ZS/FR 31 August 2010 - Strong 2m and new 70cms - tropospheric ducting propagation

Openings of 31 August 2010 - Strong 2m and new 70cms qso

The general situation :

1-AIS RX

My AIS RX range was not spectacular at all...

ais-fr-31082010-04z	ais-zs-31082010-04z

ais-fr-31082010-12h30	ais-zs-31082010-12h30z

ais-fr-31082010-15z	ais-zs-31082010-15z

ais-fr-31082010-21z	ais-zs-31082010-21z

ais-fr-01092010-10z	ais-zs-01092010-10z

2-The Hepburn predictions

3-The radiosounding data (PREDICTED DATA from NOAA Air Resources Laboratory)


PORT_ELIZABETH-2010-08-30-18z	Durban-2010-08-30-18z	South-5R8-2010-08-30-18z	FR-2010-08-30-18z

Port-Elizabeth 08-31-2010-12z	Durban 08-31-2010-12z	South 5R8 08-31-2010-12z	FR 08-31-2010-12z

PORT_ELIZABETH-2010-08-31-15z	Durban-2010-08-31-15z	South-5R8-2010-08-31-15z.	FR-2010-08-31-15z.

PORT_ELIZABETH-2010-08-31-18z	Durban-2010-08-31-18z.	South-5R8-2010-08-31-18z.	FR-2010-08-31-18z.

PORT_ELIZABETH-2010-08-31-21z	Durban-2010-08-31-21z	South-5R8-2010-08-31-21z	FR-2010-08-31-21z

PORT_ELIZABETH-2010-09-01-00z	Durban-2010-09-01-00z.	South-5R8-2010-09-01-00z	FR-2010-09-01-00z

Real data only available :

