| Textbook Au opening here early last evening which
continued for many hours. The most interesting thing was
"OLD FAITHFUL" on 10m: oh9ten/b - 28.267.6 Mhz
This thing was in (weakly) for probably 2.5-3 hours
banging away. Some really weak 48.260Mhz video a couple
of times, and some of the NA (6m)beacons were peaking far
to the north a few times also. No EU signals heard on 6m.
I called lots on 50.105, 110, 112, 115, (cw) but no
answers, hi hi! MIKE/ve9aa/fn65rr p.s.-would be very
interesting to know what ANY of the Europeans were
hearing around their own local midnights.(???) Mike - Ve9aa <ve9aa@brunnet.net> - Friday, February 28, 1997 at 21:11:06 (GMT) Feb 27th was copy of 26th except more thoughtless
domestic calling on 50.110. It seems just like in Europe,
every time th band opens interstate people lack a place
to call. That is why we have to promote 50.200 two way
ssb domestic call. Once people know they cant get a LOCAL
qso on 50.110 they will move to where the action is. Log
from VK3SIX/OT Almost clone copy of yesterday. Not so
much observance of the 50.110 rules. 0100z VK4 TV strong.
Open into Brisbane for two hours on E's. 03:15 50.110
VK4CWJ VK3YDE 50.058 VK4RGG 28.261 VK2RSY 10M beacon
50.170 VK4GPS 59+ into VK3 and copying VK7 50 and 52 Mhz
beacons. 50.130 VK3CWJ 59+ into VK3. 52.420 VK2RSY beacon
519 scatter. 52.325 VK2RHV beacon Hunter valley. 03:30
45.2396 F2 backscatter from North east, not e layer.
45.2496/2500 F2 b/s from N/E. 46.172 9++ 46.2610 559
Tamworth. 51.915 9++ FM Sound. 04:00z 29.600 KH6HKL
Hawaii 59 on FM F2 mode. 04:30z 50.058 beacon still in
from VK4RGG. 50.110 VK2BHO CQ CW. No link up to TEP again
today, no sign of 48/49 TV indicators. Hundreds of FM CB
stations from Asia as high as 35 Mhz. 0500z 29.825 baudot
from Asia. 30.360 Asian S/W TX or harmonic 59+ 50.058
still 599. KH6HKL has a 400 Mhz link and montors 29.600
FM all day. From the log of VK3SIX Feb 26th 1997. 0200z 46.172
TV Video 599. 50.058 VK4RGG QG62 Nerang Qld. 50.047
VK8RAS Alice Springs NT. 02:30z 50.110 VK5BC QF05 559
renmark. 02:35z 46.261 TV Video Tamworth NSW. 02:40z
50.057 VK7RNE Scatter 539 QE37. 02:45z 50.130 VK4?? had
pa failure mid call. 28.261 VK2RSY Dural 10M Beacon 579
with QSB. 52.325 VK2RHV Hunter Valley Beacon 539. 02:50z
52.420 VK2RSY 6M beacon by scatter 519. 0300z
45.2396/2496 NZTV from North east on backscatter 539.
0300z 50.110 VK2ASI Mobile VK4 calling on the
International Call channel. for domsetic QSO;s. 0300z
50.180 VK4APG QG62 working VK4FNQ QH30, heard both sides.
50.200 Called CQ on new Domestic Call channel of 50.200
and 0310z 50.180 Worked VK4APG 59+ for 30 minutes until
03:40 03:45 46.172 9+++ WIN Channel 0 51.762 9+++ main
Sound carrier. 51.915 9++ sec Sound carrier. 03:50z
52.345 VK4ABP Logreach QG26 559. I was pleasantly
surprised to get a response by calling on 50.200. Im not
so sure it is a good place because all through Cycle 22
JA's operate from 200 up on FM mode. So we will have to
see if it works out. Still anyhting is better than QRM on
50.110. The main data base is about to be sent to Chris
and Geoff, so be there or get left off. Last call for log entries to add to the now very
large EU-VK DX data base. It will be posted as soon as
most of the errors are corrected and grids entered. There
are dozens of incorrect callsigns and this may help you
find out why you never got a QSL card. Some of the calls
are one or two letters out, yours truly included.
