Topband: More 3W5FM, Reflector, etc.

[Bill Tippett]

Hi again!

        I was looking at my Great Circle map and thinking about the
similarity in the long path to 3W from here compared to my LP QSO
with JJ1VKL/4S7 from Colorado on December 28, 1991.  Notice the
following data:

W4ZV Sunrise:   3W5FM Sunset:   Delta:  QSO Time:      3W Bearing:
    1231             1044       107min    1143           350 deg

W0ZV Sunrise:   4S7 Sunset:     Delta   QSO Time:      4S7 Bearing:
    1423             1231       112min    1335           353 deg

        Notice that the path is almost identical (see bearing data),
but shifted by 2 hours because of my more Easterly location.  Note
also that both QSO's occurred almost exactly halfway between sunset
at the far end and sunrise at my end.  Coly's signal was slightly
stronger but both QSO's were definitely via the usual morning long
path bearing of 210 degrees for both North Carolina and Colorado.

        Now here's the interesting part!  XZ0A is located almost
exactly 600 miles (1000km) west of 3W5FM (in Vung Tau near Saigon). 
On Janauary 20, the data above becomes:

W4ZV Sunrise:   XZ0A Sunset:    Delta:  QSO Time:       XZ Bearing:
    1228            1126        62min.    1200?           004 deg

And the sunset path should also be possible:

W4ZV Sunset:    XZ0A Sunrise:   Delta:  QSO Time:       XZ Bearing:
    2236            2348        72min.    2300?           004 deg

>From the XZ1N experience, I've seen the sunset signal come either LP
via 150 degrees or skewed over Europe (in fact one evening both ways
but at different times!)

        For those of you interested, here are the coordinates for
3W5FM and XZ0A in case you want to do some analysis on your own:

3W5FM 10 21 N 107 04 E   Vung Tau, Vietnam          
XZ0A  09 57 N 098 32 E   Thahtay Kyun Island, Myanmar

Good luck and hopefully this info will help you work both!

                                                73,  Bill  W4ZV

P.S.  My ISP was having problems last night and this morning with
incoming messages so some of your posts may be delayed.  Recent
posts seem to be OK but please resend any posts if you don't see
them appear sometime today.  


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