SIGNAL ENHANCEMENT LOG

SIGNAL ENHANCEMENT LOG - 19.09.04

What a great morning was had in the south east of the country this morning,
after over 2 months without a major opening it was welcome relief and
excitement, plus it was a Sunday morning made it even better.

For some reason I lost track of time the previous evening and before I knew
it it was 2am! I must have stuffed up when I went to bed, as one of the
radio's was supposed to be monitoring Adelaide beacon 144.450 CW and the
other keeping an ear on repeaters. I'm sure that before I went to sleep that
I heard the Adelaide beacon beginning to come in, in typical major opening
summer style (eg. signs begin appearing around 2 or 3 am on average).

Anyway, I went to bed and still half asleep at 7.30 am I was hearing some
IRLP system coming in and I remember thinking, "what have I got the Wagga
repeater in the scan group for?". Glanced a look at the top of the radio
and, hang on, no green busy light on the VHF side of the rig.... hmmm, head
up a bit further and green light was on the 70cm section, what the? Focused
the eyes on the screen and it said 438.125...... hang on, thats the Adelaide
70cm IRLP repeater!! whats going on here?? Why am I not hearing the Adelaide
beacon then that my other rig was supposed to be on, focused on that
screen.... it was reading 144.446!!!!!! Damn it! I dont know how that
happened. Upon moving the dial up a bit the Adelaide beacon was a huge S9
signal!

Its on!

I quickly got out of bed and had a listen on 144.100 and there was even
people on there! VK5's! Imagine VK5 operators out of bed before me when one
of the biggest duct openings for months was on. It was good to hear
actually, but very slack on my behalf. I guess that'll teach me for staying
up so late.

Anyway, turns out Peter VK5ZLX was on air and he was working VK3AXH on
144.100. Brian VK5UBC was also there. Peter was 5/5 on side of his antenna
and Brian was also 5/5. GArry VK5ZK was also there at 5/2. Things not too
strong at that stage.

Later, after I had woken up, VK5UBC was 5/5 on 146.500 FM and 5ZLX was 5/2
from an omni vertical. At this stage we tried 70cm FM but it was no go.

To cut a fairly long story short, ..........

The conditions were really quite exceptional, especially for the time of
year, similar to summer conditions.
Conditions I feel did not tend to reach too low in VK3, not much here from
that direction.

Adelaide beacon 144.450 peaked at S9+20 dB, possibly strongest I have ever
seen @ 762

VK5ZLX peaked at 5/9+40dB @ 735 km

VK5UBC peaked at S9 @ 764 km

VK5ZK was 5/2 earlier on @ 754 km

A lot of the repeaters from VK5 on 2 and 70 were worked from here. Nothing
really dug out from the Adelaide city and harder to reach areas.

Quite a surprise was being able to work the Port Lincoln repeaters on both 2
and 70, these are the last stop before reaching VK6. The 146.750 repeater
peaked at S9+10dB @ 1019 km and the 438.225 repeater peaked to S7 @ 1026 km.
Its quite a weird feeling hearing the 70cm voice ID come back from Port
Linclon over that distance, such a rare occurance.

Others of note - Cowell just S2 @ 961 km, Port Augusta S9 @ 913 km, Port
Pirie S9 @ 867 km, Central North S8 @ 833 km, Crafers up to S9+40 @ 764 km,
got Murray Bridge and Lobethal.

On 70cm also got to Summertown, Crafers, Barossa Valley and Mt Terrible.

Checked periodically for Esperance and Albany beacons using Spectran, but no
signs of them.

