TEP (Trans-Equatorial Propagation) WORLDWIDE SOTA WEEK

Editted for rewriting on 15-12-2017.

After the success of all different trans-oceanic S2S events we’ve seen so far, I’m willing to organise a SOTA event for exploring and experimenting on the TEP Trans-Equatorial Propagation.

For those unfamiliar with this kind of propagation, have a look at this, please:

This is a very interesting one: VK2KFJ TEP

My idea is organising an event for contacts between SOTA activators and either regular chasers or non SOTA player hams either base, mobile, maritime mobile or where ever they want to be in, as well as between SOTA activators with each other (S2S).

The event will take place twice a year on the week of the equinnoxes, i.e. March 21st and September 21st. Running this event over a whole week will give everybody the chance to take part on the days that best suit each one preferences, either week or weekend.

It may not seem an optimum moment to start such thing due to the low solar activity period we are in right now, but given the fact that I’d like this event to take place year after year in order to explore the evolution of this type of propagation over the years of a complete solar cycle, let’s say that any time will be a good time to start.

The 1st event will take place on the week 12 of 2018, starting March 19th (Monday) and ending on the 25th (Sunday).

The ideal times for afternoon TEP (aTEP) will be from 15h00 to 19h00 (local time) and the bands to play 15, 12, 10 and 6m. Any allowed mode at the operators wish.

For those liking V-UHF and night activations there will also be a chance to explore the evening TEP (eTEP) for which ideal times will be from 20h00 to 23h00 (local time). Again, any allowed mode at the operators wish.

There won’t be any problem with contacts made out of the mentionned bands and time window. This is not a contest with strict rules, so total freedom for anyone trying whatever is wished, as long as it respects the others and the Country regulations.

Since I want it to be a worldwide week event, there will be 3 sub-events in each day of that week:

Zone #1 sub-event: for those starting the day first, we’ll have JA/HL contacting via TEP with VK/ZL and viceversa. Other trans-equatorial areas may be reached as well. Activators will also be allowed and are encouraged to S&P to make contacts with any other Country across the Equator, even if they do not yet have set up a SOTA association.

Zone #2 sub-event: for the next ones seeing the Sun rise, we’ll have 4X and all EU contacting via TEP with ZS/ZD/FH/FR. Other trans-equatorial areas may be reached as well. Activators will also be allowed and are encouraged to S&P to make contacts with any other Country across the Equator, even if they do not yet have set up a SOTA association.

Zone #3 sub-event: for the Westernmost hams in our World we’ll have VE/W/XE contacting via TEP with CX/VP8. Other trans-equatorial areas may be reached as well. Activators will also be allowed and are encouraged to S&P to make contacts with any other Country across the Equator, even if they do not yet have set up a SOTA association.
See this as an example of trans-Equatorial and trans-Oceanic paths:

An identical week event will take place on the week 38-2018, starting on September 17th (Monday) and ending on the 23rd (Sunday).

This is going to be an exciting start and I’d like to have the support of the different Country and Area managers for advertising well in advance this event in order to give the activator the time to prepare their rigs and antennas and make of this another participation success.
The specific Country managers I’m thinking on and asking for collaboration are:
For Zone #1:
JH0CJH for Japan
@HL4ZFA for Korea
All different VK area managers for Australia
ZL2AJ for New Zealand.

For Zone #2:
@4Z4DR for Israel
All different European Country and Area managers for EU
@ZS6AA for South Africa
@ZD8V for UK South Atlantic,
@F5HTR for Isle of Guadeloupe,
@FR4PV for the Isle of Réunion.

For Zone #3:
All VE Area managers for Canada
All W Area managers for USA
@XE2N for Mexico
@CX1FU for Uruguay
@VP8DMM for the Falkland Islands.

We have plenty of time to discuss, make plans and prepare rigs, antennas, etc, so let’s go for it and have lots of fun.

Best regrds,

Guru

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I like it, I’ve had great results via TEP on 6m.

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It is a great idea, Guru, I am looking forward to it already!

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Hi Guru
OK noted. I will distribute this event to all JA SOTA team.

Toru K JH0CJH

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Hi Guru

Nice idea. I will go for it!

