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    RSGB Eclipse QSO Party 2015

    The Eclipse QSO Party was devised by the Contest Committee in conjunction with the Propagation Studies Committee of the RSGB. This was not a contest, but some of the RSGB Contest Committee software and web facilities were used to collect and display activity reports. More explanations are available on the Contest Committee web site.

    A total of 36 logs were received, containing much useful information. These logs have helped to increase understanding of the effects of the partial eclipse on the various levels of the ionosphere. The chairman of the RSGB Propagation Studies Committee, G0KYA, published an article about the valuable propagation data that was obtained -- see RadCom (September 2015), available to RSGB members.

    Thank you to everyone who participated. All those who sent in logs will receive a Certificate of Appreciation.

    Ed, GW3SQX
    LOGS RECEIVED
    Callsign Locator Band QSOs Radio Power Antenna Mode
    DL5CL JO51 1.8 14 TT OMNI VII 80W 40m end fed at 15m CW
    DL7HU JO62 1.8 14 FT990+Linear 500W Dipole at 13m CW
    DL7VMM JO62 3.5 3 IC 735 100W Dipole at 10m CW
    F3WT JN18 1.8 1 Orion 1 90W "Delta -loop 50M circumference, base at 10M apex 18M" CW
    3.5 5 Orion 1 10W/20W Delta-loop CW
    F6DDR JN38 1.8 16 FT1000MP Mark_V 1kW "Vertical, 20m" CW
    G0GDU IO93 3.5 13 FT1000 50W W3DZZ at 8m CW
    G0MRH IO92 1.8 8 Kenwood TS-870 90W 47m Doublet at 5.5m CW
    3.5 2 CW
    G0ORH IO91 3.5 27 K3 400W Dipole at 20m CW
    3.5 3 PSK
    7 2 PSK
    G0VOF/P IO83 1.8 6 FT897D 50W Inverted V Dipoles at 9m CW
    G3LDI JO02 1.8 9 FT2000 100W Inv V dipole at 6m CW
    G3NYY IO82 3.5 6 Kenwood TS590S 100W Doublet 30m long at 10m CW
    7 3 CW
    G3SJJ IO92 3.5 22 K3+ amp 400W Dipole at 18m CW
    G3TBK IO93 3.5 12 ft1000mp 100W Dipole at 21m PSK
    G3TJE IO81 3.5 5 FT920 100W Doublet at 5m CW
    G3VCA IO93 1.8 3 Kenwood TS990 100W 80m Doublet at 18m PSK
    3.5 4 PSK
    G3WRR IO91 1.8 3 K3 100W Inverted-L, 15m top, at 6m CW
    3.5 10 CW
    G3XTZ IO91 1.8 6 FT1000MP 100 W 54m end fed Inv vee @14m CW
    G3YMC IO91 3.5 15 Elecraft K2 5W 20m longwire vertical at 9m CW
    G3ZBU IO91 3.5 15 FT1000 10W / 20W Dipole at 12m CW
    G4ERW JO01 1.8 17 TS590 100W Inverted V dipole at 18m CW
    G4GIR IO92 1.8 23 "TS990, KPA-500" 250W "Inverted-L, 14m vert, 22m horiz." CW
    G4OGB IO93 1.8 2 IC746 50W 81m off-centre fed at 4.5m CW
    1.8 1 PSK
    3.5 1 CW
    3.5 4 PSK
    G4UZE IO91 1.8 5 TS 990 50W Carolina Windom 80 at 7.5m CW
    G4YVM IO91 1.8 7 TS590 100W Inverted L at 9m CW
    GW0ETF IO73 1.8 23 K3/Acom 1000 400W Inv-V doublet at 14m CW
    GW3OQK IO71 1.8 10 TS850S 100W Inverted L at 12m CW
    GW3SQX IO81 1.8 8 TenTecOrion2 100W Dipole at 15m CW
    GW4BLE IO81 3.5 7 FT5000 30W Dipole at 12m PSK
    I3LDS JN55 3.5 5 Icom 7800 500W Dipole CW
    M0BTZ IO90 1.8 15 TS-940SAT, Homebrew PA (2 x 813 GG) 400W Base-loaded vert, 15m CW
    3.5 2 W3DZZ InV Dipole at 13.5m CW
    M0CES IO73 1.8 2 TS570DGE 100W Dipole at 7m CW
    3.5 6 CW
    M0WXB/P IO81 1.8 16 IC-7100 100W 1/4 wave inverted-L at 10m CW
    4 PSK
    MW0PRI IO72 3.5 1 Yaesu ft-897D 25W "Prowhip vertical 8m, 100m above sea level" PSK
    OK1CZ JO70 1.8 17 TS480 150W 27m vert CW
    7 3 horiz. Wire at 10m CW
    OK1RR JO70 3.5 9 K3 KPA500 KAT500 P3 500W sloped dipole at 25m CW
    7 8 vertical CW
    W1GD FN42 3.5 1 K3 + Alpha 78 1000W double-L CW
    7 3 2-el beam at 15m CW


