144 MHz signals from Minnesota & Illinois heard in Newfoundland (3100kms) - 14th July 2021

14th July 2021: The VO1FN receiving station in Newfoundland is currently listening for 144 MHz trans-Atlantic signals from Europe. On the 14th of July, some amazing FT8 signals were heard in the opposite direction with some off the back of the beam.

The map above shows how the receiver at VO1FN caught a Sporadic-E opening in progress to the west.

The cluster of FT8 stations in the centre are all single hop Sporadic-E but the two of real interest are the double hop signals further west.

KA9CFD in Illinois was at a distance of 3,109 kms. 

W0ZQ in Minnesota was at a distance of 3,102 kms.

These are the FT8 reports from the PSK Reporter website in order of time...

Txmtr Band Mode Distance Time (UTC)
VE3ELL 2m FT8 2118 km 19:52:41

W0ZQ 2m FT8 3102 km 19:22:44
N1BUG 2m FT8 1270 km 19:19:26
N2OA 2m FT8 2047 km 19:18:56
VE3WWR 2m FT8 2159 km 19:18:11
W1FKF 2m FT8 1531 km 19:13:26
K2TER 2m FT8 1984 km 19:07:26
KA2LIM 2m FT8 1984 km 19:05:26
NA2NY 2m FT8 1681 km 19:02:26
VE2PN 2m FT8 1389 km 18:59:57
VA3KA 2m FT8 1806 km 18:54:56
VE2UG 2m FT8 1590 km 18:48:11
VE3FN 2m FT8 1767 km 18:47:14
VE3DS 2m FT8 2120 km 18:46:56
VE2DFO 2m FT8 1658 km 18:44:59
VE3CIQ 2m FT8 1811 km 18:44:29

K1KA 2m FT8 1559 km 18:24:26
WA1T 2m FT8 1496 km 18:23:26

KA9CFD 2m FT8 3109 km 17:14:26

It's interesting to note that the opening seemed to be in different phases rather than in just one short window. 

The station manager of VO1FN is Frank, VO1HP and he did mention that the beam was turned west during the opening so there would probably have been even more stations heard if the beam was pointing west from the start.

I should also point out that the PSK Reporter site only shows the last heard signal. Some of the stations around 19:00 UTC may have been heard earlier at 18:23 UTC but the site only shows the most recent signal.

What I found interesting was that there was almost two hours between the two double hop signals.

I did check to see if the International Space Station was in the sky at the time and it wasn't so that's not a factor.

Trans-Atlantic on 144 MHz??... If there can be a 3100km opening from Newfoundland to the West then why not to the East across the North Atlantic?

The map above shows two beam headings from VO1FN in Newfoundland. 279 degrees and 3100kms to the West and 81 degrees and 3100kms to the East.

Surely there are times when there is a path at 144 MHz between Newfoundland and Spain???

Links...

1) Earlier post about the VO1FN trans-Atlantic monitoring station.

2) See my 144 MHz page for more examples of long distance paths at 144 MHz.