FR5DN Tests to Australia (VK6's?)

[VK2KRR]

Just thought I would post this up for Phil FR5DN on Reunion Island.

FR5DN ->"If i go /p how many stations will be really monitoring towards FR for any possible tropo?"

I think Phil is particularly in hope of VK6 stations on the west coast being able to look for his signal. But also Adelaide, Mt Gambier across to Melbourne.

Phil would obviously like to know that there will be stations looking for him if he goes to the trouble of going portable around the volcanoes of Reunion Island.

I think he will be running a JT65 signal to look for weak paths, so all u really need to do is set up the radio on the designated freq, beam at the right heading and put the program on monitor and away u go.

Obviously such a huge contact on a tropo path has never been achieved before, but it is believed it can be done with weather systems being in correct positions. The chances of this happening are extremely remote but not impossible. Its great Phil has the desire to give it a go.

If you could respond to this msg to let Phil know your prepared to have a listen, that would be great.

[VK2KRR]

I'll be listening anyway Phil, but I doubt that will be enough interest.

[VK3KH]

Phil & Leigh,
I am prepared to monitor that direction , I do have a reasonable takeoff to the west, and do run WSJT.
The Hepburn Charts from now till Sunday are looking good to Western Australia, and a check of the Indian Ocean charts show propogation colour all the way to the Reunion Islands, so this weekend would be a good time to conduct tests. It is also public holdays in Victoria so I am available.
Obviously Phil will be on a different time zone than us, but I am able to fit in with any time if he goes portable.
Phil, if you want to make direct contact my email is correct in the Op Info file on this site. Then we can set some sked times.

Michael
VK3KH

[VK4WDM]

Don't forget the VK7's. A portable station on top of Mt Wellington can see Africa on a clear day (well almost!) But I am not sure if any of the current Hobart stations have the capability.

Is Joe VK7JG back in Tassie yet? He has the station capability, albeit from the nth of the state.

73

Wayne VK4WDM (ex VK7WD)

[VK2KRR]

Were talking 144 MHz here not 50 Mhz by the way (it is in the 144/432 section).

[VK4WDM]

I know we are talking 2m but I am always the ultimate optimist!

I think FR to VK6 is certainly achievable on cw or ssb judging by the paths that are regularly cracked in the northern hemisphere via multi-hop E's, but with digital modes and as yet unknown propagation conditions, VK7? who knows?

73

Wayne

[VK3KH]

Regards VK7
If you are looking for a capably equipped operator living on the side of Mt Wellington, don't forget Rex VK7MO. He lives high above Hobart, he has good antenna and is the VK King of Digital modes. Not sure of his aspect to the west, but will contact him and let him know of the discussion.

VK3KH
Michael

[VK7MO]

Hi Michael and all

Unfortunately I beam directly through Mt Wellington at 8 degrees elevation to the West so I can't be in the mix.

73 Rex VK7MO

[VK4WDM]

Hi Rex

You could always drag out your old ANARE snow gear and go to the top of the mountain! I did that one summer (at least supposed to be summer) field day and got snowed on.

73

Wayne VK4WDM (ex VK7WD, VK0WD)

[VK2KRR]

Sorry for all the relaying etc. Phil advised he cant see the Forum msgs.

Phil FR5DN has advised via the WTDN group that he has his radio gear in the car and will be going portable after work. Which will be around 1030 utc this evening.

He will most probably be on 144.130 TXing first period with JT65b beaming in the Bunbury direction, which should follow through to SE states also if conditions did prevail.

The weather condx have changed here through the day so it could open the path from the Bight up to here. I will certainly be listening.

Will pass on any further information as it comes to hand.

[FR5DN]

Hi,

I will also beam from time to time towards Exmouth, try to see if anything comes up from local bcn or any other qrg.

Phil - FR5DN

[VK6OX]

I'm fairly limited at the times you'll be QRV Phil, but I'll QSX this evening from around 1200UTC.

[VK4WDM]

Good luck everybody! I will be looking at the logger with great interest.

73

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK2KRR]

I monitored all night on JT65b but nothing was picked up here.
The condx not favourable here last night, this morning. Weather change again, wind moved to east.
Thanks for making the effort though Phil.

[FR5DN]

hi, back to qrl. Had some troubles on the /p. PA went qrt after some hours of tx, so continued with 300w ERP from TX only. Will give more details later in the evening after qrl.
144.120 from home is still running on JT towards VK today.

Tks for monitoring

CU later. VY73 - Phil.

[VK6TV]

Hi Phil

I have only came across this discussion, I was recently thinking about trying to find any stations to work the Australia to Re Union Island path.

I am based in Rockingham 45 Kms south of Perth, 130 kms north of Bunbury.

I will set up a yagi pointed your way Saturday PM on. Will have 200 Watts output to help .

Could you let me know when you are available.

Cheers

Milan Vasich
VK6KTV

[VK6OX]

No decodes last nite fm Perth, Paul. Please confirm QRG for this evening...144.120 or 144.130??

[FR5DN]

Hi ,

I went /p with a friend of mine. He came with the mast and the generator.

We were at some 500m of altitude with perfect take off towards VK (100 to 120°). Very nice slope. And just some 2 km of land before being on the ocean.

Murphy was there! No doubt.

I did check all equipment at home and all was just fine.

We started to TX at 20w out from the IC706 around 13z as my friend was a bit late.

Then the switching box failed to work. Finally fixed it.

Then switching the 160w PA for some 80w out on JT. 2 fans cooling it.

Low loss coax, and short length, so some 1400w ERP.

After almost 3 hours of tx, a bad smell came from the PA and then some smoke. No more output. Switched off PA, it was not overheating. Run after that at 20w from TX only until 19z.

While running at low pwr , I openned the PA and found 2 tantalium caps burned on the power supply side of the output transistors...

PA fuse still OK, 30A power supply ok, generator ok.

19z we decided to stop txing as we needed some time to pack everything and with only 20w out..., and i had a bit more than 1 hour drive before reaching home, take everything out of the car, and have some sleep for work.

I did monitor from time to time VK6RBU/RSX and some other qrg, but nil.

I found my usb to serial generating a lot of noise on the band. I did not notice it from home (?). I use it for switching TRX/relay/LNA from the PC on digital modes like JT.

I will need to check that as it is really a problem for rxing digital modes like JT.

All equipment stayed in the car at high T° during the day while at work, as i went to the /p qth immediatly after work.
It could have been generating some issue?

All in all, that was a very nice test, and i agree that the path was starting to get less interesting than the beginning of this week.
Even if i think that we had good cdx on our side, but middle of the path was starting to go down.

This path is not easy, we know, but the only way is to get ready when cdx are potentially good, and we will work on that from here.

I will keep the home bcn on until 13z on 31/12. then off as there will be for sure no one listenning on 31/12.

Have good evening tomorrow and we keep posted.

Again, many tks for monitoring!

Vy73 - Phil - FR5DN

[VK2KRR]

Hi Phil.

Thanks so much for your efforts in going portable and sending out a signal for us VK's. People may not realise the effort involved.

If you weren't active, people would complain, but when you are active, no one bothers to say thank you

But from myself Phil, I appreciate it and im sure others do too. I hope all those issues you encountered can be rectified.

Be great to see some photos from where you were operating.

[VK2BLS]

Hi Phil,

I also appreciate your efforts and the difficulties you encountered. Had a couple of late nites here looking in your direction with wishfull thinking. But, if we don't give it a go, you never know...
Happy new year and all the best for future attempts.

cheers 73
Darrell vk2bls