Overnight WSPR report, 04-05/01/2019

Rough conditions last night, as the Kp climbed briefly to around 6, and the auroral oval extended for a time as far south as central UK (again, too cloudy to confirm the model!)

Auroral patches forecast mid-Atlantic.  Image: NOAA/SWPC

Rough conditions.  Image: IRF/Kiruna.

Geomagnetic activity was strong enough to block 14MHz signals, and no WSPR spots were reported between

But unusual spots were heard. XE3ARV was confirmed as transmitting (a tiny 20mW) continuously during the past 24 hours, but he started coming in at 22:38UT, at -24dB.  Six minutes later, he was up to -18dB. G4ZFQ, using an admirably efficient Cobwebb antenna, was the only dark side station to also hear the XE3, at 23:02UT (-27dB).

Confirming the role of the magnetic disturbance, YS1MAE (200mW), who I had not heard since 13:02UT the same day and who is only heard by about 10 European stations at any time of day, was also heard at the same time as the XE3 station, at 22:38UT (-27dB), and then again at 23:08UT (-28dB).

8P9HA's 200mW signal waxed and waned during the day, but the trend was to steadily increase over the day, peaking between 22:48 and 23:12UT (maximum at 22:56UT, -12dB).  This is a very different spot pattern to that seen under quiet conditions, where 8P will cease being heard shortly after the end of grey line.  I compare the two conditions, below:

First, spots for 2019 January 04-05 (Kp ~6 maximum):

14MHz, 200mW WSPR spots received from 8P9HA, 04/01/2019.

And under quiet (Kp ~1-2) conditions on 2019 January 02 (note different time scale):

F1AGR also showed enhancements during the disturbance, as this longer-term plot shows: