Tuesday 9 March 2021

Strong long path

For more than a year now, I've been monitoring the 5W, 14MHz WSPR signal from VK3QN, an array of 2, 6 element Yagis fixed on long path to Europe, operated by Ian Williams, VK3MO.

VK3QN 14MHz array.  Image (C) Ian Williams, VK3MO, with permission.
 

Just under a year ago, I established that there was a ~21dB difference in the signal from VK3QN received at the beach, compared to the signal received inland (making a correction of ~2dB for the vertical delta used inland, as this has approximately that much 'design' gain over the 1/4 wave vertical used at the beach).

Last year's beach/inland RX test.
 

This morning, using my vertical delta loop, VK3QN came in at the strongest level I've yet detected from home, peaking at +8dB.  It's a remarkable thing to note that, had I been at the beach, the signal from Ian today would have been around +30dB!  RX was on overnight, so the sheer rise in signal strength is also very notable:

VK3QN, 5W WSPR received by MW1CFN, 09/03/2021


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