Shack recording GW0PEB/P on GW/NW-051

After working Robert GW0PEB/P on GW/NW-051 Foel Fenlli on Saturday I thought it might be interesting to record how the 60m band works during the day in late winter here in the UK.

Just before Robert left 60m to qsy to 80m I mentioned to him that I had recorded several minutes of his activation & he gave me permission to put this online.

I have put a video I recorded on Youtube which shows the reception I had of part of Robert’s activation at my station here in IO83SS. I have added some text comments which I hope are of interest to some. If you spot any technical errors, or anything I have just got completely wrong please let me know.

The thing I have found incredible about the 60m band is that a station running 5 Watts can sound just as loud as one running 100 Watts when the band is working well.

On a similar note, I don’t know if anyone else noticed over the weekend, but 40m was behaving like it used to do about 12 years ago, with inter UK communication over quite short distances easily possible.

Conditions are definitely on the up :slight_smile:

73,

Mark G0VOF

In reply to G0VOF:
Hi Mark
Just to say I enjoyed your recording and the comments. I was particularly intrigued to hear myself in qso with Robert. I seem to put out a decent signal but receiving is another matter. I wish I had the room for an aerial like yours!
Thanks for your hard work on this.
Cheers
Q GW3BV

In reply to G0VOF:

The IT dudes at work have bandwidth clamped YouTube now so it takes a lifetime to download anything. I’ll have a look when I get home. I’m sure I’m not the only activator who would be interested in hearing a recording of what my signal is like, do you do requests? :wink:

Andy
MM0FMF

In reply to G0VOF:

On a similar note, I don’t know if anyone else noticed over the
weekend, but 40m was behaving like it used to do about 12 years ago,
with inter UK communication over quite short distances easily
possible.

Hi Mark!

Yes, I have definitely noticed this over the past week or so. Peter Martinez (G3PLX) has been doing measurements of the critical frequency for several months and has reported that it has reached 7.5 MHz or higher during daytime on recent days. This is due to the increased and sustained sunspot activity. If the critical frequency is higher than 7 MHz, local NVIS propagation becomes possible on the 40m band. With any luck, this should become a regular phenomenon now that the sunspots have come back!

73,
Walt (G3NYY)

In reply to G0VOF:
I speak as many sota activators who have not quite got the full ticket yet.But a relaxation on stations who are very active on the sota program would benefit themselves plus help the military along the way.Not all amateurs visit more locations than us.I think an nov for 5 mhz would benefit more for those who are actively involved.Yes its an experimental band but on the other foot foundation licensees get the full amateur spectrum,I know its a Big ask for a 2e0 to get an nov for 60m
regards scott.

In reply to G3NYY:

Hi Walt…this phenomen we also noticed during our SOTA last weekend. We could work a lot of Belgian Staions from ON-004/010 on 40 m… this didn’t happen the months before…so it will improve…

73 de Franz ON9CBQ

In reply to M3UUM:

Hi Scott. I know where you are coming from, but with only seven channels 5 megs can get pretty crowded, particularly when the fish phone and funny noises brigade join in - not to mention certain CW enthusiasts who ruthlessly QRM any SSB contacts that might be taking place! If the powers that be ever see fit to give us a proper band similar to that enjoyed by the LA’s then it would be time to end NoV access and consider whether to let Foundation and Intermediate licensees on the band. Some consider that even then the band should be for Advanced licensees only, as another inducement to upgrade!

73

Brian G8ADD

In reply to ON9CBQ:

Hi Walt…this phenomen we also noticed during our SOTA last weekend.
We could work a lot of Belgian Staions from ON-004/010 on 40 m…
this didn’t happen the months before…so it will improve…

Hi Franz!

Many thanks for the nice 40m SOTA QSO yesterday. Yes, propagation was again very good yesterday on 40m for QSOs around the UK.

73,
Walt (G3NYY)