Vy 73

Pedro, CT1DBS

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ZL2AJ is in - will promote from here.

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I have editted the original post to add a link to an interesting page about this TEP matter.
Highly worth a read.
Cheers,

Guru

I have never chased, nor been chased by, a single South American station, ever.

Barry N1EU

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Hi Barry,
I know there’s not much SOTA activity in South America up to now, but VP8 and CX are current associations now and I’ll do my best to encourage hams in those areas to either chase or activate (or both).
I know the SOTA team is currently working on trying to get CE and I believe LU as well into SOTA. I hope this will be done sooner rather than later and your chances for TE contacts will increase.
We are in a pretty similar situation here in Europe. I have never been chased from South Africa nor have ever heard an activator from that part of the world, but I know ZS is an existing association and am aware of some activations done there, although I haven’t been able to hear nor chase any yet.
The best part will probably be for the #1 event taking place between JA/HL and VK/ZL, as there are plenty of hams and SOTA activity at both sides of the equator in that part of the globe.
Cheers,

Guru

very interesting…

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Same story here in Arizona as N1EU stated. Virtually no activity from South America on SOTA will be the biggest problem.

Other factors like where we are in the solar cycle (the bottom), and the path losses to overcome using QRP and Zero gain antennas from a summit will be a big problem.

Pete
WA7JTM

I noted that a UK blogger was very surprised to work VK2 from GW on 12m this week albeit FT8. But there are windows of opportunity still. Your lack of possible QSO partners is a possible problem.

Bear in mind that several new Associations in SA are being worked on at present, so there is the possibility that the problem will diminish. The chances of new African Associations are much slimmer.

At the moment, most of the activations take place like a DX-pedition from the activator operating manners point of view. We rise an alert and then we either selfspot, let RBNHole to spot for us or ask a chaser to do it. From that point onwards, all we do is calling CQ and work out the pile of chasers.
In this TEP event, activators in zone #1 (VK/ZL - HL/JA) may still be able to work this way and have a certain number of chasers from across the Equator, but for all of us in zones #2 (EU - AF) and #3 (NA - SA), we will surely have to work differently and scan the bands up and down searching for stations from across the Equator and calling them for a QSO.
This may be a very good way to promote SOTA in the African and SouthAmerican Countries.
The main target of a SOTA activator is usually getting the activator points of the activated summit.
From my point of view, during the TEP WW SOTA WEEK, an activator should first activate the way best preferred to get the 4 qualifying QSOs and then get free to explore the higher frequency bands looking for contacts with station from across the Equator.
All North American activators should target not only CX and VP8 which are current SOTA associations, but also most of PY (not the very North), most of HC, all of OA, CP, ZP, CE, LU.
If you are lucky and conditions favourable, you may even get QSOs with VK/ZL.
For us in Europe, we shouldn’t only target ZS and FH, FR, which are current SOTA associations, but also any other African Country in the Southern Hemisphere.
If we are lucky and conditions favourable, we may even get QSOs with South America.

One thing is sure: if we don’t try it, we won’t make it and we’ll never find out what TEP can provide.
If there are no conditions at all and we find it boring, we can always work the current style on any other bands.

Of course, the most valuable thing to me will be when all the activators and chasers had post here their own experiences and finding, because this will let all of us grow in experience and knowledge about TEP.

Best 73,

Guru

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This is the communication I’m going to send by e-mail to the Spanish speaking ham radio associations in the South American Countries of the Southern side of the Equator as a way to try to gather maximum participation in this event.

SEMANA MUNDIAL DE PROPAGACIÓN TRANS ECUATORIAL DESDE Y HACIA SOTA:

Estimados colegas:

Les escribo este mensaje para informarles de un evento que estoy tratando de organizar y para el que, como en toda actividad entre radioaficionados, necesitamos el máximo número de colegas involucrados y participando.

Me gustaría y les agradecería mucho que publicasen con suficiente anticipación en sus boletines y revistas mensuales para darle la máxima difusión y que el colectivo de radioaficionados al que vayan dirigidos pueda estar al corriente y tomar parte en este divertido e interesante experimento.

