6000km opening on 144 MHz between the Caribbean & S America - 20th Dec 2021

Trans-Equatorial Propagation - TEP: There was a very good opening on 144 MHz on the 20th of December 2021 between the Caribbean area and South America with distances in the region of 5000 to 6000kms.

While TEP openings like this are a regular occurrence, what I found interesting was the fact that it happened almost at the Summer solstice for the southern hemisphere.

I suspect the fact that the Geomagnetic Equator is well to the south of the real equator in South America might be a factor here. TEP openings are supposed to be at their best near the equinoxes but that may be for areas of the world where the geomagnetic and real equators are at the same point.

PJ2BR: The map above shows the contacts made by Brett, PJ2BR on the island of Curacao with the Q65 mode and the stations are listed below.

Txmtr Rcvr Band Mode Distance Time (UTC)

PJ2BR LU5BE 2m Q65B 5312 km 01:14:58
PJ2BR LU8EDA 2m Q65 5311 km 01:14:59
LU8EDA PJ2BR 2m Q65 5311 km 01:10:44
PJ2BR LU5CQC 2m Q65 5308 km 01:14:59
LU5CQC PJ2BR 2m Q65 5308 km 01:14:14
PJ2BR LW2DAF 2m Q65B 5306 km 01:15:05
LW2DAF PJ2BR 2m Q65 5306 km 00:53:59
LU2DPW PJ2BR 2m Q65 5296 km 01:33:29
PJ2BR LU2DPW 2m Q65B 5296 km 00:55:15
PJ2BR LU4DJC 2m Q65 5284 km 01:08:44
LU7JMS PJ2BR 2m Q65 5087 km 00:59:59

It wasn't all digital though with many making contacts on SSB as well. Note the very rapid flutter in the audio...

The band opened with a relaxed, arm chair copy, with LW2DAF. Then it got wild afterwards. #LW2DAF Thanks Diego y feliz navidad pic.twitter.com/YGXcpbJjgv

— Brett Ruiz (@pj2br) December 21, 2021

Dominican Republic (HI8) & Puerto Rico (WP4): The TEP opening from South America extended further north as well with distances of just over 6000kms being achieved. Again, lots with the Q65 mode as opposed to FT8.

Signal reports for LW2DAF in Argentina...

Txmtr Rcvr Band Mode Distance Time (UTC)
HI8JSG LW2DAF 2m Q65B 6020 km 00:51:20
LW2DAF HI8JSG 2m Q65 6020 km 00:44:00
HI8DL LW2DAF 2m Q65B 6020 km 00:43:49
LW2DAF HI8DL 2m Q65 6020 km 00:39:58
HI8T LW2DAF 2m Q65B 6015 km 00:41:18
LW2DAF HI8T 2m Q65 6015 km 00:39:58
LW2DAF WP3DN 2m Q65 5946 km 00:43:59
PJ2BR LW2DAF 2m Q65B 5306 km 01:15:05
LW2DAF PJ2BR 2m Q65 5306 km 00:53:59
PJ4EL LW2DAF 2m Q65B 5299 km 01:08:35
LW2DAF PJ4EL 2m Q65 5299 km 00:06:59
LW2DAF PJ4GR 2m Q65 5294 km 00:51:59
PJ4GR LW2DAF 2m Q65B 5294 km 00:51:18

Signal reports for WP3DN...
Txmtr Rcvr Band Mode Distance Time (UTC)
LW2DAF WP3DN 2m Q65 5946 km 00:43:59
LU7JMS WP3DN 2m Q65 5721 km 00:59:59
WP3DN LU7JMS 2m Q65 3556 miles 00:59:19
WP3DN PY5EK 2m Q65B 3246 miles 00:58:15
PY5EK WP3DN 2m Q65 5223 km 23:33:14

DX-Cluster: Spots on the cluster show plenty of SSB contacts.

LU5BE 144305.0 PJ2BR 00:35 21 Dec Curacao

LU2DPW-@ 144305.0 PJ2BR 00:30 21 Dec TKS SSB QSO 73 Curacao

CX1DDO 144300.0 PJ2GR 00:27 21 Dec GF15XD<>FK52 53 -5.5 SSB Curacao

LU7DW-@ 144305.0 PJ2BR 00:22 21 Dec Curacao 

LU7DW-@ 144300.0 PJ2BR 00:08 21 Dec GF05<<TEP>FK52 loud ! Curacao

PY5EK 144180.0 WP4KJJ 23:35 20 Dec Q65B +0 dB 1302 Hz tnx tep Puerto Rico

LU7DW-@ 144300.0 NP4BM 00:44 20 Dec Puerto Rico

WP4KJJ-@ 144180.0 LU7JMS 01:01 21 Dec Argentina

PJ2BR 144300.0 LW2DAF 00:48 21 Dec So loud!! tnx QSO Argentina

WP4KJJ-@ 144300.0 PU2MBY 00:11 21 Dec 5/2 Brazil

WP4KJJ-@ 144300.0 PY5EK 23:41 20 Dec 57 pick Brazil

KP4EIT-@ 144300.0 PY5EK 23:40 20 Dec NOW 57 SWL Brazil

KP4EIT-@ 144300.0 PY5EK 23:37 20 Dec 5/5 SWL LOUD Brazil

It should be noted that all of the times are in UTC. This opening was around 8pm local time on the 20th of December for the stations involved.

Links...

1) For more examples of long distance contacts on 2m, see my 144 MHz page.