EI7GL Amateur Radio Newsletter #0005 - 4th May 2024
Amateur Radio News with an emphasis on radio experiments & the VHF bands
Intro… Welcome to edition number 5 of the new newsletter! There are now just over 400 subscribers with a special thanks to the paid subscribers.
Sporadic-E season starts... In the previous newsletter two weeks ago, we were waiting for the summer Sporadic-E season to start. A lot has changed since then and there now have been plenty of Sp-E openings over the last two weeks on the lower VHF bands including some on the 88-108 MHz band in Europe and N America.
TEP... The almost daily Trans-Equatorial Propagation (TEP) openings on the 144 MHz band continue from Namibia to southern Europe, in the Indian Ocean and from the south of Japan to N Australia. The one big news surprise was the report of a TEP opening at 432 MHz!
News…
HF Beacon & Propagation News…
28 MHz propagation news… As we move into May, conditions on the higher HF bands are getting harder for East-West paths. The onset of the Summer Sporadic-E season has allowed more northerly stations in Europe, N America and Japan to access TEP paths to locations well south of the equator.
This is a map of my own 28 MHz WSPR reception reports over the last two weeks…
It’s certainly not all doom and gloom. There were openings from my location to California on 10m but it’s now more of a case of a few good days for east-west openings rather than every day like a few weeks back.
That big cluster of spots in central Europe is a sign that the Sporadic-E season has started.
As we head further into May, we should start to see many more Sporadic-E openings.
40 MHz & Low Band VHF News…
Andre, ZS1F in South Africa reports that there was a good opening to Europe on the 21st of April with paths as far north as Poland. He also managed to complete his first contact with Spain on 8m when he worked the special event station AO75MU on FT8 on 40.680 MHz. On the 24th, the FT8 signal from ZS1F was reported in Israel, Bonaire, Europe and the USA.
Lez, EI4GEB (IO52) in Ireland reports an opening to South Africa on the 21st of April. At the start of May, there were openings to Guadeloupe and Bonaire.
Felip, CE3SX in Chile reports that he is now active on the 8m band. On the 22nd of April, he managed successful FT8 contacts with VA2CYX in Quebec and ZF1EJ in the Cayman Island. On the 24th of April, Felip managed to complete an east-west contact with ZR1ADI in South Africa.
Robbie, EI2IP (IO52) in Ireland reports an opening to the Caribbean on the 22nd of April. Robbie also reports working EA4TK and EA4BPN in Spain on the 29th of April. On the 1st of May, Robbie's 8m signal was reported in the Caribbean as well as Argentina in South America.
David, G4FKI in England reports hearing SV1DH in Greece on the 2nd of May.
Andy, EA7KBX in the south of Spain reports that he has applied for an 18-month permit for the 40 MHz band and is currently monitoring the band with a Kenwood TS-890 and a HF trapped dipole. He reports hearing ZR1ADI and ZS1F in South Africa on the band.
Ed, K5YT reports hearing ZR1ADI in South Africa on the 25th of April.
Borut, S50B in Slovenia reports making 17 contacts on the 40 MHz band, the highest number he made in one day.
Joan, EA3ERE in NE Spain has been very busy on the band and reports hearing ZS3/V51PJ in South Africa and S50B and S51DI in Slovenia on the 28th of April.
SWL Tony Mann in Perth, Western Australia gives the following 40 MHz report... "F2 MUFs across Australia in the mid-morning hours have recently risen to the low 40s of MHz, especially on 24 and 25 April 2024. Here in Perth I’ve heard the 40.430 MHz Esso "data" transmitter at Mt Karrajung near Traralgon, Victoria (38.372 deg South, 146.677 deg East) on 24 and 25 April. It sounds like a siren in upper sideband mode on my Icom IC-R75 receiver. The transmitter is listed by the ACMA database with an EIRP of 75 Watt into a vertical dipole at zero height and transmits 24/7. My receiving antenna is a broadband 6m dipole 5m agl facing east-west.
Also heard on 40.665 MHz were up to several “beepers” and a few carriers from the Australian east coast. This occurred on April 15-18 and 22-26, usually starting around 7:30-8am and lasting until 10-10:30am. These stations are presumed legacy transmitters, with a few Watts of power at industrial sites, similar to what is heard in Perth, Pinjarra and Bunbury. Their transmissions consist of one to several 0.3 second long "beeps" repeated every minute, and occupy a bandwidth of about 5 kHz. April 24 was a really busy day with beepers down to Victoria rather than the usual few from North Queensland.
