EI7GL Amateur Radio Newsletter #0004 - 19th April 2024
Amateur Radio News with an emphasis on radio experiments & the VHF bands
Summary: -
Intro, TEP & Sp-E
HF Beacon & Propagation News - Region 2, Kiwi SDR, Solar Flux, 10m
40 MHz & Low Band VHF News : 40 MHz reports, Spain
50 MHz News: Singapore, Upcoming 50 MHz expeditions... a long list!
70 MHz News: 4m activity, new 4m beacon, 4m beacons, 4m nets
88-108 MHz: Radios in cars
144 MHz & Above: TEP, Antarctica, Expedition to SV5 cancelled, US EME, GPS disciplined oscillators
Experimenters Corner: End fed half wave, Impedance matching
EI7GL blog posts for the last two weeks
In conclusion
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Intro… Welcome to edition number 4 of the new newsletter! There are now over 360 subscribers and a special thanks to the new paid subscribers.
TEP… Since the last newsletter, there have been plenty of openings via Trans-Equatorial Propagation on the 144 MHz band. The Namibia to the Mediterranean path is now currently a daily occurrence and it shows that this TEP path is probably always there around the equinox. It just took some stations to carry out some experiments with the correct digital mode to explore it.
In the Indian Ocean, a new path from Reunion Island and Mauritius to UAE, Qatar and Kuwait has been discovered and again, it just took some effort by suitably equipped stations at both end of the circuit to do the tests. Similar TEP paths no doubt exist all over the worked but it just needs to radio amateurs in the right location.
TEP / Sp-E season overlap... As we head towards the second half of April, the Sporadic-E season should be starting soon and openings on the 28 MHz and 50 MHz bands should appear. As we move further away from the equinox, the TEP openings will gradually decrease. However, at this time of year, there is an overlap in the seasons for the two propagation modes.
Normally, stations in say the north of Europe or the northern part of the USA / Canada are too far north to be able to use TEP openings at 50 MHz into South Africa or South America. Sometimes, a single Sporadic-E hop at the northern end of the circuit is all that is needed to allow people to reach the TEP zone and make some DX contacts. The simple message is to beam south and listen on the 6m band for the next few weeks.
News…
HF Beacon & Propagation News… The IARU Region 2 beacon list is currently being updated. See blog post… https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/updated-hf-beacon-list-for-iaru-region.html
New KiwiSDR 2... The TechMinds channel on YouTube looks at the new KiwiSDR 2, a Standalone Software Defined HF Radio Receiver...
Solar Flux & Sunspots - Over the last two weeks, the solar flux reached a peak of 227 on the 18th of April 2024. The SESC Sunspot Number reached a high of 247 on the same day.
26 MHz / 11m broadcast band…
28 MHz propagation news… As we move further into April, conditions on the 28 MHz (10m) band have taken a noticeable turn for the worse. Going by my own reports of WSPR signals on the band, some days have been very good with California making an appearance. On other days, most of the East-West propagation is missing and it mainly North-South paths.
A lot of people are jumping up and down about the high solar flux and sunspot numbers but it’s still the month of April. As we head into the summer, DX on east-west paths at 10m will be difficult. The really good conditions on the higher HF bands will return in late September for station in the northern hemisphere.
Watch out for the first Sporadic-E signals on the band in late April.
40 MHz & Low Band VHF News… The TEP season is still going strong and the few stations in South Africa have been spotted many times in Europe. Once the Sporadic-E season starts, the new EA stations in Spain should generate some activity on the band.
40 MHz Facebook Group… For those of you who use Facebook, you might be interested in the 40 MHz & 60 MHz Facebook Group… https://www.facebook.com/groups/2897330140356898
At the moment, it has just over 880 members which is a lot considering 8m is an unusual band. It can be a useful spot for people to share information and ask questions.
50 MHz News
Singapore on 6m… Kazu, 9V1XX reports that a new 50 MHz licence for Singapore has been approved. The frequencies are limited from 50.313 to 50.316 MHz using the FT8 mode. A maximum power of 100-watts PEP is allowed.
50 MHz Dxpeditions - (in order of end date)…
EL, LIBERIA The Czech DXpedition Group is active as A8OK until the 19th of April. Activity with multiple stations from 160 to 6 meter using SSB, CW and digital modes (RTTY, FT8, FT4, PSK).
V2, ANTIGUA Mike, DF8AN is active until 19th of April. Operation from 160 to 6 meter using mostly FT8 with some RTTY and CW.
Bernhard, DL2GAC will be active as H44MS from Malaita (IOTA OC-047), in the Solomon Islands, until the 25th of April 2024. He will be QRV daily, with activity on the HF & 6m bands using SSB and some FT8.
