Opening on 40 MHz between England and Lebanon - 25th Dec 2022

With the solar flux up around the 150 mark, there was an interesting opening on the 40 MHz band between England and Lebanon.  The map above shows the path on 40.680 MHz between Paul, G7PUV on the south of England using the call G9PUV and Samir, OD5SK in Lebanon.

The FT8 signal was +2dB so it just above the noise floor.

The distance was 3,430kms and it's very likely the mode of propagation was via the F2 layer as the MUF is now extending above 30 MHz on a daily basis into the low VHF spectrum.

The image below from the Proppy HF propagation prediction site suggests that the path from the south of England to Lebanon is well above 30 MHz most days from 08:00 to 12:00 UTC. 

The next obvious question is if the propagation can get to 40 MHz then can it reach 50 MHz? It might be worth checking around 10:00 UTC.

Link...
1) For more info on the 8m band, visit my 40 MHz page. 

Addendum: Paul, G7PUV writes... "My end is an Icom 706MK2G with 25W output into a Log Periodic on a 17M mast. The other end was a 4 element Steppir and Icom 7300. OD, 5B and 4Z are about as optimal as it gets here for single hop F2 across low VHF, the MUF peaked around 43MHz that morning going by other utility signals heard. In actual fact the signal on the 706 meter peaked about S5 but I've noticed before +dB signals are never very accurate, presumably something with my set up?"

Opening on 40 MHz between the UK and Chad - 6th Apr 2022

It looks as if there was an opening on the 40 MHz band on Tuesday the 6th of April 2022 when the FT8 signal from Paul, G9PUV (G7PUV) was heard by TT8SN in Chad.

Rcvr Band Mode Distance Time (UTC)
TT8SN 8m FT8 4518 km 14:25:11

According to the PSK Reporter website, TT8SN was hearing the signal from G9PUV at +16dB which is very strong.

G9PUV was using 25 watts into a log periodic antenna for the tests.

The strong signal strength, the distance of 4,500kms and the time suggests that this was a F2 layer opening with just one hop involved. It looks as if the North-South path from the south of England to Africa is now reaching as high as the 40 MHz band.

The solar flux on the 6th of April was 117 which is down from the recent peak of 156 a week ago.

Reception reports for G9PUV on the 40 MHz band - 5th April 2022

On the 4th of April 2022, Paul G7PUV received a UK Innovation and Research License from OFCOM for the 40 MHz band.

On the 5th of April, Paul carried out some test transmissions using FT8 on 40.680 MHz with the call sign G9PUV.

The map above shows the stations that decoded the FT8 signals and the log is shown below...

Rcvr Band Mode Distance Time (UTC)
S50B 8m FT8 1167 km 16:13:43
EI9KP 8m FT8 705 km 16:05:41
G0JHC 8m FT8 366 km 15:50:14
G4AWP 8m FT8 162 km 16:10:41
G4WSZ 8m FT8 148 km 16:10:42
G0LRD 8m FT8 138 km 18:39:41
G4APB 8m FT8 70 km 16:21:12
G0CHE 8m FT8 51 km 16:13:14
G7PUV/A 8m FT8 9 km 18:37:14

Most of the signals under 165kms were most likely tropo, it's not so obvious the mode of propagation for G0JHC, EI9KP & S50B.

Phil, EI9KP reports... "I tuned to 40.680MHz and just let it sit on FT8, to my susprise I logged UK Innovation and Research License "G9PUV".  The 'CQ' call got forwarded automatically to PSKReporter. For reception I use a Delta Loop in Horizontal Polarization."

The screen grab from Phil is shown above.

With the Sporadic-E season starting soon, there should be plenty of reports of the UK stations from across listeners across Europe.

Links...
1) For more info on the 8m band, see my 40 MHz page

40 MHz signals from South Africa heard in Europe - 5th Nov 2021

Friday 5th November 2021: This was an interesting day for the 40 MHz band with signals from South Africa reaching Europe and a big Sporadic-E opening in Europe.

The map above shows the reports from the PSK Reporter website...