On 40.695 MHz on 24 and 25 April there were up to 3 beepers from the east having a different sound, similar to the one in the Pilbara received here via Es.
Phil, EI9KP in the west of Ireland reports hearing the Slovenia beacon on the 28th of April. S55ZMS/B 40.670 MHz PI4 + CW ID 5W into a Halo antenna. "I had been monitoring that frequency for months, with nothing on. Then at 11:40 UTC the beacon popped-up. Was in for about 1 hour with SNR -20dB. Good mix of propagation across Europe this afternoon with Es from Slovenia and Croatia."
Rupert, N2OTO in Florida reports hearing 7Q7JN in Malawi on FT8 on the 27th of April.
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 927 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
50 MHz news…
The 50 MHz band has also been quite active. There have also been several Sporadic-E openings in Europe and North America during the last two weeks.
Peter, PY5CC in Brazil reports a good opening to the United States on the 2nd of May.
On the 1st of May, Dave, KA1W reports an very brief opening to 3D2AG in Fiji which lasted for about 60 seconds.
Frank, PH2M in the Netherlands reports working CE2SV in Chile on the 20th of April.
Darrell, G0HVQ in England reports that there was an opening to Argentina on the 20th of April.
Jeff, F5JRX in France reports strong signals on 6m CW from TZ4AM in Mali.
The A52CI expedition to Bhutan report very poor propagation on the 6m band and as of the end of April, they only managed to complete about 40 contacts.
50 MHz Dxpeditions - (in order of end date)…
A Norweigan team will be active from Market Reef (IOTA EU-053) as OJ0T until 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 until 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 until 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) until the 5th of May. QRV on 160-6m; CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8/FT4.
CE0Y, EASTER ISL Ben DL6FBL, Win DK9IP and Lutz DM6EE are operating as CD0Y until the 6th of May. Activity from 160 to 6 meter using CW, SSB and FT8. Updates on https://www.qrz.com/db/CD0Y . On FT8 they use MSHV software.
9X, RWANDA Harold, DF2WO will once again be active as 9X2AW from Kigali until 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.
IOTA (AS-008) Izu Oshima Kenji, JA4GXS will be active as call/1 during June 1-3. Operation on 40, 30, 20 and 6 meter using CW, SSB and FT4/8.
JD1, OGASAWARA Tosy, JA6VZB will be QRV as JD1BQW between May 22 and June 5. He will concentrate on 6 and 12 meter using FT8.
IOTA (SA-017) Gorgona Isl - A team large Colombian team will be active between June 7-11. Operation
from 80 to 6 meter using SSB, digi and sat. Last expedition to Gorgona Island was in 1989.
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
VP2V, BRITISH VIRGIN ISL Dave, W9DR will be active as VP2V/call from Anegada Isl sometime June 2024. Operation on 6 meter only using FT8, CW and SSB.
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.
KH5, JARVIS ISL The Dateline DX Association has received a permission from the USFWS for a DXpedition to Jarvis. It’s ranked number 9 in Europe’s most wanted list. The small team of four, consisting of George, AA7JV, Don, N1DG, Tomi, HA7RY and Mike, KN4EEI, will install 6 RIB stations on Jarvis, operating on 160 to 6 meters, using CW, SSB and FT8 modes. The on-island team will be augmented by 25 remote operators from Asia, Europe and North America, running CW and FT8. FT8 operations will use the Fox/Hound mode. Operation will be around August 1 depending the WX. More to follow.
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.
J8, GRENADINES Brian, GW4DVB will once again be active as J88PI from Palm Island between the 12th and 21st of September. Activity from 40 to 6 meter using CW, SSB and FT8.
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 - 20th April to 3rd May 2024… The 4m band is often referred to as the ‘Friendly Band’ but you could be forgiven for thinking ‘Forgotten Band’ might be more appropriate.
There seems have been a few openings over the last two weeks with G4KUX reporting an aurora on the 26th of April and some Sporadic-E on the 30th of April.
