Brief E opening across Bight 15.12.13

VK2KRR · Post by **VK2KRR** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 6:07 pm

I was able to detect a short duration high MUF E opening this afternoon, into and across the Bight.
I was able to get a decode from Derek VK6DZ on 2m WSPR, and also picked up 2 x ships in the middle of the Bight on 162 MHz marine tracking.
The 2m yagis were beaming directly at Derek (4x17 ele on 40ft booms @ 80ft), but the marine tracking yagis were beaming Melbourne at the time (2 x 10 ele @ 50ft) so the signals were strong and no doubt there would have been more and slightly longer detection period if they were looking west also.

As is the nature of 2m WSPR, stations only transmit at an interval of time they tell the program to, Derek is down as TXing 20% of the time (80% RX) and thus its hard to know how long the opening was present at Dereks QTH. Derek is using 10W TX power.
Where as depending upon how fast ships are travelling determins their TX rate, in this case it seems approx every 10 to 20 seconds.

Below is data recorded. Notice that the more distant ship was heard first, then the closer ship, then Derek VK6DZ's WSPR transmission. Dereks signal should be a double hop where as the ships would be single hop.
Sequence of events occurred in order of time exactly like this (time listed in local time)-

Ship Leda Maersk (approx 7 mins total)
15/Dec/2013 16:33:10 - 219973000 in PF32FU. 1001 NM (1854 km) away from QF34MR (*)
15/Dec/2013 16:33:35 - 219973000 in PF32FU. 1001 NM (1854 km) away from QF34MR
15/Dec/2013 16:33:46 - 219973000 in PF32FU. 1001 NM (1854 km) away from QF34MR
15/Dec/2013 16:34:46 - 219973000 in PF32FU. 1001 NM (1854 km) away from QF34MR
15/Dec/2013 16:34:59 - 219973000 in PF32FU. 1001 NM (1854 km) away from QF34MR
15/Dec/2013 16:35:34 - 219973000 in PF32FU. 1001 NM (1854 km) away from QF34MR
15/Dec/2013 16:38:34 - 219973000 in PF32FU. 1001 NM (1854 km) away from QF34MR
15/Dec/2013 16:38:47 - 219973000 in PF32FU. 1001 NM (1854 km) away from QF34MR
15/Dec/2013 16:39:11 - 219973000 in PF32FU. 1001 NM (1854 km) away from QF34MR
15/Dec/2013 16:39:23 - 219973000 in PF32FU. 1001 NM (1854 km) away from QF34MR
15/Dec/2013 16:39:34 - 219973000 in PF32FU. 1001 NM (1854 km) away from QF34MR
Ship Cape Mathilde (approx 2 mins total)
15/Dec/2013 16:41:42 - 352665000 in PF42VM. 842 NM (1561 km) away from QF34MR (*)
15/Dec/2013 16:42:03 - 352665000 in PF42VM. 842 NM (1561 km) away from QF34MR
15/Dec/2013 16:42:21 - 352665000 in PF42VM. 842 NM (1561 km) away from QF34MR
15/Dec/2013 16:42:42 - 352665000 in PF42VM. 842 NM (1561 km) away from QF34MR
15/Dec/2013 16:43:03 - 352665000 in PF42VM. 842 NM (1561 km) away from QF34MR
15/Dec/2013 16:43:21 - 352665000 in PF42VM. 842 NM (1561 km) away from QF34MR
Derek VK6DZ (approx 2 mins TX time)
2013-12-15 16:46 VK6DZ 144.490473 -23dB 0 OF84ux 10W VK2KRR QF34mr 2657 km

Total Opening time - approx 15 mins.

Have a few screen shots below.
First is the 2m WSPR path map of the spot with Derek VK6DZ to VK2KRR.

: 2m WSPR with VK6DZ E path

Below is my Shipplotter map showing the 2 ships recorded in Bight.

: 162 MHz E signal ship positions in Bight

Below is 6m WSPR map of same time period, notice that I heard a 2 Watt signal from VK6XT, not far from Derek, and I am using a 160m dipole. I was the only station that heard Ricks signal east of Adelaide.

: 6m WSPR at time of high MUF opening