 Rcvr Band Mode Distance Time (UTC)
SV1DH 8m FT8 6898 km 15:02:56
9H1TX 8m FT8 6828 km 15:02:29
G7PUV 8m FT8 8798 km 15:01:30

TEP Reports: Paul, G7PUV on the SE coast of England (JO00AU) writes... "Willem ZS6WAB has been on 40.675MHz today using FT8 but I was surprised to get some decodes from him around 1500UTC. The path length is around 8800KM and his peak signal was -10dB although I've listened back to my IQ recording and it was strong enough to hear quite clearly.

I think it's the first FT8 reception from South Africa in the UK on 40MHz, and presumably all TEP as I had no reception towards EA/CT/I on 10 or 6 to suggest mixed mode."

Reception of ZS6WAB by G7PUV

Thomas, DF6HT in the NE of Germany (JO63BT) writes... "Hi all, today received for the first time a signal on 40.675, around 8minutes long was the call from ZS6WAB who called there CQ, received here on a 15m sw vertical For me a sign to check sometimes this qrg for some action, and also a sign that North DL also have a chance to work on that interesting band! 73s from Thomas, DF6HT"

TEP Analysis: Paul is using a log periodic antenna for the low VHF bands. I suspect that there may have been one Sporadic-E hop from G7PUV to the north of Africa where the signals were coupled into the TEP (Trans-Equatorial Propagation) path to ZS6WAB.

It was probably the same for Thomas in Germany with one Sporadic-E opening to the south.

The problem in Europe is that there can be an excellent Sporadic-E opening to the south but as there are no stations in the north of Africa ,we hear nothing and think the band is closed.

Sporadic-E in Europe: There was also a very good Sporadic-E opening in Europe on the day as can be seen from the report below and the report from 

Report from Borut, S50B... "Very good prop on 8m today in EU. As far, EI1KNH have the strongest signal....599+++ on CW ever on my side. Hrd EI7HBB on SSB too.
Hrd also EI1CAH/b and OZ7IGY/b. I forgot to monitor ZS beacon. Tomorrow....
I was also on 40662, but every time I was on this freq I have strong qrm from some device only in dir of EI and US. I hope that till next year, qrm will be lower/disappeared.
 IC-7100...80W.....4 EL YAGI (YU7EF) 10m high."

DX-Cluster Spots for the day...

Spotter Freq. DX Time Info Country
G7PUV 40675.0 ZS6WAB 15:08 05 Nov JO00AU<TEP>KG46RB CQ FT8 -10dB South Africa 
EA3ERE 40016.0 EI1CAH 13:44 05 Nov JN11CX<ES>IO53CK cw 419 Ireland
EA3ERE 40013.0 EI1KNH 13:42 05 Nov JN11CX<ES>IO63VE cw 559 Ireland
EI7GL-@ 40016.0 EI1CAH 13:29 05 Nov PI4 -25 dB Q=50 Ireland
S50B-@ 40670.0 S55ZMS/B 13:07 05 Nov PI4 -20 dB Q=48 Slovenia
F4CXO 40013.0 EI1KNH/B 13:03 05 Nov JN26PP<ES>IO63VE 519 Ireland
F4CXO 40016.0 EI1CAH/B 13:01 05 Nov JN26PP<ES>IO51CK 519 in CW Ireland
S50B 40070.2 OZ7IGY/B 12:50 05 Nov Denmark 
F4FRQ 40016.0 EI1CAH 12:44 05 Nov JN37KQ<>IO53XK CW 559 Ireland
F4FRQ 40013.0 EI1KNH 12:40 05 Nov JN37KQ<>IO63VE CW 559 Ireland
S50B 40680.0 EI7HBB 11:38 05 Nov Ireland
S50B 40013.0 EI1KNH/B 11:32 05 Nov Ireland
EI7HBB 40670.0 S55ZMS 11:18 05 Nov 529 Slovenia

Link....
1) As always, there is plenty of information about the 8m band on my 40 MHz page HERE

US Experimental 40 MHz Station WL2XUP is heard across the Atlantic in England - 22nd July 2021

On the 18th of July, I had a post up about the new US experimental station WL2XUP on the 40 MHz band. Just four days later on the 22nd of July, a WSPR signal from WL2XUP was heard across the Atlantic in England.

The owner of the experimental station WL2XUP is Lin, NI4Y and in a message he writes... 