5R8
	31 august 2010-00z	31 august 2010-12z

4-The predicted data from NOAA Air Resources Laboratory - GDAS1 Profile

PORT_ELIZABETH 2010-08-31-12z	Durban-2010-08-31-12z	South-5R8-2010-08-31-12z	FR-2010-08-31-12z
HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 316. 0.001 0.2 536. 0.014 3.1 ** 765. 0.020 4.5 1001. 0.017 3.9 1492. 0.008 3.8 2008. 0.003 1.7 2552. 0.001 0.8 3122. 0.002 1.3 3726. 0.002 1.5 4366. 0.002 1.0 5049. 0.003 2.2 5782. 0.003 1.9 6576. 0.005 3.7 7446. 0.004 3.8 8414. 0.007 6.4 9505. 0.006 6.4 10756. 0.003 4.1 12221. 0.005 6.6 14029. 0.008 15.0 16502. 0.014 34.7 20727. 0.023 98.7 26498. 0.029 **	HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 326. 0.012 2.2 ** 556. 0.009 2.1 792. 0.006 1.4 1032. 0.004 0.9 1531. 0.002 0.9 2052. 0.001 0.7 2598. 0.001 0.6 3172. 0.001 0.8 3779. 0.004 2.5 4425. 0.004 2.8 5117. 0.004 2.7 5862. 0.004 3.2 6670. 0.005 4.0 7557. 0.004 3.3 8535. 0.003 3.3 9632. 0.004 4.7 10884. 0.002 3.0 12343. 0.003 4.9 14141. 0.008 14.0 16577. 0.013 31.7 20722. 0.024 98.1 26465. 0.031 **	HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 407. 0.001 0.1 629. 0.003 0.6 857. 0.008 1.9 1091. 0.013 3.1 ** 1578. 0.010 5.1 2095. 0.007 3.5 2638. 0.002 1.3 3211. 0.002 1.3 3816. 0.004 2.2 4461. 0.004 2.5 5150. 0.003 2.3 5890. 0.003 1.9 6689. 0.002 1.6 7560. 0.003 2.3 8521. 0.004 3.7 9598. 0.004 4.1 10835. 0.007 8.4 12298. 0.005 7.1 14104. 0.008 14.8 16532. 0.011 27.7 20694. 0.025 26431. 0.030 **	HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 411. 0.000 0.0 634. 0.000 0.1 860. 0.001 0.3 1092. 0.003 0.7 1572. 0.006 2.9 ** 2076. 0.009 4.4 2614. 0.009 5.0 3182. 0.005 2.6 3786. 0.005 2.7 4431. 0.006 3.7 5122. 0.005 3.1 5865. 0.002 1.8 6667. 0.001 1.0 7539. 0.003 2.4 8502. 0.004 3.7 9585. 0.005 5.9 10829. 0.005 6.8 12298. 0.005 8.0 14106. 0.006 10.9 16534. 0.012 28.9 20683. 0.025 26443. 0.031 **
PORT_ELIZABETH 2010-08-31-15z	Durban 2010-08-31-15z	South-5R8 2010-08-31-15z	FR 2010-08-31-15z
HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 326. 0.001 0.2 545. 0.003 0.7 771. 0.018 4.0 ** 1003. 0.020 4.7 1493. 0.013 6.4 2011. 0.005 2.6 2554. 0.001 0.7 3125. 0.000 0.2 3726. 0.001 0.5 4363. 0.003 1.7 5043. 0.003 2.3 5774. 0.003 2.1 6567. 0.004 3.4 7435. 0.006 5.3 8406. 0.008 7.7 9502. 0.006 6.2 10757. 0.003 3.4 12222. 0.004 5.8 14035. 0.009 16.1 16508. 0.014 34.0 20733. 0.023 98.6 26503. 0.029 **	HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 323. 0.032 6.1 ** 555. 0.012 2.7 790. 0.004 1.0 1031. 0.003 0.7 1531. 0.002 0.8 2054. 0.001 0.6 2601. 0.000 0.3 3175. 0.001 0.7 3783. 0.004 2.7 4429. 0.005 2.9 5121. 0.004 2.9 5867. 0.004 3.3 6678. 0.004 3.6 7564. 0.003 2.9 8542. 0.004 3.8 9640. 0.004 4.4 10891. 0.002 2.6 12349. 0.004 5.8 14152. 0.008 14.2 16588. 0.012 29.2 20723. 0.024 26465. 0.030 **	HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 411. 0.001 0.2 633. 0.002 0.5 861. 0.010 2.2 ** 1095. 0.012 2.9 1582. 0.010 5.0 2097. 0.007 3.4 2640. 