PE1OJR will once again be operating in ‘holiday-style’ as PJ4TB (PJ4, BONAIRE) during the 13th to the 28th of April. QRV from 40 to 6m using a vertical and/or end-fed wire.
NA-057 Roatan Isl John, AD8J is operating in ‘holiday-style’ as HR9/call until April 28. QRV from 80 to 6m using CW, FT4/8 and maybe some SSB.
NA-057 Roatan Isl Alex, K6VHF will once again be active as HR9/call between April 23 and April 30. Activity from 160 to 6m.
Jeff K5WE and Craig W5CCP will be operating as TX7W from Raivavae (FO0, AUSTRAL ISL) until the 30th of April. Operation from 160 to 6 meter using CW, SSB and digi.
KH0/JA6REX, KH0/W6HZH & WH0B (JA6VQA) will be active from Saipan (OC-086) from the 25th to the 30th of April. QRV on FT8/FT4; 160-6m.
TT, CHAD The Italian DXpedition team will be active as TT8RR (CW, SSB and RTTY) and as TT8XX (FT8) and as TT8TT (sat QO-100) until the 30th of April. Operation with 4 stations from 80 to 6m plus 1 station dedicated for sat operation.
Toshi, JH6HZH will be operating as KH0/JH6HZH on the Mariana Islands from the 24th of April to the 1st of May. Activity from 160 to 6m using CW, SSB and FT8.
JD1BQP will be active on Ogasawara from the 22nd of April to the 3rd of May 2024. Operation from 15m to 6m using mainly SSB.
A team from Norway will be active from Market Reef (IOTA EU-053) as OJ0T from the 27th of April to the 4th of May 2024. They will operate on 160 - 6m, CW, SSB, Digital Modes. OJ0T call sign will be used CW, SSB. On FT8 they will use OJ0/LA1UW, OJ0/LA3WAA, OJ0/LB5SH, OJ0/LB0VG.
A5, BHUTAN Janusz SP9FIH / A52CI and SP6CIK / A52P will be active from the 19th of April to the 4th of May. Activity from 40 to 6m using CW, SSB and digital modes.
A team from Belgium will be active on Lolland Island (EU-029) in Denmark as 5P5LI from the 29th of April to the 5th of May. QRV from 160 to 6 meter using CW, SSB and Digi.
Mitsu, JE1HXZ/6 will be active from Yonaguni Island, Yaeyama Islands (AS-024) during 26th of April 26 to 5th of May. QRV on 160-6m; CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8/FT4.
Ben (DL6FBL), Win (DK9IP) and Lutz (DM6EE) will be active from Hanga Roa, Easter Island as 3G0YA until the 6th of May. They will be using a 6-element Yagi on 6m.
9X, RWANDA Harold, DF2WO will once again be active as 9X2AW from Kigali from the 2nd to the 17th of May. Operation on HF and 6m using CW, SSB with some FT4/8.
Martin, MW0BRO will be active from near Dhekelia, Cyprus SBA as ZC4GW from the 17th to the 27th of May on 40-6m; CW only (100w) using an FT-891 and DX Commander antenna.
DF2WO / D44TWO (FT8 and CW) and Franz DG9KAN / D44KAN (SSB) will be active on AF-005 Santiago Isl (AF-005) in Cape Verde from the 8th to the 20th of June 2024. Operation mainly on 6m using FT8 and CW.
AS-079 Miyako Isl Take, JS6RRR (also JI3DST/6, JJ5RBH/6 & JR8YLY/6) will be active from Miyako-jima (AS-079) from the 24th of April to the 26th of June. QRV on 160-6m, SSB/CW/FT8
Gregg, W6IZT and Hal, W8HC will be operating from Falaise des Oiseaux, St. Martin (FS) for a one week DX-cation from June 25 to July 2. They will be active 6m-40m with a 5 element LFA yagi for 6m.
Giovanni IZ2DPX will be active from Saint-Leu, Reunion island as TO7PX during July 8-14, 2024. QRV on 40-6m; SSB & FT8 using fishing rod antenna; holiday-style activity.
KV1J will be active as FP/KV1J on St Pierre & Miquelon (FP) from the 10th to the 2nd to the 16th of July 2024. Operation from 80 to 6 meter using CW, SSB and digi.
F, FRANCE: The special event callsign TM83JO will be active on 15 individual days between April 16 and July 26, between the lighting of the Olympic torch in Greece and the beginning of the Games in Paris. QRV on 80-6m (CW, SSB, digital modes) and via QO-100.
A team of Canadian radio amateurs will be active as TO8FP on St Pierre & Miquelon (FP) from the 10th to the 22nd of August 2024. 10-22. Operation from 80 to 6m using CW, SSB, digi and sats.
