Late opening on 28 MHz - Mon 6th May 2019

Monday the 6th of May 2019 was in many ways similar to the previous day in that the 28 MHz band was quiet for most of the day and only really opened up in the late afternoon.

The main Sporadic-E opening started at about 15:30 UTC and what was unusual was that it didn't close until about 23:00 UTC.

The main opening was to the south towards Spain with most of the strong signals from there.

These are the FT8 signals heard on Monday the 6th of May 2019...

Notes...
1) The band opened to South America again although I heard a lot less traffic than on the 5th of May.

2) I noticed that some of the stations in the UK had double hop Sp-E down to the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa. There were no signals here though.

3) This is the map of Europe in more detail...

It shows the areas where the main openings were... to Spain / Portugal and to N.Italy/S.Germany.

The yellow line shows my one hop Sporadic-E limit. I heard just three stations that were double hop.

Beacons...While FT8 hears signals that are buried in the noise, hearing the beacons on cw is another matter. If you start hearing there then you know conditions are reasonable.

These are the beacons heard and they more or less concur with the areas heard on FT8...

EI7GL 28188.0 OE3XAC/B 19:27 06 May IO51TUJN78SB Austria 
EI7GL 28205.0 DL0IGI/B 19:25 06 May IO51TUJN57MT Fed. Rep. of Germany
EI7GL 28265.1 DF0ANN/B 19:22 06 May IO51TUJN59PL Fed. Rep. of Germany
EI7GL 28210.7 DB0FKS/B 18:51 06 May IO51TUJN49IT Fed. Rep. of Germany
EI7GL 28207.1 ON0RY/B 18:44 06 May IO51TUJO20CK Belgium
EI7GL 28257.7 DK0TEN/B 18:41 06 May IO51TUJN47NT Fed. Rep. of Germany
EI7GL 28255.8 C30P/B 17:52 06 May IO51TUJN02SM Andorra 
EI7GL 28253.3 ED5YAU/B 15:53 06 May IO51TUIM98WN Spain 
EI7GL 28251.1 ED4YAK/B 15:46 06 May IO51TUIN80FK Spain
EI7GL 28169.3 ZB2TEN/B 15:44 06 May IO51TUIM76HD Gibraltar

The ED4YAK/B beacon near Madrid is one of the most consistent here and I heard it near the start of the opening and it was there for a lot of the evening. I also heard it at 23:05 UTC which was just after midnight local Summer time.

The one of interest in there for me is ON0RY/B in Belgium. This is reasonably close at about 1000kms which shows that the skip distance is getting shorter.

Caribbean... The most interesting part of the opening was probably the opening to the Caribbean. North-South propagation is the norm on 28 MHz when the solar flux is low but it's when the signals start going East-West that it gets interesting.

These are the FT8 signals from that region with Venezuela, Guadaloupe, Puerto Rico and Haiti heard....

NP4TX 10m FT8 3888 miles 22:20:29
YV4DYJ 10m FT8 7056 km 22:00:00
HH2AA 10m FT8 6624 km 21:56:44
FG4ST 10m FT8 6105 km 20:40:14
YV5MBI 10m FT8 7023 km 20:39:29

North-South Divide... It was interesting to see how the signals from HH2AA in Haiti seemed to have a northerly cut off. None of the stations in the north of the UK seemed to hear him.

Stations hearing HH2AA on FT8 on 28 MHz - 6th May 2019

As for the mode of propagation to the Caribbean? One hop Sporadic-E to the west and then F2? Multi hop Sporadic-E?

I suspect Sp-E and then F2 but that's the thing about 28 MHz, there are times when you can't be certain.

The Solar Flux was down at 72 which is very low.

In total, I uploaded 304 FT8 reports from 188 stations in 30 countries to the PSK Reporter website.

These are the stations heard (2000kms plus in bold)...