DISCLAIMER: No responsibility for errors or embarrassment
due to publishing information that shows an illegal QSO
out of time or out of date. The UKSMG committee agreed last weekend to sponsor
VE9AA's June 1997 DXpedition to CY9 with a sum of 500
pounds Sterling. More information on this DXpedition can
be found on www.uksmg.org/cy9.htm. The Group has funds
available for sponsoring other suitably qualified 6m
DXpeditions in 1997. If interested please contact the
UKSMG's Chairman Chris, G3WOS at g3wos(at)uksmg.org G3WOS is
also collecting personal subscriptions for the CY9
DXpedition. If you would like to contribute a small sum
please contact G3WOS and you could get your name on the
site! www.uksmg.org/cy9.htm 73 Chris Channel 0 OOPS Transpose frequencies please ABMN
46.2400 Wagga Wagga NSW 34:49.5 S 147:54.0 E South West
slopes of Riverina NSW WIN 46.172 Toowoomba QLD 26:53.5 S
151:36.5 E Darling Downs, Toowoomba Queensland. Channel 0 Updates: We are slowly losing our Chanel
0 transmitters, with the latest being Kandos Rylestone
New South Wales. The following are known to be still
active and you should/will not find any Amateurs within
an exclusion zone. Main Station. Location. ABMN 46.172
Wagga Wagga NSW 34:49.5 S 147:54.0 E South West slopes of
Riverina NSW WIN 46.240 Toowoomba QLD 26:53.5 S 151:36.5
E Darling Downs, Toowoomba Queensland. Both the above are
high power stations >> 100 kW EIRP Omni or
partially directional. Tranlators Location ABSN 46.245
Cooma NSW 36:14.0 S 149:7.0 E ABWM 46.237 Narooma NSW
36:12.0 S 150:5.5 E NEN 46.261 Tamworth NSW 31:4.5 S
150:57.5 The above three use 50 watts, 500 watts and 1000
watts vision EIRP respectively and no amateur activity is
permitted within 60 kM. OFF AIR RECEIVING SITE. Channel 0
to 11 Young NSW 34:18.0 S 148:18.8 E Channel 0 to 66
Tumbarumba NSW 35:46.5 S 148:18.8 E Channel 0 to 5A
Picnic Point QLD. Channel 0 to 65 Chinchilla QLD. Channel
0 to 66 Murgon QLD. Channel 0 to 64 Millmerran (Qld or
Nth NSW)? Channel 0 to 66 Tara QLD Channel 0 to 5A
Moranbah QLD These locations are protected against QRM
with a 60 kM exclusive zone. No 6M amateur activity
permitted on 50 Mhz. Feb 20th was predictable based on last months
observations. See report on GJ4ICD's page from ZL3TIC.
Except for Norm VK3DUT, who is a radio junkie, the rest
of us had retreated from 40 to 43 degree heat, the
hottest summer in 100 years, so we didnt hear 48 and 49
TV at 0900z on 21/2/97, and didn't initiate calls to JA.
Thats what beacons are for, trouble is with it boiling
hot at this end and freezing cold at the other end (JA)
it is a wonder anyone is in their ham shacks. In fact if
one analyses the odds against the first EU VK signals on
24/12/88 when it was 36 degrees here and about minus 5 at
Epsoo (OH1VR) it is a wonder that it ever occured. See
the latest predictions about the rise to a peak? Three
years from now to the top. All I can say is based on last
time, they are going to be some sunspots beacuse it took
4 years from bottom to top last time and they were the
best dx conditions ever experienced. On the band plans,
David VK2BA is actively canvassing for the domestic QSOs
to be moved above 50.150, with a centre of 50.200, and DX
to DX between 50.100 and 50.150. You will excuse us if we
don't observe the rule about only intercontinental
contacts, because Oceania is about 1/3rd of the earths
surface and has over 50 countries residing within it.
However moves are afoot to guarantee there will be at
least some observation of a no fly zone, so that EU
stations will have a window to Oceania. Ross VK3TYN got to Baghdad, more on that later.
