Cape Verde Islands heard on 144 MHz & 432 MHz in Europe over record distances

In a suprise end of year tropo opening, D41CV on the Cape Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa has been heard on 144 MHz and 432 MHz in the UK and Ireland.

144 MHz... On the 2m band, the FT8 signal from D41CV was heard as far inland as Staffordshire in central England. The signal was heard by G4KWQ in the locator square IO92AQ and the distance was an amazing 4,467 kms.

This is about 30kms further than the current tropo IARU Region-1 record of 4,436 kms which was set by D41CV and G3SMT in September of 2018.

While there was no new record set on the 27th of December 2019, it is surely only a matter of time before the current 144 MHz record is broken.

432 MHz... On 70cms, the reception report was probably even more impressive. On the evening of the 27th of December 2019, the 432 MHz FT8 signal from D41CV was heard by EI3KD on the south coast of Ireland.

The distance was 4,170 kms, an amazing distance for 432 MHz.

To put that into context, the current IARU Region-1 70cms tropo record is between D44TS on the Cape Verde Islands and CT1HBC in Portugal, a distance of 3,284 kms. The new reception report by EI3KD is about 900 kms further than the current record.

Again, it suggests that the current 70 cms record which was set back in 2014 is on borrowed time.

Tropo Forecast.... According to the tropo forecasts of Pascal F5LEN, there is potential for more openings from the British and Irish Isles down to Cape Verde Islands over the next few days. Any suitably equipped 2m and 70cms stations should avail of this opportunity and beam to the south-south-west.

Links...
1) Tropo forecasts by F5LEN