"I can report that VE3QC and VE2DLC received my station via Eskip on July 22nd. Shortly after VE3QC received my signal G7PUV received WL2XUP via multi hop Eskip. The following Day KI4RVH received the WSPR signal via what was likely tropo ducting. 

VE3QC also reports hearing my FT8 signals transmitted later in the day on July 23rd. 

2021-07-22 19:00 WL2XUP 40.663508 -26 -1 EM73vv 20 VE3QC FN25fk 1557 29 2 

2021-07-22 20:42 WL2XUP 40.663488 -34 0 EM73vv 20 VE2DLC FN58rk 2155 35 2 

2021-07-22 19:40 WL2XUP 40.663514 -26 -1 EM73 20 G7PUV JO00au 6869 46 2 

2021-07-23 14:08 WL2XUP 40.663536 -13 -2 EM73 20 KI4RVH EM95 429 58 2"

Paul, G7PUV is located in the SE of England and was using an SDRPlay RSP1A SDR and a W4KMA 18-100MHz Log Periodic on a 6.2M boom up at 15M AGL.

Paul heard seven WSPR transmissions from WL2XUP between 19:40 and 20:42 UTC and the strongest signal was -16dB. 

The 40 MHz trans-Atlantic opening coincided with a big opening on 50 MHz between Europe and North America.

Analysis: As NI4Y points out, this was very likely to be a multi-hop Sporadic-E opening across the North Atlantic with maybe 3-4 hops involved. What is significant about this reception report is not so much the distance but the fact that this is the first crossing of the Atlantic on the 40 MHz band.

During Sporadic-E openings on 50 MHz, it's very likely that paths on lower frequencies like 40 MHz will be open as well. It's just a question of more people listening on the band and reporting what they hear.

This new experimental 40 MHz station has already sparked some interest in the 8m band in North America so hopefully it will encourage activity on the band.

Update: The exact frequency was 40.662 MHz USB with the WPSR signals roughly 1.5kHz higher.

Link...

1) See my 40 MHz page for more info on the band

South African 8-metre beacon on 40.675 MHz heard in SE England - 13th July 2021

On the 13th of July, there was a good opening on the 50 MHz band from Europe to South Africa. During this opening at about 13:50 UTC, Paul G7PUV in the south-east of England managed to hear the South African 8m beacon ZS6WAB/B on 40.675 MHz.

This beacon was heard in the Mediterranean area several times during the month of April 2021 and this is the first time that it has been heard so far north. The distance is around 8,800kms.

For the reception, Paul was using a custom made W4KMA Log-Periodic antenna covering 26-100 MHz at 15-metres above ground level.

Paul reports that the beacon which transmits only on CW peaked at S2.

Propagation Mode: It's probably one of two options.

a) Multi-hop Sporadic-E which would require 4-5 hops and crossing the equator to the southern hemisphere where it's their winter season.

b) A combined TEP (Trans-Equatorial Propagation) and Sporadic-E opening. TEP from South Africa to the Mediterranean area and then via a Sporadic-E hop from there to England.

I suspect it may have been TEP + Sp-E even though we are not near the Equinox and the peak of the TEP season.

Info: For more information of the ZS6WAB beacon and previous reception reports, see my 40 MHz page.

Reception video of S50B in Slovenia on 40 MHz - 22nd June 2020

Up to now, I've seen videos online of some of the beacons on the 40 MHz being heard. This is I believe the first reception video of someone actually talking on the new 8-metre band.

To put everything into context, I have generated a map as seen above.

Borut, S50B in Slovenia heard the Irish beacon near Dublin on 40.013 MHz and then went on to work Lloyd, EI7HBB in the west of Ireland on 40.680 MHz. This distance is about 1800kms.

Paul, G7PUV in the south-east of England was monitoring the band with an SDR receiver which had the ability to record everything on the band.

As the map shows, G7PUV is about 1200kms from S50B which is a typical distance for Sporadic-E on 40 MHz with a good opening. EI7HBB on the other hand is just 600kms away and well inside the skip zone of Sp-E. It might be possible for G7PUV to hear EI7HBB via Sporadic-E but it would need an intense opening.

As a result, the video from G7PUV just has the voice of S50B and EI7HBB is missing. It also has a sample of the many noises to he heard in the ISM band on 40 MHz.