SSB/CW 50 MHz WITH DAVID VK2BA
CONTENTS
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The VK2BA 6M Countries Worked List:
The Figures of the Day - A, K & SFI - What do they mean?:
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If you are looking for the world's longest list of Six Metre resources then you won't find it here. Here are some links that I find useful. From these sites you should locate all the links and information you could ever wish for regarding Six.
The Solar Terrestrial Activity Report:
You may like to join the Six-metre-DX E-mail reflector:
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THE VK2BA 6M COUNTRIES WORKED LIST
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In the interest of reducing downloading time, I have kept this list as concise as possible. I have not included much of the detail because it is probably not of interest to many readers of this page. I have QSL cards for all contacts claimed. If anyone is interested in any further information about any contact listed, I will be happy to provide it on E-mail.
COUNTRIES WORKED ON SIX METRES
BY VK2BA
1 - New Zealand, ZL3QK, 06JAN1978 |
2 - Norfolk Is, VK9NI, 08JAN78 |
3 - Australia, VK2HZ, 19DEC78 |
4 - Japan, JH4SSP, 19DEC78 |
5 - Papua New Guinea, P29BH, 07JAN79 |
6 - New Hebrides, YJ8ZV, 07JAN79 |
7 - Guam, KG6DX, 12MAR79 |
8 - Alaska, WA4TNV/KL7, 13MAR79 See note 1 |
9 - USA, W6XJ, 17MAR79 |
10 - Korea, HL9TG, 02APR79 |
11 - Hawaii, KH6IAA, 05MAR80 |
12 - Mexico, XE1GE, 09APR80 |
13 - Marshall Is, KX6QC, 13APR80 |
14 - Nauru, C21NI, 13SEP80 |
15 - Lord Howe Is, VK2YHA, 06OCT80 |
16 - Willis Is, VK9ZG, 24OCT80 |
17 - Caymen Is, ZF2DN, 02APR81 |
18 - Johnston Atoll, KH3AB, 11APR81 |
19 - Tahiti, FO8DR, 12APR81 |
20 - American Samoa, AH8A, 20APR81 |
21 - Brunei, VS5DX, 25APR81 |
22 - Solomon Is, H44PT, 04FEB82 |
23 - Fiji, 3D2JT, 03APR82 |
24 - Tonga, A35JT, 11APR82 |
25 - Macquarie Is, VK0AP, 18DEC82 |
26 - Niue Is, ZK2RS, 29DEC82 |
27 - Chatham Is, ZL4OY/C, 19JUN83 |
28 - Kermadec Is, ZM8OY, 10DEC85 |
29 - Western Samoa, 5W!GA, 05DEC86 |
30 - New Caledonia, TO8KI, 11DEC87 |
31 - Tuvalu, T20AR, 15DEC87 |
32 - Mellish Reef, VK9ZM, 13JAN89 |
33 - Okinawa, JR6HI, 15MAR89 |
34 - Turks & Caicos Is, VP5D, 25MAR89 |
35 - Guantanimo Bay, KG4SM, 25MAR89 |
36 - Aruba Is, P43AS, 26MAR89 |
37 - North Cook Is, ZK1WL, 28MAR89 |
38 - Tarawa, T30DJ, 28MAR89 |
39 - Guatemala, TG9AWS, 28MAR89 |
40 - Costa Rica, TI2NA, 29MAR89 |
41 - El Salvador, YS1ECB, 30MAR89 |
42 - Monserrat, VP2MO, 01APR89 |
43 - Venezuala, DL3ZM/YV5, 01APR89 |
44 - Neth. Antilles, PJ9JT, 02APR89 |
45 - Puerto Rico, KP4EIT, 02APR89 |
46 - Dominican Republic, HI8WPC, 02APR89 |
47 - American Virgin Is, KP2A, 02APR89 |
48 - Indonesia, YC0UVO, 03APR89 |
49 - Revilla Gigedo, XF4L, 14APR89 |
50 - South Cook Is, ZK1CG, 16APR89 |
51 - Cuba, CO2KK, 16APR89 |
52 - Belize, V31PC, 20APR89 |
53 - Haiti, HH7PV, 19SEP89 |
54 - Auckland Is, ZL9TPY, 21JAN90 |
55 - Jamaica, 6Y5FS, 24MAR90 |
56 - Christmas Is, T32IO, 28MAR90 |
57 - Kure Is, KH6JEB/KH7, 31MAR90 |
58 - Wallis Is, FW/W6JKV, 17APR90 |
59 - Jarvis Is, AH3C/KH5J, 17APR90 |
60 - East Caroline Is, V63AO, 02APR91 |
61 - Philippines, KG6UH/DU1, 06APR91 |
62 - Zaire, 9Q5EE, 06APR91 - Long Path |
63 - Martinique, FM5WD, 07APR91 |
64 - Saipan, AH6JJ/AH0, 27APR91 |
65 - Azores, CU3/N6AMG, 27NOV91 - Antipoidal |
66 - Denmark, OZ4VV, 08FEB92 |
67 - Italy, I4CIL, 16FEB92 |
68 - Slovenia, YU3ZV, 16FEB92 |
69 - Belau, KC6/W0RRY, 04MAR92 |
70 - Rotuma Is, 3D2AG, 01APR92 |
71 - Banaba Is, T33RD, 27MAR99 |
72 - Canton Is, T31K, 28SEP99 |
73 - Midway Is, KH4/W4ZYV, 26OCT99 |
74 - Panama, HP2CWB, 07NOV99 |
75 - Poland, SP6ASD, 08NOV99 |
76 - Ukraine, US5CCO, 08NOV99 |
