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Author Topic: 11m Band Opening 0246 UTC 21 April 2021  (Read 1656 times)

Offline RobRich

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11m Band Opening 0246 UTC 21 April 2021
« on: April 21, 2021, 0251 UTC »
Activity up and down the band here. On my 31' vertical with an expected high angle of radiation on upper HF, nonetheless.

Currently listening to ops on 27.385 LSB from local all the way up to Canada, which usually is a little more interesting than the "maul dropping" contest on 27.025 AM.

Suppose I could dig out my 11m radio in the next few days and actually try using my 18' half-wave vertical for something. It has not been connected to a radio in a long time.
« Last Edit: April 21, 2021, 0253 UTC by RobRich »
Tampa, FL USA | US Map Grid EL88
Airspy HF+ Discovery | KiwiSDR 2 | 2x Msi2500 Msi001 | 2x RTL-SDR V3 + NE602 | 2x RTL-SDR V4
148' Loop-on-Ground | 31' Vertical | 18' End-Fed Vertical | 9' NCPL | PA0NHC MiniWhip

Offline RobRich

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Re: 11m Band Opening 0246 UTC 21 April 2021
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2021, 0400 UTC »
Just worked Alabama on SSB via a few watts into the 31' vertical over 16 ground radials. Used a tuner, of course.

Need to do a small section of RG-174 to get my 18' half-wave vertical into the house.
Tampa, FL USA | US Map Grid EL88
Airspy HF+ Discovery | KiwiSDR 2 | 2x Msi2500 Msi001 | 2x RTL-SDR V3 + NE602 | 2x RTL-SDR V4
148' Loop-on-Ground | 31' Vertical | 18' End-Fed Vertical | 9' NCPL | PA0NHC MiniWhip

Offline RobRich

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Re: 11m Band Opening 0246 UTC 21 April 2021
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2021, 0521 UTC »
Band is starting to frizzle out here at 0520z. Some of the "worldwide" crowd still is fading in and out on 27025.
Tampa, FL USA | US Map Grid EL88
Airspy HF+ Discovery | KiwiSDR 2 | 2x Msi2500 Msi001 | 2x RTL-SDR V3 + NE602 | 2x RTL-SDR V4
148' Loop-on-Ground | 31' Vertical | 18' End-Fed Vertical | 9' NCPL | PA0NHC MiniWhip

Offline RobRich

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Re: 11m Band Opening 0246 UTC 21 April 2021
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2021, 1003 UTC »
Did some quick work on an old Midland mobile. Resoldered an antenna joint, cleaned pots, etc. Listening to 27025 AM, which opened well before 1000z.

....

Now fading out at ~1008z.
« Last Edit: April 22, 2021, 2010 UTC by RobRich »
Tampa, FL USA | US Map Grid EL88
Airspy HF+ Discovery | KiwiSDR 2 | 2x Msi2500 Msi001 | 2x RTL-SDR V3 + NE602 | 2x RTL-SDR V4
148' Loop-on-Ground | 31' Vertical | 18' End-Fed Vertical | 9' NCPL | PA0NHC MiniWhip

Matt285

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Re: 11m Band Opening 0246 UTC 21 April 2021
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2021, 1715 UTC »
Yes. 10 and 11 meters have been really hot for the past several days. I have worked stations up into Ontario and probably 8 or 9 other states. I even slummed it the other day and worked several stations on 38 LSB, including a few Jamaican stations. It brought back fond memories of being in my truck with my HR2510, 102'' whip and a Texas Star 250. It's still as much of a mad house as I remember. Likely most of the crowd from back then. My wife was very confused when she walked in on me working CB stations.
Almost forgot to mention, 12 was up a bit also. Worked a station in WV and another in TX yesterday afternoon.

Offline RobRich

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Re: 11m Band Opening 0246 UTC 21 April 2021
« Reply #5 on: April 21, 2021, 2056 UTC »
I am stuck on 11m, as I never did get around to a ticket. Maybe someday.

I did 11m DX back in the 1990s, then I fell out out the hobby. I got back into HF as a SWL several years later. Suppose I prefer listening to talking these days.

