18,700km contact on 50 MHz between ZL1RS and EA8DO - 9th March 2022

A few days ago, I reported on an 18,000km+ opening on the 7th of March on the 50 MHz band between New Zealand (ZL1) and the Canary Islands (EA8). The previous post is HERE

On the 9th March 2022, there was another similar opening on 50 MHz but this time, it was only between two stations. As the map shows above, ZL1RS on the northern part of New Zealand managed to complete a contact using FT8 with EA8DO in the Canary Islands.

This is a screen shot of the FT8 contact...

It looks as if the distance was in the region of 18,694 kms which is pretty remarkable for the 50 MHz band.

The opening on this occasion was at 21:07 UTC. The previous opening from ZL1 to EA8 on the 7th was between roughly 21:48 to 23:22 UTC.

Besides the distance, there are two things that I find interesting about this contact.

1) Time... For the opening on the 7th of March, it looks as if the path from ZL to EA8 was open before or at the start of the opening from EA8 to South America.

PSK Reporter log for EA8DO

For the opening on the 9th of March, it was the same. Why is this? Normally openings follow the sun moving from East to West. Why did the main opening from the Canary Islands to South America happen after the more westerly opening to New Zealand?

Will there be more openings like this from EA8 to ZL1 and will they all be at the start of the opening to South America?

2) No opening from ZL1 to South America... In the previous opening on the 7th, I noted how none of the four ZL1 stations in New Zealand heard or were heard by anyone in South America. 

On the 9th, the same happened again. Note the map at the top of the post from the PSK Reporter website. There are no FT8 reports from any station in South America despite the fact that the path crosses over the continent.

As I mentioned in the previous post, it's almost like chordal hop with the signal going between different parts of the ionosphere without reaching the ground.

Propagation Mode?... How exactly does a signal from the Canary Islands reach what is effectively the other side of the planet on 50 MHz? Trans-Equatorial Propagation is probably responsible for part of the path from the Canaries to South America but how did the signal get across the Pacific?

Someone suggested that antipodal focusing may be a factor in the opening but it's worth noting that this is 50 MHz, not 14 MHz. It may help but it doesn't explain what happens to make the path or paths possible.

It's good that we have two openings with some similarities but like all good science experiments, we need more openings and more data. Two data points isn't exactly 5-Sigma! 😄

The PSK Reporter log for EA8DO is shown below and you can see that ZL1RS was at the start of the opening.