The CY9C team will be active from St Paul Island off the east coast of Canada on all bands from HF to 6m & 2m. The dates for the DXpedition are August 26 – September 5, 2024.
3A, MONACO Col, MM0NDX and Steve, MM0SAJ will again be active from Monaco during
September 5-9 as 3A/MM0NDX and 3A/MM0SAJ. QRV on various bands and modes. Main focus likely to be on low bands in their evening and 6m if propagation permits.
ZD9, TRISTAN DA CUNHA Lance, W7GJ will be active as ZD9GJ on Tristan Da Cunha as a 6m EME DXpedition from the 23rd of August to the 30th of September 2024.
HA5AO is planning to be active in four African countries from the 3rd of September to the 14th of October 2024. He writes… “The operating sites are within 40-80 km circle of the common borders of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia. Ten days of operation can be expected from each country on CW, SSB, and FT8 from 80 m up to 6 m. The licenses are in hand, the QTHs are booked.
I will use K3S and FT-710 transceiver with KPA 500 power amplifier. The antenna is DX Commander vertical for 40-6 m bands and multi-band inverted-V (80 m-6 m) on 12 m HD Spider pole, donated by Spiderbeam. The planned schedule is as follows,
03-13 September, Zimbabwe, Zambezi National Park as Z22AO, QRA: KH21ww
14-23 September, Zambia, Victoria Falls region as 9J2AO, QRA: KH22wc
24 Sept-04 October, Botswana, Chobe National Park as A25AO, QRA: KH22oc
05-14 October, Namibia, Katima Mulilo region as V5/HA5AO QRA: KH22dm”
Dave, VK2DS will be active as VK0DS from Davis Station, Antarctica until November 2024. He will operate on HF Bands, plus 6m and EME 2m and 23cm.
The Rebel DX Group hope to be active from Nigeria (5N) after their Tuvalu DXpedition. They have requested the callsign 5N5N. Three ops with up to 10 stations; 160-6m, mainly CW & FT8. Dates will be announced soon.
FT4GL Glorioso Islands –update - FT4GL will also now be QRV on the 50 MHz Band, propagation permitting.
For more information on HF DX and expeditions, go to
70 MHz News…
70 MHz Activity - 6th to 19th April 2024… Looking at the DX-Cluster, there have been reports of some tropo enhancement but no reports yet of any Sporadic-E. There is a good chance that there will be an opening in the next two weeks.
New 4m beacon... Dave, G4FKI reports that there is a new 4m beacon on the air from Millbrook south of Bedford in England (IO92RA). The beacon uses the call GB3MBD/B and transmits on 70.050 MHz, reports are welcome.
70 MHz beacons… The following 4m beacons were reported on the DX-Cluster over the last two weeks…
70013 EI4RF/B IO63VE
70030.8 G4JNT/B IO80UU
70162 LX0FOUR/B JN39AV
70020 GB3ANG/B IO86MN
70070 PI7RTD/B JO21FV
70050 GB3MBD/B IO92RA
70025.3 GB3MCB/B IO70OJ
70027 GB3CFG/B IO74CR
70 MHz FM Net... The Mid Lanark Amateur Radio Society near Glasgow, Scotland hold a weekly net on 70.425 MHz FM. Look for them at 20:00 UTC on Thursday evenings.
70 MHz FM Net... The International 'Vertical' SSB net near Southampton is held every Monday evening at 19:30 local time. Look for them on 70.220 MHz.
70 MHz FM Net… The Ted Net takes place every Sunday morning on 70.325 MHz FM at 9am. Most of the activity is near the Isle of Wight / Solent area on the south coast of England.
Band 2 - 88 to 108 MHz…
“UNESCO and broadcasting organisations around the world recently called on the tech and automotive industries to keep radio available in cars. A call that only very few echoed in the press.
Unesco is concerned that the rise of electric vehicles has led to the design of future car models without integrated radio, favouring internet-connected features. However, much radio listening is done in cars, where people rely on it for breaking news, traffic updates, weather forecasts, entertainment and, most importantly, emergency information. The radio is especially effective in a crisis. In emergency situations, private vehicles are usually part of the solution, allowing occupants to stay safe and informed when the lane is blocked and power is out. This is a call that was launched in conjunction with broadcasters associations.” ...(Source: Radio Magazine)
144 MHz & Above…
TEP paths from Namibia to Europe & in the Indian Ocean… See the list of posts on the blog.
EME 144/432 MHz Dx-pedition to Rhodes (SV5)... (Two German radio amateurs (DF2ZC and DH7FB) are planning to travel to the island of Rhodes (SV5) and be active on 2 m and 70 cm moonbounce with the callsign SZ5RDS. They plan to be active from the 14th to the 20th of April 2024.) - Please note that this expedition has been cancelled.
