TEP opening from South Africa to Europe on 8m

Several stations in southern Europe have reported copying the South African 8m beacon recently.

See https://ei7gl.blogspot.com/2021/10/tep-opening-on-40-mhz-between-south.

2m TEP

Southgate News has a piece relayed from EI7GL's blog about the 6000km trans equatorial propagation from Argentina to the Dominican Republic.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/december/6000km-tep-path-on-144-mhz.htm#.X8di32iTLrc

TEP and 10m (and 6m)

Newcomers may not be aware that trans-equatorial (TEP) propagation can extend to quite high frequencies. If memory serves me right, the signals cross the magnetic equator by spread-F, a sort of chordal hop. I think 2m has been used to work from Southern Africa to the Med. Today, a number of South Americans have been copied in the UK on 10m JT65.  I suspect this is TEP being extended to the UK by Es. TEP does not usually extend this far north.

No South Americans (yet) on 10m JT65

It is now 1440z and, as yet, nothing coming through from South America on 10m JT65. I am confident that there will be South American 10m JT65 spots shortly.

UPDATE  1616z: Still nothing from South America surprisingly. It is getting late in the day and it will soon be dark here.

UPDATE 1818z:  It looks like no South Americans today. Maybe this is TEP and there was no propagation to northern Europe? I shall go into the shack just in case there are stations received  on WSJT-X who did not report to PSK reporter. No, everything seems to be in order - internet time sync, software and rig all correct, just no propagation here.

UK clock change and 10m

In the end, I gave CQWW a miss today (because of my voice) and stayed on 10m JT65.

I keep forgetting that the UK clocks went back last night (we are now GMT until the end of March) and that it will be dark an hour earlier tonight. So, I have to remember that any DX on 10m is likely to peak an hour earlier. So far, just a single Brazilian spotted on 10m JT65 today. With the earlier darkness, it is less likely there will be many (or any) more today. I think the chances of USA spots on 10m has passed for today. I guess this needs a lower K index and a higher sunspot number, although I am no expert.

UPDATE 1536z:  I have just spotted a station in Faro, Portugal, CT4RC (1814km) on 10m JT65 at 1528z, although no further South Americans. If the South Americans are coming through by TEP, then the Portuguese station indicates some chance of linking into this TEP from the UK.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_and_FM_DX#Transequatorial_propagation_.28TEP.29  . This article is about FM and TV DXing, but it gives some insight into TEP.

UPDATE 1725z:  In the last 15 minutes 2 more Brazilians (Sao Paulo area) have been spotted on 10m JT65. This is consistent with TEP and an extension to northern Europe by some other mode of propagation.

UPDATE 1800z:  Now 5 South American spotted on 10m JT65 with the best RX DX being CX3BA (11131km) in Uruguay.  I am more convinced than ever that this is TEP with extension to northern Europe.

UPDATE 1925z:  No further South Americans in the last 3/4 hour. In the end 9 South Americans spotted with best DX on RX Argentina. I am wondering if we are seeing TEP extended by southern hemisphere Es? I doubt we'll see more South American spots tonight on 10m JT65.

TEP (Trans Equatorial Propagation)

For the last few weeks, I have spotted, and been spotted, by lots of stations deep in South America on 10m JT65. To me, this looks like TEP. According to the "experts" this sort of propagation goes across the equator and can occur at up to 70cm. I guess the MUF is lower as the solar activity drops off. Here in the UK I guess we need another propagation mode to reach the TEP region. TEP is more common further south.

See http://www.amateur-radio-wiki.net/index.php?title=Trans-Equatorial_Propagation .

10m Es "out of season"

As if to prove a point, there has been some E layer propagation just about every day I have tried in recent weeks on 10m. 10m is certainly far from dead out of the Es seasonal months. My recommended mode is JT65 which can be used for 2-way QSOs or beaconing. WSPR should be better, but activity seems lower.

UPDATE 1544z: Plenty of Es on 10m JT65 today. I think the spots of Holland and Belgium were probably by aircraft reflection. No South Americans yet.

UPDATE 1705z: 2 South Americans (near Rio) have been copied on 10m JT65. Sunspots? Who needs them?

UPDATE 1826z:   12 South Americans spotted on 10m JT65 so far this evening (best DX Chile and Argentina), although no-one has spotted my 2W yet. Is this TEP?

UPDATE 1915z:  20 South Americans spotted on 10m JT65. This is very high, when the sunspot count is zero! Nothing today from the Caribbean or North America.

TEP at 10m, 6m and 2m

Although 6m Es has been rather quiet, there was some TEP between Japan and Australia. TEP often allows stations across the magnetic equator to work each other at MUFs far above those expected. I think chordal-hop is involved. TEP between the Med area and southern Africa has even occurred at 2m!

