Regarding VE1ZZ, yes, he is further North than most, but also further East.
He is closer to the Middle East than anybody else in North America. At
least from 4X, he is not behind the auroral oval. From here, the auroral
oval generally is West of an imaginary line running from Minnesota through
to Southern Texas. I believe that Jack's signal is due to a combination of
things that would include: (1) his general geographical location (mentioned
above), (2) his specific QTH - which has been said to be ideally located in
the clear and almost surrounded by the sea. (3) His excellent understanding
and application of good antenna design principles. I should add that here
in 4X, we know that Jack's signal is unique and we hear him often as Jeff
has mentioned in his Email - very strong with no other North Americans even
being faintly heard.
73,
Riki, 4X4NJ
----- Original Message -----
From: <K1ZM@aol.com>
To: <topband@contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 1999 9:39 AM
Subject: Topband: Propagation Anomalies from A61AJ
>
> Hi Gang
>
> I have been meaning to inquire in open forum as to some propagation
> observations made recently at A61AJ. I was hoping that perhaps someone
has
> an answer out there to one situation specifically - as it continues to
baffle
> me.
>
> Here's the scenario.
>
> 1) NA short path propagation opened daily from A6 at about 2330z on a
heading
> of about 335-345 degrees over the pole.
> 2) VE1ZZ was first through - followed by USA W1-W3, then the path shifted
> WEST out to W8/W9/W0 peaking during the period from about 0000z-0020z.
> 3) From about 0030z, the prop started closing from NORTH to SOUTH - with
> RECIPROCAL absorption fadeout occurring in W1 at about 0045z daily, and W4
> absorption fadeout occuring in the period roughly 0050z - 0115z.
> 4) Except for AA4MM in Orlando and W8JI in GA, the band was essentially
> closed from about 0110z until about 0210z when it again opened much more
> POORLY building to a far less dramatic sunrise peak from about
0230z-0250z.
>
> This was NORMAL - and my assumptions as to the causal factors were (only a
> guess on my part) that the more Northerly stations were MOST LIKELY being
> absorped by their proximity to the auroral ovals. Gradually the
absorption
> headed South eventually masking callers (who I could tell were there
> sometimes for awhile longer) but well beneath my ambient noise level.
>
> EG: To me, it just seemed logical that the SOUTHERLY stations in
TENN/GA/FLA
> and TEXAS were being less absorped as the band closed - and that
propagation
> was thus supported to these areas for a somewhat longer period.
>
> This is, of course, only a theory. I do not begin to pretend to
understand
> this stuff. Like most of you, I just turn on my radio - listen for what
is
> available - call it like the dickens etc etc etc and hope that I get
through
> to something interesting.
>
> Now here is the anomaly - and it is bugging the blazes out of me.
>
> All of this theorizing sort of makes sense until you try to explain the
> MIRACLE of VE1ZZ.
>
> Long after the band had completely closed for other NA stations, Jack
would
> check in from Halifax and literally blow me out of the chair. I am not
> talking about a puny weak, watery signal at 449 or so either.
>
> He called me one night around 0120z (after the band had closed into even
the
> more Southerly W4's) and was a solid 589/599 - peaking to 10-15DB over S9
at
> times!
>
> At first he said I was 569 - then advised that he had forgotten to turn
off
> his attenuator which was in at 30DB. Then he said after taking it out
that I
> too was peaking 599 with QSB to about 579. So the propagation was
reciprocal
> at each end of the circuit.
>
> We literally rag-chewed one night for 15 minutes - from 0115z to about
0130z
> - and I did so with pleasure simply because there was nothing else to do -
> and it was literally armchair copy - on both ends. Jack could have
recited
> his *life story* to me had he wanted to that evening!.
>
> So, this is the question. Clearly VE1ZZ is further North than MOST of the
> other stations in NA that had faded from the ether - so my simple way of
> analyzing this says that he too **should have** been equally absorped by
the
> auroral ovals - it they are indeed playing a role here in all of this.
>
> But JACK's location is also much FURTHER EAST along the great circle path
> that exists between NA and A6.
>
> Somehow his signal just sits there - above the rest - and I have observed
his
> definitive ability to work this path almost at will - DAILY for the past
15
> years. His "reach" (for the lack of a better term) into the Far East via
the
> Long path into Asia is so much greater than my own, even from Cape Cod,
that
> it defies the imagination.
>
> Others, including 8Q7AA from last year, have also reported a VE1ZZ ability
to
> work them nightly - at will - on a path that is closed to all other North
> American stations.
>
> This has been observed into 4S7RPG, VU and basically everything along this
> path from VE1ZZ sunset until the sunrise times of the locations noted
above.
>
> How and why does this happen? Is it simply a factor of being further EAST
> along the great circle route that (seemingly) allows him to overcome the
> normal auroral oval absorption that the rest of us mere MORTALS have to
> endure?
>
> Any ideas out there from the experts among us?
>
> I must admit I do not have more to add on the subject - yet I have seen
this
> time and time again - and I can tell you the effect at A61AJ was more than
> impressive - being able to witness it FIRSTHAND from the other end of the
> circuit was truly unique.
>
> I mean, the man's signal is AWESOME!
>
> 73 JEFF
>
> K1ZM@aol.com
>
>
>
>
> --
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>
>
--
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