I heard a station on 145.500 FM, G0VHS, Terry in Weymouth, Dorset which is about 45 miles from my qth, this got me thinking, is there a lift on, anyway before I had a chance to call back, my local pal, Alan, G2DXU has done so, and I follow up to listen.
As soon as I heard Mike, GU3WHN, from Guernsey (distance 84 miles) break in I knew we were onto something, so Alan brought me in and we worked them both, with reports of 5/3 both ways.
As we said 73 to go off to the club I heard Ian, GJ7DNJ from Jersey, (distance 106 miles) so I decided to call him from the mobile, so I switched the amp on which gives 100 watts out, and gave him a call, and was delighted to receive a 5/9 +60dB report !
From our club location, I switched the amp off and wound the power down to a watt. and still received a 5/3 report, I suspect we had some very nice tropo ducting !
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2-meter_band
Good afternoon Paul, I have never operated FM outside of the local repeaters. Sounds interesting. It sounds like you have to be in the right place at the right time.
ReplyDeleteHi Paul:
ReplyDeleteYes there was something happening on VHF - I was out and about and was recieving poor sigs on the car radio -stopping to tune manually I found several French stations on - this was at sea level as well, could'nt check 144 though.
Hi Paul, because of high pressure above western Europe, there is nice tropo on 2 meter expected. Also today. Keep an eye on 2 meter today! 73 Paul
ReplyDeleteIt was a cool and foggy evening with the following day glorious sunshine, so I expect we had the low pressure in with high pressure arriving helping to create the ducting ?
ReplyDeleteAnd yes Peter often the first signs of a lift on is hearing a French station wiping out Simon Mayo on radio 2 !
I've been trying to work the Channel Isl's since first licensed, but always suspected that even on 40/80m it's too far for groundwave, and in the dead zone for inospheric propogation, as Northern France also is somewhere I just don't hear.