Esta iniciativa ha surgido como una más de las actividades que realizamos de forma espontánea los radioaficionados que participamos en el programa SOTA (Summits On The Air), en español
Cumbres En El Aire, pero la diferencia está en que en esta ocasión se pretende que toda la comunidad de radioaficionados esté involucrada y no solo aquellos que participan en el programa SOTA, que también.

Paso a continuación a explicarles en qué consistirá:
Después del éxito de anteriores ediciones de eventos para propiciar los contactos SOTA a SOTA en diferentes orillas de nuestros océanos, quiero organizar un evento SOTA para explorar y experimentar sobre la Propagación Trans-Ecuatorial. (TEP Trans-Equatorial Propagation).

Para aquellos que no estén familiarizados con este tipo de propagación, echen un vistazo a esto, por favor:

http://www.amateur-radio-wiki.net/index.php?title=Trans-Equatorial_Propagation32
Hay sitios muy interesantes como: Error 404 - Page Cannot Be Found

Mi idea es organizar un evento para favorecer los contactos entre activadores SOTA y bien cazadores habituales de SOTA o radioaficionados que no participen actualmente en SOTA, ya estén en base, móvil, marítimo móvil o donde sea que quieran estar, así como entre diferentes activadores SOTA (S2S, del inglés Sota to Sota).

El evento tendrá lugar 2 veces al año en la semana completa de los equinoccios, es decir la del 21 de Marzo y la del 21 de Septiembre. Realizar este evento por espacio de una semana completa, dará a todos la oportunidad de tomar parte en los días que mejor encaje con las preferencias de cada uno, sean los días de entre semana o el fin de semana.

Podría no parecer un momento óptimo para empezar semejante experimento debido al período de baja actividad solar en que nos encontramos ahora, pero dado que me gustaría que este evento tuviese lugar año tras año para explorar la evolución de este tipo de propagación durante todos los años de un ciclo solar completo, digamos que cualquier momento es bueno para empezar.

El primer evento tendrá lugar en la semana 12 de 2018, empezando el 19 de marzo (lunes) y finalizando el 25 (domingo).

Las horas ideales para la TEP de primera hora de la tarde (aTEP) serán de 15h00 a 19h00 (hora local) y las bandas para experimentar 15, 12, 10 y 6m. Será válido cualquier modo permitido según el gusto del operador.

Para aquellos a quienes guste la V-UHF y las activaciones SOTA nocturnas, habrá también una oportunidad para explorar la TEP de la noche (eTEP) para la que las horas ideales son de 20h00 a 23h00 (hora local). Igualmente, será válido cualquier modo permitido según el gusto del operador.

No habrá ningún inconveniente con contactos hechos fuera de las mencionadas bandas y ventana horaria. Esto no es un concurso con estrictas reglas, así que habrá total libertad para que cualquiera pueda probar lo que desee en tanto que respete a los demás y las reglas de su país.
Dado que me gustaría que esto fuese una semana de evento mundial, habrá 3 zonas diferentes del evento en cada día de esa semana completa en que tenga lugar el evento.

Sub-evento en Zona #1 para aquellos que empiezan el día en primer lugar, tendremos JA/HL contactando via TEP con VK/ZL y viceversa. Países en otras zonas trans-ecuatoriales pueden llegar a alcanzarse también. A los activadores SOTA se les permitirá y se les anima a trabajar S&P para hacer contactos con cualquier otro país al otro lado del Ecuador, incluso si en ese país no se ha dado de alta todavía asociación SOTA ninguna.

Sub-evento en Zona #2 para los siguientes en ver el Sol nacer, tendremos 4X y toda EU contactando via TEP con ZS/ZD/FH/FR. Países en otras zonas trans-ecuatoriales pueden llegar a alcanzarse también. A los activadores SOTA se les permitirá y se les anima a trabajar S&P para hacer contactos con cualquier otro país al otro lado del Ecuador, incluso si en ese país no se ha dado de alta todavía asociación SOTA ninguna.

