Hi Gang
I have been meaning to inquire in open forum as to some propagation
observations made recently at A61AJ. I was hoping that perhaps someone has
an answer out there to one situation specifically - as it continues to baffle
me.
Here's the scenario.
1) NA short path propagation opened daily from A6 at about 2330z on a heading
of about 335-345 degrees over the pole.
2) VE1ZZ was first through - followed by USA W1-W3, then the path shifted
WEST out to W8/W9/W0 peaking during the period from about 0000z-0020z.
3) From about 0030z, the prop started closing from NORTH to SOUTH - with
RECIPROCAL absorption fadeout occurring in W1 at about 0045z daily, and W4
absorption fadeout occuring in the period roughly 0050z - 0115z.
4) Except for AA4MM in Orlando and W8JI in GA, the band was essentially
closed from about 0110z until about 0210z when it again opened much more
POORLY building to a far less dramatic sunrise peak from about 0230z-0250z.
This was NORMAL - and my assumptions as to the causal factors were (only a
guess on my part) that the more Northerly stations were MOST LIKELY being
absorped by their proximity to the auroral ovals. Gradually the absorption
headed South eventually masking callers (who I could tell were there
sometimes for awhile longer) but well beneath my ambient noise level.
EG: To me, it just seemed logical that the SOUTHERLY stations in TENN/GA/FLA
and TEXAS were being less absorped as the band closed - and that propagation
was thus supported to these areas for a somewhat longer period.
This is, of course, only a theory. I do not begin to pretend to understand
this stuff. Like most of you, I just turn on my radio - listen for what is
available - call it like the dickens etc etc etc and hope that I get through
to something interesting.
Now here is the anomaly - and it is bugging the blazes out of me.
All of this theorizing sort of makes sense until you try to explain the
MIRACLE of VE1ZZ.
Long after the band had completely closed for other NA stations, Jack would
check in from Halifax and literally blow me out of the chair. I am not
talking about a puny weak, watery signal at 449 or so either.
He called me one night around 0120z (after the band had closed into even the
more Southerly W4's) and was a solid 589/599 - peaking to 10-15DB over S9 at
times!
At first he said I was 569 - then advised that he had forgotten to turn off
his attenuator which was in at 30DB. Then he said after taking it out that I
too was peaking 599 with QSB to about 579. So the propagation was reciprocal
at each end of the circuit.
We literally rag-chewed one night for 15 minutes - from 0115z to about 0130z
- and I did so with pleasure simply because there was nothing else to do -
and it was literally armchair copy - on both ends. Jack could have recited
his *life story* to me had he wanted to that evening!.
So, this is the question. Clearly VE1ZZ is further North than MOST of the
other stations in NA that had faded from the ether - so my simple way of
analyzing this says that he too **should have** been equally absorped by the
auroral ovals - it they are indeed playing a role here in all of this.
But JACK's location is also much FURTHER EAST along the great circle path
that exists between NA and A6.
Somehow his signal just sits there - above the rest - and I have observed his
definitive ability to work this path almost at will - DAILY for the past 15
years. His "reach" (for the lack of a better term) into the Far East via the
Long path into Asia is so much greater than my own, even from Cape Cod, that
it defies the imagination.
Others, including 8Q7AA from last year, have also reported a VE1ZZ ability to
work them nightly - at will - on a path that is closed to all other North
American stations.
This has been observed into 4S7RPG, VU and basically everything along this
path from VE1ZZ sunset until the sunrise times of the locations noted above.
How and why does this happen? Is it simply a factor of being further EAST
along the great circle route that (seemingly) allows him to overcome the
normal auroral oval absorption that the rest of us mere MORTALS have to
endure?
Any ideas out there from the experts among us?
I must admit I do not have more to add on the subject - yet I have seen this
time and time again - and I can tell you the effect at A61AJ was more than
impressive - being able to witness it FIRSTHAND from the other end of the
circuit was truly unique.
I mean, the man's signal is AWESOME!
73 JEFF
K1ZM@aol.com
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