Sporadic E

I know that it is a random event, but i have been listening on 6 metres from 1700GMT and heard so many DX stations on. So despite its sporadic comings and goings it would appear that the season has reached us on 6 metres SSB.

I ventured on to G/WB-004 and worked 4 British Stations and was giving up all hope but then my 5 watts from the 817 and Slimjim worked into spain and I exchanged 5-9/5-7 reports with EA7/G0WHX. The QSO lasted 20 minutes and was overwhelmingly good!!

Who needs HF when you have 50 MHz!!

73

Matt 2E0XTL

In reply to 2E0XTL:

Hi Matt,

I was listening for you but couldn’t hear you through the noise here in Blackburn. I could hear EA7/G0WHX though, & you are right, 6m is a superb band when it is open. Conditions this evening were nowhere near as good as they can be so I am sure you will get even more enjoyment on the band when it is.

73,

Mark G0VOF

In reply to 2E0XTL:
Dont forget 10m as well - Ive heard plenty of Es openings already this year with weak TEP into South Africa, I`ve even heard VP8LP twice last week. I will be playing soon with a 3 ele beam from the easier summits.
73

In reply to 2E0XTL:
Up on Mid-Wales 026 this afternoon on the Wouxun 4m rig and Slimjim! Heard a Station from Slovenia today so looks like the E season is well and truly upon us!! 5-9 plus signals to fading SUPERB!!!

In reply to 2E0XTL:

Hi Matt,

As I had a day off work I took my FT897 & various antennas up to a local high point near Blackburn to play a bit of radio in the sunshine. I had seen the alerts & was hoping to work Richard on G/SP-002 & yourself on GW/MW-026. I also planned to listen for John GS0OOO/P on GM/WS-002 but at that time of day did not fancy my chances of working him on any of his alerted bands.

It was very nice to work you on two bands today Matt. And yes, S51DI was a huge signal on 70.450MHz FM, so much so, that at first I thought he was a local.

I heard a couple of M3’s calling him but he had dropped out. After working you he was indeed back at full scale on the callling frequency with the Wouxon & Slim Jim at 6M AGL.

I hope conditions are as good on Sunday for the RSGB 70MHz cumulatives contest.

As it happenned I also managed to work John GS0OOO/P using about 70 Watts into my very basic antenna “8m of wire up the pole with about the same length along the ground as a counterpoise”. Considering this was on 80m in mid afternoon I was rather pleased with the contact :slight_smile:

I have uploaded a short video showing my location today & the very basic antenna I used to work John on GM/WS-002.

73,

Mark G0VOF

In reply to G0VOF:

Sporadic E Watch WB-004!! 23rd May

Excellent today from Titterstone Clee Hill!! With the 5 watts from the 817 and basically a Slimjim antenna, I managed to work 5 stations from 4 countries
2 Italians
1 Hungarian
1 Austrian
1 Spanish

Looks like were in for an excellent summer of E

In reply to 2E0XTL:

For anybody intertested 50MHz is open to Europe during this evenings RSGB UK Activity contest :slight_smile:

Have fun,

73,

Mark G0VOF

In reply to G0VOF:

First 1.5 hours was full of European stations but died down until literally a minute after the end of the contest.

It seems there must be a EU contest on as well, could be a late night :wink:

73,

Mark G0VOF

In reply to G0VOF:
From my Home QTH I had decent contacts on 6 into Europe all worked with 817 and half wave dipole 3 meters above the ground!

Also it would appear that the Slovenia is once again coming through strongly on 4m! Many local Hams worked a station from that neck of the woods on Monday afternoon. The annoyance of being in full time employment you never get the best E!!!

In reply to 2E0XTL:
Around 1900 UTC I heard the Canaries and others on 6m…ON MY 6m LOOP!! That is a first for me. A local guy worked the European with a pair of 7 element 6m yagis and 1500 watts.

