With Trans-Equatorial Propagation (TEP), zones of high ionization occur either side of the geomagnetic equator in the F layer of the ionosphere. What makes the mode so interesting is that it can allow propagation on the VHF bands from 50 MHz to 144 MHz.
As the zones of ionization is roughly 400kms above ground level, the propagation paths achieved are in the region of 4000 to 5000 kms, much greater than what might be usual with Sporadic-E.
TEP propagation normally peaks around the equinox and there have been some interesting contacts made recently between the south of Brazil and stations in the Caribbean.
One such example was a recent contact on 144 MHz between FG8OJ in Guadeloupe and PY2PAL in Brazil. On the map above, the position of the actual equator is shown in Blue while the Geomagnetic Equator is shown in Red.
You can hear the SSB contact on 144.299 MHz below...
It looks as if there is a remarkable tropo opening in progress at the moment with EA8CXN on the Canary Islands making contact with several stations in the Caribbean on FT8 & SSB on 144 MHz!
These are some of the stations listed on the PSK Reporter website for the 27th of August 2020...
TxmtrRcvrBandModeDistanceTime (UTC)
NP4BMEA8CXN2mFT85236 km19:26:26
EA8CXNKP4EIT2mFT85189 km18:00:44
WP3DNEA8CXN2mFT85158 km20:18:59
WP4GEA8CXN2mFT85153 km20:25:11
J69DSEA8CXN2mFT84850 km22:04:14
FM5CSEA8CXN2mFT84836 km17:49:26
FG8OJEA8CXN2mFT84775 km19:25:26
Note that EA8DEC was also heard across the Atlantic...
TxmtrRcvrBandModeDistanceTime (UTC)
EA8DECNP4BM2mFT85236 km23:30:14
Updates further down the post...
Note the distance! Several are in excess of 5000 kms which would be a new distance record for a 144 MHz contact across the Atlantic.
Back on the 8th of April 2020, D4VHF on Cape Verde worked PJ2BR on Curacao and the distance on that occasion was about 4759 kms. It looks as if the new contact by EA8CXN to NP4BM in Puerto Rico has extended that record by roughly 500 kms.
This is the tropo map from F5LEN which shows a marine duct across the Atlantic...
Note that this opening in still in progress and there does seem to be a remote possibility of an opening from the west coast of Spain & Portugal to the Caribbean!
Here are some of the screenshots of the FT8 contacts with EA8CXN...
EA8CXN and FG8OJ...
EA8CXN and WP3DN...
* * * * *
Update - 28th of August - 13:17 UTC: The trans-Atlantic path is still open on the 28th...
This is heard/sent log for EA8CXN on the PSK reporter website...
TxmtrBandModeDistanceTime (UTC)
NP4BM2mFT85236 km12:45:26
KP4EIT2mFT85189 km12:42:26
WP4JCF2mFT85170 km21:46:26
WP3DN2mFT85158 km10:53:29
WP4G2mFT85153 km11:15:26
FG5GH2mFT84809 km12:09:44
FG8OJ2mFT84775 km12:47:26
Reports for EA8DEC...
TxmtrRcvrBandModeDistanceTime (UTC)
KP4EITEA8DEC2mFT85189 km12:32:59
FG8OJEA8DEC2mFT84775 km12:06:14
Reports for EA8TX...
RcvrBandModeDistanceTime (UTC)
NP4BM2mFT85219 km12:54:44
KP4EIT2mFT85173 km12:57:44
WP3DN2mFT85141 km09:46:41
WP4G2mFT85136 km09:48:44
DX-Cluster spots for the 27th of August...
EA8DEC 144174.0 KP4EIT 23:56 27 Aug IL18SK TR FK68 FT8 Puerto Rico
EA8DEC 144174.0 NP4BM 23:39 27 Aug IL18SK - FK68 FT8 Puerto Rico
KP4EIT-@ 144174.0 EA8DEC 23:52 27 Aug -13 TNX Canary Islands
NP4BM-@ 144174.0 EA8CXN 19:07 27 Aug still strong Canary Islands
EB1DJ 144174.0 KP4EIT 23:57 27 Aug TR FT8 -22 dB 1092 Hz Puerto Rico
Update - 28th August 2020 - 15:21 UTC: Alex, EB1DJ in the north-west of Spain reports that he got one single decode of the FT8 signal from KP4EIT in Puerto Rico.
EB1DJ 144174.0 KP4EIT 23:57 27 Aug TR FT8 -22dB
As you can see from the report above, the signal was pretty weak at -22dB so it was buried in the noise. It does however show the potential of the path and if the conditions are right, it may happen again.
To put this in context, the distance from NW Spain to Puerto Rico is just over 6000 kms!
Update - 28th August 2020 - 17:10 UTC:Video of the SSB contact on 144 MHz between EA8CXN on Tenerife on the Canary Islands and FM5CS in Martinque. Just remember, this is just a 4800 kms contact on 144 MHz across the Atlantic! ...
