some time ago. These exchanges were done
by bouncing the signal off a mountain on both sides.

Many more tests are in the planning phases.

73 Rein W6SZ

active for a while already on wspr.
after a periode starting up again fisrt with wspr seems to bee good openings thru out the world on ten meters
instead of a 5/8 wave vertical @26 mtr agl nu back with a mobile antenne from a new qth . at 13 meters agl.

73.s Hilko PC1CP

Listening 28.1246 this afternoon. 1/2 wave dipole in the loft beaming N/S.

After looking at the WSPR database over many months I wonder.

Why do so many VK stations feel they must run high power on WSPR?

Look at the database for any band and most of the stations running double figures in power are VK's.

Is it because they can't read:

The Weak Signal Propagation Reporter Network is a group of amateur radio operators using K1JT's MEPT_JT digital mode to probe radio frequency propagation conditions using very low power (QRP/QRPp) transmissions.

Is it because we don't understand the terms, Weak Signal Propagation or QRP/QRPp

Is it because we think its a contest to see who can score the most spots.

Is it because we don't know how to reduce our power?

Is it a throwback to our convict ancestry, a need to be noticed, a cry for help.

Or simply a feeling of isolation from the rest of the world.

73, Paul VK4ZBV.