CS7AFM 10m FT8 1478 km 23:18:21
CT4SU 10m FT8 1129 km 22:54:59
EA7CL 10m FT8 1710 km 22:53:14
EA5HRV 10m FT8 1505 km 22:46:29
EA5IKP 10m FT8 1619 km 22:33:14
CT7AQS 10m FT8 1340 km 22:30:29
EA1AAP 10m FT8 1165 km 22:29:29
EA7DGC 10m FT8 1643 km 22:27:44
EA4GOK 10m FT8 1321 km 22:27:30
M0JDK 10m FT8 477 km 22:24:44
EA4AGI 10m FT8 1328 km 22:22:59
CT1EGW 10m FT8 1459 km 22:21:29
NP4TX 10m FT8 3888 miles 22:20:29
IK5IVP 10m FT8 1744 km 22:16:59
EA4AQQ 10m FT8 1319 km 22:16:44
EA1FZ 10m FT8 1133 km 22:15:44
EB5VT 10m FT8 1601 km 22:15:29
EA3GCV 10m FT8 1410 km 22:03:29
EB3TC 10m FT8 1395 km 22:00:44
YV4DYJ 10m FT8 7056 km 22:00:00
HB9FXG 10m FT8 1427 km 21:59:44
IK3VZO 10m FT8 1673 km 21:58:44
IK2FIR 10m FT8 1446 km 21:58:14
IZ5FSA 10m FT8 1708 km 21:57:59
EA4LG 10m FT8 1329 km 21:57:14
I1APQ 10m FT8 1420 km 21:56:59
HH2AA 10m FT8 6624 km 21:56:44
I1YTO 10m FT8 1443 km 21:54:44
EA3CAZ 10m FT8 1405 km 21:53:29
IZ0EGA 10m FT8 1930 km 21:51:59
EA7IBX 10m FT8 1668 km 21:51:14
EA7APF 10m FT8 1625 km 21:49:14
EA1HS 10m FT8 1137 km 21:48:29
F6DAY 10m FT8 997 km 21:47:44
EA3CA 10m FT8 1281 km 21:47:44
EA7ON 10m FT8 1618 km 21:47:29
IZ5EME 10m FT8 1774 km 21:47:29
EA9AZ 10m FT8 1791 km 21:40:59
HB9BUN 10m FT8 1300 km 21:40:29
EA7ARG 10m FT8 1611 km 21:37:29
EA2OK 10m FT8 1235 km 21:36:59
F4HTQ 10m FT8 1271 km 21:36:29
EA5DM 10m FT8 1608 km 21:33:44
EB7HQE 10m FT8 1635 km 21:33:29
EA7BUU 10m FT8 1628 km 21:32:59
TK5IH 10m FT8 1705 km 21:32:44
EA3NG 10m FT8 1399 km 21:32:29
IK0DWJ 10m FT8 1862 km 21:30:29
IK2LEY 10m FT8 1459 km 21:28:29
IK1ODN 10m FT8 1452 km 21:27:44
EA7YV 10m FT8 1714 km 21:25:44
LY3W 10m FT8 2093 km 21:23:59
IK2IQC 10m FT8 1467 km 21:22:29
EA6SK 10m FT8 1601 km 21:21:14
EA3KE 10m FT8 1417 km 21:20:14
I2DMI 10m FT8 1446 km 21:20:14
EA3GNR 10m FT8 1409 km 21:18:59
EA5RJ 10m FT8 1568 km 21:18:14
EA5IEZ 10m FT8 1608 km 21:17:45
HB3YFC 10m FT8 1263 km 21:16:14
EA5AWC 10m FT8 1618 km 21:15:29
EA4AAI 10m FT8 1324 km 21:13:59
EA3ZD 10m FT8 1403 km 21:10:30
F6EXG 10m FT8 1468 km 21:10:14
EA7KDW 10m FT8 1570 km 21:04:59
IK1GPG 10m FT8 1453 km 21:02:21
EA4CFT 10m FT8 1308 km 20:59:30
FG4ST 10m FT8 6105 km 20:40:14
YV5MBI 10m FT8 7023 km 20:39:29
IS0KNG 10m FT8 1940 km 20:31:29
DH3MIT 10m FT8 1394 km 20:21:29
PR7AR 10m FT8 7018 km 20:20:44
IW2ODI 10m FT8 1507 km 20:16:14
OE6VHF 10m FT8 1780 km 20:10:44
DL3MCG 10m FT8 1469 km 20:09:59
HA1SU 10m FT8 1890 km 20:01:14
DO5MF 10m FT8 1441 km 20:00:14
EA7DT 10m FT8 1715 km 19:54:29
DF7EF 10m FT8 1135 km 19:53:44
DK7NL 10m FT8 1415 km 19:49:59
DO1MH 10m FT8 1506 km 19:47:29
IZ4REF 10m FT8 1617 km 19:47:29
HB9MOZ 10m FT8 1251 km 19:47:29
EA7PY 10m FT8 1723 km 19:39:44
EA7GBH 10m FT8 1773 km 19:39:14
PD1DL 10m FT8 921 km 19:34:29
HB9MOP 10m FT8 1246 km 19:33:59
IK2VUC 10m FT8 1430 km 19:31:59
ZP9CTS 10m FT8 9908 km 19:31:14
PU2TES 10m FT8 9122 km 19:29:44
ON7HM 10m FT8 867 km 19:29:44
IW1FGY 10m FT8 1380 km 19:29:44
IZ3ZLT 10m FT8 1644 km 19:29:14
EA2HK 10m FT8 1269 km 19:28:00
OE4ATS 10m FT8 1853 km 19:15:59
IK5YMH 10m FT8 1762 km 19:15:44
