Continuing the discussion from Proposal for a VK/ZL<-> UK/EU S2S event (Part 1) - #100 by F5RQG.
Previous discussions:
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I have a new vehicle mounted HF antenna to test. I was planning an outing at 0600 UTC Friday to give it a try, with a 100W radio.
I’d love to chase a summit down under, should anyone be around. It will feature in a video I’m doing for the RSGB.
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Thanks Andrew, @VK1AD for suggesting the idea of monitoring WSPR!
I heard five different stations from VK, all of them running more power than you (up to 10 W).
My antenna is a vertical on the roof, comparable to a SOTA setup on a hill.
VK3QN produced the most consistent reports. He was getting through already when I turned on my WSPR Rx around 5:45 UTC, running 5 Watts, though.
Condx seemed okay but not great. Otherwise I should have been able to hear you. I’ll leave the Rx switched on for the next few days…
73, Roman
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Put an Alert on SW3 for Saturday afternoon. Will visit a local summit vk5/se-015 and check a fault in local repeater hut for a pending working trip later next week. Have ft891 radio my WWFF set up with me so can run bit more than usual SOTA power. Spots on SW3 when iam set up. cheers Ian vk5cz ..
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As part of my preparations today, I compared two antennas on the 15m band. For several days now, the 15m band has been open to Japan around midday. Luckily I was more often chased in the days mostly by JS1MXV and Takeshi JS2TNW. Tnx, dear OMs!
A 20m-long EFHW configured as a slight inverted-V, strung between dead trees at the edge of the woods.
B An 8.5m-long vertical EFHW. It consists of a 7.5m element resonant on 15m, followed by an inductor on a toroidal core acting as a loading coil for the 20m band, and finally an approximately 1m wire extension. The inductance of the loading coil was specifically calculated so that, in combination with the wire sections, it functions as a trap for 21 MHz.
The test relied on the signal from the Japanese caller, which I happened to hear. The vertical antenna was about 2 S-units louder. But have a listen for yourself.
73 Chris
I didn’t catch him, but later JS1IFK and JA1VVH in cw.
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Currently, there are 11 planned activations 
. I have changed my summit plans to Mt Cowangerong VK2/ST-001 8 points.
Andrew VK1AD
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First EU stations at 05:30 UTC. VK1AD 20m 200mW WSPR beacon.
Edit: 06:00 UTC
Edit 06:15 UTC - now includes the UK.
I will save you from further screenshots.
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Radio on here 14.245mhz LZ1DB working VK4ND at 05:49z and just getting light here. VK4ND signal 31 QSB to my antenna.
update at 06:06z LZ3TY working ZL3BO 14.240mhz. No copy on ZL here.
Don - GW0PLP
I also checked out my 2-element vertical parasitic array yesterday at a POTA 4-fer, ready for tomorrow morning and October 17th on DL/AM-001
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Hi Andrew,
Remembering that the VK/ZL signals are coming in from the West (the left-hand side of your graphic), you would expect stations in Scandinavia and the UK to be the first to be heard on the long path; but that is not the case, and there is also a South-North progression, with stations around the western end of the Mediterranean Sea being the first heard in VK/ZL, then central Europe and then Northern Europe. There can be up to an hour difference between a Spanish and a UK station being heard in VK/ZL. In part, it depends on where the signals cross the American continents; passing through Central America has the least landfall in the signal path, so a stronger signal is heard earlier.
I was surprised to see Scandinavian WSPR stations being the first to record VK signals however perhaps these two stations simply have better receivers, are in better locations or some other factor may be affecting the result. I note the LA station is very near the grey line.
73 Ed DD5LP.
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Don, I heard you calling Joel VK3LE, did you work him?
Well, just worked Fraser MM0EFI in Cairngorns Park on 20m from ZL4, 0700UTC, so the bands looking promising so far for some greyline action, even if that one wasn’t SOTA!
Sadly I won’t have the chance to get onto a summit tomorrow - still too much snow around, but will chase from home.
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The exact opposite of my experience. Always Poland & eastern europe first to get the openng, tracking WSW with Spain & UK an hour or so later, generally right on dark.
We should keep an eye on the 17m band as well. I have my WSPR beacon set to 200 mW and am using an under-roof antenna.
73 Chris
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20m LP closed at 07:40 UTC, at my 200mW.
Hi Ed
Look at my activation report from last Saturday. Poland first and much later Spain. The propagation moves from East to West, the same path as the sun.
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I could see half a dozen VK and ZL stations on DX Heat but couldn’t hear any of them, although I could sometimes hear the Europeans that were working them.
As I was inside the Cairngorms National Park area, I put a POTA spot on 20m SSB.
That worked!
I have motorsport recovery training tomorrow, but I hope to make the 17th October event.
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I worked VI9POL event station in Adelaide from home at about 0710z. 57/55. ZL could be heard around 0600z. Both on 20m.
I can’t go out tomorrow but I’ll try chasing from home.
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Don, I heard you calling Joel VK3LE, did you work him?
Unfortunately did not make it this time, but he was 3.1 here at one point. Stations using SDR to receive constantly calling over him did not help.
Don - GW0PLP
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