ROAR Nets Report for 23rd August and 25th August 2015

0530z-0600z ANZO Net on 7110
From Bill VK4ZD
Diane and I were away in VK6 and unable to attend this net.
Note that next Sunday the time will revert to 0600z - 0630z
 
From Phil VK2MCB
Only two of us on today, Peter VK3KCD was a 5/9 and gave me 5/9
 
0600z - 0700z Europe - Anzo Net on 14,295.2 Long Path
From Bill VK4ZD
I called in at the end of this net (after 0630z) operating from VK6GLZ QTH.
Rob ZL1RD was 59 SP and Q5 LP (to Europe).
Phil VK2MCB was 59 and advised that Pertti did hear me.
Note that next Sunday the time will revert to 0630z - 0730z
 
From Doug ZL1BFS (by email before the net)
Just for the record, both John ZL2JPM and I have listened every week for the last couple of months, but in general the only stations we could hear were one of two of the VKs. If propagation is zero, then it is not worth even trying to call anyone, so generally we don’t appear on the net. Roll on October, when (traditionally) things start to get better.
 
From Phil VK2MCB (report on this Sunday net)
Poor conditions persisted between VK/ZL and Europe at this time of day
John ZL2JPM called at 0559z with a 5/9 signal and gave me 5/6 but John had no contact with Europe
Interesting Rob ZL1RD called after 0630 with a 5/9 signal into VK but could not copy any European station. Pertii EA7GSU could copy Rob but could not get through to ZL.
Klaus HB9CQS was 5/9 and gave me 5/6
Peter VK3KCD was 4/2 and gave me similar
Jean Pierre F1CFA was 5/3 and gave me 5/3
Brian G3LUW was 3/1 but I didn’t copy a report
Pertii EA7GSU was initially 3/1 but built to 5/3 by 0630. He gave me 5/3 later in the net.
Nick G4HCK was 3/1 hovering in the noise level as was John G3OKT who was closer to a 2/1
Coco YO9BC was a good 5/7 and gave 5/7
Finally, Bill VK4ZD called at about 0645 from VK6 where he was visiting a friend’s station with a 5/7 signal and gave me a 5/9
I think it is time to slip our nets by 30 minutes as suggested by many of our European members. 73 for now. See you on Sunday gentlemen.
 
From John G3OKT (report on this Sunday net)
Solar Conditions :- SFI 117 A 9 K 3 Sunspots 72 (falling)
VK2MCB was net control while VK4ZD in VK6. No copy of Phil here (apart from just a trace at 0625), but EA7GSU and Phil exchanged 3.1 b/w.
HB9CQS heard Phil at 5.7/8 with QSB down to 5.5/6, and still had “fine copy” at 0634.
HB9CQS and G3OKT exchanged 5.9+10dB b/w. Klaus had some 20dB of slow QSB during the net, but was always the strongest signal.
G4HCK got 5.7/8 from Klaus before disappearing completely.
EA7GSU was a clear 5.6 here; Pertti gave Phil 5.5 to 5.1
F1CFA was heard by Pertti but not by Klaus.
G3LUW came and went – once at 5.5 but generally 1.1 here. Klaus gave Brian 5.8
PA3AHC got 5.4/5 from Klaus and received 4.4, but Malcolm was not heard here.
YO9BC came with rapid QSB peaking 5.8; Coco was “fine signal” with Klaus, and gave VK2MCB 5.6/7. Coco also gave Klaus 5.5, Malcolm 5.7 and Pertti 5.6.
G4HCK fluttered up to 4.3 at 0628 then disappeared here. Nick was 5.7 with Pertti at 0640.
HB9CQS was 4.1 with EA7GSU at 0630; Klaus gave Pertti 1.1.
VK2MCB was 5.2 with Pertti at 0635
ZL1RD was heard by VK2MCB but no copy of Rob here.
The net closed at 0643.
 
From Pertti EA7GSU by email
Hi John, good to be back! I heard you, Nick and Brian well, all the others reasonably or badly. Malcolm, J-P and Bill (/6) were all 21. I heard also Rob, ZL1RD 41 but he didn't hear me. Phil was solid copy from 31 to 53 towards the end.
After the sked, about 0700 hrs I had a VK2 on cw with 519 (!) and another
on phone 59. After 0700 hrs the band seemed to open. Are we early?
 
From Brian G3LUW
I think the time has come to put the net back to 0700 gmt. Propagation between Europe and VK/ZL has been very poor recently, but I think we have more chance an hour later. Having said that, I apologise for being absent for the next two Sundays.
 
From Jean Pierre F1CFA
As said, I think our friend Brian is completely right !
So poor, this morning ! VK2MCB was 53 but except YO9BC heard 52 with a silly transmission ( hazardous voice ! ), everybody was heard in the noise. Special mention for HB9CQS who was jumping shortly to 55 then coming back in the noise. Once again PA3AHC was trying to pass through the gate, but failed !
Best wishes to everybody and waiting for any decision...
 
