Here is the fortnightly bulletin of DX information for Australian DXers. Solar and ionospheric news, DX observations, announcements of DX activations, operating tips, and anything else that may be of interest to DXers in our part of the world may be found here. Reader’s observations and suggestions for content are welcome.
Propagation notes
With only the occasional sunspot group evident and periods of high geomagnetic activity, propagation has been generally dismal this month. We’d better get used to it, as this is likely to be the pattern for the next few years as we reach towards the bottom of the solar cycle. Hopefully geomagnetic conditions will settle soon, and we can enjoy some improved Low Bands conditions.
Around the bands
The main activity on air over the past week has been the Austral Islands DXpedition TX5T. They have been active on 160 – 10 m, but with little activity on 12 or 10 m. They have been heard here on 160 m through to 17 m, and quite workable on 30 m down to 160 m. No signals on 15 m and up have been heard at your author’s station.
About the most active band lately has been 40 m, with decent signals mid-afternoon from Europe, and with Asia/Pacific/Americas in the evenings. Thirty metres has been almost deserted, with a few weak signals heard. Twenty metres has seen some activity but mostly weak signals, and the higher bands have been very quiet.
Earlier in the month, there were some reasonable signals on 160 m coming in from USA in the evenings, and on the 6th August, HK1MW Bolmar from Colombia was loud.
DX Heard or Worked
TX5T Austral Islands has been the only notable DXpedition active. A few IOTA activities on our side of the planet have been workable, such as RT65KI Idlidya Island, Russian Far East. The European IOTA activities have been mostly unheard here.
Upcoming Activations of Interest
EX0PL Kyrgyzstan, 1 – 10 September. A group of Polish radio amateurs will be active on the HF bands from Jeti, Kyrgyzstan. QSL via SP9KAT, or Club Log. For more information, see their website: http://ex.3sun.pl/
4U1UN United Nations HQ back on air soon
After many years QRT, apart from the beacon, and one small activity from the garden of the UN HQ in New York City a few years ago, the UN HQ station will hopefully be back on air again. Adrian KO8SCA has been busy installing a BigIR vertical antenna on the roof, and a radio, amplifier and network equipment. Remote operation of the station is likely to be from a broadcast booth within the UN HQ grounds. UN HQ is a DXCC Entity and is currently ranked 34th Most Wanted, due to the extended period of inactivity.
73
Luke VK3HJ