The discussion about K3LR and W3LPL on 40m is interesting. K3LR said,
"There IS quite a distance difference between W3LPL and K3LR, with LPL
being much closer to Europe than LR." Don't assume that LPL is much closer
to Eu than LR... LR is actually closer to Moscow/UA3 than LPL is. LPL
is closer to western Europe by less than you might think.
W3LPL K3LR
39.28n77.02w 41.18n80.5w
CT 38.7n 9.2w 3555mi 3674mi
CU 37.7n 25.7w 2742 2888
DL 50.7n 7.0e 3959 4009
EI 53.3n 6.3w 3366 3418
UA3 55.8n 37.6e 4839 4827
UT 50.4n 30.5e 4852 4869
Calculations done using a tool here:
http://www.wfu.edu/albatross/gcircle/calcfull.html
Even KC1XX and K1AR(@K1EA) differ on which is closer to Eu. XX is closer
to northern and eastern EU...
K1AR@K1EA KC1XX
42.4n71.57w 42.73n71.77w
CT 38.7n 9.2w 3211mi 3216mi
CU 37.7n 25.7w 2419 2427
DL 50.7n 7.0e 3598 3596
EI 53.3n 6.3w 3004 3003
UA3 55.8n 37.6e 4495 4488
UT 50.4n 30.5e 4497 4492
My thinking is that some of the advantage LPL has over LR has to do with
sunset times on 40m. LPL's sunset is 11 minutes earlier than LR's (5:47pm
vs 5:58pm) - enough for 15-20 QSOs each night perhaps (and LR gets to deal
with more QRM as the band is open for more USA stations). But XX and AR
(5:21pm/5:20pm) get a 17 minute advantage over LPL, along with even less
QRM. And VE1ZZ has a sunset 45 minutes earlier than that...
Another way to look at it. Say that 40m is open to Europe from 60 minutes
before sunset local time until 06Z (average sunrise time in Eu). That
means LPL has 9:13 of Eu openings vs 9:02 for LR, each night. At the 1700
QSO level, that difference (about 2%) might amount to 35 QSOs (sure, lots
more variables than I'm describing but I hope I made general sense - LPL's
path is over water more of the way also).
These are fairly small differences, but they add up over the course of 48
hours, assuming the operator(s) are able to capitalize.
-- Tom
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e-mail: frenaye@pcnet.com YCCC --> http://www.yccc.org/
Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box J, West Suffield CT 06093 Phone: 860-668-5444
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