G4CQM 2M Two Meters 144MHz VHF DX Live TransAtlantic News
and Propagation Forecasts

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G4CQM LIVE 144MHz TransAtlantic News/Propagation Forecasts

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Welcome to G4CQM's 2M (144MHz) TransAtlantic website intended as a catalyst, bringing together fellow DX enthusiasts with the common goal of working each other across the Atlantic Ocean on 2M VHF.

10/01/10 Breaking news...Burried in snow, the MET OFFICE didn't see this one coming! On the 15th Oct 09 I made a bold prediction using Solar data of the winter to come and was SPOT ON, see my shoutbox!

Meanwhile...The NEW QTH is proving to be very exciting and SOLAR POWER system is working better than expected, the battery bank remains fully charged even during the depths of this winter!

I am currently using just a small five element yagi (2M-0.6WL 5 ELEMENT YAGI). However, when spring arrives the PowAbeam Antennas 2M-2.5WL 9 ELEMENT YAGI is going back up!

G4CQM is now on Twitter, follow my tweets!

G4CQM's NEW RADIO QTH FORMERLY A WATER PUMPING STATION AND RESERVOIR - THE SHACK IS THE PUMP HOUSE!

My interest in 144MHz (2M Two Meters) TransAtlantic Propagation started on the 13th March 1989 during the massive aurora that occured on that day. A contact with Don VO1QF in Newfounland on 28MHz by Auroral E's inspired me to believe in the possibility of making such a QSO on 144MHz! That night Dave G4GLT worked Florida on 6M AE's! This project still remains one of the greatest and most difficult VHF DX challanges of all time! However, on the 6th July 2006 Tim G4LOH and myself worked CU8AO 59+ in HM49KL QRB 2420.64KM, half way across! This contact has conclusively proven that intense E's develops out over the Atlantic Ocean.

The NEW QTH is close to the sea, locator IO70ST and I'm running 400W PEP from a solid-state amp.
My station is SOLAR POWERED so stay tuned if you want to work one of the first zero carbon emission DXers! During the nineties I tried several attempts with VE9AA, VE1KG and VE1HD. I have also copied the TransAtlantic beacon VE1SMU/H on 144.300Mhz as a very weak Tropo signal, this occured on Monday 6th July 1998 at 13.15 UTC for around 20 minutes when the beacon was at its peak level. Some time ago Mike Lee G3VYF suggested to me that a major E's event to Russia may be followed by a later opening to the USA. Thanks to Nick Gilly an FM Band 2 Dxer for his encouraging words and link to a DX Radio article describing the opening that occured on . Very exciting! Meanwhile Chris GW4DGU has written a paper considering the propagation mechanisms that may give rise to a TransAtlantic QSO - Christopher Bartram GW4DGU and X-ATL!

Many thanks to ALL providers of information used on this page including Dave G7RAU LIVE MUF and Wally Mayo N4BHM ROANOKE WEATHER PAGE

73's and successful DX'ing Derek Hilleard G4CQM

Email: g4cqm(at)live.co.uk

K1MAP

My name is Mark Casey, K1MAP. For the last 10 years or so, I've been slowly building and planning towards a real try at making a 144MHz contact to your side of the Atlantic. I've read the interesting comments from both of you on propagation and past reception reports. Especially interesting was Derek's report of hearing the VE1SMU beacon on July 6 of 1998. And, apparently, no one on this side was around to work you. Maybe next time there will be someone, I hope.

It seems to me one of the largest obstacles in completing a trans-atlantic QSO is coordination of both sides. Many of us here in the US and Canada, like myself, don't know who, in Europe (and Africa) have similar interests. For that reason and to promote interest, I have applied to QSL.net to establish an e-mail remailer (or reflector). With any luck, the new remailer will be in place in a few days or weeks. It will be open to any one with an interest in the subject, and may be able to serve as a (near) realtime scheduling vehicle. Hopefully, you both, and many others from both sides will subscribe. We can have a good discussion of our locations, stations , and proposed methods. And, then, maybe, we will have an idea if someone else is willing to point towards a station on the other side when conditions open up.

A few years ago, we bought a second home at Cedar Island, North Carolina, FM14ux, located about 50 miles southwest of Cape Hatteras, NC. Looking towards Europe from there nearly follows the Gulf Stream over to Europe. It's my opinion that, although the distance is much longer than Newfoundland to Ireland/UK/France/Iberia, that if long distance tropo developed, this would likely be a good spot to try with Europe. I have a station there, and I am only there quite a few times during the year.

There are 3 trans-atlantic beacons, aimed toward Europe, on now in the US
1. WA1ZMS, 144.285, in FM07fm, south-west central Virginia, near Lynchburg.
2. N7BHC, 144.291, in FM15pa, Oriental, NC, (20 miles W Cedar Island)
3. K4MHZ, 144.300, in FM25df, at Hatteras, NC, (42 miles NE of Cedar Island)

At home, I am located in Hampden, Massachusetts, FN32sb, about 80 miles west of Boston, and have a station here at home also. I am working to be able to put on the air, a full power, by US Amateur regs, 1500 watt station, in your direction from either site.

There are many stations over here, from Florida to Canada, that are interested to try for a Trans-Atlantic contact. I would appreciate any of your comments.

Sincerely,
73, Mark Casey, K1MAP

Email: map(at)mapinternet.com