After such a long and barren period for tropo we were taken by surprise by the exceptional conditions on the weekend of 7th to 8th October coinciding with the 70 cm and microwave contests in the UK and Continental Europe.
I know that some contest stations worked Spain on 70cm and there were stories of Italians but that is hearsay. I was pleased to work the French stations down to mid/southern parts, the two HB9s, and also the French and German contacts on 23. Anyway, here are some picked out from my log.
2450 2023-10-07 11:50 F4CKV/P 144.304 SSB France JN16nl
2451 2023-10-07 15:36 F6KPL 432.201 SSB IN99io France Radio club c/o Mr Ala
2455 2023-10-07 16:47 PI4GN 432.230 SSB JO33ii Netherlands VRZA AFD. GRONIN
2456 2023-10-07 17:00 F5RZC 432.264 SSB JO10ar France Jean-Francois DELP…
2457 2023-10-07 20:15 HB9XC 432.210 SSB JN37of Switzerland Club station PIEPER
2458 2023-10-07 20:19 DL8LR 432.233 SSB JN39ni Germany Frank Paulus-Rieth
2459 2023-10-07 20:24 DR9A 432.292 SSB JN48eq Germany Contest Station
2460 2023-10-07 20:36 HB9IAB/P 432.285 SSB JN36mi Switzerland ERIC
2461 2023-10-07 20:51 F4KJP/P 432.207 SSB France JN29ln
2462 2023-10-08 07:31 F5SGT/P 432.221 SSB France IN88kd
2463 2023-10-08 07:39 F4DVZ 432.313 SSB France IN98wv
2464 2023-10-08 07:57 F6KFH 432.265 SSB JN39oc France Radioclub du Ref.
2465 2023-10-08 08:04 F8KHP/P 432.287 SSB France JN38cc
2466 2023-10-08 10:16 DR9A 1,296.270 SSB JN48eq Germany Contest Station
2467 2023-10-08 10:25 F4KJP/P 1,296.200 SSB France JN29ln
2468 2023-10-08 10:34 DN4KHJ/P 432.280 SSB Germany J031aa
2469 2023-10-08 10:43 ON4CCM 432.203 SSB JO21jg Belgium WARD VAN BERCK…
2471 2023-10-08 20:44 F4HBY 144.235 SSB IN97at France Laurent JOBEY
Let us hope it will not be so long until the next opening, the last one having been back in June. Still, this one was very satisfying.
Amateur Radio News from Jon Stow, G4MCU 