I still have some of my old 11m equipment, though I tossed my old amp to keep it off the airwaves. It needed new tubes when I quit the hobby anyway, plus being realistic, even just 12w SSB often can work a good 11m DX opening readily enough.

Today I retuned my Shakespeare 318-GBT 18' half-wave vertical. I added eight 9' ground radials years ago, so I knew resonance was moved somewhat. For receiving I did not care much, but it hopefully should be good to go for a close match now. I also have a MFJ 1:1 "isolator" choke near the feedpoint.

Old-school Belden RG-8 to the house, plus a few feet of RG-316 that I still need to run inside. Reactance close to zeroed around 27200, and the band is largely well under 1.2:1 SWR; both according to a NanoVNA-H4.
« Last Edit: April 21, 2021, 2120 UTC by RobRich »
Tampa, FL USA | US Map Grid EL88
Airspy HF+ Discovery | KiwiSDR 2 | 2x Msi2500 Msi001 | 2x RTL-SDR V3 + NE602 | 2x RTL-SDR V4
148' Loop-on-Ground | 31' Vertical | 18' End-Fed Vertical | 9' NCPL | PA0NHC MiniWhip

Offline RobRich

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Re: 11m Band Opening 0246 UTC 21 April 2021
« Reply #6 on: April 21, 2021, 2246 UTC »
VNA numbers look good. :)

A very quick QSO on *27025* to Ohio with an extremely basic Midland 77-099 that I bought on eBay and AFAIK never even used until today. Shows what propagation can do for ya'.

My old SSB radio is offline for now. It really needs gone through and sorted out IMO.
« Last Edit: April 21, 2021, 2248 UTC by RobRich »
Tampa, FL USA | US Map Grid EL88
Airspy HF+ Discovery | KiwiSDR 2 | 2x Msi2500 Msi001 | 2x RTL-SDR V3 + NE602 | 2x RTL-SDR V4
148' Loop-on-Ground | 31' Vertical | 18' End-Fed Vertical | 9' NCPL | PA0NHC MiniWhip

Matt285

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Re: 11m Band Opening 0246 UTC 21 April 2021
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2021, 1106 UTC »
Got home yesterday and worked a few on 11M SSB. Michigan, Ohio, Texas, Kentucky etc. Not sure if the opening is going to last much longer. Yesterday's propagation wasn't near as good as it was the day before. I'm gonna keep trying though.

Offline RobRich

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Re: 11m Band Opening 0246 UTC 21 April 2021
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2021, 2022 UTC »
The sunspot number dropped a little, but we are getting into the sporadic E season, so hopefully at least intermittent upper HF conditions will hold up for a few weeks.

I rarely check it, but I suspect 6m could be showing some signs of activity, too.
Tampa, FL USA | US Map Grid EL88
Airspy HF+ Discovery | KiwiSDR 2 | 2x Msi2500 Msi001 | 2x RTL-SDR V3 + NE602 | 2x RTL-SDR V4
148' Loop-on-Ground | 31' Vertical | 18' End-Fed Vertical | 9' NCPL | PA0NHC MiniWhip

Matt285

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Re: 11m Band Opening 0246 UTC 21 April 2021
« Reply #9 on: April 23, 2021, 1918 UTC »
I hope so too. 6M only seems to be open when I'm at work! 73's

Offline RobRich

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Re: 11m Band Opening 0246 UTC 21 April 2021
« Reply #10 on: April 25, 2021, 2111 UTC »
Fixed a SSB radio yesterday.

11m opened for awhile this afternoon. Quickly worked, if I caught him correctly, the West Indies on 27385 LSB. Tough copy here, as a flamethrower station in Barbados was working contacts at the same time, too.

....

And about as quick as the band opened, it is fizzling out, unless you like "talking" on 27025 perhaps.
« Last Edit: April 25, 2021, 2140 UTC by RobRich »
Tampa, FL USA | US Map Grid EL88
Airspy HF+ Discovery | KiwiSDR 2 | 2x Msi2500 Msi001 | 2x RTL-SDR V3 + NE602 | 2x RTL-SDR V4
148' Loop-on-Ground | 31' Vertical | 18' End-Fed Vertical | 9' NCPL | PA0NHC MiniWhip