[SADXA] INFO -- Worked VK0EK (Heard Island) on 30m, Long Path 8pm 3/25 -- from W7EXG (Bill)

Sat Mar 26 00:02:43 EDT 2016

Jim, 

I'm in VK0EK's Heard Island log, and was able to capture my call on their
DXA Web site WORKED column. 

Amazing,  due to the Friday Night East Coast pile up, the CQs, VVVs, QRLs,
Simplex calls, and general LID/Interference operation on VK0EK's 10.117 MHz
freq. I was lucky to hear my call above the bad etiquette. 

As expected, VK0EK built to an S3 on 30m about 8pm (3 ele yagi pointed LP)
along grayline. Last night I observed about S4 peak SP at 8pm. Typically
signals start improving about 6:30pm. East Coast being worked 1st, as
grayline effect moves Westward. 

Currently an S1 LP at 8:45pm. 

Hope you can work them on 40m RTTY.

73s, Bill W7EXG

-----Original Message-----
From: SADXA [mailto:sadxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim W
Sent: Friday, March 25, 2016 2:00 PM
To: Southern AZ DX Association E-Mail Reflector
Subject: Re: [SADXA] More Info on VK0EK

Thanks for your info, Bill.  I'll add mine after I start listening.

Yes, all is now well.  Thanks for asking.

