SOTA NEWS - MARCH 2015 - PART 2 OF 2
SOTA ON TOP BAND - Mark G0VOF
Hello everyone & welcome to this month’s edition of SOTA on Top Band.
I have no activations to report during February, but there may be an event happening in March that could well be of interest to those active on the low bands.
On Friday 20th March there will be a total eclipse of the Sun in the Northern hemisphere. Now, unless you are fortunate enough to be in the Faroe islands or on Svalbard, or possibly on a ship at sea in the right area, you will not experience totality. This is where the moon completely obscures the Sun leaving only its corona visible. For this eclipse the path of totality only includes the above land areas, however, many places hundreds of kilometres from the path of totality will still experience a partial eclipse. Most parts of the UK, as well as Iceland, Norway & Sweden should all see the moon obscure a large part of the Sun.
But what does all this have to do with Top Band I hear you ask?
Well, as I’m sure we are all aware, the Sun plays a big part in how radio signals are dealt with by the ionosphere. From an active Sun enlivening the F2 layer to give us easy worldwide communication on the upper HF bands, to a quiet Sun when easy DX on 10 Metres is just a memory & 80 Metres becomes a mainstay for local daytime communication.
One reason daytime communication is difficult on the low bands is the D layer, which becomes prominent on Sun facing parts of the Earth. This layer has the effect of absorbing low band radio signals, preventing all but the strongest signals reaching & being reflected by the E or F layers. The lack of D layer absorption is what makes the low bands better at night with signals then able to reach the higher layers giving much better sky-wave propagation.
For the March eclipse the RSGB propagation studies committee are running an experiment to see how propagation on the low bands is affected by the partial eclipse that will be visible from most of the UK. In theory, D layer absorption should reduce as the moon passes in front of the Sun making 160m /80m & 40m behave more like they do in the evening. The experiment will take the form of a QSO party with the RSGB Contest Committee web facilities being used to collate data on propagation during the event. More details can be found on the web page below, but in any case, the morning of 20th March should be a good time to give 160m or 80m a try, who knows maybe even from a SOTA summit?
Disclaimer: The above is written from a UK perspective & your experience of the bands mentioned may well vary with latitude.
Details on the experiment can be found at:
As always, If you do have any suggestions on things that you think should be included, or if you wish to contribute tips, ideas or anything else that you think may help others on the band please email them to me at mark@brownhill.demon.co.uk
Until next month,
Best 73,
Mark G0VOF
===========================================================
CW REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 2015 - by Roy G4SSH
As we went to press on the last day of February activity on the bands was beginning to show a marked increase as activators faced the last 2 weeks of Winter Bonus 2014-2015. Unfortunately the weather was not on their side, with strong gales and very low temperatures making activating a struggle.
Keeping their promise to return to Malta on the 2nd Jan (see February SOTA News) Hans 9H3BT and Wouter Jan 9H3WJ were active, as forecast from 9H/MA-001, so enabling chasers who copied them on the 12th January from Gozo to qualify for a new Mountain Hunter credit. They were also active from MA-001 on the 5th.
Gerald F6HBI was again active for many hours on the 3rd, commencing on 24 MHz and employing his familiar procedure of working his way down through the bands in sequence to ensure the maximum number of chasers in his log. Staying until your battery is exhausted is pretty uncomfortable job when surrounded by snow and ice.
Tor LA9XGA did a similar long activation on the same day, promising to stay on a single summit for 6-7 hours then having a 4 hour ski/walk back home. Such dedication is greatly appreciated by chasers Tor.
Phil GM4OBK activated GM/SS summits on 3rd-5th February
Mario DL4MFM was heard active as ZS6/DL4MFM on the 7th and 8th
Hans PB2T completed another mini expedition to Belgium on the 7th and
Sake PA0SKP also did a tour of ON summits on the 11th, and DL summits
with Hans PA3FYG during the last week of the month.
Phil G4OBK did a tour of G/SE and G/SE summits from the 10-13th.
Jürg HB9BIN completed a tour of F/AB summits by the 13th.
Joao CU3AA was heard active TE-001 in the Azores, on the 16th
Miro OK1DVM was very active on a tour of OK/ST and OK/JC regions on the 17-19th.
In the last week Martin DF3MC was very active from Mallorca as EA6/DF3MC giving many chasers a new Unique country. The expected pile-ups were, as expected, very big and Martin was heard listening “Up”. on the higher bands.
Andy was also active as OK8JOE and DL/OK8JOE during the last week in the month.
Jan OK2PDT, the world’s leading SOTA activator, was active on most days on 7.032 KHz. operating from numerous summits daily. The good news is that he also used
10118 and 14062 KHz at intervals, so allowing his 1 watt QRP rig to make contact with many chasers who have no copy on 40m.
