My local Raadio Club, Spalding and District Amateur Radio Society (SDARS), recently had a video presentation, talk and demonstration on the use of FSK with WSJT Software for making long distance contacts on 2 meters using Meteor Scatter.
This was a very timely talk as the Perseid Meteor Shower was due in a few days along with a DXpedition to IO41 by EI9E.
I must say that I had used this mode before, or I should say I had WSJT working before, but I had never made any contacts with it. I simply did not really understand what Meteor Scatter was all about. I certainly did not realise that this was a mode that can be used at any time as Meteors are constantly entering the Earth's atmosphere.
The video was by GW8JLY which told us what FSK and Meteor Scatter was all about. It was a very comprehensive video that didn't get bogged down in too many technicalities. Further explanation was given by Bob, G1ZJP, and then a practical demonstration was given by Julian, G4YHF, in the Club Raadio Shack which put the theory into practice.
Still fired up with enthusiasm, I couldn't wait to give this a try at home and the next day was on 144.370 listening out for signals. I saw some decodes on the screen from OH6KTL and decided to give him a call. After a few QRZ's he got my call and after some time sending info to and fro, we completed the QSO.
So I had made my first Meteor Scatter QSO using FSK and WSJT software. OH6KTL is in KP02OJ, a distance of 1649 Kms and just using 30 watts to an 11 ele Tonna at my end.
I think that this is a mode that I could get into and will definitely be trying it again.
Thanks to SDARS for being such a pro-active Club. This is not something that I would have achieved before the presentation. Thanks guys.
73 De Jim GØHGH
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At some point every Amateur Radio operator must get filled with self doubt and wonder whether or not his signal is getting anywhere. Likewise, when listening to a fairly deserted band, is it imagination or is there actually a signal in that noise that I can just not make out. It must be sign of my insecurity in that, when I get some adverse criticism, I always think that it is me to blame.
In July, FISTS started a two meter activity event for an hour on Saturday evenings and another hour on Sunday mornings. In that first month I received more listener reports than I had QSOs. On the Yahoo group conversations it became evident that many operators were using low power and a vertical antenna: the cross polarization losses are quite large so I was not too concerned.
In August, a suggestion was made that I was running huge power and was extremely deaf! Perhaps someone should talk to me about it? Comments like this only fuel my anxiety so was starting to become a little concerned. I usually run 75 watts to an 11 element beam up about 10 to 15 meters agl depending upon wx conditions (and whether or not I got up early enough to pump up the mast).
Fortunately I have been competing in the RSGB UKAC Contests for a few years now and, if nothing else, they have given me a very good idea how well or poorly my signals have been radiating around Europe. For instance, when I first started contesting it was with a vertical antenna and 8 watts. Not surprisingly, my signal did not get very far, a maximum of 100Km, so it wasn't long before I upgraded to a 6 element 2 meter beam. That made a huge difference and I was working stations up to 250 Km away without too much trouble. Next came an upgrade to my current set up; an 11 element beam and 100 watts. With this station I find that I do fairly well and am confident in having a good idea on what I can expect from it. attaining 450 Kms is not unreasonable.
CW is a mode much more suited to making longer distance contacts so I was quite keen when the FISTS 2 meter activity sessions were announced. When I look at the log and analyse the QSOs they are however a bit disappointing. I have had two, quite hard work, contacts at 300 and 220 Kms where I gave 429 reports and received 579. Most other contacts have been quite local.
Interestingly, during one session I was called by a Contest station in IO75 and we exchanged very good signal reports (not unsurprising for contests!) but the QSO was pretty much as I expected - easy copy both ways and that was at 479 Kms.
So am I deaf or do FISTS members just not put out big signals? As I mentioned earlier many are using verticals, assuming a cross polarization loss of 25 Db and my antenna has a gain of 12 DB (assuming I have them perfectly aligned) that still leaves a loss of 13 Db. If the other station is running 5 watts from an FT817 or similar, that 13 Db loss is extremely significant. Not surprising then that if I am not perfectly aligned they are simply not audible here.
G0ILN has installed an HB9CV antenna at his stataion in JO00 square and he runs just 5 watts. I gave him a 429 report and I received 579 in return at a distance of 217 Kms. Another station in IO83 has a dipole sellotaped to his wardrobe door and can hear me, but I cannot hear his 5 watts. I really do not find that very surprising. Or am I too easily satisfied?
73 es good dx de Jim GØHGH
