3770 km contact on 144 MHz between Brazil and St Helena - 7th Dec 2024

On the 7th of December 2024, PY1MHZ in Brazil and ZD7GWM on St Helena Island managed to complete a contact on the 144 MHz (2m) band. The distance was in the region of 3,770kms.

This was an amazing contact for tropo on 144 MHz and it raises the question if a contact from the east coast of Brazil to the west coast of Africa might be possible?

Marcos, PY1MHZ sent on the following information... "After many years of trying over the sea, a contact was finally made last night on 144MHz 2m with the Garry Mercury ZD7GWM on Santa Helena Island at a distance of 3,768km.

Contact completed with the Q65D mode

Garry was using a Diamond X700 vertical antenna and approximately 50w. On my side, I was using 8 vertical elements with 200w. I could work up to 500w but there was no need.

Very happy with this Christmas present. 73 de Marcos PY1MHZ in grid GG98LC."

Comment & Analysis... Yet again, this is another fine example of some of the undiscovered paths that exist once there are stations active in the right location. Some of the VHF contacts that Garry, ZD7GWM has been able to complete with a vertical omni-directional antenna are nothing short of remarkable.

In the last few years, he has managed to work South Africa at 3000kms on 144 MHz and 432 MHz via tropo, he has worked Spain and Portugal at about 6000kms on 144 MHz via TEP and now, he has worked across the South Atlantic on 144 MHz to Brazil.

As for the contact to Brazil, it seems likely that it was a marine duct across the South Atlantic. The tropo prediction map from Pascal, F5LEN certainly seems to support this theory.

How many other undiscovered long distance paths are out there?

I have a previous post about Garry's set up HERE

For more information about other long distance openings on the 2m band, see my 144 MHz page.