Congratulations to Jan who has just made 20,000 SOTA QSO’s using just 1 watt.
73
Roy G4SSH
==========================================================
SOTA CW ACTIVATORS SUBMITTING ENTRIES TO THE DATA BASE ABOVE 7 MHZ DURING FEBRUARY 2015 - from Kevin G0NUP
This file produced on 27/Feb/2Ø15
Mode: SOTA CW on 1ØMHz: activity for February 2015
9H3BT/P, 9H3WJ/P, AA5CK, AD5A, AE7AP, DJ9MH/P, DK7MG/P, DL/F5HTR/P, DL/HB9JOE/P, DL/OE5EEP/P, DL/PAØSKP/P, DL1ASA/P, DL1DVE/P, DL6AP/P, DL8DXL/P, EA2BD/P, EA2BDS/P, EA2CW/P, EA6/DF3MC/P, F/HB9BIN/P, F/ON6ZQ/P, F5UBH/P, F5UKL/P, F6ENO/P, F6HBI/P, GØHIO/P, G3RDQ/P, G3VQO/P, G4ASA/P, G4OBK/P, G4OOE/P, GI4ONL/P, GM4OBK/P, GM4OIG/P, GW4AZS/P, GW4ISJ/P, HA1ØSOTA, HA2VR/P, HA5AZC/P, HA5BV/P, HA5LV/P, HA5MA/P, HA6QR/P, HB9AFI/P, HB9BAB/P, HB9BCB/P, HB9BFC, HB9BHW/P, HB9BIN/P, HB9BQU/P, HB9CBR/P, HB9CGA/P, HB9CZF/P, HB9DGV/P, HB9DPR/P, HB9DST/P, HB9IIO/P, HB9TVK/P, K1JD, K6EL, K6HPX/P, K7ATN, K7JFD, K7SO, KB7HH, KE5AKL, KXØR, LA1ENA/P, LA5XTA/P, LA9XGA/P, MØVFC/P, M1BUU/P, MWØMPM/P, NØPCL, N6JZT, N7CW, NA6MG, NF1R, NG7A, NM5S, NN5K, OE1MVA/P, OE3CHC/P, OE5EEP/P, OE5FSM/P, OE7PHI/P, OH2NOS/P, OK/DL8DXL/P, OK/SP9AMH/P, OK1CZ/P, OK1DDQ/P, OK1DO/P, OK1DVM/P, OK1MLP/P, OK2BDF/P, OK2PDT/P, OM3CUG/P, OM4AA/P, OM4DW/P, OM4WY/P, ON/PAØSKP/P, ON/PB2T/P, S5/OE6WIG/P, S53XX/P, SP9AMH/P, VE2DDZ, VK2AOH, WØCP, W2CKL, W6AH, W7USA, WA7JTM, WA9STI, WBØUSI, WB5USB, WSØTA, YO/HA8BE, YO2BP/P
Mode: SOTA CW on 14MHz: activity for February 2015
9H3BT/P, 9H3WJ/P, AA5CK, AC1Z, AD5A, AE7AP, CU3AA/P, DF8KY/P, DK7MG/P, DL/F5HTR/P, DL/HB9BRJ/P, DL/HB9JOE/P, DL/OE5EEP/P, DL/OM2TW/P, DL/PAØSKP/P, DL1DVE/P, DL3TU/P, DL6AP/P, DL8DXL/P, EA2BD/P, EA2BDS/P, EA2CW/P, EA6/DF3MC/P, EA8/PA7ZEE/P, EI5CA, F5LKW/P, F5UBH/P, F5UKL/P, F6ENO/P, F6HBI/P, F8FEO/P, G3RDQ/P, G3VQO/P, G4ASA/P, G4ISJ/P, G4OBK/P, G4OOE/P, GI4ONL/P, GM4OBK/P, GW3TJE/P, GW4ISJ/P, GW4TJC/P, HA1ØSOTA, HA7UL/P, HB9AFI/P, HB9BAB/P, HB9BCB/P, HB9BIN/P, HB9BQU/P, HB9CBR/P, HB9CGA/P, HB9CZF/P, HB9HVK/P, HB9IIO/P, HB9JOE/P, K1JD, K4ADV, K6EL, K6HPX/P, K6TW, K7ATN, K7JFD, K7SO, KD7WPJ, KE5AKL, KF7PXT, KI6FCT, KP3Z, KTØA, KXØR, LA1ENA/P, LA9XGA/P, MØHDF/P, MØHJV/P, M1BUU/P, MMØFMF/P, MWØIDX/P, MWØMPM/P, NØEVH, NØPCL, NØTA, N6JZT, N6KZ/P, N7CW, NA6MG, NF1R, NG7A, NM5S, NM5TW, NN5K, OE/DF8KY/P, OE1MVA/P, OE5EEP/P, OE5EIN, OE5FSM/P, OE7PHI/P, OH2NOS/P, OK1CZ/P, OK1MLP/P, OK2BWB/P, OM3CUG/P, ON/PAØSKP/P, S5/OE6WIG/P, VA2VL, VK2AOH, VK3BYD/P, VK4BJS, WØCP, W2CKL, W6AH, W7JET, W7LRH, W7OMR, W7USA, WA7JTM, WA9STI, WBØUSI, WB5USB, WD9F/7, WSØTA, YO2BP/P
Mode: SOTA CW on 18MHz: activity for February 2015