0.003 1.5 3212. 0.003 1.4 3819. 0.004 2.3 4463. 0.004 2.3 5152. 0.003 2.3 5892. 0.003 1.9 6692. 0.003 2.0 7565. 0.004 3.2 8528. 0.003 2.5 9604. 0.003 3.6 10841. 0.007 8.5 12304. 0.005 7.9 14115. 0.008 15.2 16542. 0.010 25.3 20699. 0.025 26443. 0.031 **	HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 419. 0.000 0.0 641. 0.001 0.2 868. 0.002 0.4 1099. 0.005 1.2 1579. 0.006 2.7 ** 2086. 0.011 5.6 2625. 0.007 3.7 3193. 0.005 2.6 3797. 0.004 2.4 4441. 0.006 3.6 5132. 0.005 3.3 5875. 0.002 1.6 6676. 0.002 1.3 7549. 0.003 2.5 8512. 0.004 3.6 9594. 0.005 5.2 10837. 0.006 7.5 12306. 0.005 7.6 14111. 0.006 11.0 16535. 0.012 28.9 20682. 0.025 26446. 0.032 **
PORT_ELIZABETH 2010-08-31-18z	Durban 2010-08-31-18z	South-5R8 2010-08-31-18z	FR 2010-08-31-18z
HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 339. 0.000 0.1 558. 0.002 0.4 783. 0.014 3.1 ** 1014. 0.018 4.1 1501. 0.014 6.9 2016. 0.005 2.6 2556. 0.002 0.8 3124. 0.001 0.8 3725. 0.002 1.0 4362. 0.002 1.3 5039. 0.003 1.7 5768. 0.003 2.2 6556. 0.004 3.3 7424. 0.008 7.3 8395. 0.007 7.1 9493. 0.006 6.1 10748. 0.003 3.6 12213. 0.004 5.8 14033. 0.010 17.7 16519. 0.014 33.8 20739. 0.023 96.0 26502. 0.029 **	HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 330. 0.043 8.3 ** 559. 0.014 3.1 795. 0.006 1.5 1038. 0.003 0.7 1536. 0.002 1.0 2059. 0.001 0.5 2607. 0.001 0.4 3181. 0.001 0.5 3788. 0.004 2.6 4433. 0.005 3.3 5127. 0.005 3.2 5875. 0.004 3.1 6685. 0.004 3.0 7571. 0.003 2.9 8549. 0.004 4.2 9648. 0.004 4.3 10898. 0.001 1.8 12356. 0.004 5.9 14158. 0.008 15.0 16589. 0.012 28.5 20733. 0.025 26468. 0.030 **	HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 420. 0.000 0.0 643. 0.002 0.4 869. 0.007 1.5 1102. 0.014 3.3 ** 1589. 0.011 5.4 2104. 0.007 3.5 2646. 0.003 1.6 3219. 0.003 1.6 3823. 0.004 2.1 4467. 0.004 2.3 5156. 0.003 2.3 5895. 0.003 1.9 6695. 0.003 2.5 7569. 0.004 3.2 8532. 0.002 2.1 9608. 0.004 3.8 10845. 0.007 8.2 12305. 0.005 7.6 14115. 0.009 15.5 16542. 0.011 25.5 20698. 0.025 26442. 0.031 **	HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 427. 0.000 0.0 650. 0.000 0.0 876. 0.001 0.3 1107. 0.003 0.7 1586. 0.007 3.4 ** 2093. 0.011 5.7 2630. 0.007 3.8 3200. 0.005 2.8 3804. 0.004 2.4 4448. 0.005 3.2 5138. 0.005 3.2 5880. 0.002 1.4 6682. 0.002 1.7 7554. 0.002 2.1 8517. 0.004 3.8 9599. 0.005 5.6 10842. 0.005 6.7 12311. 0.006 8.2 14113. 0.006 10.2 16540. 0.013 32.2 20694. 0.024 99.0 26459. 0.032 **
PORT_ELIZABETH 2010-08-31-21z	Durban 2010-08-31-21z	South 5R8 2010-08-31-21z	FR 2010-08-31-21z
HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 352. 0.000 0.1 571. 0.004 0.8 794. 0.011 2.5 ** 1025. 0.016 3.7 1510. 0.012 5.9 2022. 0.004 2.1 2558. 0.003 1.7 3124. 0.003 1.6 3723. 0.003 1.5 4359. 0.003 1.6 5037. 0.003 2.1 5765. 0.003 2.4 6554. 0.004 3.2 7423. 0.008 7.3 8395. 0.007 6.6 9493. 0.006 6.3 10747. 0.003 3.3 12214. 0.005 7.0 14042. 0.010 18.5 16531. 0.013 31.7 20744. 0.023 98.8 26511. 0.028 **	HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 334. 0.043 8.6 ** 564. 0.015 3.4 799. 0.008 1.8 1041. 0.004 1.0 1541. 0.002 1.1 2063. 0.001 0.4 2610. 0.000 0.2 3184. 0.001 0.7 3791. 0.005 2.8 4439. 0.005 3.2 5132. 0.004 3.1 5880. 0.004 3.1 6690. 0.004 2.9 7576. 0.003 2.9 8554. 0.005 4.4 9653. 0.004 4.0 10902. 0.001 1.6 12358. 0.004 6.1 14159. 0.008 15.2 16595. 0.013 31.1 20742. 0.025 26478. 0.030 **	HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 424. 0.000 0.0 646. 0.001 0.2 872. 0.004 0.8 1105. 0.015 3.5 ** 1591. 0.013 6.3 2106. 0.007 3.4 2648. 0.003 1.6 3221. 0.003 1.8 3825. 0.003 2.0 4468. 0.003 2.1 5157. 0.003 2.3 5896. 0.002 1.7 6694. 0.003 2.7 7567. 0.004 3.1 8530. 0.002 2.4 9607. 0.004 4.8 10845. 0.006 7.2 12303. 0.005 7.3 14116. 0.010 17.6 16550. 0.009 23.0 20698. 0.025 26452. 0.031 **	HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 427. 0.000 0.1 648. 0.000 0.1 875. 0.002 0.4 1106. 0.003 0.8 1584. 0.006 3.0 ** 2090. 0.012 6.2 2627. 0.007 3.8 3197. 0.005 3.0 3801. 0.004 2.4 4446. 0.004 2.7 5136. 0.004 3.0 5878. 0.002 1.7 6678. 0.002 1.7 7550. 0.002 1.6 8512. 0.005 4.9 9596. 0.005 5.3 10838. 0.006 7.0 12307. 0.005 7.8 14109. 0.005 9.6 16542. 0.014 34.6 20683. 0.024 97.9 26458. 0.032 **
PORT_ELIZABETH 2010-09-01-00z	Durban 2010-09-01-00z	South 5R8 2010-09-01-00z	FR 2010-09-01-00z
HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 351. 0.000 0.1 569. 0.003 0.6 793. 0.011 2.4 ** 1023. 0.017 3.9 1507. 0.011 5.3 2015. 0.004 2.0 2549. 0.003 1.9 3115. 0.003 1.9 3712. 0.003 2.1 4347. 0.003 1.8 5027. 0.003 2.2 5757. 0.003 2.3 6546. 0.004 3.4 7415. 0.008 6.6 8387. 0.007 6.6 9484. 0.006 6.4 10738. 0.002 3.0 12206. 0.005 8.0 14040. 0.010 18.9 16525. 0.012 29.3 20742. 0.024 26500. 0.028 **	HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 330. 0.039 7.7 ** 559. 0.015 3.3 795. 0.009 2.2 1035. 0.005 1.3 1534. 0.003 1.6 2057. 0.000 0.1 2602. 0.001 0.5 3178. 0.003 1.7 3785. 0.004 2.3 4432. 0.005 3.0 5126. 0.004 2.9 5873. 0.004 3.0 6683. 0.004 2.8 7568. 0.003 2.9 8547. 0.005 4.5 9645. 0.003 3.7 10892. 0.002 2.1 12350. 0.005 6.6 14155. 0.009 15.4 16595. 0.012 30.5 20738. 0.025 26475. 0.030 **	HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 419. 0.000 -0.1 641. 0.001 0.1 867. 0.003 0.7 1099. 0.014 3.1 ** 1585. 0.014 7.0 2100. 0.006 3.1 2641. 0.003 1.6 3213. 0.003 2.0 3818. 0.003 2.0 4461. 0.003 2.1 5150. 0.003 2.0 5887. 0.002 1.7 6686. 0.003 2.7 7558. 0.004 3.4 8521. 0.003 2.9 9602. 0.005 5.4 10842. 0.005 6.1 12298. 0.004 6.0 14110. 0.011 19.8 16552. 0.008 20.7 20691. 0.026 26442. 0.030 **	HEIGHT DT/DZ TDIFF CRITICAL INVERSION 424. 0.000 0.0 646. 0.000 0.1 873. 0.002 0.4 1104. 0.004 0.8 1581. 0.005 2.2 2086. 0.013 6.5 ** 2623. 0.007 4.0 3193. 0.005 3.0 3797. 0.004 2.4 4440. 0.004 2.6 5127. 0.004 3.0 5869. 0.002 1.8 6667. 0.002 1.4 7538. 0.003 2.7 8501. 0.005 4.6 9583. 0.004 4.2 10824. 0.006 7.7 12291. 0.006 8.7 14093. 0.005 8.6 16530. 0.015 36.2 20670. 0.024 99.7 26447. 0.031 **