Keep in mind my 6m loop is hanging precariously on the mast and I am on the west face of a mountain (there is a mountain between my QTH and Europe).

Great to hear it even if I couldn’t work it…

73,
Tom-N2YTF

In reply to N2YTF:

Hi Tom,

Glad you could hear the Canaries over there. 6m is a superb band when it opens up & with the wavelength being so short you don’t need a huge antenna system to work good DX.

I suffer from very high noise levels at my home QTH on 6m, & have to swap between a couple of dipoles & my 80m loop to get the best reception.

One of my dipoles is positioned specifically to null out the local noise, but it is only any good in a North / South direction.

The best thing I have found from being active in SOTA is the superb quiet conditions you find on summits :slight_smile:

I hope to work you very soon, from a summit or otherwise.

Best 73,

Mark G0VOF

In reply to 2E0XTL:

After dire conditions on HF today, I did a bit of gardening between showers. I decided to have a listen on 10m late afternoon & was pleased to hear Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Canaries, Morocco & lots of South Eu. Any propogation experts around? Is this multi hop Es, F2 or TEP - or a combination of different modes.
Hmmmm - may try a summit with the 3 ele beam tomorrow wx permitting.

18 DXCCs worked on 10m today

In reply to G1INK:

I missed the 10m opening the other day, but it is open at the moment & it is very nice to hear Brazil on the band again :slight_smile:

It’s so long since I last worked Brazil that I had think for a moment before remembering what country PU belongs to, & I have just spent the last 15 minutes or so listening to PU5FJR Eduardo, who is 11 years old doing an excellent job of working quite a pile-up. It seems he has a whole family of Amateurs there, as his father PP5JR came on & had a good unhurried QSO with a CT station.

Now where did I put those copies of Radcom or PW from the 1990’s with the “Teach yourself Portugese” series. Hi!

PU5FJR has now gone qrt for lunch, but should be back on 10m in about 20 minutes.

I will have another go if the band is still open.

I don’t think it is F2, but I am definitely no expert. The European stations are definitely via Es, so given the general HF conditions I would hazard a guess at Brazil being via multi-hop Es.

It was very nice to hear some 2E’s being worked as well :slight_smile:

73,

Mark G0VOF

In reply to G0VOF:
One of these days we will cross the pond…

A few days ago I worked 3 countries in the carribean on 6m with the loop!

And I have terrible noise here at the home location as well…these guys were coming in over the horrible power line noise.

Not only is there horrible powerline noise throughout the neighborhood, but I have powerlines on 2 sides of my corner lot property…UGH

73,
Tom

In reply to N2YTF:

G/WB-004 Update

Today Sporadic E conditions excellent on 6m with stations heard all over Europe, Best DX was Latvia with the 817 and 5 watts. Equally though I worked 4 German stations consecutively so really enjoying the openings at the moment!

Furthermore took the Wouxun 4m HH and heard eastern Europe broadcast FM Radio stations and from speaking to fairly local West Midland Hams on 4 today they managed DX into Europe on both FM and SSB so can highly recommend 70MHz!

73 good DX

Matt 2E0XTL

In reply to N2YTF:
Last night on my activation I worked 28 stations on 10m, in 11 countries. Using the ft817 5 watts and an inverted vee with the top only 2meters above the ground.

Adrian
2m0etr

with 10W and a vertical 1/4 wave I worked Denmark, Estonia, Czech Rep, Slovenia, Finland nothing special you might think, except this was on 4m and at around 9pm from Cornwall. SpE is running late into the evening.
Phil G3YPQ

In reply to DC7CCC:

Many thanks for activating on 10m Mario.

Unfortunately you were inaudible on 28015 KHz CW at my QTH

but 59+ on 28477 SSB

Strange conditions.

73
Roy G4SSH

In reply to G3YPQ:

Very good results on 4m, Phil. Congratulations.

Were these stations worked on SSB or FM?

73,
Walt (G3NYY)