SM0KAK is going to Beijing, and may get guest operating
priviledges, but I think 50 Mhz is out due TVI. All the
ZL's and VK's except me and Adam have put the dust covers
on their rigs. They are all convinced we have to wait for
two more years yet. What do you think? I have had a
corrected log from Arnie and SM7FJE. Eric has typed in
VK8ZLX. There is still VK6JQ's to do, and it has THE BEST
DX you have ever seen worked. I have put 300 distance and
bearings in but have to do another 800 plus, which
involves calculating the figure grid to grid and then
typing it in, see you next Xmas. Are there any more logs
to come please??? V73AT Tim has made contact and says he will re
activate Kwajalein this cycle. Commencing March Tim will
be back as V73AT. I will post more when I get the new
email address. I hope the beacon goes back on as well. Question? Is there some way in Excel/Works so that
the distance between the two adjacent grid squares can be
calculated? ie. If QF12 worked IN89 and they are in the
data base, is it possible to invoke a subroutine from
those two entries on that line to use the formula to
calculate the great circle distance and display it in
another column? By the way what is the formula? Can
anyone provide the T indexes, Solar Flux, A and K for the
data base for all the openings? I also need someone who
is red hot on graphs and stuff to set up the data and
make predictions and produce statistics that we can all
understand and use. 73 The data is of course formatted in rows and
columns. That is lost when you post to this message bank.
I can provide files in Excel (Preffered by G3WOS and
GJ4ICD) I can also save in MS Works and in plain text
with tabs and columns Ask me if you want a file sent to
you. If you load it in excel you can sort by any
parameter. I tell you this, the data base has revealed
very useful data for predicting and tracking openings.
Chris will post it to the UKSMG BBS here when it is (if
ever) finished. Example of data base We just passed 1000 QSO's on the data base and Eric
VK5LP is still compiling the VK8ZLX logs. Geoff VK8GF is
sending me the VK8GF logs and I am trying to get
GJ4ICD's. If anyone has more contacts no matter how
few/trivial they seem, we would like to hear from you. Re
the dupes, it was an observation and I also made several
dozen dupes. Next time it opens I will be calling for G
call numbers, as I also missed out on rare dx when GI0OTC
could not break the main "front line." Dont get
me wrong I am not complaining, I am recognising the
comments passed and will try as a dx station to do
something about it. There are many mistakes in the data
base, and I cannot do anything about it. Mainly times.
Some are just a plain guess based upon other openings at
the time. Please send me your logs asap, it will close
off soon. How about at 1500??? Regarding Steve's (VK3OT) comments, some of us were
just as frustrated with Eu-VK dupes as you. I heard VK6PA
(and others, e.g. VS6, DU, KG6) many times, at S9++ but
failed to break the daily pile-up of the same old
callsigns. Please give the smaller stations a chance when
you've worked the DX, some of us have to put up with
small gardens (mine's 30ft square). Dear Om/YL, Do you know the qsl-manager of these
peditions : LY96RMD (last summer) UT6X ( a couple of
years ago) Did you get qsls and in which way ?
Ari/oh9nyw/kp25gr still qrv on six and up VATICAN The beacon HV3SJ is again active on 50.004
MHz. 73' Sergio, IK0FTA I would like to hear comments regarding the Kenwood
TS-60S. I have a TS-690S in C6 at this point but would
like to monitor HF and six. The 690 does a good job and I
am not dissatisfied with it. I wonder how the TS-60S does
in a crowded band. Also, does it hear below 50 MHz?
Thanks for taking the time to read this. I look forward
to hearing from you. 73, Steve Guess what I have been doing all day? Apart from
listening to nothing on 50 Mhz. Typing in VK6PA's log
into the data base. Eric VK5LP is going to type in
VK8ZLX.s. Where are all the other logs, as promised? Ill
be stopping when I get to 1000 QSO;s. There are over 700
in the file at this time. A question????? I was wondering
why some many people worked VK6PA so many times on 50 Mhz
day after day? Some appear in the log no less than 10
times during October 1991. He has 39 log pages of EU's
and worked just about everyone in the British isles. But
the dupes, man if he was a dxpedition, some of you would
be disqualified under dx pedition protocol. One or two
QSO;s is fine but TEN? 73 de Steve Finally got my confirmation from 4K6D ! Worked this
guy twice back in summer 95 and spent about half a dozen
QSL's plus irc's, green stamps and all to various places
in 4K and UA. This week brought a QSL direct from
Azerbaijan; I really cannot tell to which card of mine
this one is the reply, but the sender's address on the
envelope reads: Shcherbakov Vlad, P.O.Box 172, Baku
370000, Azerbaijan. I am sure I have never put this one
on any of my qsl's but guess you might like to try this
one if you still need a confirmation from him.... CU all
on SIX Speaking of QSL's and QSO's. I cant help with
VK8RH, its a lousy cause. I need a path for SK7NM, OG1ZAA
are these cards going to be available? I also need
assistance with a few QSO's you will see on the list.
