[NLRS] Some 2M/6M activity showing today

[Doug Reed]

At 10AM, PSKreporter isn't showing any significant levels of activity
on 6M or 10M. There may be more 6M captures at 10AM than there were at
9AM, but it is hard to say. 10m is showing some CW activity into
Europe from the eastern half of the US. There are about 15 US stations
showing on the 6M map and they are reporting east-west and north-south
paths all over the eastern half of the US, and a few western stations
are getting into the act as well. The most relevant to us is N9YLE in
EN55 hearing AA5AT in Louisiana on JT65 digital mode just before 10AM.
None of the mapped activity is on CW or PSK modes.

But what I do want to point out is that even if you turn on the radio
and hear nothing on SSB, there are stations out there who can hear
each other and potentially be making QSOs using JT65 digital mode
around 50.277MHz. If conditions are good this weekend, you might have
a bang-up day for the CQWWVHF contest. But if you have digital mode
software on your computer, you might have an option for Q's even if
band conditions are not stellar.

Just another poke in the ribs to suggest trying digital modes on VHF.  :-)

Here is another poke for traditional CW beacon users and hosts. In
Europe, many of the new beacons are using PI4 mode for a 1 minute
beacon sequence. Part of the beacon is sent in FSK CW mode, part of it
is sent in JT4 mode. Since both modes are full power carrier modes,
they can use simple TX equipment running Class C (FM) power amps. On
the RX end, you can use software in your computer or between your ears
to decode the CW, or decode the JT4 with the computer to gauge the
quality of the signal path. They say that JT4 mode can be copied about
22dB into the noise, considerably lower than CW. Since it is a
mixed-mode signal, it will have to be up at 50.278MHz rather than down
at 50.06xMHz in the CW-only beacon sub-band. OTOH, I was thinking how
nice it would be to combine a 50.06xMHz CW beacon with a 50.278MHz
JT65/PI4 beacon using the Ultimate 3S kit as the station controller
and RF source......
<http://www.rudius.net/oz2m/ngnb/pi4.htm>

At 10:45, the 10M activity to Europe is almost ended, but the 6M
activity on JT65 in the US has doubled. It may end up being a good day
after all.....

I almost missed the 2M activity. At 10:50AM, the APRS map from
MountainLake is showing lots of red indicating long range reception
from eastern MN, across WI and IL, into MI, OH and points south and
east. I'm going to guess that means good 2M SSB/CW action from
anywhere in the 5 state area? This might be a good time to fire up the
2M rig!

73, Doug Reed, N0NAS.