ROAR Nets Report for 1st and 3rd January 2017
 
0700z - 0730z Anzo Net on 7,110
From Bill VK4ZD
Phil VK2MCB was 58-9+5 and gave me 59+20
 
From Phil VK2MCB
Only Bill VK4ZD and myself on this net today. We exchanged 59 reports.
 
0730z - 0830z Europe - Anzo Net on 14,295.2 Long Path
Next week : 0830z- 0930z
From Bill VK4ZD
Peter VK3KCD was 56-7 peaking 59 and gave me 59+20
John ZL2JPM was 58 and gave me 57
Noel VK2IWT was 32 and gave me 54
Doug ZL1BFS was 59 and gave me 59
Phil VK2MCB was 55-6 and gave me 55
Klaus HB9CQS was 43-55 building to 56-7 and initially gave me 31-2 building to 57
Vernon G0EGW built from 54 to 56 and gave me 55 building to 58
Nick G4HCK was 33-44 and gave me 55
Henk VK2GWK was 56 and gave me 53
Brian G3LUW and I exchanged 44 reports
Jean-Pierre F1CFA was 54
Sean VK6PAL (visitor) was 54 at 0855z
I went QRT at 0859z
 
From Phil VK2MCB
A small net this end due to continuing poor propagation into Europe at our selected net times.
Bill VK4ZD and John ZL2JPM were both good signals and I gave both a 56 report and received similar reports.
Klaus HB9CQS was much weaker than normal with a 43 signal; he gave me 42.
I went QRT at 0830z but returned at 0850 and heard Vernon G0EGW and gave him a 53 report.
 
From Brian G3LUW
I heard very little on 20m this morning. I worked Coco YO9BC at 0730, 5&9 both ways, but he had to leave. Apart from a very weak signal from Klaus HB9CQS there were no other signals. I left the receiver running while I had breakfast, and at 0830 heard Henk VK2GWK. I worked Henk and Bill VK4ZD called me. Both VKs were 4&4 but very workable. Vernon G0EGW was also on frequency.
 
From John G3OKT
Similar report to Brian except that I had to go QRT at 0800z so missed the band opening.
Incidentally, from the QSL website at 0605z :- SFI 74 A 12 K 4 sunspots 0.
 
From Nick G4HCK
Good to hear so many stations on this morning. The DX opened up around 08.30z which was a bonus

From Phil VK2MCB
Bill VK4ZD and I discussed the results of this net and came the same conclusion as Nick; the DX band to Europe doesn’t open until about 0830z. We think on this basis, it would be better to slip the start time of Tuesday net by 30 minutes to start at 0800Z. This should give us a better chance of making DX contacts, particularly with the G stations. We think it is worth a try for Tuesday’s net on 14295.2 – what do you think?
 
From Malcolm PA3AHC
Sounds good to me in this otherwise not-so-good QTH, and not just because of the longer sleep-in on cold dark winter mornings. Seriously though, it has only been towards the end of recent nets that VK/ZL folks have come up through the noise. And my good old marker, Radio Australia’s pacific ( i.e. not EU directed ) AM/BC on 12,075 has now been up here copyable afternoons for a while , after laying low during the summer. Whatever, my two new antennas (OCF dipole + mini – loop ) did not produce a sausage yesterday in either E/W ROAR direction ! “Once more into the breach “.
 
From Raffaele IV3EZJ
Happy NEW year !
 
From Malcolm PA3AHC
Heartily reciprocated Raffaele !
Please join us regularly on 14.295.20 Sundays and Tuesdays at 0830z from January 8th, as discussed by Phil and Bill – see above, John).
 
From Klaus HB9CQS
Until abt. 07:55z all ANZO stations were in the noise. No European stations were heard. The woodpecker was persistent and peaking at S9+15. Reports are without woodpecker interference.
07:44z – John, ZL2JPM, 22 b/w. Lost in the noise.
07:50z – Bill, VK4ZD his/mine 31/42. Told Bill that I would stand by until net improved.
08:07z – Bill, VK4ZD, his/ mine 55/56
08:11z – John, ZL2JPM, 57 b/w and fairly steady until net closed
08:12z – Phil, VK2MCB, 42/43 and not improving much.
08:22z – Peter, VK2KCD, 31/42
08:24z – Henk, VK2GWK, 54/53
08:44z – Jean-Pierre, F1CFA, 32/52
08:58z – Vernon, G0EGW, 53 here, my signal readable
08:59z – Net closed
 
0900z - 1000z UK 80-metre Net on 3,695
From Brian G3LUW
I ran the 80m net. John G7OAI, John G3JJR, Malcolm PA3AHC, Tommy G2FUU, Bill G4LXD, Bob G3SZF, Vernon G0EGW. Derek G0SQH, Bruce G0PCF were all present. Signals sounded rather hollow here, but were all very strong.
Happy New Year John. See you on Tuesday morning
 
From John G3OKT – participants in the preceding 20m net will be 30 mins late for this 80m net next week!
 