In this second video, EA8CXN completes another SSB contact with FG8OJ in Guadeloupe...
DX-Cluster spots for the 28th of August...
Spotter Freq. DX Time Info Country
KP4EIT-@ 144174.0 EA8CXN 19:34 28 Aug -14 thanks Cesar Canary Islands
WP4JCF 144174.0 EA8CXN 19:06 28 Aug rx -20 in kp4... Canary Islands
KP4EIT-@ 144174.0 EA8DEC 12:38 28 Aug -20 GRACIAS Canary Islands
KP4EIT-@ 144174.0 EA8TX 09:07 28 Aug SWL -12 INTO FK68 Canary Islands
KP4EIT-@ 144174.0 EA8TX 00:01 28 Aug -12 TNX Canary Islands
EA8CXN 144175.0 KP4EIT 19:33 28 Aug FK68 TR IL18 -12DB. Thanks QSO Puerto Rico
EA8TX 144174.0 KP4EIT 12:24 28 Aug hrd -2db Pse 144.260ssb Puerto Rico
EA8DEC 144174.0 KP4EIT 09:35 28 Aug IL18SK TR FK68 FT8 CQ Puerto Rico
EA8DEC 144174.0 WP4G 00:52 28 Aug IL18SK TR FK68 FT8 Puerto Rico
Update - 30th Aug 2020 - 09:00 UTC: EA8CXN has now put details of the opening in a post on his blog... see HERE
Summary....
EA8CXN works 7 stations in the Caribbean on FT8 and 2 on SSB.
EA8DEC works 3 on FT8.
This is the sequence of events on 144 MHz....
27th Aug 2020 - 17:08 UTC:EA8CXN completes a contact on FT8 with NP4BM in Puerto Rico. Signal reports of -9dB and -13dB are exchanged. The distance was about 5243 kms which is a new record for a trans-Atlantic contact on 144 MHz.
27th Aug - 17:15 UTC: EA8CXN complete a FT8 contact with FG8OJ in Guadeloupe (~4780 kms). Reports of +25dB and -2dB are exchanged.
27th Aug - 17:20 UTC: EA8CXN and FG8OJ complete a contact on SSB.
27th Aug - 17:51 UTC: EA8 CXN completes a contact on FT8 with FM5CS in Martinique (~4842 kms). Reports of -11dB and -18dB are exchanged.
27th Aug - 17:55 UTC: EA8CXN and FM5CS complete a contact on SSB.
27th Aug - 18:20 UTC: EA8CXN completes a contact on FT8 with WP3DN (5165 kms). Reports of -12dB and -17dB are exchanged.
27th Aug - 19:24 UTC: EA8CXN completes a contact on FT8 with J69DS on St.Lucia (-4856 kms). Reports of -5dB and -6dB are exchanged.
27th Aug - 23:44 UTC:EA8DEC completes a contact on FT8 with NP4BM on Puerto Rico. Reports of -11dB and -14dB are exchanged.
28th Aug - 00:08 UTC: EA8DEC completes a contact on FT8 with KP4EIT (5193 kms). Reports of -13dB and -13dB are exchanged.
28th Aug - 00:46 UTC: EA8DEC completes a contact on FT8 with WP4G (5156 kms). Reports of -14dB and -15dB are exchanged.
28th Aug - 19:33 UTC:EA8CXN completes a contact on FT8 with KP4EIT (5196 kms). Reports of -14dB and -19dB are exchanged.
28th Aug - 21:49 UTC: EA8CXN completes a contact on FT8 with WP4JCF (5176 kms). Reports of -12dB and -9dB are exchanged.
Working conditions for EA8CXN...
Antenna: 6el BigSignal Quad
FT8 transceiver: Yaesu FT-991
SSB transceiver: Icom IC-970H
Amplifier: 500W Telecom 2m HK
Update 2nd Sept 2020: Thanks to Fernando, EA8TX for supplying the following info.
EA8TX was the third station in the Canary Islands to make contacts on 144 MHz to the Caribbean. Located on the island of Tenerife, Fernando managed to complete two FT8 contacts with KP4EIT and WP4G on Puerto Rico.
Fernando also reports that KP4EIT peaked at -1dB on FT8 but soon faded down to -12dB to -20dB where the signal remained for a long time. Fernando speculates that a SSB contact might have been possible but it would have required trying just at the peak of the strongest signal where as the signals were well into the noise for most of the time.
Fernando also decoded NP4BM but was unable to hear the more southerly stations in Guadeloupe and Mantinue due to high ground in the way.
That pretty much closes off the post for this opening as I think that gives a good idea of what happened and who worked who. If anyone has any additional information then please let me know.
On Tuesday the 7th of April 2020, a remarkable contact was made with the FT8 digital mode on 432 MHz between D4VHF on the Cape Verde Islands off the coast of Africa and FG8OJ in Guadeloupe in the Caribbean.
This was the first 70cms trans-Atlantic contact without using satellites or the moon. The most likely mode of propagation was marine ducting with the signal being trapped close to the ocean.
