960kms with 1mW ERP 500kHz WSPR

Roger G3XBM has been showing what can be achieved on the 500 kHz band using very low power and WSPR software.

On the GQRP reflector he writes:

My small 1mW ERP station reached further than ever into Europe last night [Thursday] with a report from DG6RCH (JN68) in S.Germany.

Distance was 960kms, just 40kms short of my elusive 1000kms personal target. More details of the QRP 500kHz station are on my website and blog.

Over the next few nights I'll be WSPRing overnight as there are a lot of new stations listening in Europe and conditions seem to be best in the small hours. There have also been new stations TXing from EI and PA of late and I've received WD2XSH/17 (running 5W ERP WSPR) several times in the last few weeks. 500kHz continues to hold me in its thrall.

The 500kHz vertical was coming down to make way for my 28MHz antenna, but I've decided to keep on 500kHz for the next few weeks at least. If the weather lets up, I may try to get a few more dB ERP by making some further antenna/ATU improvements.

Why not try listening on 500kHz WSPR this weekend?
Audio from a RX tuned to 502.4kHz USB into a PC running the W1JT WSPR2 software is all you need. Even quite small, untuned, antennas work OK with rigs like the FT817 on 500kHz.

Operating on the 500kHz (600m) band
http://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp/Home/500k

Roger G3XBM Blog
http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/

Roger's QRP Website
http://www.g3xbm.co.uk/

GQRP Yahoo list
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gqrp/

GQRP Club
http://www.gqrp.com/

Download WSPR from
http://www.physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/