In most recent years there has been 6m propagation between Japan and Australia. This mode may well account for some of the N-S propagation on 10m. It favours stations a bit nearer the equator. In the UK we need Es as well to get us into the area where there is TEP. Just occasionally it happens this far north.

10m USA spots early today

KT5W (6314km) was spotting my 500mW WSPR beacon at 1324z, which is earlier than of late. I was expecting 10m to open to the USA, but this was much earlier than I was expecting.

UPDATE 1422z:  A few more USA stations have been spotting me. Already, more different stations are spotting me than yesterday.

UPDATE 1612z:   My 500mW WSPR beacon has been copied by PY3OL (10412km) as well as by lots of USA stations. So far, 12 different USA stations spotting me.

UPDATE 1946z:  PY3OL has spotted me 20 times so far today at up to -18dB S/N.  As the solar cycle declines I expect these N-S 10m openings will be far more common than E-W ones.  As I have mentioned before, I have worked LUs on 10m SSB when using QRP in the sunspot minimum before, so expect these N-S paths to still be there even with very low sunspot numbers. Often the maximum usable frequency (MUF) is much higher for paths over the equator, possibly as the F layer splits (equatorial spread-F) and the "bounce" over the equator occurs at a shallower angle than a normal F2 reflections - no ground reflection occurs over the equator.  Don't quote me on this as I am no propagation expert, but it is a fact that N-S paths over the equator "work" at much higher frequencies than paths in other directions. Of course, here I am referring to F layer propagation. Most years you may strike lucky and hear USA stations in the summer time by Es. Some Es paths are massive and it is not that uncommon for S.America,The Caribbean and N.America to be worked on 6m in the Es months.   In summer 2007 I worked a USA station on 6m CW when I was using real QRP to a vertical V2000 omni antenna. I have heard 6m DX from S.America, The Caribbean and N. America by Es many times. My best DX on RX by F2 (years ago) was the USA and South Africa.  I doubt I'll see these F2 conditions ever again in my lifetime.

UPDATE 2210z: KT5W (6314km) was spotting my 500mW WSPR beacon at 2100z.  I think this was the last spot from the USA today as it has been quiet now for over an hour.

West coast Canada to New Zealand on 6m

I heard recently of a 6m 2-way CW QSO between New Zealand (ZL3RC) and a station in Western Canada (VE7DAY). This was probably a combination of Es and transequatorial propagation. At over 12000km it is some QSO. For those prepared to invest in big antennas and high power and lots of patience, this magic band does produce some very long distance contacts, even when there is a lack of F2 propagation. My own more modest attempts on 6m WSPR have been almost a total failure but I was just using a V2000 vertical and 1W ERP. I wonder if I would have had a lot more success with 10W and a beam?

See www.amateurradio.com  .

6m TEP WSPR

Looking at wsprnet I see VK4TVL and JH1GYE have been spotting each other at a range of 6243km on 6m WSPR earlier today. This is clearly 6m TEP. None noticed on WSPR between the Med and southern Africa or USA to South America. No transatlantic F2 on 6m WSPR seen.

Now QRT. The next few years on 10m and 6m.

I decided to go QRT about 10 minutes ago. All kit has been switched off.  In the morning I shall probably return to 10m. Today, the band has been in good shape again.

We are now moving into autumn conditions. With sunspot numbers still being quite high, we can expect excellent 10m conditions for months to come. If anything, 10m is going to be "too easy".

6m is unlikely to support much F2 propagation although N-S paths may open by TEP (trans-equatorial propagation) especially from latitudes closer to the geomagnetic equator. Stations in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece etc will have much better TEP chances than stations in the UK.

WSPR is likely to help "smoke out" openings on both bands, but when these bands close it is usually quite sudden. What WSPR allows is near continuous monitoring with little need for intervention. As WSPR works with signals some 12-14dB lower than CW, just a few watts should be enough to see if either 10m or 6m is "open". Of course, this depends on stations being active.

6m F2 this autumn?

Speculating about the chances of any F2 openings on 6m this autumn. I guess the chances are slim as the solar activity is now on a downwards path, although those lucky enough to be nearer to equator could catch some TEP.  I think it will be very unlikely that we in the UK will catch any. CN8 to FR, VK to JA etc maybe.

Sunspot count today is 180 (high) with 20-30MHz propagation forecast to be "normal".

See http://www.dxmaps.com/spots/map.php?Lan=E&Frec=50&ML=M&Map=EU&DXC=N&HF=N&GL=N .