* * * * *
Update: Saturday 11th April 2020 - D4VHF in Cape Verde and WP3ND in Puerto Rico complete a contact with FT8 on 432 MHz. This extends the trans-Atlantic distance to approx 4,367 kms. Full info further down this post.
A historic contact was made on Sunday the 16th June 2019 when the Atlantic was spanned for the first time on 144 MHz.
D41CV on Cape Verde Islands off the coast of Africa managed to work FG8OJ in Guadeloupe on 144.174 MHz using the FT8 digital mode. The distance was an incredible 3,867 kms.
To put that into context, the distance from the west coast of Ireland to Newfoundland is 3,000 kms.
See Updates Below
The map below shows the tropo prediction from F5LEN and it shows a path right across the Atlantic.
The mode of propagation was most likely marine ducting with the signal traveling in a layer near the ocean surface.
This is a screenshot from FG8OJ of the historic contact made on FT8...
D41CV was using 500 watts into stacked dipoles while FG8OJ was running 100 watts into a 14 element Yagi with a 3.7m boom.
This is the FT8 signal from D41CV as heard by FG8OJ in Guadeloupe...
D41CV later worked FG4ST who was slightly further away at 3,911 kms. This contact was even more amazing as this station in Guadeloupe was running just 50 watts into a simple vertical on FT8.
FT8 Screenshots from FG8OJ
Now that this historic contact has been made, more 144 MHz contacts across this part of the Atlantic are sure to follow.
Update : Sunday 23rd June 09:20 UTC... The 144 MHz trans-Atlantic opening seems to have come to an end although there is a hint it may open again for a day or two? The two metre opening lasted for the best part of five days, starting on Sunday the 16th of June 2019 and finally closing some time on the early hours of Friday the 22nd of June.
These are the trans-Atlantic spots on the DX cluster from the last few days...
Update : Saturday 22nd June 13:30 UTC... The number of spots have greatly reduced.
This is the log from the PSK Reporter website of the stations hearing and being heard by D41CV on FT8 on 144 MHz in the last 24 hours... one on the afternoon of the 21st and two in the early hours of the 22nd.
Update : Friday 21st June 08:30 UTC... It looks as if there has been a large cloud of dust from the Sahara blowing across the Atlantic for the last week. Is there a link?
This is the log from the PSK Reporter website of the stations hearing and being heard by D41CV on FT8 on 144 MHz in the last 12 hours...
Update : Thurs 20th June 23:20 UTC... Incredibly the path on 144 MHz from Cape Verde Islands to the Caribbean is still open. D41CV completed an FT8 contact with J69DS in St. Lucia during the day.
This is a screenshot from the PSK Reporter website of the stations hearing and being heard by D41CV on FT8 on 144 MHz in the last 12 hours...
This is a log of the stations in the last 12 hours...
Update : Thurs 20th June 2019 14:20 UTC... D41CV has now worked 9Y4D in Trinadad on 144 MHz with FT8...
9Y4D was running 100 watts and a 7 element.
The screenshot below from the PSKReporter website shows part of the send/receive map for D41CV on 144 MHz (12 hour window as of 10:00 UTC 20th June 2019). It clearly shows that the trans-Atlantic is still open after several days with 9Y4D in Trinidad being one of the latest contacts.
CW QSO.... The Cape Verde team now have a Yagi up and running and are using the call D4Z on CW. FG8OG managed to work them on CW for a trans-Atlantic first on that mode on 144 MHz...
QSO réalisé en CW avec @D4C_team, du coup premier qso transatlantique avec un cerveau, une oreille mais avec un transceiver SDR donc avec plein d'informatique quand même histoire de faire râler les puristes 😄🤪😁 pic.twitter.com/5bCZl70oyj
Update : Wed 19th June 2019 20:45 UTC... This map shows the stations that have seen or heard D41CV on 144 MHz FT8 in the last 24 hours...
The orange dots on the list indicate those that have heard D41CV. It looks as if this trans-Atlantic path has been there for the best part of 48 hours.
D41CV completes on FT8 with KP4EIT at 4.392 kms and NP4BM at 4,460 kms.
Update : Tues 18th June... D41CV has now worked WP4G in Puerto Rico on FT8. WP4G was using 4 x 12 el array. This is a distance of 4,358 kms!
D41CV working WP4G on FT8 on 2 metres
D41CV has also completed with FG4ST in Guadeloupe. Signal -20. 3,911 kms.
D41CV has completed with FM5AN in Martinique. Distance 3872 kms. FM5AN was using 50w into a 9 el DK7ZB yagi.
Brendan Trophies... Now that the Atlantic has been crossed on two metres, a question was asked if it qualifies for the Brendan Trophies from the IRTS.
As can be seen from the rules, they are for contacts from Europe.
"The Brendan Trophies and Brendan Shields will be presented to each of the operators of the two amateur radio stations which first establish two-way communication in the relevant category between the continents of Europe and America (North or South) within the Two Metre Amateur Band. "
