HF Highlights
Steve Telenius-Lowe PJ4DX reports conflicting forecasts for forthcoming HF propagation, and has all the latest HF news.
Last year NASA physicists issued a paper in which they predicted that the new solar cycle, Cycle 25, could be as high as that of Cycle 21, which peaked at the end of 1979 with a Smoothed Sunspot Number (SSN) of 233 (see HFH, September 2020 PW). Now they have issued a revised, lower, prediction. On 4 August the DX World website carried a report that a paper from the NASA High Altitude Observatory based at the University of Colorado predicts that the new cycle’s peak will have an SSN of 195, ±17.
It should be pointed out that other sources are still predicting that Cycle 25 will be of a similar size to that of Cycle 24, which was one of the lowest on record (see HFH, December 2020 PW). However, the new prediction, while lower than the NASA group’s earlier one, would still be higher than either of the last two cycles − if it proves to be correct. If so, it should allow for some excellent F-layer propagation on 28MHz and perhaps even on 50MHz.
There was, in fact, a big rise in solar activity during the latter half of July, though only for a few days. The SFI peaked at 95 and the SN was 86 on 22 July, but activity then declined and by 1 August we were back once again to a spotless sun, Fig.
1. Table 1 shows the SFI and SN on ‘snap shot’ days of the 11th of each month for the last six months.
Bouvet Island
In last month’s HFH column we reported that the planned DXpedition to the Norwegian sub-Antarctic island of Bouvet, Fig. 2, in January 2023 had been cancelled following the sale of the expedition’s vessel, Braveheart. While members of the Intrepid DX Group headed by N6PSE were looking at the possibility of developing a plan with the new owner of Braveheart,
the Norwegian part of the team began the search for a different vessel to take them to Bouvet.
A new website was launched on 9 August, which carries a press release stating that a 12-man team headed by Ken
Opskar LA7GIA had been formed and that the 101ft oceanic ketch Marama had been chartered to sail to Bouvet in November 2022, two months earlier than the initial plan.
While the Braveheart was equipped with a helicopter, the new team will attempt a beach landing, a much cheaper but potentially more difficult endeavour. Further details are on the 3Y0J website and Facebook pages at:
3y0j.no https://tinyurl.com/udxpkmzu
More DXpedition News
Some news now from the Italian DXpedition Team: the team plans activity from Bubaque Island (IOTA AF-020) in Guinea-Bissau as J5T (on SSB, CW and RTTY) and as J5HKT (on FT8) from 7 to 19 October. Four stations will be active in the 1.8 – 28MHz bands. QSL information is via I2YSB (thanks DX-World).
Visitors to Bonaire
During the pandemic the number of visitors to Bonaire, including radio amateurs, naturally dropped significantly. As the island started to re-open in the summer, so the visitors started to return. We were particularly pleased to welcome Etienne
Chatlein P41E, Fig. 3, to the island in July, because Etienne is (as far as we know) the only Bonaire-born radio amateur. He has been living on Aruba for many years but still has family on Bonaire and makes occasional visits. One of the most active of the resident amateurs on Aruba, this was the first time that he had met up with the Bonaire Amateur Radio (BAR) group that meets for a social get-together every Wednesday evening.
Contest Season
October is an important month for HF contests, with ‘the big one’, CQ World Wide DX SSB, taking place over the weekend of 30/31 October. The bands will be full of contest activity, much to the delight of those who have been looking for a bit of ‘DXcitement’ on the bands (but equally to the annoyance of those who avoid contests like the plague!). There are, however, also several smaller events including the SSB Scandinavian Activity Contest taking place on 9/10 October and the Worked All Germany contest on 16/17 October that do not disrupt the bands for non-contesters but which still provide plenty of activity for those who enjoy contesting.
For those who prefer the new datamodes, another session of the 2021 series of RSGB FT4 contests takes place on Monday 27 September, from 1900 to 2030UTC, on the 80, 40 and 20m FT4 frequencies. There are separate sections for 10W and 100W entries. As relative newcomers to FT4, my wife Eva PJ4EVA and I have enjoyed taking part in this series of contests and were lucky enough to come in top place in the Non-UK 100W section in the July session, Fig. 4.