10m F2

FR1GZ (9734km, on Reunion Is, south Indian Ocean) is still coming through here on 10m WSPR at -27dB S/N at 1444z  and again at 1504z at -25dB S/N.  F2 propagation N-S is still there when HF conditions are good.

Sunspot count today is "only" 80 - a year from now this will sound amazingly high - although 20-30MHz conditions are forecast to be "good".

F2 on 6m is very rare except at high sunspot peaks and in latitudes nearer the equator. TEP involving F2 over the equator is more common, but it requires stations to be in the right places to work.  On 6m the paths from CN8 to FR1 were open by TEP this spring. Also 4X to FR1  and VK to JA.

On 10m TEP should be more frequent. Sometimes F2 links with Es further from the equator, allowing TEP to be extended to stations in higher latitudes.

6m update

After a very brief Es opening to Italy this afternoon, all is again quiet on 6m WSPR. I have left the kit running but only G4IKZ is spotting me at the moment.

6m is an even more fickle band than 10m and even more challenging because of it. At the moment Es is starting to wake up the band, although stations further south (around the Med.) have been able to work remarkable distances by TEP in recent weeks. Also,  there has been 6m TEP between Japan and Australia.

6m TEP in the Far East and 10m propagation today

Looking at the 6m spots on WSPRnet.com I note the many trans-equatorial spots of VK4TVL by JF1PSS (6176km) with some being of incredible strength (+11dB S/N ) and no drift at all. The VK is running 20W, but even 2W would be enough. Local time looks like early evening.

Over here, I can see no South African or other African WSPR stations active making 6m TEP attempts here a waste of time.

Later unique 10m WSPR spots of my 2W until 1744z.

No great DX here this morning on 10m with EA8/DL9XJ best DX at 2981km  (single hop F layer). There are also a couple of GDX stations at 162 and 184km.

The first transatlantic spot was at 1108z when W4HFZ was copyable at 6819km. He was using 5W. There are other 4 area stations being copied too. The pattern this afternoon is similar to previous days on 10m.

My best DX today is FR1GZ (9724km) at 1550z. Just now I was spotted by VE6ODQ (6640km) in DO34ir (Athabasca).

10m TEP?

PY2RN is putting in a COLOSSAL +9dB S/N signal on 10m WSPR at 1854z with 5W and I just wonder if this is perhaps TEP assisted? Chordal hop across the equator could account for the very low attenuation. Just a thought.

UPDATE 2206z:  WA6JRW in DM14he in California (8664km) was reporting my 2W WSPR at 2024z. The band is still open transatlantic here at this QTH at 2152z. W8QYT (5W 5807km) was a good +4dB S/N here at 2144z and he was spotting my 2W at -5dB S/N at 2138z.   I am still getting transatlantic spots at 2W as late as (at least) 2200z (4 transatlantic spots from the 2W 2200z TX burst).

One thing I have noticed  is signals on long 10m DX paths are often strongest just before the band dies out. This is often the most productive time with QRP power levels.

I stopped monitoring on the WSPR.net database at 2208z.

6m WSPR summary

After several days on 6m this is the total summary of WSPR reports (none of me!). All attempts to reach TEP "ends" failed, on this occasion, as there was no Es about. I did see some weak MS bursts of very short duration but these are not suitable for WSPR. The drift on G3XGS's signal suggests aircraft Doppler too. Now I shall turn my attention to another band. No 6m TEP I am afraid.  

6m WSPR spots

CN8LI seems to have been in the right place with plenty of TEP WSPR spots exchanged with FR1GZ at 8981km.

One more day on 6m

For the last few days I have been patiently trying to find some TEP-Es on 6m WSPR, to no avail. Although 6m TEP (trans-equatorial propagation) is being reported in Israel, Italy, the Balearics and Morocco, here in the UK all remains quiet. I have only spotted a couple of G stations at around 70km - absolutely nothing else!

Although I shall try again tomorrow, that will probably be my last day. A pity as I was quite hoping we might get an Es opening to link up to some TEP, but it looks unlikely now that I shall be in luck.

Later this week I may return to VLF earth-mode if I can optimise my TX earth-electrode match at 8.97kHz and re set-up my RX loop. My wife will have to drive me to my usual test sites as I am not allowed to drive yet.

6m Trans-equatorial propagation (TEP) - update

Again today, Israel, Morocco and Italy have been enjoying TEP propagation deep into the Southern Hemisphere on 6m. In vain, I've been on 6m too hoping that some early Es might link me into the 6m TEP propagation areas. Up to now I have had no luck at all, copying just G6AVK and G3XGS only on 6m WSPR at around 70km.

Here is another TEP article: http://www.qsl.net/vk2kfj/tep.html . This states that TEP can occur up to at least 432MHz.  I'd settle for a little at 50MHz!