5-The surface pressure chart

6-The visible map (only few pictures available)

8-The fog maps - for night picture only (Copyright 2010 Eumetsat)

For analysis of fog maps see : http://oiswww.eumetsat.org/WEBOPS/msg_interpretation/PowerPoints/Application/00_fog.ppt

I need to learn some more on that as they are interesting.


fog-2010-08-29-21z.	fog-2010-08-30-00z.

fog-2010-08-30-18z.	fog-2010-08-31-00z.

fog-2010-08-31-18z	ffog-2010-09-01-00z

fog-2010-09-01-18z.	fog-2010-09-02-00z.

Some meteorological data recorded at 130m altitude by Manu at Saint-Pierre (Thanks Manu!)
Humidity pick noted on 31/08

9-The QSO's

Video of ZS2GK-ZS5DJ-FR5DN qso

ZS2GK KF47kt to FR5DN LG78qs : 2891 Km (144 digital, ssb, FM and 432Mhz digital)
ZS2ACP KF26sa to FR5DN LG78qs : 3249 Km (144 digital, and heard ssb)
ZS5DJ KG59aa to FR5DN LG78qs : 2629 Km (144 ssb and cw)

ZS2GK Glenn in KF47kt, started to hear the 2m beacon on 30/08/2010.

"Hi there Phil,

You came through quite nicely last night at 20:00 - 20:30 UTC with signals from -14 with audio to -27 

I did send reports back and then you went out again.

I had a further decode, only one about an hour later, then nothing.

There were a lot of * on your first period without decodes so it was detecting that you were there at -33 dB.  On my side there has been a very big "birdy" on the bottom edge of 144,401 but not enough to cause a problem and it has been there for some months.  I have tried to find it but to no avail.

73 - Glenn
ZS2GK"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was trying to follow situation from time to time at qrl as i have an internet connection.
I was seing that cdx were improving step by step... Just after work i dcould not resist to get back home immediatly
Just arriving, checking the station and my cell phone rings at 12h13z. That is Glenn ZS2GK telling me the bcn is strong.
Then we called on ssb and Glenn was an outstanding 59+10 to 59+15db!
We talked a while. Strongest he heard me was 59+40db!
That was a really "armchair" VHFDX qso!

ZS5DJ Dave was also there and we managed an ssb qso at 12h26z. He was 53 and gave me 55.

We also worked cw at 13h03z with 529/559.

Cdx were so strong with Glenn, that i wanted to make some low power tests.

I called with some 7w out ssb, and he was getting me 53-55.

I tried 2w output at 14h40-14h42z, and rprt were from -7db to -8db

Then 1w tx at 14h46z, report at -9db

Then 0.5w output at 14h48z with -16db rprt from Glenn.
Considering coax loss, the ERP at my side is < 10w!...

Glenn called with 2.5w output and he was -5 to -4db here S1-S2 (15h17z to 1521z)

At 1w output, Glenn was still coming through on 144 JT...

143500 18   -1 1.4 -54 2 *      FR5DN ZS2GK -04           1   0
143700 7   -3 1.3 -57 3 #      FR5DN ZS2GK KF47    OOO   1   0
143900 6   -6 1.4 -59 4 *      FR5DN ZS2GK -04           1   0
144100 15   -5 1.4 -59 2 *      FR5DN ZS2GK -07           1   0
144300 17    0 1.5 -59 3 *      SIG RPT -8 DB             1   0
144500 19   -2 1.4 -59 1 *      SIG RPT -11 D             1   0
144700 18   -3 1.4 -59 1 *      LAST OVER -9              1   0
144900 21   -6 1.3 -57 1 *      FR5DN ZS2GK -16           1   0

151100 13   -5 1.3 -59 4 *      FR5DN ZS2GK -03           1   0
151300 0 -26 6.4 455 25 #
151500 0 -28 1.3 455 41 *
151700 17   -5 1.3 -59 3 *      FR5DN ZS2GK KF47          1   0
151900 6   -4 1.4 -59 3 *      FR5DN ZS2GK -03           1   0
152100 11   -4 1.4 -59 3 *      FR5DN ZS2GK -03           1   0
152300 10 -21       -60 3   RRR ?
152500 10 -15       -60 1   RRR ?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15h34 i was off for dinner., back in shack at 16h15z.
432.200 JT beacon was on the air during that time.
16h29z i was getting Glenn's signal on 432.200 JT.
Glenn was 35w into 2x12el rear mounted and mastmounted lna.
40w out , 21el F9FT and mastmounted LNA here.
Best he was -16db, i was -14db.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18h29z, ZS2ACP joined us and we managed 2m JT qso. At best he was -6!
We tried ssb, he was 41 but did not hear me ok; next time!

