[TransAtlantic] K6EDX #3 post

Thu Nov 26 15:45:26 EST 2009

There are four terrestrial ways to connect W/K with Europe on 2 (or heaven forbid - 432); tropospheric, E-layer meteor, E layer sporadic E and aurora. One at a time. Tropospheric is the 'clean' way and it requires a maximum effort on both ends. But once done - it is done and the Brenden Trophy is clearly achieved. E-layer meteor is so simple as to defy any serious consideration - subject to a ruling by the Irish folk overseeing the Brenden Trophy; we'll return to this. E-layer sporadic E is more of a challenge but hardly outside of the realm of possibility. During the 2009 Es season a FM DXer of skill in northern Ireland logged, recorded and verified numerous USA stations in the 100 MHz range including one in Alabama. Of course 100 megs is not 144 but my how close we might be especially if the NA end was in Newfoundland or Nova Scotia. We'll also return there. Aurora? Gene Zimmerman is self-convinced the first 'QSO' could be between (northern) VE4 and someplace such as Sweden through the Auroral curtain. Certainly possible, as TV DX reports dating back to at least 1959 would verify (nobody but me perhaps remembers the hams and TV DXers on an ice flow in the Arctic in that era; TF3). What concerns me here is that VE4MA is the logical 'west end' overlooking the obvious; who will be the 'east end?' and 'MA' is not far enough north, in my mind, to make it work properly (he could but then - why has he not already done it?). Perhaps a VE8 would be a better shot. And then - there is the 'minor' problem of a non-starting new solar cycle.

Which returns us to E-layer meteor. Here is a shocker: From the airport at St Johns (Newfoundland - clearly NA) to the town of Santa Cruz das Flores on the island of Flores, the (almost) western most island in the Azores, is 1,212 miles; easily within meteor range. If the managers of the Brenden Trophy have no difficulty accepting the Azores (and including the island of Flores; it is CU8) being within the 'continental shelf' criteria of the trophy's rules then someone at St Johns and someone else at Santa Cruz das Flores on Flores - 1,212 miles - could wrap up the trophy during the 2010 Perseids; like shooting ducks in a pond. My own personal opinion is "this is not what the trophy is all about" although, subject to a ruling from the Irish (which neither Gene Zimmerman nor I have been able to obtain), this might fit their own vision here. So let's rule out this one, just for its "cleverness" and "so what is the big deal here?" baseline. (A plane trip from Boston to the Azores is weekly low-budget stuff and while that does not put you on Flores, you are close enough for local transport). Let us assume, even if you did this and actually were awarded one end of the Brenden Trophy, this is not the final quarter in the game (the St Johns, Newfoundland end of the circuit is hardly worth discussion).

However, once we "see" how close two stations could be (1,212 miles) it begins to suggest normal 144 Es and possibly tropospheric connection between the two water separated continents. The history of intense Es between two is sketchy although what we do know from TA Es is mostly favorable for this path. A skilled FM DXer in northern Ireland has experienced typically one or as many as three double/even triple hop 100 MHz openings to the VE1, W1, 2 and 4 areas during recent summers - distances in the 2,000 - 4000 mile range as deeply into W4 as central Alabama (the audio tapes available on web are quite exciting). Expecting even Newfoundland to northern Ireland on 144 MHz EE (roughly 1,995 miles) could be a long wait and if either end is not monitoring closely, well - perhaps in another ten years it will happen again. The 1,212 mile Flores path looks better all of the time.

And tropospheric on the same 1,212 path? Clearly doable although the Newfoundland end is well into the 'cluttered summer weather' zone suggesting two things to me; during the transitional time frame of late May to mid/late-June (before the high becomes too well anchored in the mid-ocean area) is one possibility. The other is related to hurricanes. An intense storm moving northward with Bermuda as a target creates sharply defined moisture (and temperature) gradients and TV/FM DXers have for decades been involved in Nova Scotia to Florida openings as a well placed 'eye' tracks north. What is totally unknown is whether these associated ducts are as prolific on the northern and eastern side of the storm as they definitely are on the western edge. 

