M1DUD /QRP 50 MHZ Report

This is the report that M1DUD has kindly provided on his QRP activity on 50 MHz in April/May 2005. Many thanks Robin.

Low Power: 0.25 - 5 Watts.  Yaesu FT817.  
Antenna: 5 Element Yagi beam up 5 m.  Locaton: JO02QC Woodbridge, Suffolk.

I have been a little disappointed this year by the E?s propagation.  There have been some very good openings into Scandinavia from Belgium and the Netherlands but not from JO02!

My first E contact of the season was on 21^st April at 1553, with UZ5DZ,  (KN18, 1533 kilometres distant).  UZ5DZ, Vlad was a good solid signal, alas there was very little else on the band to work.  I copied SP9EVP on CW.  (There was also a strong opening, into Central Eastern Europe at the same time on 28MHz, I worked OM5, SP9, OE3, between 1600 ? 1635) The 28 MHz and 50 MHz contacts both suggest a scatter point around JO51 in central Germany.

The 1^st of May was also pleasing as there were several openings on 28 Mhz into Spain and North Africa (EA7, EA5, 7X, CN).  On six meters around 1100 I copied IG9/I2ADN (JM65) and IT9RZR (JM76), for about 25 minutes, both of these stations were very loud but were working mainly Central and Northern Europe.  IG9/I2ADN was looking for 4m Cross-band contacts.

At 1205 I was able to work EH6BB (JM19, 1403 Kilometers), with and exceptionally strong signal.  For a further 30 minutes, I copied IT9HBO and IW0USB and a 9H1 station working ON, PA and DL but very few G stations, although many were calling!  Eventually, At 1232 I worked Bruno, IS0GQX on CW (JM49 1545 Kms).  The final station worked was on USB at 1242, Stefano, IW0USB (JM49), but with much reduced signal strength.  The Six meter band then went quiet again!  Activity on 28 MHz continued however,  throughout the afternoon.  The suggested scatter points are over the Auverne region, JN15, JN25, JN16 & JN26 and an MUF of around 55 MHz

On 8^th May was a very quiet morning on six meters.  So having disconnected the antenna due to local Thunder and lightning, the scene was set for six meters to do some magic.  I happened to pass the shack at 1600 and snatch a quick look at the band.  Much to my amazement, I could hear F5UMP on auroral CW!  A rapid swing of the beam brought me onto a QTF(A) of 010 degrees.  I was pleased to work MM0AMW (IO75 589 KMs). In Just over an hour I worked 11 stations and 2 new squares (JO43 and IO83).  Around 1700, On CW I copied F0IE, GM3WYL and OZ7NB (JO45) but unfortunately I was not able to work them due to Fading and Pileup conditions.  A station local to me was in QSO with an OH6, and a whole stream of SP5, that I could not even hear.   On 144 Mhz I copied only F6IFR.   By 1735 the Six-Meter auroral conditions had faded away, the last station being heard was F5UMP on CW at 1730 calling CQA.

This is the report that M1DUD has kindly provided on his QRP activity on 50 MHz along 2004. Many thanks Robin.

Low Power: 0.25 - 5 Watts.  Yaesu FT817.  
Antenna: 5 Element Yagi beam up 5 m.  Locaton: JO02QC Woodbridge, Suffolk.

I worked a total of 36 DXCC?s , 24 on CW in 2004.    152 Locator Squares worked and 390 complete contacts were made. The greatest DX worked this year was on 29^th June at 1706 UTC with UT1IA in KN87 some 2620 km distant.  The main highlight was working two new DXCC?S, 3A Monaco on CW and 7X Algeria on both USB and CW.  An additional bonus was working ZA Albania on CW, and making my first digital QSO on Six meters 

 January 2004

In January, I struggled to work stations in the same locator square as myself, so it was a relief to work G4DEZ (JO03) and G3MEH (IO91) in the UK Activity contest!

February 2004

I am fortunate to work Frank PE1EWR (JO11), my first contact outside the UK in 2004!

March 2004

Zilch heard or worked? the ?magic of six?!

April 2004

On 14^th April at 1840 UTC, I heard PA9RZ, Robert in QSO with G1YLE.

On April 22^nd at 0923 UTC, I copied a S9+ TV-E1 Video carrier from Central Europe.

On April 23^rd at 0800 UTC I coped TV-E1 Audio on 55.243 MHz peaking S7 with rapid fading on a beam heading of 130 degrees.  The GB3BAA Beacon was also audible at 519.

My first ?E?contact of the year was on 24^th April at 1603 with Gilbert IK7LMX, in Brindisi,  (JN80, 1795 km distant).  This was two-way QRP with 1 watt both ways but nonetheless a good solid signal.  By 1620 UTC, it was all over and the band was quiet except for ON4ADP.  At 1834 UTC, I worked ON5FU, with a solid S8 signal.   25^th April, the RSGB April 50 MHz contest brought a flurry of operators out onto the band.  Conditions were low and I struggled to work much beyond 200 km. I was very surprised to work GD0EMG on Tropho-scatter at 460 Kilometres.  The signal was subject to deep fading; consequently, the only way to make the contact was cross-mode SSB-CW.  I heard briefly EI3JE/P  (IO62).

On 8^th May at 1257 hrs, I heard an OH5 station calling CQ on 50.150.  I also noticed a very strong TV-E1 video carrier on 48.240 MHz.   At 1302 UTC, I worked ES6DO in KO27 some 1685 km distant.  A few minutes later, the OH9SIX beacon (KP36) on 50.066 about 2135 km distance was clearly audible.  On the same QTF of 60 degrees the GB3LER beacon on 50.064 (in IP90), was copied in short bursts with heavy fading.  This suggests a MUF in excess of 51 MHz. After this short period of ?excitement? the whole of six meters was quiet again... until 1543 when I heard briefly IT9IYZ on CW. At 1618, I copied 9H1YZ (in JM75), on sideband some 2085 km distance.  With the beam pointing 150 degrees, I worked 9H1YZ Silvio, in shallow QSB at 1625 UTC.  

 The 9^th May, I monitored the band throughout the day.  Mostly it was quiet.  At 1458 hrs I copied ON4IQD calling ?CQ NA? on CW.   Apart from the huge signal Belgian TV-E3 Audio on 60.750 MHz in French (RTBF?), there was nothing.

 Tuesday 11^th May was excellent.  I arrived home to find the whole of six meters full of ?monster? signals.  My first call was YO5BWD (in KN27), at 1615, but the QRM was so intense I had to look elsewhere.  At 1619, I worked into the Ukraine, UR5DDX, Shini in KN18 (1533 km), a good signal but lots of QRM.  I had a series of contacts in the KN08, KN18, KN27 KO00 area that suggested a scatter point around the Dresden area (JO61) and a MUF above 55 MHz.   Simultaneously a second scatter point was noticed around the Milan area (JN45).  From this area, I was able to work two-way QRP with Silvio IT9YAF (JM67) at 1909 km.

 At 1700 UTC I copied both OH6NB and OH1VR were on CW.  Around 1800 hrs, I heard strong signals, but I was unable to work EH5DIT, CT1DYX, CT1FIJ, and CT1ANO all with fading and noise present.  All of these stations were working Scandinavia stations. Around 1900 I copied UR4DDX (KN18).  At 1938 UTC, I was astonished to work the Balearic Islands, in heavy video noise EH6VQ (in JM19) on sideband.  For several minutes the CT0SIX beacon on 50.032 MHz peaking 519 at 1951.  At 1957, I worked CT1ANO (in IN51), with heavy fading, nothing further was heard.  I think there might have been double-hop conditions.  I heard OH and ES stations calling EH7ZM (IM76) that would suggest a minimum path length of over 3200 km and a MUF above 60 MHz and double-hop conditions.

 The following day 12^th May, there was a series of very strong E?s openings, which started around 0940 UTC into Italy and continuing virtually all day. Between 1600-1755, I worked Austria, Croatia, Italy, and Slovenia Serbia. The calculated scatter point was centred above Munich and Stuttgart; the MUF was over 53 MHz. The final opening of the day extended to Sicily IT9 and Malta 9H.  The best DX worked was at 1853 on CW with 9H1XT John, some 2081 km distant.

 15^th May I made 31 contacts in three major openings.  In the first period 0700-0815 UTC, I worked SP5, SP7, OH2, OH3, OH5, LY2, ES2, ES3, and ES8. I also copied 59+ SM7CKM. This indicates a scatter point around JO65, JO66 and a MUF above 53 MHz.  The best distance worked was OH5MXW 1815 km (in KP30).

