South African Radio League Home Page

Focus on VHF and Above 9 December 2018

There is no tutorial this week, but I am sharing some ideas that will hopefully stimulate some thought and activity.

Firstly, I have had enquiries about previous tutorials and have seen questions on the forums regarding information that was covered in previous tutorials. We commit to making the previous tutorials available in text and audio format as soon as possible. In the meantime if there is specific information that you would like that we have already covered in a tutorial, then please drop an email to vhfnews@sarl.org.za, and we will help you. If we have not yet covered it in a tutorial, then we will write a short tutorial about it.

There is a question on the SARL Forum about frequencies and skeds for the different VHF and above modes posted by Andrew ZS2PA. Few responses have been given. Not everyone is a regular on the forum and as a result it could take some time before an appropriate response will appear.

Peter ZS2ABF and Dave ZS5DJ use 144.300 MHz USB horizontal for voice. They have a weekly SKED on Monday evenings around 19:45 – 20:00.

The 46 Long Distance Group that comprises mostly amateurs from divisions 4 and 6 are also active on 144.300 MHz USB and 432.200 MHz USB. This group is very active with members regularly on the air in the mornings and evenings, and they use WhatsApp to let each other know that they are on the air and in which direction they are pointing. Here again the best folk to talk to is Carl ZS6CBQ and Rickus ZS4A. Their emails are correct in the SARL callbook.

Likewise, if you are interested in doing long distance VHF and above communications, and the other VHF and above enthusiasts do not know that you are listening and calling and their antennas are not pointed in your direction then there is also a problem. Again, let us know at vhfnews@sarl.org.za that you are on the air, and we can try and get you connected.

How about letting us at VHF News know what frequencies are being used by the folk who are actively doing long distance communications and the times you are on the air. We can publish it over the air and on the SARL homepage so that others who may be interested in joining in know what frequencies and modes are in use.

At the recent VHF workshop that was held earlier in the year, Dick ZS6BUN showed an RSGB video with the title “Regular 3000+Km Contacts on 144MHz by Meteor Scatter + Tropo”. Tom ZS1TA also mentioned the video in his article in the December Radio ZS about his record contact with Gary ZD7GWM. What was interesting about this video was the discussion around the long distance records and how they were possible. John G4SWX explained that the records were most likely a combination of Meteor Scatter and Tropo Ducting. The video is on the RSGB website under the 2015 RSGB Convention videos, but can only be viewed if you are a RSGB member. I have found a PDF of the presentation on the web. The link is http://www.ok2kkw.com/more/g4swx_trms_final_en.pdf. Very interesting reading.

Now here is a challenge. The tropospheric ducting in the South Atlantic is very active. What about the inland VHF enthusiasts finding a way to exploit multiple VHF propagation modes and make a QSO with St Helena Island?

For the guys interested in building their own antennas, there is an excellent handbook that can be downloaded for free from Poynting Antennas. To add it to your library point your browser to https://poynting.tech/download/reference_materials/Antennas-in-Practice.pdf. Thank you, Thomas ZS1TE for providing this information.

Let us now have a look at some news about the VHF and Above bands...

Peter ZS2ABF reports from the South East coast “Hi there, Due to the poor 2m forecast for our coast line, Dave and I did not expect much last Monday 3rd Dec. We were surprised when we got contact on our first call. Poor quality with QSB, but we were able to make comms. We will not be up next Monday as Dave is busy. We have agreed to give a call on the following Tuesday 11th Dec at our usual time. Hope to see you on frequency.”

The VHF working group has a Skype meeting every 2 weeks and is progressing well with the quest to get a beacon operational in the centre of the country in the vicinity of Van Der Kloof. A suitable site is being sought. A radio and a keyer are also being finalised. If you would like to join the VHF working group at their next meeting on 13 December at 20:30 local time, then send and email with your Skype name to vhfnews@sarl.org.za.

The next VHF/UHF/Microwave workshop will be presented at the National Amateur Radio Centre by AMSAT SA and SARL on Saturday 9 February 2019. Proposals for papers and presentations are invited and should be sent to vhfnews@sarl.org.za by not later than 15 December 2018.

Put the date 9 February 2019 in your diaries and come and enjoy the presentations provided and the knowledge shared. You will be surprised and the number of old hands who attend these workshops, eager to learn something new. That is the beauty of our wonderful hobby. There is always something new to learn and experience.

Well that is all the VHF and Above news for this week.

Please send your news snippets and information about activities on VHF and Above including information for the tutorial to vhfnews@sarl.org.za.