Reading the blog from Scottish radioamateur
GM4FVM Jim I noticed he likes to work as many DXCC possible on 6m every year and missing Netherlands (a while ago). Contacts with the Netherlands seem to be difficult for him but not impossible. Now finally he made it to the Netherlands making the contact using side-scatter (never heard of that before...). Well I already made a comment on his blog that since he is living at the east coast and I'm at the north coast there is only water between us and even without propagation a QSO could be possible with the use of JT modes. To prove that I'm right I probed 6m with FT8 several days and times to see what I spotted or were I've been spotted even when the band seems to be dead. Surprisingly (or not really) I'm always spotted in Belgium, Germany, Denmark and last evening even in south part Norway. Using the 5 element beam at 14m heigth and 50W output. The last path proves that a contact with GM4FVM who is also using a 5 element beam should be possible even on FT8.
Hmmm. I think I might turn my 2 ele quad a bit more to the east...
ReplyDeleteI doubt I could hear you John....too much land between us. 73, Bas
DeleteBas, I think a lot of those 'shorter' paths may well be possible on FT8 due to aircraft scatter rather than the requirement of a sea path. Could be worth a try. John, EI7GL
ReplyDeleteAircraft scatter is certainly one of the possebilities. Never investigate that. But since I'm under the path to/from scandinavia and Japan/China the north south path could be very well aircraft scatter. 73, Bas
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