Antarctica… David VK2JDS will occasionally be active from Davis Station, Antarctica using the callsign VK0DS until November 2024. He hopes to be QRV on HF bands and will also try 2m EME using a single 12el yagi and 100 watts from an IC9700 using JT65A or Q65A-60 (or similar).
US states on EME… KA6U reports that he is starting another round of State/grid EME dxpedition activity on 902 MHz and 432 MHz with some 1296 MHz. Starting in Texas on the 22nd of April, he will be on the road until the 6th of May. In the 15 days, he hopes to be active from the following states... TX, KS, MO, AR, SD, ND, MN, ME, VT, NH, RI, MA, DE and PA. The Moon will not be very high during these times so this will be mostly a North America event.
GPS Disciplined Oscillators at Microwave Frequencies... In this weeks online YouTube stream by the Radio and Electronics Association of Southern Tasmania, Rex VK7MO covers two topics that might be of interest to those operating on the microwave frequencies. At 11:25 in the video, VK7MO gives a quick outline of how some radio amateurs in the USA managed to measure the drop in solar noise during the recent solar eclipse. At 16:10, VK7MO gives some of the results of his tests of using GPS disciplined oscillators at 1296 MHz and above and how it's really important to have the GPS antenna in the clear to see as many satellites as possible. Video link...
Satellites…
Experimenters Corner…
End Fed Half Wave.... Tim, G5TM recently released a video on his YouTube channel on how to make an end fed half-wave that covers the 40m, 30m & 10m bands...
Impedance Matching… Nick M0NTV shares some more advice about understanding and designing an impedance matching network...
EI7GL Blog Posts…
Here are some of the posts on the blog over the last two weeks…
Signs of improving conditions down under as there is a 8000km opening at 40 MHz from South Africa to Australia - 16th Apr 2024... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/8000km-opening-at-40-mhz-from-south.html
Tracking a WSPR balloon on 28 MHz off the west coast of Ireland - Apr 2024... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/tracking-wspr-balloon-on-28-mhz-off.html
DL7APV - Silent Key... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/dl7apv-silent-key.html
Preview of the May 2024 Practical Wireless Magazine... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/preview-of-may-2024-practical-wireless.html
Interference during the recent Namibia to Europe TEP tests - Apr 2024... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/interference-during-recent-namibia-to.html
Guest Post: 6m operation from Lesotho – 7P8EI ...by Roger, EI8KN... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/guest-post-6m-operation-from-lesotho.html
Guest Post: Example of Lightning Scatter at 144 MHz ...by Kadri, TA1D... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/guest-post-example-of-lightning-scatter.html
First TEP contact at 144 MHz made from Mauritius - 9th Apr 2024... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/first-tep-contact-at-144-mhz-made-from.html
Day 9: TEP opening on 144 MHz from Namibia to Europe - 8th Apr 2024... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/day-9-tep-opening-on-144-mhz-from.html
First ever TEP contacts made at 144 MHz in the Indian Ocean - 8th Apr 2024... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/first-ever-tep-contacts-made-at-144-mhz.html
EIRSAT-1 team reveal that their new satellite was almost lost after launch... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/eirsat-1-team-reveal-that-their-new.html
Day 8: TEP opening on 144 MHz from Namibia to Europe - 7th Apr 2024... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/day-8-tep-opening-on-144-mhz-from.html
5160km TEP opening at 144 MHz in the Indian Ocean from Reunion to UAE - 7th Apr 2024... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/5160km-tep-opening-in-indian-ocean-from.html
Updated HF beacon list for IARU Region 2 - Mar 2024... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/updated-hf-beacon-list-for-iaru-region.html
Day 7: TEP opening on 144 MHz from Namibia to Europe - 6th Apr 2024... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/day-7-tep-opening-on-144-mhz-from.html
40 MHz reception report from Bill Smith, W1-7897 for March 2024... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/40-mhz-reception-report-from-bill-smith.html
Day 6: TEP opening on 144 MHz from Namibia to Europe - 5th Apr 2024... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/day-6-tep-opening-on-144-mhz-from.html
EI7GL Amateur Radio Newsletter #0003 - 5th Apr 2024... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/ei7gl-amateur-radio-newsletter-0003-5th.html
In Conclusion…
The one thing that has become obvious since starting the newsletter is just how much information is out there scattered across email lists, websites and social media channels. In a way, it’s so fragmented that it means that relatively few people get to see it.
The newsletter is hardly going to solve this problem but I hope it might highlight some stories which go largely unnoticed.
If you’d like to support the newsletter then you might consider becoming a paid subscriber even if it’s for a month or two.
Provisional date for next newsletter: 3rd May 2024
John, EI7GL
My radio blog: https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/