Readers’News
Kevin Hewitt ZB2GI once again operated portable from the top of the Rock of Gibraltar in July. Although he made over 150 QSOs on 28MHz FT8, Kevin said “my 10m SSB CQ calls went unanswered”. It is a familiar complaint from many SSB and CW operators that everyone has moved to the new digital modes. During one of his operating sessions from the top of the rock Kevin observed HMS Prince of Wales (R09) entering the port of Gibraltar. Kevin also operated Pedestrian Mobile from Europa Point Lighthouse using a backpack put together by John King ZB2JK, Fig. 5. The backpack comprises an FT-817 powered by a 7Ah SLA battery and a LDG Z-100 ATU with a 5m wire wound on to a 4m telescopic fishing pole, connected via a 9:1 balun. Kevin added, “I operated on 20m SSB from the GARS station twice this month, the first time after 2000, when the log included Jamaica and Trinidad along with a good selection of European, NA, SA, and Asian stations. The second time after 1900 the log included Thailand and Qatar along with a good selection of UK and European stations”.
Victor Brand G3JNB reckons that the increase of the SFI to 95 by 3 July did little to enhance propagation for him. He reports: “However, I did receive weak signals on 17m from E29TGW Thailand and, on 30m, from Didier FY5FY French Guiana. But it was noticeable that both were struggling to work EU despite their many CQ calls. Nevertheless, it seemed to me that this might bode well for improved conditions in the days to follow. On the 4th, I gave it some ‘welly’ on 17m (my maximum 18W) and both NY2PO and K2M obliged, but with poor reports. So, I waited... and waited.
“The IARU Contest over 10/11th provided an interesting reflection upon the low power HF DXer’s predicament at this early stage in the new cycle. There was good news and bad news. The good news was that the CW bands, devoid of operators for so long, were crowded with high-speed exchanges and unadulterated enthusiasm. The bad news became apparent when I could receive some attractive DX but getting them to hear my QRP was impossible and so it also seemed for many of our more powerful operators. On the Saturday, I listened to
John P44W Aruba calling his heart out on 40m but eventually realising that, apparently, nobody was listening. On the other hand,
Ricardo PY2PT in Sao Paulo was doing a roaring trade on 15m.
“So, there was nothing for it but to concentrate on the EU ‘HQ’ callsigns [see
Around the Bands – Ed]. Following the contest, I thought to check if the CW band occupancy had survived. Across 10, 12, 15, 17, and 20m there was absolute silence. No DX for days but on the 17th I was actually copy
ing a weak ZL4TT on 20m and, next day, a strong JH1HDT on 17m. No QSOs there but, as the SFI rose to 94 on 22nd, I slipped past the 30m pile-up to work JW0W on EU063 Prins Karls Forland Island (Svalbard) who were limbering up for the IOTA Contest. Later, I was copying TZ4AM Mali on 12m but Jeff did not hear my low power calls.”
Tony Usher G4HZW remained on 28MHz the whole month, stating that there was “still plenty of Sporadic E but little in the way of DX for me, although I did notice some propagation from the UK out to Japan from time to time. East coast stations from North America were copied frequently, with Arizona worked one evening. South America and the Caribbean were available most days. Sunspot numbers only appear to be rising slowly so perhaps we’ll be waiting until next year for some F-layer propagation. Working conditions here in Mobberley: Yaesu FT-450 running 50W into a 4-element Sirio Yagi at 40ft.” Tony commented that
“We’ve endured a spell of hot weather recently with temperatures exceeding 30°C; much too warm for me. Today it’s a much more manageable 15°C with heavy, slowmoving periods of rain – perfect!”
“I never in my entire life believed I would do this!” said Etienne Vrebos OS8D. What on earth could Etienne possibly have been referring to? Well, confirmed SSB operator Etienne writes: “I bought a Bencher CW paddle and an MFJ-418 pocket Morse code tutor. Connected it to my Icom IC-7300 and it works! (Fig. 6). I made some tests with 5W on 40m with a friend in the neighbourhood... This is a huge project for the next years. [I’m] not going digital, and not using a CW decoder, as I promised my friend Jean 5T0JL (SK), even if my friend told me my IC7851 can do everything for me (I didn’t even open those menus). So please have some years of patience with me, and we’ll have QSOs on two modes: SSB and CW!” This month, though, Etienne stuck with SSB to make about 250 contacts, prioritising low power and portable stations. “It seems I do attract UK Foundation stations working with 10W, and some of them with inside antennas, when calling CQ on 40m every morning... I do like to spend a long time with them as they are that happy to catch somebody from ON country willing to speak with them and not only giving a 59.” Etienne also highlighted a couple of other QSOs: on 7MHz SSB he worked KN6IPA/AM in a military refuelling plane flying over the North Sea. This is Justin, now based in England and signing M0JJO when he is on terra firma. Meanwhile on 14MHz SSB Etienne worked 4X100AI on IOTA AS-100
and commented: “I never saw any island in Israel, where I have been many, many times!”
