[NLRS] The almost VHF ARRL 10m contest

[Doug Reed]

<http://propnet.org/catch3.php?band=HY&center=US&last=4&call=&maptype=G2&geo=&zoom=1>
<http://wsprnet.org/drupal/wsprnet/map>

I'll add my two cents to also say that 10M has been very good for the
past few weeks and will probably continue good this weekend. The links
above show current activity on the band using PSK-31 and WSPR digital
modes. If you don't find a lot of voice activity, try switching to one
of these digital modes for a while.

I would say that most of the PSK-31 beacon stations are running less
than 5 watts. So if the map shows activity from Minnesota to Europe
and the Caribbean, as it does now, you might be able to make similar
voice contacts with 50-100 watts.

<http://propnet-studies.blogspot.com/>
If you want to read more, Art KA5DWI has been studying the PropNET
PSK-31 capture reports and writing his conclusions in the blog above.
Some of the conclusions have been pretty interesting. If nothing else,
his results might help you decide what the best operating times might
be....

The PSK-31 and WSPR beacons also help reinforce the old sayings about
trees falling in the forest and you can't tell if the band is open
solely by listening.... If everyone listens but nobody transmits,
you'll never know there was an opening. So the beacon stations
transmit every 10 to 15 minutes just to see if anyone is listening....
And we get catch reports on the map when nobody thought the band was
open....

73, Doug Reed, N0NAS.