OK1DDO where are you. The F8SO or F8SQ I worked, never
heard a thing from you, do you always pass up 16000 km
qsl cards? And the mistaken and miscopied callsigns from
OE and elsewhere. I guess we have to say "No
Contact"? 73 Hi everyone. I have just shipped out a series of
Excel files which contain 350 QSO's made by VKs last
cycle into Europe. However I still need logs from anyone
who would like to contribute. Format should be dd/mm/yy
UCT Call Grid Grid Call remarks. Anywhere I have queried
a grid means I have no info, could you help? Can you
assist wherever possible to finish this task? NEED HELP ON DELINQUENT QSL! If anyone can help me
with the following people who have never sent me a QSL
even tho I have sent them many SASE's, etc., I would
appreciate it. Do these people ever qsl or do I have the
wrong adr., etc> 1. SM0LCB/5--July 1995 JO78, have adr
as ULF LARSSON MANADSV 27 2 S-17542 JERFELLA, SWEDEN have
sent Ulf 3 requests since 1995 ; mail not returned so
assume he is getting my letters. 2. N5XYO, worked in June
1996 ARRL VHF CONTEST. Was in DM80 have sent John 3
requests with no replies as of yet. I used the most
recent CBA-1996. 3. XE2NTM, also worked in June 1996 ARRL
VHF CONTEST. Was in DL95. Sent request about 3 months ago
to adr. relayed to me from ARRL headquarters: LUIS
OROZCO, MONTES CLAROS 3413 MONTERREY, NL 64949 MEXICO If
anyone has received qsls from any of these 3 people, I'd
appreciate a reply via e-mail...or if any of these 3
people have poor qsling histories or never qsl, I'd like
to know that too so I can "give up"!! NOTE:
Making possible plans for Grid EXped for CQ VHF CONTEST
on 2nd weekend of July to either FN57 or 67 or 64 in
Northern/Eastern Maine. Will keep 6m chaps informed as to
progress of plans. Nothing on 6m since mid-Jan., not even
any aurora! DXpeditions and that C6 (as always) is a popular
spot for many. The reason it is so rare in Europe
probably stems from the fact contacts are very difficult
off the side of a beam ie: when W9AAA/C6 is beaming NA
all the time. I have lost count in the last 10 years the
number of C6 operations I have put into my wall planner
for the Es season, never to hear a report of any into
Europe, but at the same time I work FL east coasters year
after year during June. Last year a 'C6 June contest
operator was hrd by many in Europe but no one could crack
the stateside pile-up! It must be very tempting to work
1000+ NA stations during a two week operation, rather
than 10 EU stations (guess I'd do the same), but please
give us a chance. Maybe we should send Jimmy JKV there,
I've worked him during June from 5 Islands in the sun in
recent years ...all on a dead band!!!! See you on 6m.
G0JHC Don't forget that the UKSMG AGM will be held at
10:45 on Sunday 16th February at the RSGB VHF convention
at Sandown Park, Esher. It should be an interesting
session as there is a presentation by the team that
activated 4L6PA last summer. c u there! Re VK Bandplans. I have been taken to task, and
must point out that my comments are my own opinions. I
have very little support in my attempts to alert the
world to our plight with the congestion on 50.110. So it
is over to Eric VK5LP, David VK2BA, John VK3KWA, Adam
VK3ALM and Peter VK8ZLX (these are the only VK's so far
who have indicated a desire to do anything about our
congested call frequency). The general feeling is that E
layer will subside and create by its abscence a clear
call channel. Do you believe in fairies at the bottom of
the garden? Dont forget, please, when it is all in a heap
call me +61 014485939 Fax 613 55712222 phone 613
55723333. You will find me below 50.105 or 50.100. If you
come up on 50.110 and there is QRM try to move down the
band. As far as posting bulletins, I am told that there
is too much information and it is not yet time to work
F2, so the bulletins are not relevent so they now cease.
