Bit the bullet and introduced a new rig to the shack.... an IC-7600. The 1st new rig in the shack for years!

A quick summary of 50MHz operations last two days...

Monday Oct 2

No MS worked, but during the afternoon TEP opening I ran 6m WSPR and 'completed' with JG1KGS... see screenshot below of the first RX report.

Confirmation of just how much drift was received from JG1KGS, with this scree grab from the JA end of the path.

Tuesday Oct 3

50MHz MS conditions were still poor.. Frequent short pings from the VK7 stations were heard that produced delivered single letters/syllables. But one good burn was experienced producing a couple of completed Qs. Worked were:

Frank VK7DX @ 2018z (RS52) 1,719km
Joe VK7JG @ 2018z (RS51) 1,651km

Poor 50MHz MS condx continued into Sunday morning... worked were:

Peter VK5PJ @ 2036z (RS52) 1,547km
Peter VK5PJ @ 2110z (RS57) 1,547km

TEP condx returned just on midday, with 26 x JA and 1 x HL stations worked.

Holidays interrupted the normal 50MHz MS operations from VK4CZ, but even still I did get the chance during that time only had on opportunity to operate portable from a couple of locations. Here's a photo of the operating location at St George... right on the banks of the Balonne River.

Ozi-Pole (white coloured dipole) just above roof of Patrol.

Since being back 50MHz MS condx have been very poor. Here's a quick summary:

Friday 29 Sept. Worked were:
Dave VK7DD @ 2044z (RS51) 1,683km
Frank VK7DX @ 2044z (RS55) 1,719km
Dave VK7DD @ 2045z (RS52) 1,683km

Saturday 30 Sept. Worked  was:
Frank VK7DX @ 2059z (RS51) 1,719km

6m MS conditions this morning weren't too favorable but did produce a couple of completed Qs. They were:

Brad VK2QO @ 1939z (RS51) 826km
Frank VK7DX @ 2027z (RS51 - 53) 1,719km

Also heard was:
Gavin VK3HY @ 2010z (RST519) 1,366km

Conditions last weekend for 50MHz MS were poor. The following is a summary of those worked:

Sunday (Sat 10/9 UTC)
Frank VK7DX @ 2013z (RS51)1,719km
Brian VK4EK @ 2100z (RS51) 676km
Brad VK2QO @ 2104Z (RS51) 826km
Peter VK5PJ @ 2105z (RS51) 1,547km

Interesting condx on 6m MS over the weekend. Both days produced frequent very short pings, but very few burns that would sustain a completed Q. However, even with these conditions a few Q's were completed.


Saturday (2/9 UTC)
Worked were:
Brad VK2QO @  2001z (RS55) 826km
Norm VK3DUT @ 2033z (RS57) 1,253km
Frank VK7DX @ 2103z (RS53) 1,719km

Sunday (3/9 UTC)
Brad VK2QO @  2039z (RS51) 826km
Norm VK3DUT @ 2039z (RS51) 1,253km
Frank VK7DX @ 2042z (RS55) 1,719km
Peter VK5PJ @ 2058z (RS51) 1547km
Brad VK2QO @  2123z (RS51) 826km
Joe VK7JG @ 2132z (RS51) 1651km