The second period 0815-0930 UTC, was based on an intense scatter point around JO61. This gave me the opportunity to work SP5, SP6, SP8, SP9, YO2, and YO5. The best DX was YO5BWD (KN27 at 1753 km).  At 1220 UTC, I copied CT1DYX working OZ5JD in JO47, a path length of 2200 km.  I then worked CT1DYX  (IN51), the CT0SIX beacon at RST 529. 

The final opening was from around 1645 when I copied a TV-E2 carrier on a QTF of 30 degrees.     At 1655 UTC, I worked LA9 XKA Per, and LA5KJA Kjell, both in JP50 (1100 Km).  At 1700 UTC, I worked LA6QBA Frans, (JP61, 1223 km) followed by LA6EIA Ole, in JP51 (1176 km), I heard also a LA station calling from JP43 square.  GB3LER was peaking 519.  This suggests a scatter point above the North Sea JO26 and a MUF well above 65 MHz.  To finish off what had been a great day I worked Sergei, UX2KA/P at 1830 in KO31 (1717 km).

 16^th May E?s Opening into Scandinavia

I was able to monitor six meters all day. I heard ?YEAH ? on FM  48.425 that was very strong (Great Yarmouth Hospital Radio).  There was very strong TV-E2 video carriers coming from Norway and peaking S8 at 0830 UTC.  The first contact of the day was at 0830 with YU7AV (KN05). I continued to work a series of YU1 stations for another 20 minutes.   On 50.034, I copied the YU1ECX/B beacon (KN04) weakly 529 for about 30 minutes.  Incidentally, the scatter point was just a little north of Munich (JN58 & JN59) and the MUF again over 53 MHz.  Around 0915 the Propagation shifted westward to Bosnia (T9), Croatia (9A) and onto Central and southern Italy.  At 1000 I worked David 9H1TX on CW at 2082 km distance.   Despite there, being the ARI contest on I worked just a couple of Italian stations in JN61 before the band went quiet again at 1035 UTC.      

 In the afternoon, I heard a series of extra strong video carriers on Channels E2, R1, and E3 all on a QTF of 030, indicating an immanent opening into Scandinavia.  At 1500 hrs, I heard LA4OGA (JO59).  Shortly afterwards, I worked a solid signal from Erik LB7Q (JP50).  From 1500 until 1555 signals from LA, SM3, SM7 and DL stations mostly occupied the band.  I heard but was unable to work SM3GSK (JP82), LA1YKA (JO59), and SM7RYO (JO76).  These were all on a beam heading of 030 degrees.  I was very pleased to welcome Dan OZ5UKF, onto six meters as he had only made a couple of local contacts previously on six from his QTH of Bornholm Island.  Dan Has 100 Watts and 5 elements at his disposal.

The previous contacts suggest a scatter point over the North Sea above JO25 with a MUF of about 70 MHz.  Interestingly, at 1608 UTC I worked CS1RAD in Southern Portugal.  I had heard this station working Scandinavians a few minutes previously. Now, why am I hearing Portugal and Spain when there is an opening into Scandinavia? I?m confident that this is double hop E?s propagation.  The first scatter point would be in the Bay of Biscay and second above JO25 in the North Sea giving total path length of around 2600 km.  A similar effect was noticed recently on the evening of 11^th and 15^th May.   I have seen this pattern regularly over the last 5 years.  I would be very fascinated to know if other stations have recorded such in their logs, I have also observed double hop between Austria (OE) and Scotland (GM) but I did not record this in 2004.

June 2004

I worked 30 DXCC?S in the month of June! 

 On 5^th/6^th June in the UKSMG contest, I worked 9A, EA, G, Italy I5/I7, ON, PA and 9H the ODX was 9H1TM in JM75 at 2053 kilometres.  One-way propagation was noted in the Strong E? opening on Saturday 5th.   I was very pleased to work G4KCT/P in IO93, which is usually only workable under Ar-Es or MS conditions from this QTH.   About 0600 UTC I heard but was G0VSM/P in IO70, he was peaking S3 with me but with deep QSB over 400 km away.

