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From: "hamilton mal" <g3kev.ham@virgin.net>
To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
References: <3F13CAA0.11570.B24004@localhost>
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2003 19:12:55 +0100
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Subject: Re: LF: Re: PROP PREDICTIONS
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Sergeant" <dsergeant@btinternet.com>
To: <rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org>
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 9:34 AM
Subject: Re: LF: Re: PROP PREDICTIONS


> On 14 Jul 2003 at 20:43, Alan Melia wrote:
>
> > Hi all, I totally agree with Mal's comments. I have also chatted at
> > length with the guys who produce the HF predictions and they worry a
> > lot about their work actually discouraging people from putting signals
> > out. The HF Propagaion reports are quite difficult because it really
> > depends what kind of a station you have. I remember when I ran 400W
> > PEP and a 3el beam at 45 feet I worked bands after they had "closed"
> > and often was "the only European" when I called in. (the problem is
> > that it gets boring after a while). I did find the predictions a
> > useful guide to what "should" be happening, but there is no subsistute
> > for listening for a beacon and putting out a call or two
>
> The IARU contest this weekend was a good example of this. Those with
> big stations could still work a fair amount of dx, but even those
> runing 100W were moaning of poor conditions on HF, and at this
> station with 5W and a long wire it was decidedly hard work, with very
> little dx even heard. And that was during a major international
> contest where all the bands should be jam packed with USA stations,
> the few Ws I heard were pretty weak.
>
> I rarely consult the propagation predictions. When the bands are wide
> open they are unduly pessimistic, and when poor they only serve to
> tell me what I would be hearing if I had a decent set up. The only
> way is to listen on the bands often when you get a very good feel of
> what you should be hearing on a particular band at a particular time
> of day.
>
> Of course if there is no activity then you will hear nothing. This is
> perhaps even truer at LF where activity is non existant in many
> cases. But perhaps as Mal comments that elusive 'real CW'
> transatlantic QSO cannot be that far away.

Hi Dave
It might take longer than you think, if the BEACON mode persists, my natural
instinct is to go into QSO mode but others must think different. My recent
observations indicate that a QSO could easily have taken place at a speed of
possible QRS 3 transatlantic or even CW. What is the point putting out a
BEACON signal every night knowing that it is being copied perfectly well in
EU by a number of radio amateurs who are equipped to work two way on the
band. Seems odd!!!!!!!

de G3KEV

>
> 73 Dave G3YMC
>
> dsergeant@btinternet.com
> http://www.dsergeant.btinternet.co.uk
>
>
>
>