Sub-evento en Zone #3 para los radioaficionados más al Oeste en nuestro mundo tendremos VE/W/XE contactando via TEP con CX/VP8. Países en otras zonas trans-ecuatoriales pueden llegar a alcanzarse también. A los activadores SOTA se les permitirá y se les anima a trabajar S&P para hacer contactos con cualquier otro país al otro lado del Ecuador, incluso si en ese país no se ha dado de alta todavía asociación SOTA ninguna.

Aquí puede verse un ejemplo de pasos trans-Ecuatorial y trans-Oceánico:

Un evento semanal idéntico tendrá lugar en la semana 38 de 2018, comenzando el 17 de septiembre (lunes) y terminando el 23 (domingo).

Esto va a ser un comienzo excitante y me gustaría tener el apoyo de los diferentes gestores de País y Área para publicitarlo con suficiente anticipación de cara a dar no solo a los activadores, sino, en general, a todos los operadores la oportunidad para preparar sus equipos y antenas, de forma que hagan de este un nuevo éxito de participación.

Los específicos gestores de país y de area en quienes estoy pensando y pidiendo su colaboración son:
Para Zona #1:
JH0CJH para Japón
HL4ZFA para Corea
Todos los diferentes gestores de área de VK para Australia
ZL2AJ para Nueva Zelanda.
Para Zona #2:
4Z4DR para Israel

Todos los diferentes gestores de área y país de los diferentes países Europeos.
ZS6AA para Sudáfrica.
ZD8V para las Islas Británicas del Atlántico Sur,
F5HTR para la Isla de Guadalupe,
FR4PV para la Isla de Reunión.

Para Zona #3:
Todos los gestores de área de VE para Canadá.
Todos los gestores de área de W para EE. UU.
XE2N para México
CX1FU para Uruguay
VP8DMM para las Islas Malvinas.

Tenemos mucho tiempo para discutir, hacer planes y preparar equipos, antenas, etc, así que vayamos por ello y pasémoslo muy bien.

Cuantos más radioaficionados estemos en esto, seamos participantes del programa SOTA o no (todavía), mayor será la probabilidad de conseguir QSOs via TEP, más aprenderemos sobre este modo de propagación y mejor lo pasaremos.

Gracias por darle la máxima difusión y anímense a participar.

Mis mejores saludos,

Guru

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This is a reminder for this SOTA event aimed to exploring and experimenting on the TEP Trans-Equatorial Propagation.

We are in week 9, so there’s just a few weeks left to begin this exciting event.

I encourage you all to share here your plans for this event, i.e. what summit would you activate, when (dates/times), which bands/modes, antennas/rigs/power you are planning to use, etc… Also to raise Alerts accordingly.

Thank you.

73,

Guru

P.D. this same information but in Spanish language was sent some weeks ago and has been sent again by e-mail to SOTA managers when they exist and principal radioclubs in all South and Central-American Spanish speaking Countries.

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Warming up everybody for this new event coming very soon!
The first 3 alerts have just been raised.
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Since it’s difficult for me to hike to the mountains in the afternoons, I have chosen 3 drive-on summits for the 3 days of the weekend (FR, SA, SU). I won’t be able to activate MO to TH, but go out and do it if you are lucky and have those days available.

I really hope many of you will participate in this experiment and I hope we’ll have fun playing with our radios and sharing our experiences afterwards here.

73,

Guru

P.D. I might decide some summit change at some point. Should that happen, I’ll update my alert accordingly.

Targetted summits changed and alerts updated accordingly.

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I hope many of you will join the TEP experience.
73,

Guru

This is reminding to all TEP attendees.

It was quite good condition between ZL-JA. Then expecting a lot on next weekend.
BTW, 21 Mar, the day of Vernal Equinox, it is national holiday in Japan. Although I cannot join on the day but some JA station will QRV from summits. I’m planning to join on 24 Mar or 25 Mar.

See you on air mate!

Toru JH0CJH

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Dear all,
The TEP WW SOTA WK is almost here. Just 8 days to start.
I don’t see many alerts for that week yet, but I hope they will soon start arising.
In order to let others know that a specific activator will be looking for TEP QSOs during an activation, I’d recommend to all participants in this week long event that the words “TEP WW SOTA WK” be written in the alert comments box.
Good luck and lots of fun with Trans-Equatorial QSOs via TEP.
73,

Guru

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