RadCom April 2024, Vol. 100, No. 4

April 2024 57 Regulars Peter was running a restored Barker & Williamson 5100B transmitter into a 3-element tribander. A video of the QSO with Peter can be viewed at [3] . A first for me was an AM QSO with K1GUP on 7.180MHz. Although it was a struggle, we managed to exchange 34 reports each way. Jerry was using a Yagi beaming west, due to a broken rotator. 5.317MHz continues to be active for good quality AM QSOs on a daily basis. Listen out in the late afternoon for most activity. Already, with increasing daylight hours, NVIS propagation in mid February is lasting well past 2000UTC and by April will be even later. 60m band This band continues to delight many operators on all modes. All day propagation exists for inter-UK QSOs and, of particular interest, is the path across to eastern Canada. Many stations have been working Larry, VO1FOG; Cal, VO1CAL; and Bob, VY2NX. I was delighted to work Larry as early as 1954UTC, an hour before his sunset, on 13 February, with signals starting around S6 and peaking to S9+10 at 2030UTC. EI0CL, MM0GGI, G0RKF and G4RZQ also made the QSO. Nick, VE3OWV near Ottawa has been active and worked Nobby, G3ZEV and reported good signals from Nobby’s 3.5m-diameter magnetic loop, which consistently outperforms both my long wire and delta loop. Nobby also worked K2JPV around 2300UTC. Again, please bear in mind that the openings across the pond will get later as the daylight hours increase. Peter, AA3RE came up at 2300UTC on 17 February with an S7 signal, but suffering from high noise. Larry, VO1FOG acted as relay but the only station to be copied solidly was Simon, G0ZEN (Devon) running a vertical antenna. Activity Reports Rob, G2BKZ ( Photo 5 ) has a nice Cubical Quad antenna ( Photo 6 ) and he writes: “Retirement, for the second time is great! More Dxing.” Rob operates on SSB and AM and recently tried his quad on the 12m band, for which he doesn’t have an element, with some degree of success. G1TCH Clyde, G1TCH (Matlock) writes: “I have worked Bob, VP8LP in the Falklands with my IC-705 three times now. My best report from him was 53 on 27 January. On 4 February, I worked Bill, V31XX in Belize, a new country for me. I gave 52 and he returned with 54.” G4XEX Peter, G4XEX (Market Harborough) writes: “January has been a quiet but still interesting month. Best DX of the month for me was 7O2WX on 28MHz, only my second station from Yemen and the first on 10m. As usual my log is full of JAs but I have also found some other nice DX around. I particularly enjoyed the CQ WW RTTY WPX Contest. RTTY is not the best mode to chase DX on but 10m was full of it on the Sunday and with good signals as well. As the bands are so alive I have only listed the DX I worked on the 15, 12 and 10m bands. Highlights are: 28MHz FTn 7O2WX, DS3CHK, DU3JH, HC1KX, HI3K, HK3WML, J88IH, VU2AZ John Petters, G3YPZ yagiarray@gmail.com Reports to radcom@rsgb.org.uk by 19 March 2024 PHOTO 7: ZB2JK/MM. and VU2RCY; 28MHz RTTY: 9N7AA, BA9DV, E21AZ, JH4UTP, JA6WHN, VR2XAN and ZD7BG; 28MHz CW: TI5/VA3RS; 24MHz FTn: E25KAE, HL1BLI, HS1BJP, V31DL, YF9DIM and YG4BEB; 21MHz FTn: 8A0RARI, BA9TX, J73GCG, YC2RXL and YC9AAI; 21MHz RTTY: FR8UA and V55Y.” ZB2GI Kev, ZB2GI sent a detailed report of his activities with John, ZB2JK in Gibraltar ( Photo 7 ). They tried some maritime mobile operation using a DV27 re-tuned CB mobile antenna and a converted Superstar SS3900 CB transceiver in the Bay of Gibraltar. 2E1BRT Andrew, 2E1BRT (York) has been beset with poor weather and subsequent problems with his long wire antenna. He writes: “In spite of the setbacks, with SSB I’ve still been able to bag Belgium, Hungary and Denmark. Plus, I’ve also been able to make some progress on my Worked All Norway Award claim too. However, the icing on the cake for me has got to be JY4CI on 21MHz. Now that one can only be described as one heck of a scrap to get. JY4CI was coming through at 55, but with heavy QSB. At best I was only given 31, again because of the QSB. But both of us stuck at it and completed the QSO. A well- fought-for QSO, and one that I’ll be forever proud of.” Sign off Daimon, G4USI is in the chair for the next two months. Please keep the contributions coming. References [1] https://www.propquest.co.uk/graphs.php [2] http://kiwisdr.com/public/ [3] https://youtu.be/ABJg7GUIG88?si=1ga2RX- qJ7o_Q_GR PHOTO 4: Carl, EA8/G4GTW. PHOTO 5: G2BKZ. PHOTO 6: G2BKZ’s impressive quad antenna.