13,318km opening on the 40 MHz band from the Caribbean to New Zealand - 10th Feb 2023

10th Feb 2023: This was another good day on the 40 MHz (8m) band as shown from the map above showing the FT8 paths from Martin, PJ4MM on the island of Bonaire in the Caribbean.

The 8m signal from PJ4MM went well into Europe and reached as far as Poland and Greece. The one path that caught my attention was the opening across the Pacific to New Zealand. I believe this is the first time a 40 MHz signal from the Caribbean has been heard in New Zealand.

These are the FT8 reports for PJ4MM in order of distance.

 Txmtr Rcvr Band Mode Distance Time (UTC)
PJ4MM ZL1RS 8m FT8 13318 km 22:51:41
PJ4MM SV8CS 8m FT8 9094 km 15:43:44
PJ4MM SR4DON 8m FT8 8830 km 14:26:30
PJ4MM SP9TTG 8m FT8 8755 km 14:35:11
PJ4MM 9H1TX 8m FT8 8563 km 15:39:44
PJ4MM DG0OPK 8m FT8 8173 km 14:51:12
PJ4MM DK8NE 8m FT8 8136 km 14:50:14
PJ4MM G9PUV 8m FT8 7438 km 14:52:44
PJ4MM EI4GNB 8m FT8 7083 km 14:28:14
WM2XCC PJ4MM 8m FT8 5485 km 19:00:56
PJ4MM CE3SX 8m FT8 5080 km 20:24:43
PJ4MM WB0DBQ 8m FT8 4453 km 18:04:41
PJ4MM VO1SIX 8m FT8 4072 km 15:05:41
PJ4MM VE2BI 8m FT8 4025 km 15:59:11
PJ4MM XE2OR 8m FT8 3826 km 18:04:44
PJ4MM WW1L 8m FT8 3595 km 15:08:44
PJ4MM K5YT 8m FT8 3557 km 18:01:44
PJ4MM K2ZD 8m FT8 3348 km 14:51:11
PJ4MM N4WLO/3 8m FT8 2901 km 20:52:11
PJ4MM PJ4GR 8m FT8 10 km 22:43:41

Bob, ZL1RS mentions that his 8m Yagi is permanently fixed at about 70 degrees.  With just 3 elements, the -3dB beam width is about 70 degrees (+/-35 deg).  So it covers 040 to 110 degrees quite well. PJ4MM is at 96 degrees.

Just for reference, the solar flux on the 10th of February was back over 200.

Bob confirms that there many decodes of PJ4MM on the day and he has kindly sent on a list of decodes to me. I have them listed below for reference.

 Decodes from ZL1RS on 40.680 MHz...

230210_194330    40.680 Rx FT8     -4 -2.4 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_194345    40.680 Rx FT8    -14  0.2 1382 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_194400    40.680 Rx FT8     -2  0.1 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_194415    40.680 Rx FT8    -13  0.2 1382 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_194430    40.680 Rx FT8     -8  0.1 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_194445    40.680 Rx FT8    -15  0.2 1382 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_194500    40.680 Rx FT8     -8  0.2 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_194515    40.680 Rx FT8    -16  0.2 1383 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_194530    40.680 Rx FT8     -8  0.2 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_194545    40.680 Rx FT8    -16  0.2 1382 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_194600    40.680 Rx FT8     -9  0.1 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_194630    40.680 Rx FT8     -1  0.1 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_194700    40.680 Rx FT8     -9  0.2 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_194730    40.680 Rx FT8     -6  0.1 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_194800    40.680 Rx FT8      0  0.1 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_194830    40.680 Rx FT8     -6  0.1 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_194900    40.680 Rx FT8     -5  0.2 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_194930    40.680 Rx FT8     -6  0.1 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK522

30210_194945    40.680 Rx FT8    -16  0.2 1382 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_195000    40.680 Rx FT8     -8  0.1 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_195015    40.680 Rx FT8    -15  0.2 1382 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_195030    40.680 Rx FT8     -8  0.1 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_195045    40.680 Rx FT8    -18  0.2 1381 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_195100    40.680 Rx FT8    -12  0.1 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_195130    40.680 Rx FT8    -14  0.1 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_195200    40.680 Rx FT8    -13  0.1 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_195300    40.680 Rx FT8    -12  0.1 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_195330    40.680 Rx FT8    -16  0.1 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_195400    40.680 Rx FT8    -18  0.1 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_195500    40.680 Rx FT8    -18  0.1 1301 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_195600    40.680 Rx FT8    -18  0.1 1302 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_195615    40.680 Rx FT8    -15  0.2 1381 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_195645    40.680 Rx FT8    -16  0.1 1382 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_195745    40.680 Rx FT8    -14  0.2 1382 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_195900    40.680 Rx FT8    -18  0.1 1301 CQ PJ4MM FK522

30210_195915    40.680 Rx FT8    -17  0.1 1381 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_195945    40.680 Rx FT8    -14  0.1 1381 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_200015    40.680 Rx FT8     -8  0.1 1381 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_200045    40.680 Rx FT8    -10  0.1 1381 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_200845    40.680 Rx FT8     -9  0.1 1381 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_200915    40.680 Rx FT8     -7  0.1 1381 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_200945    40.680 Rx FT8     -4  0.1 1381 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_201015    40.680 Rx FT8     -3  0.1 1381 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_201045    40.680 Rx FT8     -3  0.2 1381 CQ WM2XCC DM13

230210_203745    40.680 Rx FT8    -11  0.1 1383 DE WM2XCC DM13

230210_203815    40.680 Rx FT8    -14 -0.1 1383 DE WM2XCC DM13

230210_203845    40.680 Rx FT8    -13 -0.1 1383 DE WM2XCC DM13

230210_203915    40.680 Rx FT8    -18 -0.1 1383 DE WM2XCC DM13

230210_204600    40.680 Rx FT8    -19  0.1 1300 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_204630    40.680 Rx FT8    -16  0.1 1301 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_204730    40.680 Rx FT8    -17  0.1 1301 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_204900    40.680 Rx FT8    -16  0.1 1301 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_204930    40.680 Rx FT8    -16  0.1 1301 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_205000    40.680 Rx FT8    -14  0.1 1301 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_205030    40.680 Rx FT8    -17  0.2 1301 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_205100    40.680 Rx FT8    -17  0.1 1301 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_205130    40.680 Rx FT8    -14  0.1 1301 CQ PJ4MM FK52

230210_225130    40.680 Rx FT8    -12  0.1 1301 CQ PJ4MM FK52

Link: For more information on the 8m band, see my 40 MHz page.