{"id":1139,"date":"2015-10-05T11:47:09","date_gmt":"2015-10-05T11:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ei3kd.73tu.com\/?p=1139"},"modified":"2015-10-05T14:26:53","modified_gmt":"2015-10-05T14:26:53","slug":"tropo-on-the-edge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ei3kd.73tu.com\/?p=1139","title":{"rendered":"Tropo on the edge…"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s been\u00a0some months\u00a0since we’ve seen any sort of decent tropo opening on VHF\/UHF, in this part of Europe at least. However, there really was no excuse for being unaware of\u00a0this one in advance because the\u00a0forecasting websites (F5LEN<\/a>\u00a0and Hepburn<\/a>) had been\u00a0predicting something nice for the end of September for at least week prior. It turned out to be exceptional!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Hepburn maps looked like this:<\/p>\n

Tropo forecast, period 28th September to 3rd October 2015<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
\"280915_0600\"<\/a><\/td>\"290915_0600\"<\/a><\/td>\"300915_0600\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
28th September 2015<\/td>29th September 2015<\/td>30th September 2015<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"011015_0600\"<\/a><\/td>\"021015_0600\"<\/a><\/td>\"031015_0600\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1st October 2015<\/td>2nd October 2015<\/td>3rd October 2015<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nTropo forecast maps for north-western Europe, copyright 2015 William R Hepburn.<\/span>\n\n

 <\/p>\n

Previous experience in interpreting these maps told me it was no “sure thing”. There were enough “blotches” (discontinuities) showing to add some doubt about how far the paths would go; but there was no doubt it was going to be worth paying attention!<\/p>\n

With hindsight\u00a0I would say the maps were pretty much spot-on: The opening from southern Ireland was right on the edge with signals, especially over the longest distances, generally appearing for minutes at a time, sometimes never to be heard again. An extreme example was when, once or twice, a signal would go from S9 to not audible between overs. The propagation was generally extremely selective, with “chalk-and-cheese” differences noted even between stations just a few kilometres apart. All-in-all, it was somewhat similar to\u00a0Sporadic E. Now just imagine an Es opening lasting several days, where the band appears dead but you know something could appear at any time – it amounted to pretty hard work finding the dx!<\/p>\n

Notable contacts from my log are in the maps and table below. I had problems with my 70cms setup beforehand (albeit just 30W to a 19el F9FT @4m agl), but luckily managed to get it repaired before the propagation started, so the log includes a few nice (and very nice!) 432MHz contacts too:<\/p>\n

EI3KD tropo QSO maps 28\/09\/15 to 03\/10\/15<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\t
\"70cm<\/a>

70cm tropo map, 28\/09\/15 to 03\/10\/15<\/p><\/div><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