Txmtr Rcvr Band Mode Distance Time (UTC)
EA8DO PT9FD 6m FT8 6907 km 23:51:14
EA8DO PT2ARR 6m FT8 5928 km 23:50:44
EA8DO LU6HFQ 6m FT8 8280 km 23:50:44
EA8DO PY2AB 6m FT8 6587 km 23:50:44
XQ3SK EA8DO 6m FT8 8873 km 23:50:26
PU2KNM EA8DO 6m FT8 6776 km 23:50:11
PY5AM EA8DO 6m FT8 6904 km 23:49:26
PY2NF EA8DO 6m FT8 6562 km 23:49:11
PY4OY EA8DO 6m FT8 6319 km 23:49:11
PY2VCS EA8DO 6m FT8 6583 km 23:49:11
EA8DO PU2MEA 6m FT8 6583 km 23:48:45
EA8DO PT9IR 6m FT8 6728 km 23:48:44
EA8DO PU2MBY 6m FT8 6689 km 23:48:44
EA8DO PP5KC 6m FT8 7126 km 23:47:14
PS8RF EA8DO 6m FT8 4599 km 23:46:56
LU1FI EA8DO 6m FT8 8199 km 23:46:29
CE3SX EA8DO 6m FT8 8852 km 23:45:26
EA8DO PU2WLA 6m FT8 6689 km 23:45:14
PY7RP EA8DO 6m FT8 4479 km 23:44:56
EA8DO PY4AQA 6m FT8 6199 km 23:44:13
LU8GMM EA8DO 6m FT8 7618 km 23:43:56
EA8DO PY2XB 6m FT8 6586 km 23:43:41
PU4JOE EA8DO 6m FT8 5881 km 23:42:56
EA8DO PY5CC 6m FT8 6886 km 23:42:14
PY4AQA EA8DO 6m FT8 6199 km 23:41:26
EA8DO LU8GMM 6m FT8 7618 km 23:40:45
EA8DO PY4OY 6m FT8 6319 km 23:40:44
EA8DO PY2VCS 6m FT8 6583 km 23:40:44
EA8DO PY4ZO/QRP 6m FT8 6186 km 23:40:42
PY5EK EA8DO 6m FT8 7127 km 23:39:26
PY2UG EA8DO 6m FT8 6571 km 23:39:26
EA8DO LU5FF 6m FT8 8004 km 23:38:44
EA8DO PU4JLV 6m FT8 6218 km 23:38:41
EA8DO PY2EX 6m FT8 6612 km 23:38:14
EA8DO PU2BFG/SWL 6m FT8 5883 km 23:37:45
EA8DO PU2GBM 6m FT8 6067 km 23:37:44
EA8DO PY2OF 6m FT8 6565 km 23:37:44
EA8DO PP5AMP 6m FT8 7033 km 23:37:14
PP5KC EA8DO 6m FT8 7126 km 23:36:56
PT9FD EA8DO 6m FT8 6907 km 23:36:26
PP2RON EA8DO 6m FT8 6066 km 23:36:26
EA8DO PY2YKC 6m FT8 6541 km 23:35:11
EA8DO PU4JOE 6m FT8 5881 km 23:34:45
EA8DO PY2TC 6m FT8 6453 km 23:34:44
EA8DO PY2RN 6m FT8 6543 km 23:34:44
EA8DO PY2SRB 6m FT8 6698 km 23:34:44
EA8DO PY7RP 6m FT8 4479 km 23:34:44
EA8DO PY2WND 6m FT8 6449 km 23:34:44
EA8DO PY2GR 6m FT8 6544 km 23:34:44
EA8DO PY2RJ 6m FT8 6566 km 23:34:44
EA8DO PU2KNM 6m FT8 6776 km 23:34:44
EA8DO PY2NF 6m FT8 6562 km 23:34:44
EA8DO PY2ND 6m FT8 6462 km 23:34:41
EA8DO PY6BK 6m FT8 5123 km 23:34:41
EA8DO XQ3MCC 6m FT8 8851 km 23:34:41
EA8DO PY2AD 6m FT8 6494 km 23:34:41
PT2ARR EA8DO 6m FT8 5928 km 23:33:56
EA8DO ZP5DBC 6m FT8 7323 km 23:33:14
EA8DO PY1MHZ 6m FT8 6144 km 23:33:14
EA8DO PY5EG 6m FT8 6886 km 23:33:14
EA8DO PP2RON 6m FT8 6066 km 23:33:14
EA8DO EA8TL 6m FT8 108 km 23:33:11
XQ3MCC EA8DO 6m FT8 8851 km 23:32:59
PR7AR EA8DO 6m FT8 4373 km 23:32:56
PP5AMP EA8DO 6m FT8 7033 km 23:31:59
EA8DO PY1EME 6m FT8 6436 km 23:30:12
PY2EX EA8DO 6m FT8 6612 km 23:29:56
EA8DO CE3SX 6m FT8 8852 km 23:29:44
EA8DO PS8CW 6m FT8 4599 km 23:27:14
LU7PBO EA8DO 6m FT8 8601 km 23:26:26
PP1WW EA8DO 6m FT8 5956 km 23:23:56
EA8DO PY4ZO 6m FT8 6186 km 23:23:44
PY2SRB EA8DO 6m FT8 6698 km 23:23:29
