[OZAPRS] HF watchers

[Ray Wells]

Richard Hoskin wrote:

>Hi Ray,
>
>  
>
>>It's interesting to take a look at the distances to digi's from
>>VK7ZRO-15. Of the 7 entries that appear on the "Used Digipeaters" page
>>at DB0ANF, the average distance is 1770km. If one weeds out the two "out
>>of character" distances of 908km and 483km the average becomes 2200km.
>>Regardless, distances around 1700km to 2200km appear to be ideal.
>>    
>>
>
>We did a far bit of analysis of 30Mtrs propagation a few years ago and
came
>to a similar conclusion.
>
>With the use of HF APRS and the IPS services we found that on average the
>best coverage area for an APRS Gate was 1000Kms to about 1800Kms from the
>Gates location. This can vary on occasions depending on the conditions
and
>other factors such as the Mobile stations installation etc. from around
>500Kms to tens of thousands of kilometre. But the most reliable daytime
>communications area is around the 1500Km range.
>
>  
>
>>Makes one wonder about how useful a HF gate would be in Alice Springs,
>>particularly for travellers around the coastal roads.
>>    
>>
>
>Like you, a few of us have had this realisation and for a while have been
>trying to get an APRS HF Gate activated in Alice Springs. We have had a
few
>leads but they have lead to nil. There has been some talk of taking up a
>collection and donating an APRS HF System to a willing operator in or
around
>Alice.
>
>If you or anyone can help with this please let me know.
>
>Cheers
>Richard
>VK3JFK
>
>
>
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>  
>
I used to forward with VK3BVP on 30m until he closed the port. That was 
approximately 750km from here. The path was exceedingly good, and open 
for usually at least 22 hours per day. I was running Flexnet at the time 
and the path was so good that the auto-set feature of Flexnet would set 
Maxframe 7 and Paclen 256. That really tested the HF rig! I then started 
forwarding with VK5UJ until he also closed down. That was about 1100km 
and the path was open for around 20 hours per day. With both stations, 
we shifted a lot of mail at 0k3 which is testimony to the quality of the 
band. I once tried forwarding with an FO5 on 30m but the 5000km path, 
and South American interference at his end brought that to an abrupt halt.

The thing that I noticed most about 30m was how quiet the band normally 
was. 40m could be barking its head off with electrical noise while 30m 
sounded like the antenna was disconnected, hi.

With regard to Alice Springs, do we have an amateur contact at the RFDS 
base who might be willing to set up supplied equipment?

Ray vk2tv
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