Will this be the year? The 2m WA1ZMS trans-Atlantic beacon The WA1ZMS beacon on 144.285000 MHz is now running a 500 watt transmitter giving 7 kW ERP The beacon is GPS locked and the antenna comprises two 5-element stacked yagis beaming at 60 degrees from IARU locator FM07fm.
I'm sure most people accepted it at face value and assummed that it was a beacon on the Eastern side of the Atlantic beaming accross (60 deg) on 144 MHz to Europe.
However, when you look at the location of it, some serious issues arise...
The distance between the nearest point in Europe (Ireland) and the nearest point in North America (Newfoundland) is generally considered to be around 3,000 kms. The WA1ZMS beacon is in locator square FM07fm which is in the state of Virginia, some 5,480 kms from Ireland. In fact, it's so far away that it's one Sporadic-E hop from Newfoundland alone. To put that into a European context, it's the same as putting a trans-Atlantic beacon in Romania (YO) and asking someone in Newfoundland to listen for it!
Now, I'm sure that it's an excellent beacon and it is very valuable fas a propogation indicator along the Eastern seaboard of the United States and Canada. And I guess, there is always the possibility that it might bridge the gap accross to the Azores (72 deg...12 deg off beam heading of 60 deg)....especially when the Azore High Pressure system moves around when it expands in the Summer/Autumn month. Even at that though, the distance is still about 4,500 kms.
To suggest that it might make it all of the way accross to Europe proper would take a big leap of faith.
3 comments:
I've been active on weak signal VHF since 1956, and there has been talk of possible 2M contacts across the pond all these years. I'm not sure the Newfoundland-Ireland path, despite being the shortest, is as likely as more southern paths. Every autumn, I see on the Hepburn maps what looks like possible paths to the Azores, Canary Islands and sometimes further. I seldom see anything as good on the Newfoundland-Ireland path. WA1ZMS/B has enough ERP to probably equal or surpass the coastal European beacons N5BHC, 144.291, FN15pa, and K4MHZ, 144.300, FM25df. I can hear all three from my northwestern SC QTH, EM85wb, 200-300 miles away off the side or back of the beacon antennas. Europeans should be monitoring all three frequencies this summer and fall. If any are heard, I am available at my QRZ email address and would like to try a QSO. I run a KW to a hilltop 5 wl antenna and also have 8 x 5 el Directive System yagis pointing NE which covers most of Europe as well as the East Coast of the USA. 73, Doug K4LY ex-W2CRS W0AH K1UGQ
The WA1ZMS beacon is exciting for sure. I listen for it often and have actually head it from time to time on my small 4 element yagi that's only 15 feet off the ground at back. My location is NJ FN30AX. I agree with Doug that Europeans should keep listening because on 2 meters if you miss an opportunity conditions may not be the same for quite some time. Very 73 - Dan WA2CLP
I live in FN85hq in north eastern Nova Scotia and I hear the bcn quite often on MS and tropo,not sure of the distance and I usually monitor the bcn most of the time in hopes of snagging some USA stations.using an old 13b2 at abt 25 ft
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