[SixClub] Backscatter on Sporadic E

[mikea]

On Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 04:52:55PM +0000, N8WWM EN81 wrote:
> A few yrs ago I was visiting in the Raleigh, NC area. With a 3 element
>beam pointed ENE, toward the coast, I backscatter contacted a guy in
>Lake Junaluska, NC...quite a ways southwest, in the mountains near
>Asheville. I suppose the sig from me and this guy was going out to sea
>and coming back via backscatter. In any case, turning the antenna WSW
>completely lost the other guy.

> > From: Wes Spence <ac5k at sbcglobal.net>
> > To: sixclub at mailman.qth.net
> > Subject: [SixClub] Backscatter on Sporadic E
> > Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2010 11:10:47 -0500
> > 
> > I am fairly new to 6, but on HF CW for almost 4 decades.  I just put up 
> > a 4 element beam for 6 over the weekend, and worked WA8ZBT on 
> > backscatter last night off the Es cloud that was allowing the strong 
> > opening to Mexico.  I am in Southeast Texas and ZBT is in Dallas.  
> > During the short CW QSO,I turned the beam toward him and his signal went 
> > away confirming it was backscatter.  I was not aware this was common on 
> > 6, but will listen for in it the future.
> > 
> > 73, Wes, AC5K

Yes; I had it happen just after I got my 6m beam up a few years ago. I
thought that I had the beam mounted bassackwards, but confirmed that it
was pointed right. 

I've had it happen a few more times since then. 

Damned interesting. Not all that uncommon, but still pretty weird. 6m
just behaves ... well, _differently_. 

-- 
Mike Andrews, W5EGO
mikea at mikea.ath.cx
Tired old sysadmin