I have had two contacts in the last few days on 10m and 12m to stations in N.Wales and N.England, distances of 170 miles and 241 miles respectively.
Both of these stations, MW0ZZK, Steve, and G0SXC, Kevin, were using Yagi's pointing west and working Stateside, they both took a bit of working as my 5-2/3 signals were competing with 5/7+ Stateside.
These stations are too far way for it to be ground wave, and with no UK sporadic 'e' openings, both stations suggested it was 'backscatter'.
I have tried to google-ing 'backscatter' and have not found a lot of readable info, any thoughts or comments greatly appreciated !
73 Paul.
Hi Paul
ReplyDeleteI too have been wondering on the type of propagation we are getting on 10 metres. The other day on the way home from work in the /M station I worked a GM8 in the north of Scotland, signals 5/9 both ways, he was using a dipole. Yet a few minutes later I was receiving signals from Brazil and Puerto Rico. I think it is a little too late for sporadic E but there does seem to be "short Skip" mixed in with the DX stations.
73 Kevin
Hi Paul, it depends on what antenna you use (radiation angle) what mode was you using and what power? Short skip is possible, maybe tropospheric scatter, or airplane scatter, or rain scatter. All kinds of possibilities. back scatter? I don't know. 73 Paul
ReplyDeleteYes Paul, defenitely backscatter as these stations were pointed to the US. If you had a beam and you pointed it to the west you shure would have signals 5/9 backscatter. I made so many QSOs back in the ninetees on backscatter on 11m, most of the times with 5/9 signals with the other side of the Netherlands with the beam towards the US and the opposite station as well. When we pointed our beams to each other we lost signals. 73, Bas
ReplyDeleteVery interesting, as from what I have read, backscatter allows you to work stations in the skip or dead zone, too far for ground wave.
ReplyDeleteThe antenna I use is a 5/8 vertical, and power of 50 watts, hence the low signal reports received.
So what is it that is reflecting signals back, ionosphere, clouds...?
@ Kevin, the S.American propogation is F2, according to DX sherlock, I suspect your GM contact was backscatter (with good signals strength's as well, unlike mine) as we've not had local 'e' propogation that I'm aware of recently.
Great comments, keep 'em coming !
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