DF3UB 10m FT8 1248 km 19:15:44
EB1DWF 10m FT8 1045 km 19:15:44
DF4IP 10m FT8 1235 km 19:15:14
F5LMG 10m FT8 753 km 19:14:44
PD7JVW 10m FT8 1011 km 19:14:14
ON5FV 10m FT8 890 km 19:13:59
EA7TR 10m FT8 1709 km 19:13:44
HB9TVS 10m FT8 1219 km 19:13:29
RA2FL 10m FT8 1920 km 19:12:14
DH7HQ 10m FT8 1322 km 19:11:00
EA5IBI 10m FT8 1578 km 19:10:14
EA2DPA 10m FT8 1040 km 19:09:45
I2XYI 10m FT8 1465 km 19:09:45
M0SSK 10m FT8 608 km 19:09:44
ON4AUB 10m FT8 857 km 19:09:44
DF1IW 10m FT8 1249 km 19:09:14
EA7AN 10m FT8 1619 km 19:08:59
DL8EAY 10m FT8 1033 km 19:08:14
EA1AF 10m FT8 1141 km 19:07:14
DO5BK 10m FT8 1401 km 19:06:44
IK2SGF 10m FT8 1473 km 19:06:29
EA1MX 10m FT8 991 km 19:05:59
IU7GSN 10m FT8 2220 km 19:04:44
OS8A 10m FT8 941 km 19:04:30
IK2DDR 10m FT8 1548 km 19:02:59
IU4LDT 10m FT8 1598 km 19:01:59
IZ6BXV 10m FT8 1987 km 19:01:44
EA7FKY 10m FT8 1741 km 19:01:00
IZ2KZF 10m FT8 1488 km 19:00:29
EA3KR 10m FT8 1409 km 19:00:29
SV1CNS 10m FT8 2932 km 18:59:29
F4GAJ 10m FT8 632 km 18:59:14
SV1HEP 10m FT8 2921 km 18:59:14
PY2RSA 10m FT8 9073 km 18:58:44
EA3FAJ 10m FT8 1384 km 18:57:59
DO5DKW 10m FT8 1470 km 18:57:44
PD7RF 10m FT8 916 km 18:57:00
EA3WD 10m FT8 1398 km 18:56:59
EA1DP 10m FT8 1016 km 18:35:44
EA1ITS 10m FT8 1093 km 18:33:44
F4GEN 10m FT8 1087 km 18:33:44
PY2LCD 10m FT8 9172 km 18:32:59
EA3AID 10m FT8 1346 km 18:32:29
EB5EEO 10m FT8 1624 km 18:32:29
EB7DIJ 10m FT8 1625 km 18:30:59
HB9G 10m FT8 1228 km 18:29:44
LU1WI 10m FT8 11846 km 18:28:29
EA1IVD 10m FT8 1026 km 18:27:14
CS7AOS 10m FT8 1200 km 18:26:29
EB5CFH 10m FT8 1507 km 18:26:14
EA7FMT 10m FT8 1625 km 18:26:14
EB3DKE 10m FT8 1389 km 18:23:59
I4JED 10m FT8 1665 km 18:23:29
EA4ESU 10m FT8 1310 km 18:21:29
DH1TT 10m FT8 1424 km 18:20:14
EA1CCM 10m FT8 1066 km 18:15:44
PU1MHA 10m FT8 8982 km 18:14:29
IU2LVV 10m FT8 1422 km 18:12:59
EA1CIU 10m FT8 1048 km 18:10:59
LZ1VDR 10m FT8 2571 km 18:09:59
IU5HIB 10m FT8 1659 km 18:09:59
CT7ANG 10m FT8 1635 km 18:09:44
EA2BFM 10m FT8 1036 km 17:59:44
EA9ACD 10m FT8 1791 km 17:54:44
EA4GXJ 10m FT8 1325 km 17:54:29
IU2IVN 10m FT8 1486 km 17:49:44
EA4CUO 10m FT8 1499 km 17:49:29
IZ2CPO 10m FT8 1486 km 17:49:29
EA1DV 10m FT8 1184 km 17:46:14
PU1JSV 10m FT8 8928 km 17:46:14
F5UJQ 10m FT8 993 km 17:44:44
EC1AJL 10m FT8 964 km 17:13:15
EA5SB 10m FT8 1467 km 17:10:29
EB5JSX 10m FT8 1489 km 17:09:29
EA1AXX 10m FT8 998 km 17:07:44
EA9ABC 10m FT8 1791 km 17:07:44
CT1CLO 10m FT8 1470 km 17:07:14
EA5AIH 10m FT8 1595 km 16:47:44
PY2TMV 10m FT8 9037 km 16:36:14
EB4DMH 10m FT8 1358 km 16:27:59
EA5CMP 10m FT8 1620 km 16:27:14
EA4DEI 10m FT8 1327 km 16:01:29
EA7KGK 10m FT8 1729 km 15:59:44
EA7TB 10m FT8 1709 km 15:34:14
EB7DX 10m FT8 1624 km 15:21:44
G7BXU 10m FT8 512 km 14:51:59
EI4DQ 10m FT8 15 km 13:28:22
EI7HDB 10m FT8 152 km 13:01:46
DL4GAG 10m FT8 1360 km 12:36:00
DO1JTS 10m FT8 1080 km 12:00:29
PA4O 10m FT8 1018 km 11:59:59
M7BHP 10m FT8 507 km 11:28:15
PA1DDE 10m FT8 891 km 11:23:59
MM0ZBH 10m FT8 573 km 11:00:14
OZ6FH 10m FT8 1272 km 09:41:01
SM6VJE 10m FT8 1388 km 09:16:14
MM0ULL 10m FT8 703 km 09:00:45