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Sporadic 'E' in 2003 - A summary | Last update 02.07.03, 22:00 UT | You are on /..June 26.

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June 26. 2003 - Almost across the pond! | Please send your comments/reports/log-sheets/audios to DK5YA

We've been close to it - the final step across the pond. MUF was very high the whole day through in Europe. In the morning broadcast from EA was into G, PA0 and DL for hours up to 108 MHz but nil on 144. In the afternoon we had a short opening on 144 from F2GL (JN17) to LZ1ZP (KN22) at 16:55 UT, that one lasted only three minutes. And late at the evening CT1EPS made D44TD!
In the evening of June 26th a huge multi-hop opening started across the Atlantic Ocean, lots of VE's and W's into Europe on 50 MHz with booming signals. And MUF was rising and rising - up to 100 MHz from Maine/USA and Newfoundland/Canada to GI and GM - perhaps it was on 144 too? Who knows cause it's hard to find one being active on 2 meters in VO1.
We have 2 recordings of broadcast stations from  Newfoundland made by 3 meter DX'ers in Northern Ireland and Scotland. Thanks to G1AAR for the Audios!  Post your note/comments here please.
 

 100 MHz Sporadic E 26. June 2003

Logs - reports - comments:
LZ1ZP | CT1EPS | VE1KG | EI5FK | G4IFB | GW4DGU | David Hamilton | EA4EOZ | VP9/W3CMB

LZ1ZP, KN22id
16.55 F2GL 59/57 JN17
Very short opening abt.2-3 min and the only one station was F2GL

CT1EPS, IM57xc
2140 D44TD 5/9  5/9-HK86NO 2.705 Km
 

Notes and comments on this event:
Serge, VE1KG, writes:

Udo, I live on the East coast in Nova Scotia right on the water could you tell me which freq you are monitoring? Running here 4X17M2 to a 8877. Few years back I had the North American record for sporadic E worked into the Florida Keys & heard W4FF also. I have monitored 144.300 is that the European calling Freq? I must say I have never heard anything from Europe. Can you give me some FM frequencies in Europe I could monitor? [Here it is!, Ed]
Best 73, Serge VE1KG FN84CM
---
Serge lives in a perfect place for multi-hop Es into Europe. But what we need is a perfect alert system to bring people on the band on a day like this. It aint help if Europeans are monitoring 144.200 and Stateside and Canada is on 144.300. So we gonna miss again. What's your idea?
Post your note/comments here please.
Udo, DK5YA, Ed.
---

Charles, EI5FK, writes:
This will probably interest many people here. I worked with a radio officer in the Irish Navy who after changing jobs told me that he clearly heard US or VO Coastguard (I forget which) on 156mhz from less than 200 miles outside the Irish coast one summer about 15 years ago, taking into consideration both sides were using vertical aerials of low gain and that the VO/US Coastguard was probably using less than 25watts I believe that the main problem is a lack of hams willing to put in the effort on 144mhz
Charles EI5FK
---
Chris, GW4DGU, IO71sc writes:
The simple solution generating transatlantic activity would be to encourage people like VE1KG to keep an eye on ON4KST's Chat, particularly as it presents a Eurocentric view of the DX cluster. If 2m behaves like 6m for transatlantic Es, then openings over 'the Pond' will usually (but not always!!) take place after European events.
I try to beam towards VE/VO after European Es openings and to transmit a beacon CQ on 144195.0. I have posted details to the (North American) VHF Propagation Logger, but haven't seemed to generate any interest.

I think we need to raise interest in the possibility (probability?) of transatlantic propagation on 144MHz on the eastern
seaboard of North America. Experience has already shown that expeditions are unlikely to be successful, and we need to find ways of encouraging regular activity on 2m with good equipment in the Canadian Maritimes in particular.
Charles, EI5FK's comment reminds me of something I said in the early '80s when transatlantic propagation was being discussed. I suggested then that the first transatlantic QSO on 2m would be made by someone using a hand-held transceiver whilst walking on a beach in NW Ireland...

A further thought about making a transatlantic QSO on 144MHz. [June 28th]

As Miguel, says the two calling frequencies will make a random QSO less likely, but the other major problem is that most
people on the fringes of both NA and Europe tend to beam toward the centre of their continent, so random contacts are probably even less likely than they would be if we all used omni-directional antennas!