DX Cluster Spots…
G4KUX 70074 LA4VHF/B 15:18 26 Apr 24 55a in io94 Norway
DL8BDU 70154 EI8KN 12:05 30 Apr 24 JO43AA ES IO62JF -07 hrd Ireland
DF6HT 70154 G3RIK 11:39 30 Apr 24 FT8 -10 dB 882 Hz England
GM4VVX 70154 HB9TQL 11:34 30 Apr 24 -10 into GM Switzerland
SP9HWY 70174 PA0VHA 06:20 02 May 24 JO90nh ms JO21bx tnx MS QSO Ha Netherlands
LB6D 70154.6 PA0VHA 10:30 04 May 24 JO59BS JO21BX tnx qso Netherlands
DL6BF 70154 OH6GKW 10:27 04 May 24 JO32QI ES KP13 rcvg 4 decodes Finland
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…
During the Sporadic-E openings over the last two weeks, the maximum usable frequency (MUF) has reached Band 2 i.e. the FM broadcast band from 88 to 108 MHz.
Several openings have been reported in North America and Europe and as far as I could see, all of them were single hop Sp-E. Towards the end of May, we might begin to see some interesting multi-hop openings and possibly some trans-Atlantic action.
Paul Logan in the NW of Ireland is one of the most active FMDX listeners in Europe and he caught this opening to Portugal on the 30th of April.
144 MHz & Above…
TEP paths from Namibia to Europe & in the Indian Ocean… As mentioned previously, there have been almost daily TEP openings at 144 MHz. With the Q65 digital weak signal mode and suitably located stations, the path seems to be very reliable at this time of year and at this point in the solar cycle.
I'm not sure if there were any Sp-E openings on the 144 MHz band over the last two weeks but I can't find any reports of one.
On the 26th of April, Kricke, SM6VTZ reports working 15 stations on CW on 144 MHz during an aurora opening. Best DX was RO3X in KO73 at 1490kms.
“The next in the series of the popular 145 Alive events, to promote the use of 145MHz FM, is scheduled to take place on the 11th of May 2024, from 1pm to 3pm. The event and the supporting Facebook Group was started by Tim, G5TM and from the start of 2024 has been organised by Mark, M0XIC and John, M0XJA. The last successful event took place in January this year, when over 30 nets operated simultaneously across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern and Southern Ireland. Over 900 QSOs took place, with many amateurs operating portable, mobile or from their club or home QTH. If you would like to take part, and find out more about the event and 145 Alive in general, then join the 145 Alive Facebook Group. If you would like to run a net on the 11th of May, contact Mark, M0XIC or John, M0XJA via the Facebook Group”... IRTS News
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).
EI7GL Blog Posts…
Here are some of the posts on the blog over the last two weeks…
Notice: Upcoming HAARP ionospheric tests from Alaska - 8th to 10th May 2024... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/05/notice-upcoming-haarp-ionospheric-tests.html
Sales of the ICOM IC-7300 HF Transceiver pass the 100,000 mark... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/05/sales-of-icom-ic-7300-hf-transceiver.html
40 MHz reception report from Bill Smith, W1-7897 for April 2024... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/05/40-mhz-reception-report-from-bill-smith.html
2024 10m QRSS Challenge: - IK1WVQ in NW Italy - 30th April... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/05/2024-10m-qrss-challenge-ik1wvq-in-nw.html
MFJ Enterprises to close their manufacturing facility in Mississippi... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/mfj-enterprises-to-close-their.html
Preview of the Spring 2024 edition of SPRAT Magazine... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/preview-of-spring-2024-edition-of-sprat.html
5000km+ TEP opening on the 432 MHz band in the Indian Ocean - 23rd Apr 2024... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/5000km-tep-opening-on-432-mhz-band-in.html
Video: What Morse Code Taught Me... by Jacob Markham... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/video-what-morse-code-taught-me-by.html
Propagation alert as Sporadic-E season begins - April 2024... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/propagation-alert-as-sporadic-e-season.html
EI7GL Amateur Radio Newsletter #0004 - 19th Apr 2024... https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2024/04/ei7gl-amateur-radio-newsletter-0004.html
In Conclusion…
If there is one thing I learnt from this edition of the newsletter is not to leave it to the end to compile it. It really needs to be a ‘work in progress’ over the two weeks, otherwise I just miss things.
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: 17th May 2024
John, EI7GL
My radio blog: https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/