Transatlantic QSO on 2m anyone?

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2SG
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Re: Transatlantic QSO on 2m anyone?

Post by 2SG »

Werthers wrote: 15 Nov 2019, 17:04 I wonder if anybody has been successful with a 2 meter transatlantic QSO yet?

I think somebody actually did it from the coast of England to Nova Scotia but not 100% sure I'll have to do some googling.
Nope. Not yet.
Some advances were made this year with 2m FT8 QSO 's being made from D4 Cape Verde Is to the Caribbean (FM Martinique and KP4 Puerto Rico, I think), but the Brendan Trophies have yet to be claimed.
https://www.irts.ie/cgi/st.cgi?brendan

As you will see, there are a range of awards to be claimed and my money is on a couple of stations making a transatlantic 2m FT8 QSO in the next couple of years and claiming the Brendan Shields first
It might be a bit longer before the actual Trophies are claimed.

This sort of challenge is where FT8 comes into it's own, not pissing about on HF bands where we already know that our signals can go right around the World, given favourable conditions.
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ch25
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Re: Transatlantic QSO on 2m anyone?

Post by ch25 »

WE ARE MOTÖRHEAD, AND WE PLAY ROCK N' ROLL
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Werthers
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Re: Transatlantic QSO on 2m anyone?

Post by Werthers »

I think its grate that these experiments are still being done in 2019 its also a good reason why we need a variety of different bands as people seem to forget that amateur radio is a scientific experimental hobby and without bands like the 2 meter band such experiments could not be done.
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Re: Transatlantic QSO on 2m anyone?

Post by 2SG »

There are still plenty of challenges to be met, achievements to be made and records to be broken on the VHF bands and this is where some of the 'new' digital modes being used (like FT8) really come into their own. They are not my cup of tea, I'll admit, but I can see the attraction. I just wish fewer folk would use them on HF where the challenges range from very limited to non-existent, and other than bragging rights, filling logbooks, or filling band slots they seem absolutely pointless to me. But amateur radio is a broad church and everyone has their own preferences and opinions, so live and let live.
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ch25
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Re: Transatlantic QSO on 2m anyone?

Post by ch25 »

That is nice 2m antenna array:
Image

http://www.73.ru/?view=144equipment
WE ARE MOTÖRHEAD, AND WE PLAY ROCK N' ROLL
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Werthers
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Re: Transatlantic QSO on 2m anyone?

Post by Werthers »

One of my fascinations with the 2 meter band is that from my experiments I've found that I can get a range of about 30 miles on my homebrew 2 meter dipole "which is indoors which will go outside" at some point. I know its based on many factors but I did the same tests on CB and 4 meters and get less range on those two bands than I do with 2 Meters which goes further and yes I know theoretically 2 meters is said to have less range than lower frequencies and that is true but 4 meters definitely has less range than two meters under normal conditions which I find fascinating although when conditions are favorable 4 meters will go further.
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