    SOAPBOX
    DL5CLWhen shadow was at max here Topband was vy quiet. Shows me most of noise comes from sun during daylight. I had much fun es a great experience. tks Ron.
    DL7HU The Beacon G3RAU on 181050kHz was good readable the whole time...Maximum was at 09 47z +/-10Min. excactly at Ecliptic- Maximum here in Berlin. Thanks for this nice Party 73 Wolf
    F3WT SWL report with G3RAU beacon clearly heard on QRG=1810.1kHz at 09 10Z and 10 minutes duration thereafter with 579 and qsb -- sloping delta-loop corner feed/connecetd.
    G0GDUCondx notably noisier in 1st 50 minutes than for remainder of session. Most stations disappeared or considerably weaker after 10:30Z.
    G0MRHI decided to stick mostly on 160M band, not 1 of the bands I normally use. My ant' is a 'meandering' doublet but useable with a SGC A-ATU. Site is in a small domestic garden on an estate. Found working conditions were good for the eclipse but plain noise
    G0ORH Seemed some enhanced signals to dl, i3. heard several times zl2ifb at approx 0840hrs, called but band noisy here. Didn't go dark here in West Berkshire, but the sparrows went to bed!! Hope my log is of some use.
    G0VOF/PQRV from SOTA Summit G/SP-012 Easington Fell IO83TW. Full size antenna & quiet location meant most signals were genuinely 599. QSO's 2 3 & 5 included from SOTA log for completeness. Dipole ends 1.3m AGL. 80m Dipole ends 3m AGL Minimal change in condx due to eclipse. G3RAU Beacon S9 slight QSB @ 0820z, then S9+10dB. Slight QSB @ 0930z. Video of several QSO's will upload to my youtube channel.
    G3LDIConditions fairly flat when I first started listening at 8 a.m. Just worked one station and heard a few very weak ones who were virtually unreadable. Heard several weak UK stations who I did not work. I had to go out at 10 a.m. so could not finish the test
    G3NYYThe strength of VP2MQT on 7016 kHz increased progressively from RST 559 to RST 599 between 0845 and 0905 UTC. DO1BF heard only on 3519 kHz at 0929 UTC (Loc JO43).
    G3SJJ Thanks to Les G4OGB for creating the UDC file for N1MM+ -- installed perfectly. Initially propagation was all southern England but at around 0900 the skip grew longer and swung round to the east. I then made QSOs with I, DL and LA. This was just before the eclipse started at 0920. It peaked here at around 0940, by which time the band had returned to intra-UK. I heard two weak DX sounding signals call but just couldn't pull their calls out. I had Cluster and RBN running and could see quite a bit of G activity on the band maps of each VFO as well as some RBN Spots from further afield.
    G3TJEInteresting - heard DL and Ok but no qso. Commercial station 747khz peaked to S9 around 0945z
    G3VCA Signals were loud throughout
    G3WRR S9+4 80m at 0905, G0ORH S9+10 80m at 0907, G3SJJ S9+5 80m at 0916, G0ORH S9+8 80m at 0920, G3SJJ S9+15 80m at 0925, GW0GEI S9+
    G3XTZ Stations heard but no completed QSO: DF2UU calling CQ DX, G8UCQ at 09.30, G3RAU beaconing, G3TA at 09.54, G3PQA working G4GIR
    G3YMC Interesting couple of hours and there was a definite change around the maximum. GM3WUX was a good signal for a long time but hard to work with my QRP - made it around the maximum. A few DL stations appeared weakish together with an LA after the maximum. GW0GEI was VERY strong at maximum. Hope this log is of use.
    G3ZBU 10W power output except 20W for DK8ZZ. I heard OK1RR at RST 559 but he couldn't hear me.
    G4ERW There did seem a noticeable enhancement in propagation during the peak of the eclipse when several German stations worked. Seemed to be one way propagation with several UK stations where they were 599 but I was weak with them.
    G4GIR CW SKIMMER 28kHZ BANDWITH CW Only
    G4OGB 0915 599+20db Beacon, 0937 heard only
    G4UZE DF2UU heard at 0858 - sigs 449. My signals received on Reverse Beacon Net by EI6IZ at 09.20. A DL station heard at 339 at 0941.
    GW0ETF Also had a skimmer node running, feeding spots heard at this qth to the RBN network.
    GW3OQK I called CQ from time to time. G3XTZ called but not worked. I did not notice anything unusual but wondered if the band was open but just not used in the mornings.
    GW3SQX Did some tuning around as well as CQ and S&P. Signals definitely peaked around the maximum eclipse then fading out selectively. G3RAU beacon on 1810.3 audible from 08:30 at 569 until 10:00 when it was S4 and faded to S2 and S1 then 10:34 with QSB. G4ERW worked 339 at 1002 down to 119 at 10:03. Stations called but not worked: DF2UU (569 0900),M0DBO (339 0900), G3XTZ (579 0920), G4GIR (569 0920), OK1TN (569 0957)
    GW4BLE All contacts are recorded.
    I3LDS No signals from G.B. after 10.10
    M0BTZMostly on 160m. Expected darker skies during event. Vertical antenna on 160m not the best for semi local contacts during the day. Station optimised for low angle radiation for Grey-line DX on 160m & 80m. No separate receiving antennas - maybe missed some weaker signals? Sometimes used Inverted Vee Dipole as a receiving antenna on 160 for a better copy on close stations. Activity on 160m not good but not suprising during a weekday. Working DL8WN was a surprise - maybe lower D layer absorption due to eclipse?
    M0WXB/P Operating from Elsie the radio wagon in a field beside the M5 at IO81ww. https //www.facebook.com/m0wxb/photos/pcb.1808709979354405/1808709782687758/?type=1&theater
    MW0PRIWe heard lots of incoming calls but only made one full QSO with G3VCA. G3TBK was very clear in to us but we did not manage to get back to him. We operated from Aberystwyth University Arts Centre.
    OK1RR Sigs were nearly uniform S7 heavy QSB
    W1GDRecent storm took down K9AY receive antenna. No European signals heard on 160 or 80M. Heard very few weak European stations on 40M.