 9^th June at 1830 I copied the Ukrainian station UT5G on CW (peaking 539) in KN66 an incredible distance 2346 Kilometres.  This was double hop Sporadic E?s propagation centred on locations around JO51 around Berlin and KN38.  It also suggests a MUF above 67 MHz.  In the same opening, using the same beam heading of 110 degrees, I worked SP8DWI, YO5CES, LZ3V, LZ3RX and LZ2PEP in KN33 at an impressive 2098 Km.

 On 10^th June, I again found myself in the centre of the skip with CT working into the Baltic region. I worked CQ4DX at 1642 on a QTF of 220 degrees and a minute later on a QTF of 060 I worked Two Lithuanians, LY2BH and LY1CX.  For over an hour I was able to hear both CT and EH stations working OH3 and LY2.  The opening was for around two hours.  It was strong with some slight QSB and with a scatter point around Bornholm Is, Rugen Is and Copenhagen.  Around 1900 I copied UX0UW in KO50 that suggests the MUF was falling and a new scatter point was developing in central Poland.

 13^th June at 1725 UTC, I worked EH5FV, nothing else was heard.

14^th June at 0820, I copied TV-E2 video and audio along with TV-E3 video signals, probably from Spain and Portugal.  A few minutes later, I worked CQ14HZE in IM57 and EH7IT IM87 the CT0SIX Beacon on 50.031 was copied at 519 at 0850 UTC.  Later around 2000 UTC that evening the opening was still strong into Spain and Portugal.

15^th June, between 0635 and 0735 I worked YU4, 9A, T7, I8 and IH9/I2ADN  (1892 km). These were worked from a scatter point over the Swiss Alps.  Between 1840 and 1940 UTC, I worked into LY2, SP1, 3,5,9, OK and OM.

 On 24^th June between 1700-1740 opening into Denmark/Sweden and I had solid SSB contacts with OZ4ADX Rene on Bornholm island, OZ8ABE and OZ2PBS both in JO55.  In addition, I worked SM7WT and heard SM7FJ both in JO65.  Signals were all very strong with very slight QSB and some band noise. Around 1740 I heard SM7RYO in JO76, a shortly after this propagation shifted  to southeast Europe.   At 1745 I heard in significant QSB, UR4UDI in KO40.  At 1849 UTC, I worked UX0FF on CW in KN45  (2140 km).  6 Minutes later on CW I worked ZA/Z35W in Tirana (JN91). At 2000 the LZ2CC Beacon (5 W ERP) in KN22, was copied 559.  By 2100 UTC, here was some deep fading, but propagation remained open into Italy, Sicily and the Balkans at least until 2140 UTC with S9+ of R1 and E2 video also. 

 The following morning 25^th June I had my beam pointing due south.  Emerging out of the noise, at 0640 I worked on SSB, EH6CC Rui, in JM19 (1400 km). The I0JX/B beacon was RST 589 at 0700 UTC, with increasing signal strengths.  At 0720 I was enormously pleased to work Laura 3A2MD. Although I have heard Monaco every year on SSB, and it has always attracted a huge pile-up, this time I was able to get through on CW with a 449 report.  At 1804 hours, I worked CQ44NH in IM58 and almost one hour later on, I heard on 50.100 an unidentified? X0 station calling on CW.   At 1909 utc I heard 7X0AD calling CQ on CW on the same frequency.  I netted him on my second call for a 599 report (I think the operator may have been EH5KW), in JM16 square, some1716 km distant. This suggests a MUF of around 52 MHz.  At 1956, I worked EH9IB Pedro in Melilla, a strong signal but with significant fading and band noise present.   As with the previous day, six meters ?E? propagation continued after 2130 UTC, into the Balkans with Italy, Croatia, and Slovenia all worked.

 On 26^th June, I copied but was unable to work both ZA/I0OKY and CN8TW in the afternoon.

On 29^th June I made several contacts into the Ukraine at 1655 I worked Vlad US5CCO in KN59, 2167 km, Super! This was closely followed by an extraordinary CW contact with UT1IA in KN87, an astonishing 2620 Km! Wow! Possibly, via an extended single-hop or double, hop path.  Finally, at 1714 UTC, I worked Val UR4RC in KO40 at 1981 km. 

On 30^th June Again, I worked into the Ukraine.  At 1630, I worked UT3UZ Alex on CW in KO50 (2035 Km).   At 1646 UTC, again I worked UR4RC in KO40. Conditions were extremely noisy, with signal strengths markedly less than the previous day.   