73,  Jim

On 3/25/2016 9:44 AM, W7EXG (Bill) wrote:
> Jim,
>
> Just a wild guess, but think time will tell.
>
> This morning on 30m [10.116], VK0EK was weak and peaked about 7am at about
> S1, but LP direction. SP sig was practically nil.
>
> 30m Conclusion: Much stronger signals last night S4 (8pm) SP, than this AM
> about 7am LP. My 30m money is thus on evening SP at the greayline peak.
>
> VK0EK is currently working 80m, 40m, and 30m. The DX Cluster is suggesting
> higher band/Freq activity. I hear nothing on higher bands/freqs. I'm not
> sure I believe some of the DXCluster reports. Often, reports do not agree
> with the DXA3.org current band/freq updates.
>
> They have scheduled 40m SSB until around 2100z today. Doubt if we will
hear
> them. Hope they get more active on the higher bands.
>
> Hope your medical issue is resolved, and all is well?
>
> 73s, Bill W7EXG
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: SADXA [mailto:sadxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim W
> Sent: Friday, March 25, 2016 7:52 AM
> To: Southern AZ DX Association E-Mail Reflector
> Subject: Re: [SADXA] More Info on VK0EK
>
> Bill, this is great information that can be used in planning when we're
> likely to hear the best VK0 signals.  My week has been disrupted by a
> medical procedure so I wasn't able to listen much at all.  But that's
> now behind me and I'm again able to make similar observations.  I have
> rotatable antennas 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, and 40, so I'll be tuning around
> the band and taking notes just like you.
>
> 73, Jim
>
> On 3/24/2016 10:15 PM, W7EXG (Bill) wrote:
>> Jim,
>>
>> VK0EK at 9:20pm is much weaker on 10116 kHz -- less than S1 (S9=50uV) on
> my
>> 3 ele Yagi, but still Q5 above noise level. I verified Short Path only
>> propagation. I have a very low noise level with Beam pointed at 186 deg.
>> (Still audible at 10:15pm (5:15 UTC) - now calling CQ).
>>
>> In summary, I believe the grayline effect was being observed this
evening,
>> as Ray W2RS noted this morning. The grayline is almost 90 degrees to the
>> equator right now [Vernal Equinox], and North/South propagation is ideal
>> along this N/S line.  VK0EK and Tucson are close to being on this N/S
>> grayline at this time of year.
>>
>> Going to listen and document tomorrow morning's and tomorrow evening's
>> grayline S meter reading vs time, and hopefully work VK0EK at the peak.
Be
>> interesting to note which of the two peaks are the greatest.
>>
>> An exciting prospect,  is this effect might be much more pronounce on 20m
>> and 17m,  once VK0EK gets the HF antennas online. The added path gain is
>> more likely to allow strong signals during the grayline propagation.
>>
>> I predict that we are likely to see good propagation to VK0EK --  twice a
>> day on the grayline path, as we did today on 30m.  Be interesting to
> compare
>> these grayline signals to those at other times of day, and on other
bands.
>>
>> 73s, Bill W7EXG
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: SADXA [mailto:sadxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of W7EXG
> (Bill)
>> Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2016 8:07 PM
>> To: 'Southern AZ DX Association E-Mail Reflector'
>> Subject: Re: [SADXA] More Info on VK0EK
>>
>> Jim,
>>
>> They are S4 Q5 on my Yagi.. on 10116 at 8pm.. Short Path.. not LP.
>>
>> Not going to try call now, but will tomorrow.. Go Ducks!!
>>
>> I'll check after game.
>>
>> 73s, Bill W7EXG
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: SADXA [mailto:sadxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim W
>> Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2016 7:45 PM
>> To: Southern AZ DX Association E-Mail Reflector
>> Subject: Re: [SADXA] More Info on VK0EK
>>
>> Bill, I'll try LP on the bands where I have a directional antenna. But
>> for me it looks like I'll have to wait for them to move to the other QTH.
>>
>> 73,  Jim  W9FI
>>
>> On 3/24/2016 7:04 PM, W7EXG (Bill) wrote:
>>> Thanks Jim..
>>>
>>> Also, my error, and should have reported RAY W2RS made the original
>>> observations.
>>>
>>> Yes they are currenlty on 40m digital, and 30m CW. I can hear the East
CW
>>> Stations calling, and VK0EK is logging 2,3,4 and 5.  But I hear nothing
>>> here..both long/short path.  I'm pointing my 3 ele 30m yagi (42 ft
boom)@
>> 60
>>> ft. at 186 and 6 deg.. and hear NOTHING on 10.116. I think eventually
the
>>> propagation will come our way.. BUT, I'm a DUCK fan, and going to watch
>> the
>>> game. I'll check in later.. maybe propagation will be better then. Also,
> I
>>> plan to ride the grayline wave in the morning, as Ray was suggesting.
>>>
>>> Perhaps hear you and others on. Not sure of their geographical relative
>>> positions.
>>>
>>> 73s, Bill W7EXG
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: SADXA [mailto:sadxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim W
>>> Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2016 6:12 PM
>>> To: Southern AZ DX Association E-Mail Reflector;
>>> cadxa_share1 at yahoogroups.com
>>> Subject: Re: [SADXA] More Info on VK0EK
>>>
>>> Thanks for the clarification, Bill.  I just got on their logging site
>>> and see that at the moment they're on 40 digital and 30 CW. It's slow,
>>> at only about 3 QSOs per minute for both stations.  I can hear the
>>> pileup and the spots place them on 10.116.0.  But they're so weak that I
>>> need ESP to copy their signal, which unfortunately I don't have.  Even
>>> if I did, they'd need ESP as well to pull out my signal from the noise
>>> level.
>>>
>>> It looks like their first QTH is the one with a mountain between them
>>> and us.  Anybody know for sure if that's the case?
>>>
>>> Jim  W9FI
>>>
>>> On 3/24/2016 5:17 PM, W7EXG (Bill) wrote:
>>>> VK0EK is only working 30m, and 40m currently.
>>>>
>>>> They are presently Building out other HF antennas.
>>>>
>>>> I am guessing Jim's observations were on 30m, as I heard a pile up
prior
>>> to
>>>> sunrise this am on 30m. I am guessing that the Easterly Hams (sorry for
>>> the
>>>> appropriate pun) were working the grayline as it progressed westward.
>> This
>>>> may occur this evening, as well as tomorrow am again.
>>>>
>>>> DXA  (dxa3.org)  has listed Tx at 10116 and  RX down 113-115 / TX 7090
> RX
>>>> down 7060+
>>>> Just getting RTTY on 40m fired up.
>>>>
>>>> Good Luck.. I'm guessing we might all hear each other.. for awhile.
>>>>
>>>> 73s Bill W7EXG
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: SADXA [mailto:sadxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim W
>>>> Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2016 11:47 AM
>>>> To: Southern AZ DX Association E-Mail Reflector;
>>>> cadxa_share1 at yahoogroups.com
>>>> Subject: Re: [SADXA] ,VK0EK 30
>>>>
>>>> Was this on 30, 40, 80, or 160?
>>>>
>>>> 73,  Jim  W9FI
>>>>
>>>> On 3/24/2016 9:07 AM, W2RS - Ray Soifer via SADXA wrote:
>>>>> Interesting propagation.  I heard nothing from VK0EK until half  an
> hour
>>>>> before sunrise.  He peaked 579 around SR, then faded and was gone
> 30-40
>>>>> minutes after.  Quite a grayline.
>>>>>       
>>>>> 73 Ray W2RS