PY7ZZ EA8DO 6m FT8 4463 km 23:23:12
LU5FF EA8DO 6m FT8 8004 km 23:23:11
PU2WLA EA8DO 6m FT8 6689 km 23:23:11
PY1MHZ EA8DO 6m FT8 6144 km 23:22:41
PY5CC EA8DO 6m FT8 6886 km 23:22:41
PY1EME EA8DO 6m FT8 6436 km 23:21:26
PY2GR EA8DO 6m FT8 6544 km 23:18:56
EA8DO PY4AZ 6m FT8 5980 km 23:18:44
PY6BK EA8DO 6m FT8 5123 km 23:11:26
PT9IR EA8DO 6m FT8 6728 km 23:10:26
EA8DO PU4TNT 6m FT8 6072 km 23:08:41
LU6HFQ EA8DO 6m FT8 8280 km 23:05:56
EA8DO PY5EK 6m FT8 7127 km 23:02:14
EA8DO PY1SX 6m FT8 6284 km 23:02:12
HC2AO EA8DO 6m FT8 7434 km 22:59:26
PY4AZ EA8DO 6m FT8 5980 km 22:58:26
PU2MLO EA8DO 6m FT8 6554 km 22:58:26
EA8DO PU2RTO 6m FT8 6594 km 22:58:14
EA8DO PU2MLO 6m FT8 6554 km 22:57:14
EA8DO CE3VRT 6m FT8 8881 km 22:56:44
PY4EV EA8DO 6m FT8 6068 km 22:53:26
EA8DO HC2DR 6m FT8 7436 km 22:53:15
EA8DO PY4EV 6m FT8 6068 km 22:53:11
EA8DO EA8/DF4UE 6m FT8 390 km 22:52:44
EA8DO PU4DEE 6m FT8 6068 km 22:52:41
PY2XB EA8DO 6m FT8 6583 km 22:52:26
EA8DO PY2KO 6m FT8 6575 km 22:51:14
EA8DO PY2ACA 6m FT8 6566 km 22:47:12
PY2OF EA8DO 6m FT8 6565 km 22:45:41
EA8DO PY7AHA 6m FT8 4521 km 22:42:41
PU2POP EA8DO 6m FT8 6535 km 22:41:41
PY2RN EA8DO 6m FT8 6543 km 22:40:56
EA8OM EA8DO 6m FT8 82 km 22:39:26
PY4ZO EA8DO 6m FT8 6186 km 22:39:11
PY2WND EA8DO 6m FT8 6449 km 22:36:11
PY2AE EA8DO 6m FT8 6531 km 22:35:11
PY7BC EA8DO 6m FT8 4468 km 22:34:42
PU2MEA EA8DO 6m FT8 6583 km 22:34:14
PY2DPM EA8DO 6m FT8 6598 km 22:34:12
ZP5DBC EA8DO 6m FT8 7323 km 22:33:41
EA8DO 9Y4D 6m FT8 4968 km 22:32:59
9Y4D EA8DO 6m FT8 4968 km 22:32:12
PY2ACA EA8DO 6m FT8 6566 km 22:32:11
EA8DO 9Z4Y 6m FT8 4946 km 22:32:00
EA8DO PY7BC 6m FT8 4468 km 22:31:59
EA8DO PU2NGB 6m FT8 6531 km 22:29:30
EA8DO PU4EPO 6m FT8 6213 km 22:29:29
EA8DO PY2CP 6m FT8 6562 km 22:29:28
PY5ZW EA8DO 6m FT8 7137 km 22:29:12
PY2ND EA8DO 6m FT8 6462 km 22:28:42
PP5BK EA8DO 6m FT8 7100 km 22:27:44
PY1SX EA8DO 6m FT8 6284 km 22:27:44
PY2CP EA8DO 6m FT8 6562 km 22:27:41
PY2KO EA8DO 6m FT8 6575 km 22:27:41
PU4DEE EA8DO 6m FT8 6068 km 22:27:26
PU2NOE EA8DO 6m FT8 6680 km 22:21:56
PY2XYZ EA8DO 6m FT8 6574 km 22:18:56
EA8DO PY2XYZ 6m FT8 6574 km 22:17:14
EA8DO PY5AM 6m FT8 6900 km 22:15:14
PU4EPO EA8DO 6m FT8 6213 km 22:08:26
EA8DO PY4NF 6m FT8 6399 km 22:07:41
EA8DO PY5EW 6m FT8 6787 km 22:02:44
PU2VLW EA8DO 6m FT8 6503 km 21:50:56
EA8DO HC2FG 6m FT8 7429 km 21:45:44
EA8DO PY5KD 6m FT8 6882 km 21:45:41
HC2FG EA8DO 6m FT8 7429 km 21:40:26
PP5TI EA8DO 6m FT8 7068 km 21:36:41
EA8DO PY2MC 6m FT8 6517 km 21:25:29
9Z4Y EA8DO 6m FT8 4946 km 21:20:14
ZL1RS EA8DO 6m FT8 18694 km 21:07:11
LU9FVS EA8DO 6m FT8 8209 km 20:56:12
EA8DO PY5EK 6m FT8 7127 km 20:54:45
PY5KD EA8DO 6m FT8 6882 km 20:52:26
V51JH EA8DO 6m FT8 6681 km 20:45:26