XPost: rec.radio.amateur.moderated, rec.radio.amateur.space

EI7GL....A diary of amateur radio activity

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Guest Post: Some thoughts on VHF paths across the South Atlantic ...by
Dave, N7BHC

Posted: 23 Apr 2021 06:00 AM PDT https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2021/04/guest-post-some-thoughts-on-vhf-paths.html


Dave N7BHC (Also PJ4VHF & ZR2BI) left a comment on a post recently about
VHF propagation in the South Atlantic. There was so much interesting info
in it that I have put it up here as a guest post. There is plenty in there
as food for thought.
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Back in 2007-2010, I was trying to drum up trans-Atlantic tropo ducting interest. I am very pleased to see more progress now. A contact from ZD7 (St.Helena Is) to PY (Brazil) on 144 MHz (2m) is 100% probable.

I introduced John Turner at Saint FM, the local FM radio station, back in 2008-2010 to tropo ducting on the FM broadcasting band. He successfully
logged many Angolan, Namibian, and Cape Town FM stations. One December he emailed that he was unsuccessful identifying an Angolan FM radio station as
he had interference from a Brazilian station on the same frequency. This
was using just a car radio with its whip antenna.
Back in March 2008, ZD8I on Ascension Island reported that they sometimes
heard Cape Town Marine Radio (ZSC) on 156.8 MHz FM. That is an omni antenna
to an omni antenna on FM at a range of 4400 km.

ZD8S on Ascension Island reports listening to Brazilian FM stations with
indoor portable radios.
Since then, I spent the next ten years on Bonaire as PJ4VHF. My biggest
tropo ducting success across the North Atlantic was the initial reception
of D4C/b on the Cape Verde Islands at a range of 4,694km. I strongly
encourage any stations on ZD7 and ZD8 to be active on both 2m and 70cm.
I have been studying trans-ocenic ducting for many decades (I started out
as ZR2BI in East London). The South Atlantic may be the BEST location
worldwide for long-haul ducting, both for range and how often the openings occur. FM vertical polarization works well bit SSB or FT8 on horizontal is
even better.
Maybe someday we may be allowed to and able to travel again, and I can
afford to visit ZD7 in person. Until then, all I can do is strongly
encourage others.
73, Dave N7BHC/PJ4VHF/ZR2BI dpedersen AT drasticom DOT com

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Weak opening to South America on 28 MHz - 22nd Apr 2021

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 10:55 PM PDT https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2021/04/weak-opening-to-south-america-on-28-mhz_23.html

Thursday 22nd April 2021: This was a pretty modest day on the 28 MHz band
with just a few European stations heard via either weak Sporadic-E or
meteor scatter.
There was also a small opening to Brazil.
A total of 31 stations in 12 countries were heard on FT8.
The Solar Flux index was 78.

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