Hi all, the sun has quietened down a little and the geomagnetic index (Kp)
has dropped down to less than 4 for the last three days. The NOAA SEC is
predicting and possible unsettled period today 19th due to another coronal
hole, but so far conditions seem to be improving over the longer distances.
Brian's plot of DCF39 is showing some peaks over the average in the
overnight period, and my plot of CFH last night shows some reasonable
levels. Steve's plot od DCF39 is still disappointing. His noise is fairly
high, and the received levels are some 20 dB below the best seen (mid
January this year)
These conditions are confirmed by the fact that I received a complete
call-sign string from Joe VO1NA on the pre-dawn morning of the 18th. Joe was
transmitting what he refers to as QRSS80 (it is a hardware keyer timed with
a 555 timer chip) he has now 115 watts from a single ended Class-E (see my
web site) stage driven by a Siemens PS. Joe's aerial is an L which is only
about 12m high at present (winds have precluded him climbing right up the
25m tower to fix the halyards higher) with about 150m or top-load wire. This
path is obviously easier than to the States or than to Mitch, as
Newfoundland is probably at least 1000kms nearer, and mostly over water. Joe
has reported receiving Brian almost every night Brian has transmit.
Cheers de Alan G3NYK
[email protected]
Propagation report at http://www.alan.melia.btinternet.co.uk/latest.htm
Class E design at http://www.alan.melia.btinternet.co.uk/classepa.htm
|