If there is to be any chance of a QSO, it is more likely to be made by people going out and trying for it over an extended
period of time, rather than by serendipity. Sitting calling CQ towards VE1/VO1 for hours at a time on 144.300, or I guess
144.200 if you're on the left bank, isn't going to make anyone very popular, so I suggest that we try to adopt an informal
common transatlantic calling frequency.
The problem is where? It has to be somewhere with relatively low band occupancy on both sides of the ocean. From my perspective, I'd go for 144.155, does anyone have a better suggestion?
Also, to avoid QRM, we need to adopt some form of scheduling. I suggest 30s periods with NA going first. That's convenient for ssb, it fits in with WSJT/JT44, and it's reasonable on CW.
Does anyone have any comments?
---
David Hamilton, fm tv dxer writes:
on thursday 26 june 2003 i did recive ta reception on the fm broadcast band and ch 2 video.. all the audio and the ch2 video pic can be seen / heard on my website http://www.geocities.com/tvdxrools/index.htm i would like some help in iding the logo on my video picture. i know its not clear but worth a try. the fm station is CBTB BAIE VERTE newfoundland canada on 97.1 mhz . many regards and its about time you boys did a ta on 144 europe to us/canada
david hamilton... cumnock ayrshire scotland uk
---
Miguel A. Vallejo, EA4EOZ, IN80ci writes:
The only reason because transatlantic contacts have not been made yet is because America uses 144.200 and Europe 144.300 for calling frecuencies. This cause for the most operators to be QRV only on the calling frecuency, just like a XTAL receiver. When both side of atlantic uses the same frecuency, we will discover transatlantic propagation is possible, via multi-hop Es, tropo (have you seen the Hepburn's tropo maps?) or a mix of all. [See Tropo Nov. 3rd. 2001, Ed]
---
Gary, G4IFB IO91, writes:
Guys, it seems to me we don't need MS-style TX and RX slots on a common frequency since we already have a dual-channel system. Why don't EU ops call "CQ US/VE" on 144.2 and US/VE ops call "CQ EU" on 144.3? Those channels should be reasonably quiet at the callers' end, and they stand a reasonable chance of hearing fragments of DX calls, if the path opens. Or am I missing something?
Also, of course, there are the beacons to monitor.
If the path ever opens, a quick alert on DXcluster should do the trick.
I must admit, though, that personally I prefer 15m CW any day!!!
---
VP9/W3CMP; 50/144MHz
Looking for calls of well equipped 2mtr stations in CU, D4, EA8, CT3, CT, EA, F, ON, PA, G, GW, and EI whom he might try to contact if conditions on that band look favourable from VP9. Chris writes : "I plan to concentrate on 6 mtrs (kW and long antenna); however, I am also going to take 2mtr equipment along. I am planning to run a "healthy" 150Watts on 2mtrs (VP9 legal limit for that band) and a medium to long yagi. I will be looking for 2mtr contacts should it appear that conditions are favorable, i.e. stalled high pressure system over mid Atlantic, or indications of Es propagation above 100MHz to east or northeast. I realize that chances for a contact from EU to VP9 are probably very slim; however, I am not aware of any serious 2mtr operations from VP9 in the last 20 years (ever?) so I am willing to try. I will probably have a 2mtr beacon operating in the mornings and whenever I experience propagation on 6mtrs. Details still have to be worked out, equipment at this time looks like a FT897 & 3CX800 amp for 6mtrs; FT847 & solid state amp for 2mtrs.
I'm not sure if I will be operational on digital modes yet."
Dates: June 27 - July 4, 2003
144MHz Monitor FREQ : 144.200MHz when pointed to US and Caribbean;
144.290 MHz when pointed to EU and Africa / (VP9DUB beacon freq. 144.300MHz)
50MHz Monitor FREQ : 50.110MHz and 50.125MHz / (VP9DUB beacon freq. 50.027MHz)
HF Monitor FREQ : 14.345MHz and 28.885MHz
Schedule frequencies for SSB meteor scatter contacts : 50.150MHz and 144.150MHz,
I will always take 2nd and 4th sequence. If 6 mtr band opens I will move to 50.118MHz. I will concentrate on multiple hop contacts. Please honor standby requests for west coast and interior EU continent contacts. If 2 mtr band opens for sporadicE I will move to 2 mtrs. I expect to monitor both 6 and 2 mtrs from 08:30UT onward Internet access : yes - either AOL or local provider - will be limited, however WSJT : still being worked on
73, Chris Patterson W3CMP
 

Audios:

Canadian broadcast #1 97,1 MHz
Baie Verte 97.1FM CBTB-FM, NF 

Canadian broadcast #2 99,3 MHz
CBV6 La Malbaie, northern NB

Read more on DXRadio.UK

QRB:
GM - VO1 ~ 3.410 Km
GI - VO1 ~ 3.320 Km
GM - W1 (Bangor) ~ 4.450 Km
GI - W1 (Bangor) ~ 4.370 Km
 

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