9H3BT/P, 9H3WJ/P, AD5A, CU3AA/P, DL/HB9JOE/P, DL/OE5EEP/P, DL6AP/P, DL8DXL/P, EA2BDS/P, EA6/DF3MC/P, F5LKW/P, F5UKL/P, F6HBI/P, G4ASA/P, GM4OIG/P, GW4ISJ/P, HB9AFI/P, HB9BCB/P, HB9IIO/P, K1JD, K6EL, K6HPX/P, K6TW, K7JFD, K7SO, KB5SKN, KB7HH, KE5AKL, KTØA, KXØR, LA9XGA/P, MMØFMF/P, MWØMPM/P, NØPCL, N6JZT, NA6MG, OE5EEP/P, OK1MLP/P, OM3CUG/P, OM4AA/P, WØCP, WA7JTM,
Mode: SOTA CW on 21MHz: activity for February 2015
9H3WJ/P, AA5CK, AD5A, CU3AA/P, DL/HB9BRJ/P, DL/OE5EEP/P, DL1ASA/P, DL1DVE/P, DL3TU/P, EA2CW/P, F5LKW/P, F5UKL/P, F6HBI/P, G4ASA/P, GW4TJC/P, HB9BCB/P, HB9CBR/P, HB9IIO/P, KØFTC, K6EL, K7ATN, K7SO, KD7WPJ, KE5AKL, KP3Z, KXØR, NØPCL, N7CW, NA6MG, NM5S, OE5EEP/P, OE6FEG/P, OH2NOS/P, OK1MLP/P, OM3CUG/P, VK2AOH, W6AH, WA9STI, WW7D
Mode: SOTA CW on 24MHz: activity for February 2015
9H3BT/P, DL1DVE/P, EA2BDS/P, EA6/DF3MC/P, F5UKL/P, F6HBI/P, HB9BCB/P, HB9CBR/P, HB9IIO/P, HB9TVK/P, KB7HH, KD7WPJ, KE5AKL, LA9XGA/P, NØEVH, NØPCL, NA6MG, OE5EEP/P, OK1MLP/P, OK2BDF/P, VK1DA, W6AH, WA7JTM, WW7D,
Mode: SOTA CW on 28MHz: activity for February 2015
9H3BT/P, 9H3WJ/P, CU3AA/P, DJ3AX/P, DL/OE5EEP/P, EA2CW/P, EI5CA, F6HBI/P, HB9AFI/P, HB9BCB/P, HB9CBR/P, KØFTC, K1JD, K7ATN, K7JFD, KE5AKL, KP3Z, LA9XGA/P, OE5EEP/P, OK1MLP/P, VA2VL, W6AH, WA7JTM, WBØUSI,
Regards
Kevin J Prince G0NUP
============================================================
SOTA News is normally published on the last day of each month, but there will be occasions when the Editor is not available at this time, in which case it will be published as soon as possible afterwards. It can only be as interesting as the items submitted, so if you think your particular field of interest is not being covered then please submit an article by the 25th of the month. Have you a favourite SOTA? favourite mode? favourite rig, antenna, or favourite band? How did you find your first day / month / year as an activator or chaser? Your comments and experiences will be read by SOTA enthusiasts all across Europe, the USA, Australia, South Africa and beyond, in a total of 24 different countries. Your input will be most welcome.
I receive many e-mails during the month containing details of activations, milestones reached and general SOTA news. Unless advised otherwise I will use this information in the next edition of SOTA News. It is important therefore that you advise me if any information is not intended for publication.
Roy G4SSH
SOTA News Editor
g4ssh@tiscali.co.uk
U.S. and Canadian reports to:-
Fred K6DGW [aka “Skip” on the radio]
Canada/US SOTA Reporter Dude
Auburn CA
k6dgw@foothill.net
Australian input to:-
Allen VK3HRA
VK Reporter
arharvie@gmail.com
South African input to:-
Dennis ZS4BS
zs4bs@netactive.co.za