BEAM DIRECTIONS.
----------------
Whereas it seems very likely that on the low bands the
paths can be skewed (all Low Band Dx-ers encounter this
phenomenon almost dayly), Bob, NM7N, states that skewed
(crooked) paths are very unlikely on 20 m (Bob had 60
QSO's with Crozet (400 miles from the antipode) with
only one occurence of a skewed path.
In Europe we have the daily experience with skewed paths
on 40, 80 and 160 m to ZL on the long path (500 miles
from the antipode). Across an entire season the direction
from which signals arrive shifts from S.W. (true long
path great circle heading), across Central America
around equinox to 300 degrees during European winter time
(this is 90 degrees off the true great circle longth
path heading).
REPORT FROM THE ISLAND
----------------------
At 16:40 on Sunday, Jan 12th, Peter called ON4UN by Inmarsat
satellite telephone from Heard island and reported the
following:
- landing started at 22:30 z (0330 local time) on Saturday
night (GMT), which means their Sunday morning at day break.
- All operators and all equipment (30 Tons of it) were put
ashore by helicopter. It took 51 helicopter flights back
and forth (5 hours) !
- All material was safely put ashore, no damage has been
reported.
- The base camp has been completed.
- The NCDXF beacon station was put on the air at 11:30 GMT
(first reports were received from Italy on 10m at 11:45)
- The NCDXF beacon will be switched off tonight at 17:00z,
until Monday morning 13:00z. The entire crew is very tired
and wants a good and long night rest.
- The PACSAT communication link with the pilot stations
should be operational some time on Monday (13th).
- WX during landing: wind: 30 knots, temp + 5deg C
- team spirit: very high, they are having the time of their
life!
- The ground in the camp area is solid rock, so all
anchoring was done using drills and expansion bolts.
- Three generators have been operating during the day.
- They will probably start the radio operations early
Tuesday (14th).
- They will call ON4UN by Inmarsat telephone a few hours
before the radio operations start. John will post the
starting time immediately on the e-mail reflector
- Priority will be given to Satellite operation, as their
are propagation possibilities into the USA only during
the first part of the expedition. I will publsih details
from Arie as soon as received.
- The three radio tents are separated by approx 300 m.
Peter thinks it will be possible to run with two
stations on one and the same band.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* H E A R D I S L A N D D X - P E D I T I O N *
* PILOT PROGRAM MESSAGE # 48 *
* THE LOW BANDS FROM HEARD ISLAND *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Figures
-----------
Let's look at sunrise and sunset times:
Heard Island (average for Jan 20): SR = 23:20z SS = 15:16z
For some of us it is important, however to know that between
Jan. 15 and Feb. 5th, sunset changes from 15:21 to 14:56
and sunrise from 23:11 to 23:45 (that is a change of 35
minutes in just over 2 weeks!). We will see later where it
is so important.
EUROPE:
-------
Most of Europe will have both 80 and 160 open all night
long, that is from approx. 15:15 to 23:20.
Expected peaks: 18:00 and 22:00
Eighty meters should be a piece of cake from Europe. Based
on predictions and past experience 160 should be very
feasible, in view of the antennas and power used on the
island.
JAPAN:
------
sunrise: 21:55, sunset: 07:50
opening: 15:00 - 22:00
peak time: 18:30, 23:00
A piece of cake on both bands.
NORTH AMERICA:
--------------
A toughie, at le4ast for parts of the continent.
The table below was set-up using the average sunrise/sunset
times (Jan. 22). It is clear that the Eastern part of the US
will have a shot at Heard at and after sunset in the
US(East).
Area sunrise/sunset opening peak (#)
---- ------------- ------- ----
VE1(N.B.) 12:00/21:10 21:10-23:20 22:15
NY city 12:20/21:55 21:55-23:20 22:40
Wash DC 12:30/22:10 22:10-23:20 22:15
Fla 12:50/23:10 23:10-23:20 23:15
Chicago 13:20/22:45 22:45-23:20 23:00
TX(Houst) 13:20/23:44 23:30 23:30
(#): peak times based upon assumption that the path will
peak half way in-between sunset in the US and sunrise on
Heard. The peak may also occur at Heard sunrise (23:11 on
Jan 15 and 23:45 on Feb. 5th).
If we look at the Western and Western Mid-West states, we
must however differentiate between the beginning of the
operation (Jan. 15th and the end of the operation(Feb. 5th).
Area date sunrise/sunset peak other path
---- ---- -------------- ---- ----------
KS Jan 15 13:41/23:15 23:15
Feb 5 13:26/23:39 23:40
N.D. Jan 15 14:29/23:16 23:16 14:30 (80m)
Feb 5 14:07/23:47 23:47 14:10 (80m)
Co Jan 15 14:24/23:55 23:45 14:50 (80m)
Feb 5 14:09/00:19 00:10 14:20 (80m)
Ida Jan 15 15:20/00:28 15:20
Feb 5 15:01/00:56 15:00
Mont Jan 15 14:57/23:50 15:00 23:30 (80m)
Feb 5 14:36/00:20 14:40 23:15 (80m)
Wyo Jan 15 14:38/23:51 14:50 23:40 (80m)
Feb 5 14:20/00:18 14:30 00:10 (80m)
Wa Jan 15 15:59/00:39 15:45
Feb 5 15:36/01:11 15:25
VE7 Jan 15 16:09/00:36 15:55
Feb 5 15:44/01:10 15:30
Ore Jan 15 15:53/01:03 15:45
Feb 5 15:32/01:18 15:20 (*)
Sacramento
Cal Jan 15 15:28/01:03 15:25
Feb 5 15:13/01:27 15:05 (*)
San Francisco
Cal Jan 15 15:29/01:10 15:25
Feb 5 15:14/01:33 15:10 (*)
Los Angeles
Cal Jan 15 14:42/01:23 14:50 (very difficult on 160)
Feb 5 14:36/01:38 14:40 (*)
San Diego
Cal Jan 15 14:55/01:01 14:55
Feb 5 14:45/01:25 14:48 (*)
Peak propagation times have been computed taking into
account that the sun rises much slower on Heard (53 deg
latitude) than in the USA. Heard will enjoy grey-line
propagation after sun-rise much longer than especially in
the Southern States (e.g. Southern California).