July 2004

One country that continues to elude me is Gibraltar ZB2.  On 10^th July, I heard ZB2EO on CW at 1420, regrettably he did not hear me!   There was solid opening into Scotland between 1630-1730 with GM4FSW, MM5DWW, GM1VKI, MM0BSM, GM4WJA, GM4VVX worked on SSB and I heard GM4VVX, GM0EFT, MM5AHO, GM8IEM. On CW, I copied MM0CEZ.  E? Propagation shifted over to the Baltic with LY1CX in KO25 being worked at 1730.  Over the next 45 minutes, I worked the following:  SM7ASL, SM7XJF, SM1CQA (Gotland), DL/PE1GUR, ES5AM OZ6ABA (JO57).  There was then long-skip condition with UT5UKY Vlad, in KO50 being worked at 1818 UTC, at 2026 km distant. On the same beam heading stations in DL, OK2, SP9, SP6 and OH1 were worked between 1943-2020.  At 2030 I copied 59++ SV1DH, of course a huge pile up soon amassed on Costas in KM27, and so alas, no contact resulted.

 On 15^th July, Again I worked the Balearic Islands. This time however, due to high level of noise, I made a cross-mode CW/SSB contact with EH6CC Rui, in JM19 (1400 kilometres) at 1724.   At 1818 hours, I had solid contact with EH6VQ Gabriel in Palma. (JM19).  At 1825 in slow fading, I worked EH6AZ in Menorca (JM29), at 1380 km distance.

 August 2004

The Perseids were a little disappointing.  Despite monitoring much of the 12^th August and listening into the early hours of the following morning the band was quiet.  I did however make three CW contacts.  T99C at 1825, (JN93, 1560 km), this was via ?E? propagation.  OK1FRG at 1924 hours in JN79  (1044 km) this was enhanced by meteors giving 5 second bursts.  Spurred on by the prospect of a meteor shower I continued to call CQ on CW.  At 2246 UTC, I worked DF9OX, in JO42 some 564 km.  This was a particularly difficult contact peaking 559 in 5 second bursts.  The cluster indicated a lot of JT6M activity around 50.235 ?50.245 MHz, However, there was an absence of activity on non-data modes.

 November 2004

On 4^th November at 2045, I heard The Lerwick beacon GB3LER via meteor scatter pings of about 3 seconds each peaking S3.  There was also R1 video on 49.750 MHz peaking S5.

On 9^th November, I heard an auroral enhanced complete call from GB3LER at 0630 UTC.   

At 1819, I copied IW9CER and a short while later I8LPR via a weak sporadic e opening.  I was fortunate to work I8MPO (JN70) and both IW0GXY and IW0BET in JN61. The opening lasted until about 1850 hours when the last station heard was IT9TJH in JM67.   Around 1950, I copied G4UPS 559A calling CQ, I then heard GM4ILS 559A on a beam heading of 20 degrees.  I was unable to raise either station.  The only aurorally station worked was PA7FM with considerable Doppler shift at 2004 UTC in JO21.  I did however hear the following via auroral backscatter GM4NFC (IO75), MM0AHO (IO87), MM0AMW.  I heard at TV-E2 audio S9+ on the same beam heading as OH6HFX (JP14 1333 km) but this was showed no auroral characteristics and was probably meteor- scatter enhanced propagation.

10^th November at 1853, My CQ call was answered by IZ8EQF on CW in JM89, (1821 km distant).  I heard at 1905 IH9GPI on Pantelleria island (JM56) with fading.  Interestingly Jack worked a couple English stations, SV3CYM on the Peloponnese, two Portuguese stations (CT1) and a station in the south of France before his signal faded out at 1910.  For a few moments, I also copied 9H1YZ before he faded into the noise at 1908 UTC.

 December 2004 

In the 50 Mhz Nordic Activity contest on the 28^th December I made just three contacts.  However, I made my very first contact on JT6M.  I have been calling with this excellent software for months on six meters but I had failed to make any contacts at all.  Therefore, I was very excited to see on my computer screen OZ6OM, even more surprised to work Matt with my 5 watts at 2039 UTC in JO55 some 677 km. Conditions were again quite flat, and this really goes to show the potential of JT6M in making weak signals usable.    

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