The daily ritual continues...

Scatter from Remi FK8CP has been observed today since approx 2200z.... but as seems to be the norm, nothing from further afield.

It's now almost nightly... KH9/WA2YUN bcn 529 now... Much needed DXCC, but no humans!

Scatter from Remi FK8CP has been consistent this morning, and now with Tim T2TT monitoring 50.1106MHz both Remi and George VK4AMG can be seen CQn at same time.

KH9/WA2YUN bcn in again... weak 319 and upto 419 on QSB peaks. But no human to work. Even called on 50.120MHz!

Was great to work Grant VK2MAX this morning on both 144 and 432MHz with some tropo enhancement.

But it would be tough without this enhancement as I am still running just the IC-910H... no linears or RX pre-amps. This has giving me some more incentive to get the linear amps and pre-amps completed, then installed. 432 1st!

Wow, just hearing Alan E6RQ (VK4WR) from Niue...

What's most interesting is that he's scattering in from QTF 30 (over the Solomans).. nearly 55 degrees off true path shown below.

Here's a map from Bob ZL1RS showing the ZL low band TV QRGs and the dates associated with the digital switch over when these services will be shut down.

Might mean a significant change in the way 6m DX is worked... resulting in the need for actual CQn ;)

Scatter into the South West Pacific continues to be below average, but still there. Remi FK8CP CQn 50.1106 and George VK4AMG CQn on 50.1109 (just outside my RX bandwidth).

100 pairs of 30 Amp Anderson Power Poles arrived today....

Must now start on converting shack and Field Day equipment over!

Hatt JO1LVZ CQn on 50.090... visible trace, but not audible.

KH9/WA2YUN bcn 50.014MHz ... been in for nearly 30 minutes. Peaked at RST529, currently RST519.

Does this provide an new opportunity to operate the  home station as a 'remote'?

Great condx on 6m yesterday... will today be the same?

10m has been good so far. A few EUs RXed on the LP, and great signals from the Caribbean and mainland USA.

Remi FK8CP CQn on 50.1106 CW upto RST559 on backscatter....

Also R1 49.750 TV up to RS55 at times....

And now KH6HI/B appearing... weak and occasionally audible...

Peaking at RST519 at 0338z, and lost by 0340z.

A nice bit of kit from ZS1NAZ...

E51WL/B just coming up now...

A little Es to ZL, with the ZL2WHO/B RST519 now

And at the same time Bob ZL1RS working Fred KH7Y on 50.110. No sign of Fred here..... yet!

A weak and scattered signal from KH9/WA2YUN beacon was being RX'ed at 0422z.

Whilst nothing near record breaking, or even out-of-the-box, but I did manage a tropo contact on 144MHz yesterday afternoon with Steve VK2ZT at Medowie... a path of 608.6km.

Not bad considering I am still operating without either a linear and pre-amp on the bands 144MHz and up!

This has re-energized me.... I must get the 432MHz linear projects completed, and start to plan out the 144MHz solution.

VK5VF in via Es.... an interesting effect on the signal. Something wrong with it??

The TX5K DXpedition continues to add another element of excitement to amateur radio operating at present. Their DXA site provides great feedback on there operations as well as the tally of band slots worked!

I'm going OK so far!

What an amazing shot of Lance W7GJ on Clipperton Is operating 6m EME as TX5K

What was also most remarkable, was that Lance had to completely fund his activation, and establish the station himself. First station on air at TX5K was this one... and first contacts completed were from this one. A first for sure when 6m leads the DXpedition. Well done Lance!

Patience paid off... 'heard' Lance W7GJ as TX5K off the moon this evening.

 

Hearing is one thing... completing is another!

TEP condx this afternoon have been sensational, with two distinct openings observed. Strong 49.750 video carriers have been back in with both Russian (R1) and Chinese (C1) video offsets seen.

Observing the 1,500km scatter path between VK4CZ and FK8CP is a consistent, almost daily event. Whilst there is some variability in the path (as is expected), the consistency is what continues to fascinate me.

Here's Remi FK8CP this morning, with enhancements to the path that had signals up to RST539.

The 'Warbler' has just increased in signal... path improving!

The TEP path between VK4 and JA is well established. The 'Warbler' TV Video from near Vladivostok 49.750MHz was first logged at 0424z, and is still a good signal.

JA2IGY and JE7YNQ beacons are also still very audible, with a few JA stations being heard on 50.110 CQn.