[UK-CONTEST] Why do UK stations not beam to OZ in UKAC ?

[Rob Harrison]

David,

I think you do yourself an injustice.

I'm running 50w (FT-847 no pre-amp) to an 11 ele LFA at 13m AGL, 60m ASL, 
and am 741km from Allan's contest site. I hear him 70% of sessions, albeit 
weak and probably work him 40% of the time, on SSB. Yes I'm a bit nearer the 
east coast than you in JO01FO, but only 9km nearer in a straight line. 
Granted Allan's station is running QRO and large antennas, but that makes up 
for my end of the QSO. Taking OZ out of the equation, there are many near 
continent stations well within 500km of you. I don't know your QTH, so have 
no idea of the topography and whether you are shielded towards Europe. It 
would be more difficult to make a 750km contact within the UK, due to 
activity and geography.

It seems you're telling yourself you won't make it before you try. There's 
an awful lot of enhancement due to aircraft scatter over the North Sea, and 
it can and does make up the difference. In fact I'd says 95% of contacts 
over 200km are made using this mode in the UK, and not true tropo', the QSB 
is far too rapid and uneven.

Accepted there won't be any mult' involved with European stations. But if we 
carry on like this, they won't beam this way at all ; it's becoming 
noticable already. That doesn't altogether matter in UKAC, but in bigger 
contests it's a worrying trend.

73 Bob G8HGN







----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David" <g3yyd at btinternet.com>
To: "UK-Contest at contesting. com" <UK-Contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2012 3:23 PM
Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] Why do UK stations not beam to OZ in UKAC ?


> Allan
>
> I am 750KM from your QTH. The normal troposcatter range for my station is
> about 500 to 550KM on SSB and about 120KM more on CW. So even on CW I am
> short by more than 100KM. In 2m troposcatter terms that would mean I need 
> at
> least 11dB improvement to be able to have a CW QSO with you. SSB requires
> almost 25dB more.
>
> I am already running UK full power so I would need to increase my antenna
> from a single 12 el (6m boom length) Yagi at 21m AGL to 16 by 12el Yagis. 
> If
> I went illegal and ran 1KW (+4dB) the antenna would need to be at least 6 
> by
> 12el Yagis - not practical for this QTH.
>
> Conclusion: I can only QSO with you by moving to the English east coast. 
> If
> I moved to East coast for UKAC I would be beaming away from you into the 
> UK
> to maximise my mults.
>
> 73 David G3YYD in IO91TR.
>
>
> Allan, oz7z from OZ1ALS wrote:
>
> We at OZ1ALS are qrv with 2 times 8x4 + 4x6 elements and 1KW.
>
> We have 8x4 beaming to JO01 all evening
>
> You will find us on 144.307 most of the time.
>
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