I was alerted recently to an unusual APRS report which suggested that there might have been an opening on the 144 MHz band between Brazil and the Azores, a distance of about 6,728kms.
This is the report from the aprs.fi website for CQ1PBA for the 20th of April 2022...
callsign pkts first heard - IST last heard longest (rx - tx)
PY4CEP-14 7 2022-04-20 20:01:18 2022-04-20 20:59:59 GH60XH - HM77GS 6733.5 km 202°
I know that Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) generally uses FM on 144.800 MHz in Europe as a beacon mode but I'm not 100% familiar with the APRS website and what all the reports mean.
I am putting this report here for others to investigate the data on the APRS website and they can come up with their own conclusions. Do a search for CQ1PBA and PY4CEP-14 and see what you think.
I suspect the reports are as a result of some sort of HF Gateway or some other reason that I don't know about. If it was a real opening on 144 MHz then Trans-Equatorial Propagation might be a possible reason but again, I think there is a simpler reason.
Links...
Good Post.
ReplyDeleteProblem on APRS is that there is not an agrement on frequencies, Brazil use 145.575 and Europe 144.800.
I'm working on a software to listen several freq on APRS and study the tropo by layers.
Best regards.
EA8CXN
Actually I can't find proof of what freq. this APRS report was made on. APRS is not only used on 2m but also on HF. As a matter of fact I use APRS with software called Pinpoint on HF together with VarAC. You might want to contact CQ1PBA personally to find out what was happening. 73, Bas PE4BAS
ReplyDeleteNice try.
ReplyDeleteThe APRS path of the only transmission from PY4CEP-14 so far is
"APRS via qAR,CQ1PBA" (see APRS.fi).
q-Construct on http://www.aprs-is.net/q.aspx
"qAR - Packet was received directly (via a verified connection) from an IGate using the ,I construct. The callSSID following the qAR it the callSSID of the IGate."
Ahoi
Pom DG7ACF