Regards

Leigh VK2KRR

PROPAGATION LOGGER SECTION FROM THE OPENING- please read from bottom to top

19Sep, 01:30 VK2KRR Just worked VK5NEX and VK5UBC on Port Augusta, but QSB, conditions failing
19Sep, 01:15 VK2KRR Adelaide beacon has just dropped very quickly 5/3 now 203.134.94.72
19Sep, 01:08 VK2KRR Adelaide beacon still 5/9 203.134.94.72
19Sep, 01:08 VK2KRR Adelaide repeaters all dropping now 203.134.94.72
19Sep, 00:55 VK2KRR Supposedly 30 degC outside here, nice 203.134.94.72
19Sep, 00:55 VK2KRR Still just getting Port Lincoln 70cm @ 1026 km W 203.134.94.72
19Sep, 00:46 VK2KRR Ohh just got to Cowell 146.800 4/2 @ 961 km 203.134.94.72
19Sep, 00:43 VK2KRR Adelaide beacon still 5/9+10 203.134.94.72
19Sep, 00:25 VK2KRR RRR I have advised 203.134.94.72
19Sep, 00:19 VK2TWR Not open this far maybe 203.54.225.38
19Sep, 00:17 VK2TWR No nothing solid Leigh 203.54.225.38
19Sep, 00:13 VK2NA I'll be back in an hour. 203.220.129.109
19Sep, 00:12 VK2KRR Anything Rod 203.134.94.72
19Sep, 00:05 VK2TWR Ok 203.54.225.38
19Sep, 00:04 VK2KRR He is QSY now to 144.150 USB and he will listen and call your way 203.134.94.72
19Sep, 00:04 VK2KRR Rod I just got him 203.134.94.72
19Sep, 00:03 VK2NA Sorry... it's not Col is it... Rod - Sorry Rod. 203.220.129.109
19Sep, 00:02 VK2NA Are you hearing Liegh's party Col? 203.220.129.109
19Sep, 00:01 VK2TWR Thanks leigh 203.54.225.38
19Sep, 00:00 VK2KRR Rod I just called him and advised, but he has not replied to me, he did say he was busy on previous QSO 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:59 VK2KRR I'll try Rod 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:58 VK2KRR WIA broadcast in on 146.925, 147.000 in SA 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:57 VK2KRR 146.925 Central north repeater 5/7 @ 833 km W 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:57 VK2TWR Leigh could you ask Peter to go 144.150 have a big humm on 100 203.54.225.38
18Sep, 23:56 VK2KRR You would probably hear him if you had your yagi up in horizontal 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:55 VK2KRR YES! Port Augusta 146.975 only 5/3 @ 913 km 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:54 VK2NA His signal must be dropping down on your house. I can't hear anything on 144.100. Or I have a problem with my rig. 203.220.129.109
18Sep, 23:51 VK2KRR Vk5ZLX still 5/9+20 on 144.100 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:45 VK2KRR Nothing from Esperance or Albany on Spectran 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:43 VK2KRR Barossa Valley 70cm 5/8 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:43 VK2KRR 70cm not being supported to Port Lincoln at present 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:42 VK2KRR 438.575 Crafers repeater 5/7 @ 764 km 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:40 VK2KRR Thats about 300 km in itself from his mobile 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:39 VK2KRR Brian VK5UBC has just called in on Port Lincoln and he is in his car in his driveway! at Gawler 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:36 VK2NA Just goes to show the difference a yagi makes. 203.220.129.109
18Sep, 23:35 VK2NA I can hear you, but not the VK5. 203.220.129.109
18Sep, 23:35 VK2KRR Can you hear VK5ATQ on ...... nahhh your hearing me coming through Wagga 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:34 VK2NA Its only S1 here. 203.220.129.109
18Sep, 23:33 VK2NA I can hear that... 203.220.129.109
18Sep, 23:33 VK2NA I'm thinking of buying yagi soon. 203.220.129.109
18Sep, 23:32 VK2NA I need to sturdy the boom up. I haven't got around to it yet. 203.220.129.109
18Sep, 23:32 VK2KRR Still a good 5/9 signal from Port Lincoln 146.750 @ 1019 km W 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:30 VK2KRR WHat happened to the yagi? 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:29 VK2NA I've only got the small vertical on the house roof. Can't rotate very much. 203.220.129.109
18Sep, 23:28 VK2NA I can't hear a thing on 146.775 - my radio is there now. 203.220.129.109
