Sea ducting DX this week

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g8gtz
Posts: 1733
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 6:26 pm

Sea ducting DX this week

Post by g8gtz » Sat Jun 23, 2018 8:26 am

Looking at the weather forecast, there is a large High pressure sitting right over the UK for the next week.

Whilst the main tropo enhancement is likely to happen once the system starts to move away, given there will be high air temperatures over the sea and very little wind, it is highly likely that there will be sea temperature ducting on most days next week. This is a great opportunity to work long distances on the higher bands as the Norfolk / Northern team proved last month on 5.6GHz.

Those living by the sea will be able to confirm this by looking out for a dark band (maybe brownish) forming so you can no longer see the Horizon as seen to the right of the line in the picture:

Sheringham 2 (Medium).JPG
Sheringham 2 (Medium).JPG (341.64 KiB) Viewed 3868 times

This effect mainly appears later in the day (from around 3pm in to evening although Norfolk to Bridlington was from around 11am) and you don't need to be on a cliff top as it is probably best to be at sea level to launch in to the duct directly, but any line of sight path to the sea will probably work.

I've no particular plans yet but will probably go out on at least one day and would encourage everyone to get out and try to work some long paths on any band above 1GHz. BTW, you will probably find 144.750 does not work as well as the higher bands so be prepared to use text or whatsapp for talkback.

Please post any plans here so others can join in.

73
Noel

g8vpg
Posts: 381
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2013 9:35 am

Re: Sea ducting DX this week

Post by g8vpg » Sat Jun 23, 2018 2:02 pm

I have just finished completely re-engineering my 5.6GHz system following TX failure on the last outing and am looking to test it now. I am based in Bristol but can travel around the south west depending on who is where.
73 Shaun G8VPG.

G8JAN
Posts: 47
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 7:12 pm

Re: Sea ducting DX this week

Post by G8JAN » Sun Jun 24, 2018 8:56 am

The same here Shaun. I had a system failure a few weeks ago and I'm all set to go portable. So how about a day this week Norfolk lads and anyone near the coast "up north". I can get to the North Norfolk coast again any day during the week not weekends, but obviously I/we need the cooperation of a Northern group. As Noel says the sea path should be good again for a duct possibly from early afternoon to the evening as temperature inversion kicks in.
Please post on here if you can give it a try or email me at g8jan@waitrose.com. 24 hours notice please.

Pete G8JAN

M0DTS
Posts: 653
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:03 pm

Re: Sea ducting DX this week

Post by M0DTS » Tue Jun 26, 2018 8:24 am

I won't be at the sea but general tropo is up today so i will be portable later today 26/5 somewhere on the Moors ~IO94MJ.
I should have reasonable visibility to the sea though :-)

Currently conditions down the coast are Excellent!
Sorry for the late notice!

Talk back 144.750
Dxspot.tv
07999796421

Rob
M0DTS

g8gtz
Posts: 1733
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 6:26 pm

Re: Sea ducting DX this week

Post by g8gtz » Tue Jun 26, 2018 10:23 am

Typical - it's exactly a week since we tried and I'm back home now :-(

What bands are you taking today -it's the UKAC 10GHz contest so well worth the effort to go out...

Noel

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