Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Another TEP opening on 144 MHz between S America & the Caribbean - 2nd Feb 2022


Wednesday 2nd February 2022: Another day, another big Trans-Equatorial Propagation (TEP) opening on 144 MHz between South America and the Caribbean. The map above shows the parallel paths from Argentina to Bonaire, Curacao & the Dominican Republic and from Brazil to Puerto Rico, Martinique, Guadeloupe and Trinidad.

The parallel paths are due to the fact that at 144 MHz, TEP signals must cross the Geomagnetic Equator close to right angles. At lower frequencies like 50 MHz and 28 MHz, the angle can be much wider.

I have included a list of the spots from the DX Cluster at the bottom of the post.

Video: Brett, PJ2BR in Curacao has a nice video clip of a LW2DAF on 144.300 MHz SSB.


This second video clip is of Diego, LW2DAF in Argentina having an SSB contact with HI8GSP in the Dominican Republic on 144 MHz, a distance of about 6000 kms.

Caribbean: This is a map in closer detail of the stations in the Caribbean...


The reason I include this is that it shows the usual stations and countries in the Caribbean that are taking part in these TEP openings on 144 MHz. The map also shows all of the other countries where there doesn't seem to be much if any 2m activity.

The map just got me thinking... could more people in the Caribbean get active on 2m?

Chile? Cuba? Columbia? Central America?... In other previous posts, I've looked at TEP openings on the 88-108 MHz band between Chile and Columbia. 

Q. Do these reach 144 MHz as well? Is the lack of contacts just because there are no stations from some of these countries on 144 MHz?

CO8LY was mentioned on the DX cluster but I couldn't see any record of a path on the PSK Reporter website.

432 MHz??? Lots of questions today! 

Q. If there is a really good TEP opening on 144 MHz in South America, can it reach 432 MHz? It's been done before between Zimbabwe and Greece.

Q. Is anyone trying to make a 70cms contact via TEP at the moment? 

Q. Is it only possible at the peak of the solar cycle?

DX Cluster spots from the opening...

Spotter Freq. DX Time Info Country
PY2TC 144300.0 FM8QR 01:50 02 Feb TEP - TKS QSO. 73 Martinique
PY2SRB-@ 144175.5 9Y4D 01:33 02 Feb FT8 Trinidad & Tobago
PY2SRB-@ 144175.5 FM8QR 01:28 02 Feb FT8 Martinique
LU7DW-@ 144300.0 HI8GSP 00:48 02 Feb GF05<TEP>FK58 Dominican Republic
LU2DPW-@ 144300.0 HI8GSP 00:42 02 Feb GRS TEP SSB QSO Dominican Republic
LU4DJC-@ 144175.0 CO8LY 00:42 02 Feb cq jt65 Cuba
LU4DJC-@ 144300.0 HI8GSP 00:37 02 Feb TEP USB Dominican Republic
LU4DJC-@ 144300.0 PJ4BR 00:33 02 Feb TEP USB Bonaire
LU7DW-@ 144300.0 PJ2BR 00:28 02 Feb GF05<>FK52 Curacao 
PY5EK 144180.0 WP4G 00:28 02 Feb Q65B -11 dB 1214 Hz TNX TEP Puerto Rico
LU4DJC-@ 144180.0 PJ2BR 00:23 02 Feb TEP Q65B Curacao
LU2DPW-@ 144180.0 PJ4MM 00:17 02 Feb TKS Q65B QSO 73 Bonaire
PY5EK 144180.0 WP3DN 00:03 02 Feb Q65B -8 dB 843 Hz TNX TEP Puerto Rico
PY5EK 144180.0 NP4BM 00:01 02 Feb Q65B -16 dB 839 Hz TNX TEP Puerto Rico
LU4DJC-@ 144180.0 HI8DL 23:57 01 Feb TEP Q65B Dominican Republic
LU4DJC-@ 144180.0 PJ4MM 23:53 01 Feb TEP Q65B Bonaire
LU4DJC-@ 144180.0 HI8GSP 23:50 01 Feb TEP Q65B Dominican Republic

FM8QR 144300.0 PY2TC 02:12 02 Feb TEP Brazil
FM8QR 144300.0 PY2OAL 02:11 02 Feb TEP Brazil
PJ4MM 144180.0 LU5CQC 00:53 02 Feb tep Argentina
HI8GSP-@ 144300.0 LU2DPW 00:50 02 Feb USB 73S por gracias el contacto Argentina
HI8GSP-@ 144300.0 LU4DJC 00:49 02 Feb USB gracias por el contacto 73 Argentina
HI8GSP-@ 144300.0 LW2DAF 00:48 02 Feb USB GRACIAS POR EL CONTACTO Argentina 
PJ2BR 144300.0 LU4DJC 00:35 02 Feb Gracias por la SSb contacto! Argentina
PJ2BR 144300.0 LW2DAF 00:35 02 Feb great qso on ssb! Argentina
PJ4MM 144180.0 LU2DPW 00:19 02 Feb tep Argentina
PJ4MM 144180.0 LU7JMS 00:08 02 Feb tep Argentina
NP4BM-@ 144180.0 PY5EK 00:01 02 Feb tnks q65b qso Brazil

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I am in 8P5AB and I am willing to set up skids on 70cms using my 2 70cms 11 ft Circular Polarised beams