18Sep, 23:26 VK2KRR Still on Lobethal if you can listen Dave west 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:22 VK2NA I can hit it with 80 watts but not 50 watts. It's strengh 4-5 here. 203.220.129.109
18Sep, 23:22 VK2KRR Port Pirie is 5/5 @ 867 km; on lobethal now 146.775 - 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:20 VK2NA VK3RDU (I think) on 146.850 - do you know where that it? 203.220.129.109
18Sep, 23:15 VK2KRR JUst spoke to VK5CTY on the legendary Murray Bridge repeater on 146.875 @ 733 km west 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:14 VK2NA Gone... can't hit it now. 203.220.129.109
18Sep, 23:13 VK2NA I can hit a rptr on 146.850 203.220.129.109
18Sep, 23:11 VK2NA I just heard a strong sig with QSB on 147.250. 203.220.129.109
18Sep, 23:11 VK2KRR West west 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:10 VK2KRR 6.875 repeatetr 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:08 VK2NA I'm just turned on... I can't hear any signs. 203.220.129.109
18Sep, 23:05 VK2KRR Dave! get in on the action while its there 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:05 VK2KRR VK5ZLX last heard was S9+40 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 23:04 VK2KRR Big big signals 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 22:48 VK2KRR VK5ZLX now working VK2DO ...as organised by your truly by phone 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 22:41 VK2KRR Speaking to VK5AJW via Port Lincoln 2m @ 1019 km 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 22:36 VK3VSW No worries! 211.27.78.48
18Sep, 22:36 VK2KRR Ohh not at the moment if thats OK Chris 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 22:33 VK3VSW Like to give 70cm a go Leigh. 439.000? 211.27.78.48
18Sep, 22:33 VK2KRR Talking to VK5UBC 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 22:32 VK2KRR Port Lincoln 70cm coming in 5/7 @ 1026 km - 438.225 W 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 22:26 VK3VSW I'm stuffed in Adelaide direction normally, though my beam is fixed NE and I can hear it weakly. 211.27.78.48
18Sep, 22:23 VK2KRR Any copy on Adelaide beacon CHris? go 144.450 in CW 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 22:23 VK2KRR Adelaide beacon 5/9 still 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 22:22 VK2KRR Not real sure CHris? possibly not 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 22:21 VK2KRR VK5AJW at Cowell on Crafers VK5UBC also 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 22:21 VK3VSW Hey Leigh, is VK2RSY beacon active on 2? 211.27.78.48
18Sep, 22:18 VK3VSW VK2DO In Qso With VK3II on 144.250 211.27.78.48
18Sep, 22:16 VK3VSW VK2DO 5X5 in Geelong 211.27.78.48
18Sep, 22:16 VK2KRR Lobethal is 5/4 @ 747 km W 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 22:15 VK3VSW VK3II Working VK1FH on 144.2 211.27.78.48
18Sep, 22:15 VK2KRR Crafers 5/9 @ 764 km W 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 22:14 VK7HDX Going to re-check 2M....... 211.27.72.57
18Sep, 22:14 VK2KRR Summertown 438.125 repeater is 5/4 @ 760 km W 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 22:13 VK3VSW G'Day All. Fine & Clear in Geelong. VK3II Calling 144.200 211.27.78.48
18Sep, 22:12 VK2KRR Hi Chris 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 22:12 VK2KRR VK5ZLX was also 5/2 on FM 146.500 he is running 25w to omni 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 22:11 VK7HDX Ah.. its back (the site) the screen went blank 211.27.72.57
18Sep, 22:08 VK2KRR VK5UBC - 5/5 on FM 146.500 vertical 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 21:59 VK2KRR G'day Karl 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 21:56 VK7HDX GM Leigh.....WX L'ton cloudless and 6c 211.27.72.57
18Sep, 21:53 VK2KRR VK5ZLX - 5/5 (side of his antenna); VK5ZK - 5/2 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 21:48 VK2KRR VK5UBC 5/5 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 21:47 VK2KRR Adelaide beacon is 5/9 ! 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 21:47 VK2KRR Accidently knocked radio of Adelaide beacon frequency durning the night 203.134.94.72
18Sep, 21:46 VK2KRR AAAAAAAAAAAAAAaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhgggg 203.134.94.72