182300 4 -26 0.1   35 3 *
182300 4 -26 0.1   35 3 *
182500 0 -29 2.5 323 40 *
182700 0 -30 7.7 229 32 #
182900 6 -21 0.3   35 3 *      FR5DN ZS2ACP KF26         1   0
183100 0 -29 0.1   35 2 *
183300 0 -29 -0.1   35 3 *
183500 0 -26 -0.0   35 3 *
183700 0 -28 0.5 450 40 *
183900 0 -28 1.5 450 45 #
184100 0 -28 0.1 450 28 #
184300 2 -27 0.1   40 3 *
184500 0 -29 -1.7 450 31 *
184700 2 -25 0.1   48 3 *
184900 14 -17 0.1   54 3 *      FR5DN ZS2ACP KF26         1   0
185100 1 -27 0.2   59 2 *
185300 4 -20 0.2   67 3 *      FR5DN ZS2ACP KF26         1   0
185500 14 -18 0.3   70 3 *      FR5DN ZS2ACP -25          1   0
185700 2 -28 0.1   75 3 *
185900 6 -22 0.1   81 3 *      FR5DN ZS2ACP RRR          1   0
190100 1 -24 0.4   83 3 *
190300 6 -20 0.4   89 4 *      TRY SSB                   1   0
190500 8 -19 0.2   92 3 *      TRY SSB                   1   0
190700 0 -26 6.5 460 1 #
190900 0 -28 -0.6 460 50 #
191100 0 -27 7.5 463 46 #
191300 0 -27 -1.8 463 21 *
191500 0 -29 6.3 -573 8 #
193700 8 -16 -0.1   -5 3 *      FR5DN ZS2ACP -21          1   0
194100 17 -11 -0.0 -16 3 *      FR5DN ZS2ACP R-21         1   0
194300 9 -14 -0.2 -16 3 *      FR5DN ZS2ACP RRR          1   0
194500 11 -14 -0.2 -13 5 *      TWICE WELL DO             1   0
194700 14 -16 0.1 -13 3 *      FR5DN ZS2ACP -18          1   0
194900 14 -15 0.1 -13 3 *      FR5DN ZS2ACP -25          1   0
195100 7 -18 0.1 -13 3 #      FR5DN ZS2ACP KF26   OOO   1   0
195300 10 -19 0.2 -11 4 *      FR5DN ZS2ACP -24          1   0
195500 7 -13 0.0 -11 3 *      FR5DN ZS2ACP -21          1   0
200900 18   -6 0.2   40 1 *      FR5DN ZS2ACP KF26         1   0
201100 13   -6 0.2   30 2 *      FR5DN ZS2ACP KF26         1   0
202500 6 -23 0.2 -22 3 *      NO COPY YET               1   0
202700 9 -20 0.1 -22 1 *      NO COPY YET               1   0
202900 1 -25 0.1 -19 4 *
203100 0 -18 1.8 366 20 #
203300 7 -22 0.1 -19 3 *      NO COPY YET               1   0
203500 0 -28 0.2   11 3 *
203700 16 -12 -0.0   13 4 *      NO COPY YET
-------------------------------------------------------------------

01/09/2010 from Dave ZS5DJ

Hi Phil

Yes I had decodes today -10 to -25 that was at 06.24 utc for about 20 minutes. Since then nothing

Dave       ZSZ5DJ

Hi Phil

On 31/8/2010 first decode all SA time: 09.24 -26, 09.32 -25, 09.36 -22, 09.38 -19, 12.16 -18, 13.06
-11, 13.10 to 13.46 (-19 to -10), 14.20 -17, (14.22 to 14.30 -4 to -6)

After we worked on ssb, cw etc I continued to copy your beacon on and off when you had finished trying to work ZS2ACP and finally lost the beacon at 017.56.

I don't have the details of the opening on the 30/8/2010 but I remember that the 1st decode was at 10.32 sast but very weak and not continual.

I hope the information is of some use.

Dave      ZS5DJ

10-Some comments

Equipment at FR5DN :

On 2m:
In "beacon mode", 70-80w out into 17el F9FT-13dbd yagi at 6.5m above ground.
Old PC dedicated to the 2m station for digital modes and AIS receiver (modified FT-2500M).
For qso, i can use up to 120w out max in shack
Mast mounted LNA with BF981 feed through coax, no measurement on NF.
Coax is a low loss rigid coax LCF12-50, with some ecoflex 10.
I use separate TX and RX lines, which make things much more flexible, RX line is standard RG-213.
RX is Kenwood R-5000.
TRX for beacon and qso is dedicated Kenwood TR-9000.

These qso are in reach of medium stations for sure.

On 70cms:

I was running a single 21 el yagi at 9.5m above ground.
Low loss coax, mixed length of hardline 7/8 and some length of lcf12-50 and LCF14-50.
Power was 40w in-shack.
Mast mounted LNA 33db gain, 0.3db NF. Loss before LNA is around 0.9db!
RX is separated rx : LT70s converter with FT-990, 28Mhz IF.

The antennas used for the qsos:

Tks to All, and see you next opening !

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