Duct Report - 22.02.05

Was woken by the Adelaide 2m beacon this morning at approx 5am or 1800 UTC, when it broke
over the S1 squelch level. Renmark TV was lagging this time, but was sitting at 40dB but
not over that level.

Immediately I switched the FM rig from Renmark TV to the repeaters and there was John
VK5PO speaking to John VK3HJW on the Mt Macedon repeater near Melbourne 147.250. This was
off the side of my antenna. VK5PO is at Eden Valley, which I think is not far from Barossa
Valley SA and VK3HJW was mobile near the repeater.

John VK5PO was also up on the propagation logger before I got on there at 5am, so good to
see another keen operator about exploiting the duct from the very beginning.

Contact List -

Repeaters 2m -

Naracoorte 600 km 5/5
Crafers Adelaide 764 Km 5/9
Barossa Valley 741 Km 5/7
Lobethal 747 Km 5/7
Willunga 771 Km.

Repeaters 70cm -

Crafers Adelaide 764 Km 5/9
Summertown 760 Km 5/9+20
Barossa Valley 741 Km 5/7.

Repeater summary - repeater signals were not the best and were slightly unstable. Not many
repeaters present in VK5. Obviously there were many more in VK3 and 2 but I wont list
them. Bordertown simplex link in VK5 was causing interference to the Yarrawonga repeater
because Bordertown uses a repeater input freq for TX and RX (147.800), this has not
happened for a while and was in a way good to hear because its a good indicator of band
conditions. I could also access the Swan Hill repeater on 146.900 which was good as its a
little rare to get Swan Hill, very low along the river.

Beacons 2 & 70 -

Adelaide 2m - 762 Km - 5/9
Adelaide 70cm - 762 Km - 5/3
Mount Gambier 2m - 644 Km - 4/0
Mount Gambier 70cm - 644 Km - 5/9

Beacon summary - Adelaide 2 and 70 peaked just before sun rise here (before most people
were on air), gradually dropped, 70cm then 2m.
As condx were dropping to Adelaide I had a look Mount Gambier way and surprisingly the
70cm beacon was 5/7 and peaked up 5/9 where as the 2m beacon was only audible. The 70cm
beacon supposedly has yagis beaming east west rather than at me also. I have noticed the
70cm signal as being stronger than the 2m beacon when there are no condx and monitoring on
Spectran, I can see the 70cm beacon but not the 2m beacon.

Simplex FM -

Worked John VK5PO on 146.500, he only peaked about 5/3 but was very consistant.  Could not
work VK5UBC.

Simplex SSB 2m -

VK5PO - 736 Km - 5/9
VK3LY - 503 Km - 5/9
VK5ZLX - 735 Km - 5/9
VK5UBC - 764 Km - 4/1
VK5AKK - 763 Km - 5/9+10
VK5NY - 770 Km - 5/9+10

Simplex SSB 70cm -

VK5AKK - Phil, 763 Km - 5/9+10
VK5NY - Roger, 770 Km 5/9+10

Simplex SSB summary - I believe most stations on the simplex list were on the east side of
the Adelaide Hills except for Brian VK5UBC who is slightly over and had poor signals. I
was about to give up on the SSB contacts when I decided to call to the SW at Mount Gambier
way. Bill VK3LY then replied, then after Bill I heard Peter 5ZLX on the side of the
antenna and turned back Adelaide way. At S7 to 9 Peter was weak compared to his normal
level. I was surprised after I worked Peter to be called by Phil VK5AKK who was strong at
5/9+10. I asked to try 70cm with Phil, but knowing the Adelaide 70cm beacon had virtually
dropped out I did not have much hope but was worth a go. To my surprise Phil was 5/9+10 on
432.100, after an extended break between my initial call and his respose I first thought I
could not hear him at all, but then there he was! While working Phil on 432.100 a call was
also heard from Roger VK5NY (these guys are in the southern end of the Adelaide Hills I
think?) I called Roger in and he was peaking 5/9+10 also, and mentioned he was only
running 10 watts! wow! amazing.
After this Roger and myself QSY'd to 144.180, where Roger was running 10 watts or so here
also and I could hardly copy him, 4/1 signal probably. Bugger I still dont have a 23cm
radio!

Leigh VK2KRR