14MHz Long path returns!

For the first time in a long while, VK stations appeared this morning on 14MHz via the long path.

This heralds the approach to equinoctal propagation conditions, which are consistently good between Europe and VK due to the good alignment of the terminator.  Typically, signals reach a peak strength during a period of some 20 minutes an hour or so after sunrise here.

Not a very good type of dipole.

Interesting to note the very large (13dB, or 20 times) difference in signal strength between VK7JB, running an 80m horizontal loop, and VK2KWW, running one of those Comet 'upwards' inverted-vee trap antennas.  I once built a monoband version of the Comet, which proved to be utterly useless.