The latest VP6DX bulletin has lots of interesting info about 160 so I'm
forwarding an edited version of it with 160 related info only.
73, Bill W4ZV
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Christian Janssen <cjanssen@bndlg.de>
Date: Feb 19, 2008 5:12 PM
Subject: [newsletter@vp6dx.com] VP6DX-News #18- 2008 Feb 19
To: newsletter@vp6dx.com
News #18- 2008 Feb 19
160m contact made with opposite side of the planet
**************************************************
At Feb 18 Mon 1252z, the Ducie Island 160m operator was called by, and
completed
a contact with, A45XR in Oman. A45XR is located less than 300 km from the
antipode (exact opposite location on the planet) of Ducie Island --
essentially
the most distant location from Ducie Island.
This contact took place during the late afternoon, Oman time, 1 hour 10
minutes
before sunset. At the time of the contact, the terminator was 2000 km from
Oman,
approaching from the east-northeast.
All directions between antipodes are of equal distance. Over what path was
this
contact made?
At Ducie Island, A45XR's signals were heard best on the 305° beverage
antenna.
This suggests the signal path traveled over Japan, northern China, and
Pakistan... exiting perpendicular from the twilight zone. It is possible a
single E-skip hop between Oman and northeast Pakistan completed the path
through
the 2000 km daylight sector.
Congratulations to both operators!
Now that we have shown Ducie Island's topband operating team can contact
even
the farthest points on the planet, what's stopping you from trying a top
band
contact with VP6DX? If you think your antenna is inferior, or you are
running
limited transmitter power, don't give up! Look at the comments in the
guestbook
section of the VP6DX.com website: lots of stations are now in the VP6DX
logbook
with very simple antennas and low heights -- event on top band.
So give every band and mode a try. We are waiting for your call!
We are stuck on an uninhabited island with nothing to do but work any
station
who calls us. Well, perhaps that's not entirely true. It's almost time for
breakfast... and a nap for the nighttime operators.
80m longpath to OH and European Russia
**************************************
During a window around Ducie Island local sunrise (1345-1445Z), long path
contacts have been made on both 75m SSB and 80m CW with stations in Finland
and
European Russia.
The furthest contact was to northern Finland, about 25,000 km from Ducie
Island
and 5,000 km beyond the antipodes.
The best reception at Ducie Island for most contacts is on the 195°
beverage.
Some stations were heard equally well on the 225° beverage. The stations
were
inaudible on any other direction. This suggests the path has very little
skew
off the great circle long path route.
This long path route parallels the terminator (bearing 187° from Ducie),
with
signals from Ducie traveling over Antarctica... Heard Island... Rodrigues
Island... the Persian Gulf... Iran... and western Russia.
We encourage stations in Scandinavia and western Russia to listen during
these
times, and to call VP6DX if they hear our signal.
We will also be listening on 160m for contacts on this path (or some
variant).
It would be a thrill to put long path contacts on top band in the log. Let's
see
how far we can push propagation!
Please submit any reception reports for unusual openings, including openings
on
other bands, via the VP6DX website.
North American 160m schedule
****************************
Most 160m operators in North America recognize that, when sun sets at Ducie
Island (0300z), it is dark in North America and most of Europe.
Between this time and European sunrise is the only propagation window for
contacts between Ducie Island and Europe. Many years will pass before
another
expedition arrives at Ducie Island at the bottom of the sunspot cycle. As a
result, one of our expedition goals is to give as many stations in Europe
and
Asia a 160m contact with Ducie Island.
To accomplish this goal, North American stations (with much shorter path to
Ducie) will need to wait.
Our top band operating team proposes that, on every evening, we will begin
making contacts with North America no later than 08z. There is no need for
North
America top band operators to wait until their local sunrise to contact
Ducie
Island. 160m is staffed with an operator throughout the night.
As described elsewhere, the team has invested considerable work in an
effective
receiving antenna system to help us pull weak signals out from the static.
Please give 160m a try! We are waiting for your call.
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