1200z – 1300z TransAtlantic Net on 14,287/8 or at 1500z on Sunday on 14287kHz or 14.310MHz
From Phil N9HWO
1200z Transatlantic Net
This net, if and when active, is now on the dark side of the grey line (6 AM local time) and I am not participating in it.
 
1700z – 1730z RIBI evening 80-metre Net on 3,693 MHz
 
2000z - 2030z N.AM Transcontinental Net on 14,287/8 or 14.310
From Phil N9HWO
An effort to revive the 14.287 Net at 2000 Sundays was made by N4EDT, moving the net to 1900z. Due to the OMISS net being on 14.288 and poor conditions on the band, the net was relocated to 14.285. I heard Dave WN5V in SW Louisiana very well, but heard no other stations. WN5V, however, was in an excellent spot to hear numerous other stations and acted as net coordinator and relayer. Thanks, Dave! I hope we continue the effort to re-activate this net. Same time next week (1900z) on 14.285?
 
From John G3OKT
By coincidence, I listened on 14.287 at 1900z but heard nothing at all but noise, apart very faintly from Vernon G0EGW I think around 1908z. I agree with Phil – try again next week at 1900z on 14.285.
 
From Joe AF1E
At 1900Z I heard and worked WN5V Dave on 14.285. He also was working W8WZ Carl, N9HWO Phil and W2STW Jerry. I could only hear Dave. I see on a Facebook post that Ed thought he heard us but no one to my knowledge worked him.
 
0700z – 0730z Tuesday 3rd January 2017 NZ 80-m net on 3,693
 
0800z - 0830z Tuesday 3rd January 2017 EUR net on 14,295.2 / 7,136 +/-
Next week 0830z - 0900z Tuesday 10th January 2017
From John G3OKT
From the QSL website at 0610z : SFI 73 A 7 K 2 sunspots 0 for the second day.
Woodpecker was S9+10dB centred on 14.296 at 0800z
Les PA0SDZ at 2.1 who came back to my CQ at 0804 was only 2.1, but the band began to open at 08016 as Nick G4HCK and I exchanged 5.1 (him) and 5.3 (me).
I heard Klaus HB9CQS at 3.1 calling Bill VK4ZD at 0826. Bill (1.1 here) gave Klaus 4.3.
ZL1BFS was 4.5/2.3 with Klaus who gave Doug 3.2. Klaus had no copy of VK2MCB.
HB9CQS was 5.4 with Bill at 0832 and recognized John ZL2JPM.
VK4ZD first touched the S meter peaking 2.2 at 0837 and heard me at 3.3.
G3LUW got 5.4 from VK4ZD
HB9CQS was 5.2 and gave me 4.2/3. Klaus heard Jean Pierre F1CFA on cw at 5.3.9 and got 5.5.9. Jean Pierre was only 5.1.9 here. I went QRT at 0850z as sunrise was a thin red line on the horizon.
 
From Klaus HB9CQS
Until about 08:29z all stations were down in the noise and only call signs were readable now and then. Heard VK4ZD, VK2MCB, ZL1BFS, ZL2JPM, PA0SDZ, G3OKT and G3LUW.
08:29z – Bill, VK4ZD, 43 improving to 54. Got 55- 56.
08:30z – Doug, ZL1BFS, 32. Got R4-5, S2-3
At net closing time: Brian, 43/55 and John, G3OKT 44/42.
After net had closed: Jean-Pierre, F1CFA, 539 on CW. I bungled my reply (wrong frequency) and lost Jean-Pierre.
 
From Bill VK4ZD
Even though we started 30 minutes later the propagation did not really kick in until 0830z :
Phil VK2MCB was 54 and gave me 55
Doug ZL1BFS was 56-7 and gave me 58-9
John ZL2JPM was 58
Klaus HB9CQS was 56 and gave me 43
Brian G3LUW was 54 and gave me 44
John G3OKT was 33
I went QRT at 0840z
It really does look like the window of propagation is from 0830z,
getting quite late in ZL and around dinner time in VK
 
From Phil VK2MCB
The start time was delayed in an attempt to find better propagation.
So, 0800-0830z on 14295.2 : Four contacts only at this delayed time.
Bill VK4ZD and Doug ZL1BFS were good signals at 55 to 57 but heavy QSB was also present. Klaus HB9CQS was still depressed at around 43. Klaus did not copy me. I also copied John ZL2JPM.
We did not continue the net past 0830z but based on poor results at 0800z to 0830z Bill and I consider it worthwhile delaying the 20m net to an 0830z start.
On this basis, it appears that propagation into Western Europe really does not open until 0830z. I therefore recommend we delay the nets by a further 30 minutes. This will result in the 7110 ANZO net starting at 0800z and the 14295.2 net running from 0830z to 0930z.
We also propose that this start time be replicated on the Tuesday 14295.2 net.
Happy New Year to all
 
From Bill VK4ZD on 5th Jan : I have discussed this with Phil VK2MCB and we will go with 0830-0900z and of course 0830z-0930z for Sunday. Please notate the changes in the next report.

That’s all for now. Sorry this report is so long but at least I hope it is accurate!
73s from John G3OKT
5th January 2017