EA/G <> VK S2S Propagation conditions Oct 2014

Online Resources
1

As these last months the activity of S2S between VK and EA2 has been increasing, and suspecting that we could be using other frequencies than bests, I’ve tried to find the optimum time and band schedules.
We, AFAIK, are making these contacts using 14 Mhz on the first light hours by long path, leaving upper frequencies even when the sun activity seems to allow good working conditions there.

So, I have made some calcs using VOACAP web pages (+10), and these are the results obtained. More or less they are valid for all VK,EA , and G zones:

Best hours (always UTC):
from 8 to 10 am, long path
Frequencies:

  • Between 8z and 9z: 18Mhz.
  • Between 9z and10z; 21 mhz

Best conditions: between 8UT and 9UT on 21Mhz. The probability of making contact, using 25 watts, CW, and 1/2 lambda dipole @10m, is around 69%. At the same hour, on 14 mhz, the percentage is only of 4%. mmm…

Obviously, times would be approximates, but could be a good guide to use in our attempts.

Tomorrow friday 3/10/2014, we will try -at least on our side- to use these data to see if they are reliable enough.

I hope all this could be useful for our activity on achieving better DX SOTA QSO’s.

73 de Mikel

Figure 1: input data and time table

Figure 2: the data obtained X axis = time(UTC), Y axis: frecuency (Mhz)

Solar activity data (short) http://www.hamqsl.com/solarbc.php

2

Hi Mikel

You haven’t considered it will be dark on a VK summit after 08:20 UTC (today). The activator must be able to return home safely without breaking a leg or arm. :smile:

I have been recording details of my DX activations on 14MHz where the target location is EU/UK. What is evident from the data is the LP window on 14Mhz has a direct correlation to the timing of our sunset. The LP window to VK1 on 20m is between 90 and 60 minutes leading up to VK1 sunset. The VK1 sunset today is 08:10 UTC. My recordings are at:

73, Andrew VK1NAM

3

Hi Mikel, I have been operating on 20m in our late afternoons to early evening. In general, I have been able to make contacts into Europe until around 0830Z with some contacts to the bigger stations being made up until around 0930Z, but there are periods of tie where there is no conditions evident before the path comes back up for 5-10 minutes before dropping out again.
I have tried for contacts on 15m into Europe around 0900Z and 1000Z, but have not had the same luck as on 20m - perhaps conditions are not as good as predicted or more likely people just are not listening for VK at that time of the day as I have made a couple of good contacts then.

Matt
VK1MA

4

Hi Andrew!
I am aware that you australian activators, while we europeans have the whole day ahead to activate the summit, are limited in time to descend from the summit safely. Sometimes I’ve tried to be on the air earlier on the morning, but the propagation window is which it is, and we can’t change it :frowning:
That’s why I’ve tried to find a better time/freq which could allow you to start the descent of the peaks earlier.
Until that, thank you for your efforts!

Vy 73 de Mikel (carrots chaser)