SWL

 Returned to some SWLing. Have no access to any transceiver at the moment but have a small SW receiver. Antenna is a MW ferrite antenna and a telescopic whip for SW.

My list today:

648KHz Radio Caroline 15:40 UTC strong signal

675KHz Radio Calypso 15:45 UTC strong signal

694KHz BBC radio 5 15:50 UTC strong signal

18100KHz USB Several strong FT8 signals, no SSB signals on the rest of 17m 15:51 UTC

14252KHz USB DK1RU 15:51 UTC strong signal 

14236KHz USB YB0AR in QSO with IW1ANM 15:52 UTC both reasonable signals 

14222KHz USB S56IZW 15:56 UTC weak signal

14260KHz USB A47RS in QSO with F4BEV 15:58 UTC both weak signals

14277KHz USB I2OLV (Massimo) in QSO with A65I 18:00 UTC both reasonable signals

900KHz RAI Radio 1 19:06 UTC reasonable signal

999KHz Radio Rosii (Russia) 19:12 UTC strong signal

1053 KHz Talk Sport Radio 19:17 UTC strong sig + lots of echoes

1090 KHz Talk Sport Radio 19:17 UTC strong sig + even more echoes

1152 KHz Classic gold (UK) 19:22 UTC  very weak sig QSB

1152KHz RNE Radio 5 (Spain) 19:23 UTC strong sig

7162KHz LSB TM62YT (F2YT memorial station) 19:40 UTC very strong sig

7162KHz LSB TM62YT in QSO with: GM8OFQ (Orkney Isl.), PA3HJL, YL3DR, R2DNW, R9FE, OK2XX

7188KHz LSB I1/PA5TYS 19:45 UTC strong sig

7188KHz LSB PA5TYS in QSO with G7HFS, PD1ANL (Ouddorp), EA3/PA5VEN, PD0FDL (Elzendorp), PA0TNT (Papendrecht)

14180KHz USB F5MIN calling CQ 20:00 UTC Strong signal

14202KHz USB CT1DMC calling CQ 20:01 UTC Strong signal

Received near Skaerbaek, Denmark

Difference in 6m propagation

6m propagation can be very sporadic and very specific. Even a few kilometers/miles can make a huge difference. Besides that type and height of antenna is important. I only use a 5 element directional antenna on 6m at a height of about 14m. So far I think I do very reasonable. But today I saw many stations around me in the Netherlands making QSOs to the USA and Mexico. I didn't see anything from that direction at that time. So I decided to monitor since sometimes propagation is getting to a specific area in waves. I wrote about that before. The only problem is that it's like I'm always just a few meters from the surf. The difference between me and some other DXers in JO33 is sometimes large and very frustrating, To compare here are some pictures:

This is what I received this evening. Started monitoring around 17:30 UTC. In the end I received some from the west-coast and one station from Mexico.

To compare:

PA0O is a neighbour station about 20km south-west from my QTH also in JO33. I believe Jaap is using a 7 element monoband beam on about 20m height. He was heard in Hawaii with a strong signal. It is unknown to me if he worked Hawaii.

PE5T is a well known DXer at about 50km west from me also in JO33. According to his QRZ page using a 6 element monoband beam. Height is unknow but I think it is also about 20m heigh.

Top DXer PA5Y I think is one of the strongest and most fanatic 6m DXers from my country at the moment. From his QRZ page I think he is using a 7 element at 20m height. I know he managed a QSO with Hawaii this evening.

This kind of propagation is unexpected. Last year we had almost no DX at all on 6m. Very interesting to notice this. At the time I finish this post I still see contact made between Europe and USA and surrounding countries, although I only see some USA stations very sporadic and very weak. I wonder if next year 6m DX can be worked even later? 

Reminder.... comments on blogger

 

Just to remind most bloggers using blogspot there is some kind of an "error" in the comments section. Actually it has to do something with 3rd party cookies, probabely a strict rule in the USA.  Wrote about it before a couple of weeks ago:

https://pe4bas.blogspot.com/2022/05/comments-on-blogger.html

This means that most of our blogger friends can't receive comments on their blog. The "learn more" link in the error message will lead you to solutions that only the owner of the blogspot can change.

It is so unfortunate because comments on a blog post are invaluable!

PSE fellow bloggers change your comments configuration so there are more possebilities to post a comment.