Long path openings from Wyoming and Montana may be possible
on 80, but are very unlikely on 160, because there is too
much daylight in the path.
The most difficult propagation is likely to be between Heard
and the Southern part of California. The path is slightly
better towards the end of the expedition (*).
Be aware that the signals may not come true path headings.
The closer to the antipode, the more this is true.
Propagation follows the paths of least attenuation. This
means that signals will tend to stay in the Northern
hemisphere (where it is winter) as long as possible. Another
mechanism that can cause path to be "odd" is the aurora
mechanism. The message is "watch out, and switch your
Beverages around". Also, when you are close to the antipode,
you may gain by listening omnidirectionally, whereby you can
obtain full advantage of antipodal focussing.
Another Problem
---------------
Another major problem is that the band will peak on 80 and
160, at the same time for Japan, Europe and North America.
The 21:00 - 23:45 time frame is the North America window.
The H.I. guys will call CQ NA, at least every few minutes.
If nothing heard they will probably work Europe. BUT EUROPE,
PLEASE DO NOT CALL, WHEN THEY CALL CQ NA.
This is true for 80 and even much more for 160m. European
stations that you are heard by the guys calling them after a
CQ NA, should certainly not expect a favorite treatment from
the H.I. guys who are stretching their ears to copy North
America. Please Europe, let's show that we can behave in a
civilized way.
In order to avoid QRM from Europe, the H.I. guys may QSX
1.805.1.810, which is a frequency where most Europeans cannot
transmit. Listen for their announced QSX frequency. On 80
meters they will listen above 3.805 Mhz, in order to avoid
European and JA-QRM.
Making QSO's on 160
-------------------
We have agreed that they would use "QRZ" as an invitation
to start calling.
A typical exchange would be:
CQ DE VK0IR QSX 5 (or UP 5/8)
pile up (we hope)
W6ZZZ W6ZZZ 559 559 W6ZZZ W6ZZZ KN
W6ZZ GIVES REPORT
W6ZZZ QSL QRZ (VK0IR)
DO NOT tail-end. DO NOT call when they are working another
station. Listen for instructions, and live by them.
Listen for the QRZ to start transmitting.
In the exhange with the report they will as a rule give the
other station's call 4 times.
Once they have a call partly they will do the exchange as
follows:
W6Z? W6Z? 449 449 W6Z? W6Z? KN KN
They will stick to the W6Z.. call and will not pick up another
possibly stronger station! So, stand by until that QSO has
been made, or until VK0IR goes "QRZ".
The operators
-------------
Don't forget there are some eminent low band DX-ers in the
crew, K4UEE, W0GJ -ex WA0PUJ- K0IR, RA3AUU, ON6TT and ON5NT
to name the most experienced ones. These guys know how to do
it. They know that the low bands is a MUST for them. They
won't make pile-ups on 10, I think. In this DX-pedition the
low bands are not third choice which means operation is
postponed until the last few days. The low bands will get
their 100% attention, right from the start. Bravo!
Remember ZS8IR has been worked on the low bands from all
over, and he has only 200 Watts, and a Battle Creek special.
Now on Heard they have a little (?) more power and 4-squares
for the low bands, and Beverages...
The 160m beacon
---------------
Throughout the whole operation (from just before sunset to
just after sunrise on Heard Island), whenever they are not
running on 160, the Heard Island DX-pedition will run a
topband beacon on 1,826.5 KHz. It will sign "V V V V V V V V
V DE VK0IR VK0IR VK0IR " . The beacon will run with full
legal power on a monoband top-loaded vertical.
Check this frequency during times of possible propagation
(likely when the DX-pedition will be operating on 80 or
maybe 40m). Whenever the beacon signal is heard with a
comfortable signal, the low band freaks are asked to come
down (to 80 or 40m) and to inform the operation of the band
opening. If possible, they will QSY immediately.
SWL reports on this beacon with all details are to be sent
to the pilots.
Deliberate Jamming
------------------
As evidenced during their operation from TO0R, we must
likely expect some deliberate jamming sessions. To try to
avoid carriers, VK0IR may shift its transmitting frequency
up and down a few hundred Hz (200, 300 Hz) when the rate
goes down on CW. This applies to 160 and 80 meters CW.
They may even try an alternative transmitting frequency
which would be 1822.5 KHz on 160 m.
73
Your pilots: ON4UN, N1DG, W0EK, K0EU, W4WW, W2IJ, JH1ROJ
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