There are many alert systems in place, not the least of which is the WTFDA (TV and FM DXer) 'message board' providing near-real time reports of what is being heard (or seen), by whom and where. There are also lists available of essentially all of the European FM radio stations - with TR power and other essential information. Of note here: even if your local FM band is overloaded, a number of high power European stations operate below 88.0 where unless you happen to live where VHF channel 6 is still functional, you have clear sailing (using for example the recently released extraordinary Sony XDR tuner or full receiver - you can actually be on [say] 99.1 and listen to white noise immediately adjacent to [say] 50kw on 99.3 just down the street). Terceira FM stations are propagation indicators - whether EE or tropo. Located on a significant elevation above the western side town of Santa Barbara, 3300+ feet at the tower base, are 90.5 (22kW), 101.1 (only 400 watts; Radio Club de Angra) and 104.4 (Radio Horizonte; 1kW). The communications central for this island is paved road to the top (called Serra do Cum). There are no (known) FM stations on Flores but west of Terceira and certainly 'in the way' for any direct ducting are Sao Jorge (FM 107.2), and Faial/Pico (FM 100.2). 90.5 on EE seems reasonable and at 22 kW and the 3300+ antenna height it (Antena 1) should get out very well. 

And this takes us where? Terceira works - we have history on that at a sea-level location which even an optimistic person would find 'unlikely.' Detail of which FM stations, at what height 'asl/msl' is lost but I believe there would be a quickly discernible 'pattern' if we knew station by station what was received at Lajes Field. Terceira also has a paved parking lot at around 3300/3400 feet ASL (my XYL and I have been there) and by driving the roadway down to Santa Barbara, you can select a height 'asl/msl' to suit your objective. One clue in all of this will be the FM broadcast band (86-108 MHz), pre-loaded with the previously disclosed Terceira frequencies as well as those for Pico/Faial. Unfortunately, 90.5 is 3400'+ and if my 'high west-low east theory' is correct, 3,400+' on the east end could easily be above the duct. Just think K6MYC!

There remains the unanswered question as to whether 'the Azores' does in fact satisfy the Irish Brenden Trophy definition of Europe. And a subset to that. 'Some' sources suggest Flores and Corvo (the two most westerly islands in the Azores - Flores makes 'mechanical sense' while Corvo does not) are in fact 'connected to the 'North American Plate' which is a physical description of whether they are part of Europe or North America. If the Irish were to rule against Flores (and Corvo), at 1,212 and 1207 miles respectively from St Johns, that leaves Terceira and Faial plus Pico as eastern sites (adding roughly 150 miles to the 1,212 Flores - St Johns path).

Clearly Terceira is continental-shelf-Europe and while 1,417 miles from St Johns, the 'paved parking lot' of some size at 3,400 or so feet ASL makes excellent sense; almost. The site is overloaded with FM band (previously cited), TV (band 3 - 174-216 MHz) and an undefined number of 150-170 MHz repeaters. Think Mount Wilson or the Empire State Building, on a lesser scale, and you have the 'images' these will create in a super-sensitive 144.200 MHz receiver system. On the other hand, being 'in the parking lot' at tower-base is probably not where you should be anyhow (remember - ducting - 'high west, lower east'); and the winding roadway down to the near-coastal town of Santa Barbara rapidly gets you out of the near field radiation problems there. I know - I have done it. 

Locations on Faial and Pico have mechanical problems; Faial, for example, while it gets to 3,420' ASL, is without a navigable road on the west side that allows up-down testing. Pico is marginally - but not much - better. It all looks nice 'on a map' until you arrive and learn you cannot 'get there from here.' In other words, lacking suitable western-island vantage point receiving location (east end of the path), none of what is there makes much sense. Except; except that if it gets in the way (as Faial's 3,420' might do) with a duct that is trying to reach the US mainland (a duct at 600' ASL running into the 3,420' elevation on Faial would be dead, instantly).

A 'remote receiver' at Santa Barbara, Terceira (yes - K1WHS) makes some sense if there is telecoms to support it coming back to the states. A properly programmed Sony XDR with scan tune and some carefully selected FM band channels (not to conflict with the 'local' Azores channels) could be half the 'test;' the other half is anyone who has the ability to monitor Azorean FM channels (such as 90.5) should be equipped to do so 24 x 7 from at least mid-May to mid-August. And a reminder aside: The Irish need to sit down and tell us 'The Azores DO count as Europe - for the Brenden Trophy ' - otherwise we are back to a far longer and less likely set of paths. (K6EDX/ZL4AAA) 