EI3KD tropo log, 28\/09\/15 to 03\/10\/15<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Date<\/th>UTC<\/th>Call<\/th>Loc<\/th>Band<\/th>Mode<\/th>Distance (km)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
28\/09\/2015<\/td>15:18<\/td>F0FEK\/P<\/td>JO00TE<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>713<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
28\/09\/2015<\/td>15:39<\/td>PD1AHM<\/td>JO21WF<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>974<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
28\/09\/2015<\/td>16:25<\/td>DL6YBF<\/td>JO31OX<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1054<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
28\/09\/2015<\/td>18:26<\/td>DJ2TX<\/td>JO33SA<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1071<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
28\/09\/2015<\/td>18:28<\/td>PA1BVM<\/td>JO21RO<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>939<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
28\/09\/2015<\/td>18:34<\/td>F8GGD<\/td>IN95UQ<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>904<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
28\/09\/2015<\/td>19:17<\/td>EA2XR<\/td>IN83KI<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1027<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
28\/09\/2015<\/td>19:29<\/td>F2YT<\/td>JO10GK<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>767<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
28\/09\/2015<\/td>20:51<\/td>F4HBY<\/td>IN97AT<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>640<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
28\/09\/2015<\/td>20:54<\/td>F6FGQ<\/td>IN78QJ<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>469<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
28\/09\/2015<\/td>20:56<\/td>F6FGQ<\/td>IN78QJ<\/td>70cm<\/td>SSB<\/td>469<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
29\/09\/2015<\/td>18:25<\/td>SM6VTZ<\/td>JO58WI<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1454<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
01\/10\/2015<\/td>09:53<\/td>PA3C<\/td>JO33FD<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>999<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
01\/10\/2015<\/td>10:01<\/td>SP1JNY<\/td>JO73GL<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1535<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
01\/10\/2015<\/td>10:40<\/td>LY2WR<\/td>KO24FO<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>2172<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
01\/10\/2015<\/td>10:54<\/td>DL3BQA<\/td>JO73CF<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1515<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
01\/10\/2015<\/td>16:50<\/td>SK7MW<\/td>JO65MJ<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1445<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
01\/10\/2015<\/td>19:28<\/td>SP1JNY<\/td>JO73GL<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1535<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
01\/10\/2015<\/td>19:37<\/td>SM7GVF<\/td>JO77GA<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1565<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
01\/10\/2015<\/td>19:50<\/td>SM1FMT<\/td>JO96BW<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1778<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
01\/10\/2015<\/td>19:54<\/td>OV3T<\/td>JO46RG<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1244<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
01\/10\/2015<\/td>20:00<\/td>DL6AA<\/td>JO43JH<\/td>70cm<\/td>SSB<\/td>1154<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
01\/10\/2015<\/td>20:04<\/td>DL6AA<\/td>JO43JH<\/td>70cm<\/td>SSB<\/td>1154<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
01\/10\/2015<\/td>20:22<\/td>DL7APV<\/td>JO62JR<\/td>70cm<\/td>JT65A<\/td>1424<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
01\/10\/2015<\/td>21:23<\/td>SP1JNY<\/td>JO73GL<\/td>70cm<\/td>CW<\/td>1535<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
01\/10\/2015<\/td>21:36<\/td>PA5MS<\/td>JO21RQ<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>938<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
01\/10\/2015<\/td>21:41<\/td>PA5Y<\/td>JO21VO<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>966<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
01\/10\/2015<\/td>22:23<\/td>SM7GVF<\/td>JO77GA<\/td>70cm<\/td>CW<\/td>1565<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
01\/10\/2015<\/td>22:33<\/td>OK1SKY<\/td>JO56DG<\/td>70cm<\/td>CW<\/td>1293<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>04:44<\/td>OZ1BEF<\/td>JO46OE<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1226<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>04:53<\/td>OZ1BEF<\/td>JO46OE<\/td>70cm<\/td>CW<\/td>1226<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>07:24<\/td>DM4EE<\/td>JO64KE<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1425<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>07:25<\/td>PA5MS<\/td>JO21RQ<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>938<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>07:38<\/td>DG3XA<\/td>JO43WJ<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1226<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>07:51<\/td>DO3BST<\/td>JO51KW<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1304<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>08:01<\/td>SP1FJZ<\/td>JO84EE<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1652<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>08:02<\/td>PA0T<\/td>JO33JC<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1024<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>08:58<\/td>DF1AN<\/td>JO63SX<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1468<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>09:21<\/td>DL4KUG<\/td>JO64PB<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1452<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>09:43<\/td>SP1NQN<\/td>JO84ML<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1695<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>09:51<\/td>SP1MVG<\/td>JO73GL<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1535<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>10:06<\/td>SP2CNW<\/td>JO93AI<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1767<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>10:13<\/td>DK0HAT<\/td>JO53AP<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1238<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>10:15<\/td>DJ9YE<\/td>JO43HV<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1146<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>11:09<\/td>DF0MU<\/td>JO32PC<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1058<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>11:11<\/td>DL6BF<\/td>JO32QI<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1062<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>11:13<\/td>SP1FJZ<\/td>JO84EE<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1652<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>11:18<\/td>PA0KVA<\/td>JO33KC<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1026<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>11:37<\/td>PD0ME<\/td>JO32KX<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1026<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>11:42<\/td>DO7ES<\/td>JO64PJ<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1453<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>12:07<\/td>OZ6TY<\/td>JO55XE<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1374<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>12:15<\/td>SP1JNY<\/td>JO73GL<\/td>70cm<\/td>CW<\/td>1535<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>12:27<\/td>OZ6OL<\/td>JO65DJ<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1398<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>12:30<\/td>DL7UN<\/td>JO44LO<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1176<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>12:55<\/td>SK7MW<\/td>JO65MJ<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1445<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>13:45<\/td>PE1OPK<\/td>JO23UE<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>949<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>15:27<\/td>SP4MPB<\/td>KO03HT<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1932<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>16:29<\/td>SQ1FYB<\/td>JO73MI<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1569<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
02\/10\/2015<\/td>19:20<\/td>OZ5NM<\/td>JO55GJ<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1293<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
03\/10\/2015<\/td>07:13<\/td>OZ6TY<\/td>JO55XE<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1374<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
03\/10\/2015<\/td>07:34<\/td>SP2HMT<\/td>JO94FQ<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1786<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
03\/10\/2015<\/td>07:38<\/td>LY2WR<\/td>KO24FO<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>2172<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
03\/10\/2015<\/td>07:43<\/td>LY2WR<\/td>KO24FO<\/td>70cm<\/td>CW<\/td>2172<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
03\/10\/2015<\/td>07:56<\/td>PA0SJE<\/td>JO23VH<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>955<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
03\/10\/2015<\/td>08:08<\/td>PA1MP<\/td>JO22IP<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>881<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
03\/10\/2015<\/td>08:48<\/td>SM7ECM<\/td>JO65NQ<\/td>70cm<\/td>CW<\/td>1454<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
03\/10\/2015<\/td>08:50<\/td>SM7NR<\/td>JO76GC<\/td>70cm<\/td>CW<\/td>1548<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
03\/10\/2015<\/td>09:09<\/td>SK7MW<\/td>JO65MJ<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1445<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
03\/10\/2015<\/td>09:12<\/td>OZ1BNN<\/td>JO55PM<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1338<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
03\/10\/2015<\/td>09:28<\/td>SM7IPB<\/td>JO65QS<\/td>2m<\/td>CW<\/td>1471<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
03\/10\/2015<\/td>11:10<\/td>SK7MW<\/td>JO65MJ<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1445<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
03\/10\/2015<\/td>11:49<\/td>OZ6TY<\/td>JO55XE<\/td>2m<\/td>SSB<\/td>1374<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

I didn’t have the audio recorder running much of the time but I did record my highlight, which was a very unexpected SSB QSO with LY2WR (KO24fo, 2172km) on October 3rd, when I thought conditions had faded…<\/p>\n