73 Steve If you weren't aware, there's quite a debate
beginning to rage over here, both on packet @VKNET and
between those of us with internet, on the use of 50MHz
and implementation of workable band plans. One aspect I
would like to discuss is that of contests. *** Does any
other country have contests that allow 50MHz operation,
particularly in the DX segment of the band - because
there is strong pressure over here from a minority to
have 50MHz re-instated into the VK "VHF/UHF Field
Day Contest". *** Please let me know, as if it's
internationally frowned upon to have contests on the low
end of 50MHz then I want our contest co-ordinators to
know what world opinion is. This is quite an important
consideration whilst trying to formulate a workable band
plan. Personally, I am quite against intra-VK (or any
where else for that matter) contesting on 50MHz, and due
to the efforts of VK3OT, myself and a few others, it was
deleted from this Summers contest. Quite often the rules
of these contests are managed by ops who rarely turn
their 6MX box on and are oblivious to what's really
happening out there. Aside from the "VHF/UHF Field
Day Contest" which runs over one weekend in January
we also have a month long "Ross Hull" contest
that has a 50MHz category - yes one month long over
Dec/Jan. The rules clearly state "...no contest
activity should occur below 50.150MHz." This is
still violated, and the only way to prevent this is not
to have 50MHz at all. You may laugh at knowing we have a
full 2MHz of Primary between 52-54MHz with 400W PEP and
operators are not content for using this for contesting
purposes. What does the World think?? PLEASE email me
your comments. FOOD FOR THOUGHT> From:
VK3KWA@VK3BBS.#MEL.VIC.AUS.OC To :
VK3OT@VK3SSS.#WEV.VIC.AUS.OC Hi Steve. I have seen some
of the bulletins about band plans and 50.110, also about
6 metres in the Ross Hull Contest and Field Day. Nothing
has been sent to me though, so I don't know how they
expect me to find out what their ideas are, much less act
on them! For all they know, I may not even have packet
and will never know what they think should be done. I
have been thinking that one reason why people hog 50.110
so much is that there is no other calling frequency and
they find it hard to accept the idea of picking any old
frequency and calling on it, like everyone does on HF. I
think we need to adopt a domestic calling frequency. Some
people have suggested 50.150, but 50.200 would be far
better and would be in line with the thinking of the
Americans. We would have to move that VK0 beacon though.
One suggestion I heard was a third calling frequency on
50.150 for interstate DX. Not a good idea. It would be
hard enough to get people used to the idea of dividing
their attention between two calling frequencies. Better
to work on getting both local and interstate on 50.200.
The band plan should show 50.100 - 50.150 for
international DX only, which seems to be the thinking in
other countries. That would leave a gap from 50.150 to
50.200 where people could QSY up from 50.110 or down from
50.200. All of this is well and good of course, but the
problem is getting people to abide by it. But at least
putting it in the band plan would be a start. There is a
strong swing of opinion that 6 metres should be
reinstated for the VHF/UHF Field Day. If I do it, I can't
make the rules watertight but I can ban any contest
activity below 50.150, and nominate 50.200 as the contest
calling frequency. Likewise for the Ross Hull. That would
conflict with the general policy of not using calling
frequencies for contests, but on the other hand it would
help to establish 50.200 in people's minds if they found
plenty of activity there over the summer. Another idea is
to suggest to Peter Nesbit that for all WIA contests,
including the RD and the John Moyle Field Day etc, we
should have an across the board policy of no activity
below 50.150. Enough of that for now. Incidentally
Andrew, VK7XR, has confirmed that channel 0 St Helens is
gone, and at long last channel 5A is in the phaseout
stage and is now running on reduced power. Cheers from
John Chairman of Wireless Institute of Australia, Federal
Technical Advisory Committee. HV3SJ VATICAN BEACON - It is temporary QRT. It is
hoped to repair it in a short time. (info via i0jx -
Tony). Sergio. Welcome to the UKSMG announcement page! We hope
that you enjoy this new announcement and chat page. Just
click on the e-mail address to send a personal reply to
an announcement or post a message if you think others
will be interested! |