From Klaus HB9CQS
I am for the change proposed by Brian:
1. It will bring us in line with the propagation pattern of previous years
2. It complies with experience gathered on the OZ / VK net (06:30z – 07:00z, Monday thru Friday).
3. It will allow me to join Karen for the Sunday morning breakfast.
How about the coming Tuesday morning net?
From John G3OKT by email before the Tuesday net
I will be on 14.295 from 0630 and will stay (probably) until 0730 - i.e. a slip of 30 minutes in start time.
Looking at the 2014 reports on the IFROAR website, last year the Sunday net moved 30 minutes from 0600-0700 to 0630-0730 about this time - i.e. end Aug/early Sept.
The Sunday net then moved a further 30 minutes to 0700-0800 on November 16th.
By contrast, the Tuesday net stayed at 0700-0730 from August 3rd right through until (and beyond) Nov 16th !
I will put all comments in this draft net report for 23 and 25 Aug, and perhaps we can agree either 30min or 60min shift before the following Sunday net.
 
From Bill VK4ZD (after the Sunday net)
I will be on the nets 30 minutes later as of Tues.
I have had a quick look at the propagation charts and they are mixed.
Certainly the long path propagation to NZ appears to be earlier.
The southern VK states have earlier propagation than VK4.
It seems to me that making the nets later right now may in fact make the conditions even worse rather than better.
This year’s propagation does not seem to be in line with last year.
I am happy to try anything but I suspect that changing the time right now will continue to prevent NZ from having access to Europe.
I am including screen dumps of the charts.
 
0800z - 0900z UK 80-metre Net on 3,693
From John G3OKT
G2FUU Tommy was net controller and was consistently 5.9+10dB here.
G7OAI/P heard Tommy at 5.9 and Bruce at 5.7. John was 3.9 here challenged by local noise – 5.9 later when the noise reduced.
G3LUW said all were 5.9 with him. Brian was 5.9+20dB here and 5.8 (less than usual) with Tommy.
G3JJR was 5.9+10dB here – again, not so strong with Tommy.
G3SZF was 4.9 in my noise here, but 5.9+ with Tommy.
G0PCF was 3.9 in my noise, 5.8/9 with Tommy.
At the end of the net, we tried 3694 and 3696 to demonstrate for G3OKT that the (broadband?) noise was quite sharply centred on 3693. 3697 was even better!
Brian will be off net for the next two weeks. G3OKT will be net control on Aug 30th and G7OAI will be control on Sept 6th (and missing Aug 30th)
The net closed at 0852.
 
From Malcolm PA3AHC
Whatever we decide to do, it could hardly be worse on 20m at this QTH !
Heard Tommy again ok on 80m , but couldn’t break in because of sandwiched powerful QRM from NL +D .
 
1800z – 1830z RIBI evening 80-metre Net on 3,693
Tommy G2FUU had said earlier that he would listen for any callers.
 
2000z - 2030z N.AM Transcontinental Net on 14,287
 
0700z – 0730z Tuesday 25th August 2015 NZ 80-m net on 3,693
 
0600z – 0630z Tuesday 25th August 2015 EUR net on 14,295.2
SFI 128 A 8 K 2 sunspots 71 (down) there was a significant solar flare Aug 24.
From Phil VK2MCB (before the Tuesday net)
I won’t be on the net today as I am away. However, I fully support slipping both nets by 30 minutes. I just hope it works for the ZLs. I will put out an email to all VK/ZL ROAR members on Thursday when I get back.
 
From Bill VK4ZD
I called in at 0613z.
Klaus HB9CQS 57-8 buiding to 59 by 0630z. He gave me 56
Pertti EA7GSU was 56-7 and gave me 55 building to 57
Jean-Pierre F1CFA was 54 and going down. He gave me 53 dropping to 52
John G3OKT was 22 dropping to 11
Malcolm PA3AHC was 11 (just audible but not copiable)
I went QRT at 0700z
 
From John G3OKT
A busy net, over 90 minutes here (0600 - 0730) to sample propagation conditions (see comments above). Signals and polarization coming and going from Europe at the time but nothing heard here of VK.
I listened at 0600 and heard HB9CQS faintly. G3LUW only 1.3 – difficult copy.
At 0630 HB9CQS was 5.7 in QSO with VK4ZD but Bill not heard here.
F1CFA gave HB9CQS 5.2 but had no copy of EA7GSU. Jean Pierre was 2.3 here and could hear VK4ZD. Still nothing heard of Bill here, and still by 0648.
G3LUW was 5.5 with Jean Pierre but no copy of Brian here.
EA7GSU was 5.3 here at 0644, and again 5.3/5.4 at 0658, giving me 5.7. By 0707 Pertti was up to 5.7 here and at 0710 we exchanged 5.9 b/w.
F1CFA was up to 5.6 here by 0650 and 5.7 on the magnetic loop at 0720; Jean Pierre gave PA3AHC 5.5, but Malcolm was not heard here. Jean Pierre also gave EA7GSU and G3LUW 5.6, and G3OKT 5.4.
The net closed at 0720.
 
 
That’s all for now,
73s from John G3OKT