Owen Williams G0PHY wrote to me
saying: “Thanks for the contact in the IOTA contest; it was a difficult one as I had a high level of local QRM. All the DX worked this month was in the IOTA contest. I thought there was more island activity outside Europe in this year’s contest. Apart from SA-006 [Bonaire – Ed] I managed to work 5T5PA/P on AF-050, TA0G on AS-099, AA4V on NA-110 as well as AF-014 (Madeira) and AS-004 (Cyprus). Outside the contest all contacts were with European stations including JW0W on EU-063 Prins Karls Forland Island. Although not DX it was nice to have a contact on 28MHz with EI3KM and with GM3RCV [on EU-111, the Monach Isles
– Ed] on 24MHz.”
Around the Bands
Kevin ZB2GI (operating from home, from the GARS club station, and portable from the top of the Rock as well as from Europa Point Lighthouse): 14MHz SSB:
5B4AIX, 6Y5HM, 9Z4ZB, A71AM, AK1X, CN8AMA, CS9ABL, CX4RT, EA8CWA, HP6DJA, HS0ZEX, JA5AC, JH4IFF, KC1GTK, KD8EDN, KE0MAD, LU9FHF, N2QVY, N7VOX, N8XX, PJ7FM, PY1GV, PY5QW, PY9NT, TA2DE, VE2PU, VE3MJD, W4HRL. 21MHz FT8: 4X1PF, CM2RSV, DS1JFY, EA8AUW, JA5DNJ, JA6YBK, JA9LSZ, JF1KMC, JG4AKL, JH3AIU, KB2ELA, N6LZ, NP4JF, PU0FDN, PV8AAS, PY2DPM, VE2TK, W8LRJ. 24MHz FT8: CE1LEW, K0KX, K3LJ, K8VE, KC2LST, W1HNZ, W8VK. 28MHz FT8: 4Z1DZ, AA7A, CQ750RSI, E20WXA, EA8TH, K0UA, K1CYQ,
K8ST, KA2D, N3CAN, PY7BC, TF3JB, TM66TDF, VE2MF, VE3FNT, VU3RGB, WA5TXY, ZV32ZT.
Victor G3JNB (during IARU contest): 7MHz CW: DA0HQ, E75HQ, EM5HQ, HG0HQ, LY0HQ, OF0HQ, OL1HQ, PA6HQ, S50HQ, SG0HQ, TM0HQ. 14MHz CW:
OL1HQ, OZ1HQ. 21MHz CW: DA0HQ, EM5HQ, HG0HQ, LY0HQ, OL1HQ, S50HQ, YT0HQ. EF4HQ, EW5HQ, LY8HQ, OD4HQ, OE0HQ. 28MHz CW: S50HQ.
Tony G4HZW: 28MHz FT8: 9Y4D, AD8GN, CE2EC, CE6TK, FS/W6IZT, HI8T. HI95RCD, K0IS, K2ENF, K6ND, KA1YQC, KA5OWI, KC0BRA, KC9WPS, KG8DH, KO4PQQ, L21RCA, N1ERA, N3QXC, N7WS (AZ), OA4DOS, PJ4EL, PU2DMA, PU5SZN, PU7SPK, PY1KS, TF1A, TF3VE, TG9ADQ, VA3AQB, YV1SW, YV7MAY, ZD7MY.
Etienne OS8D: 7MHz SSB: KN6IPA/ AM (above the North Sea). 14MHz SSB: 3V8MN, 4X100AI (AS-100), 5T5PA/P (AF050), 9M8DEN, BD7MHZ, EK6ZA, JR2IRZ, JW0W (EU-063), JW/LB1RH, UN7QF, VU2XO, YI1WWA. 18MHz SSB: JH3NGD, JR7TKG, ZD7FT. 21MHz SSB: S79KW, VU3NPI, YB1TJ, YC3DOC. 28MHz SSB: “Nice openings to UK some days.”
Owen G0PHY: 14MHz SSB: 5B4KH, 5T5PA/P, AA4V, CR5DX, CT3HF, JW0W, PJ4DX, TA0G.
Signing Off
Thanks to all contributors. Please send all input for this column to teleniuslowe@ gmail.com by the 11th of each month. Photographs of your shack, antennas, or other activity would be particularly welcome. For the December issue the deadline is 11 October. 73, Steve PJ4DX.