77 - Chesterfield Is, TX0DX, 25MAR00 |
78 - East Timor, 4W6/VK2QF, 31MAR00 |
79 - Hong Kong, VR2LC, 05APR00 |
80 - Canary Is, EH8BPX, 05APR00 - Long Path |
81 - Nicaragua, YN1SW, 08APR00 |
82 - The Grenadines - West Indies, J87AB, 08APR00 |
83 - Pitcairn Is, VP6BR, 08APR00 |
84 - Marquesas Is, FO0TOH, 09APR00 |
85 - Tadzikistan, EY8CQ, 11NOV00 |
86 - E.Malasia, 9M6BAA, 29MAR01 |
87 - Easter Is, CE0Y/W7XU, 09APR01 |
Note 1: In response to some incorrect information reported regarding contacts with Alaska, I have claimed WA4TNV/KL7 (Shemya Is) as my first contact with that country. Shemya Island, although classed as Alaska, is well removed from the mainland. I have also worked mainland Alaska on a number of occasions, the last openings in which I took part being on 8th and 9th March 1992 when I worked AL7FH, NL7OW, KL7HBK and AL7C. There was also a short opening on 27th March 2001 when KL7FZ was heard at my QTH.
Note 2: All countries from #1 to #70 were worked from Sydney NSW (QF56). Countries from #71 onwards were worked from Megan NSW (QF69)
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Ham Radio operators frequently comment on "the figures of the day". This is particularly so for Six Metre operators who are forever trying to use these figures to gain some insight into the expected propagation. These figures refer to the Solar Flux Index (SFI), the A Index and the K Index. These figures are broadcast on WWV at eighteen minutes after the hour. They are also available from many sources over the Internet. Since there is often confusion about what they are and what they mean, I will include a very brief summary. However, I do not find the figures very useful other than in a broad sense. There is no substitute for being active on the band. That is the best way to find the openings.
SOLAR FLUX
This is a measure of the sun's radiation at 2800MHz (10.7 cm wavelength) taken daily at 1700Z in Ottawa. The flux figure correlates well with the ionisation of the ionesphere F region and the Maximum Usable Frequency (MUF) for radio communication. A Solar Flux of 66 represents a quiet sun during the lowest years of a Sunspot Cycle. This figure may reach 300 or more during the peak. DX is usually enhanced during periods of high SFI and one should be more observant during these times. I have seen the 50MHz band open from Australia to USA with a SFI of only 120, and I have often experienced dead conditions when the SFI has been over 250. Personally, I place very little reliance on the SFI. If the dates, and position on the Solar Cycle are correct, I look for DX irrespective of the SFI.
THE 'A' INDEX
This is a twenty four hour figure for the activity of the Earth's geomagnetic field, on a scale of 0 to 400 or so. A quiet magnetic field (A index of 10 or less) is characteristic of the best HF propagation conditions due to the low absorbtion of wave energy. It has been observed that a magnetic storm producing an A index of 30 or more may produce a 50MHz opening a day or so after the event. This effect is more pronounced during the equinox periods (a month or so either side of the equinox). Since the A Index is a twenty four hour figure, it therefore refers to the previous universal time day.
THE 'K' INDEX
This is similar to the A Index except that it is as near to a current figure that can be given. However it is presented on a quasi-logarithmic scale running from 0 (very quiet) to 9 (extremely disturbed).
For a given magnetic obsevatory, measurements of magnetic activity are made every three hours. The value is directly related to the total deviation in gammas from the quiet day curve of the most disturbed component in the field. The gamma ranges correspondingto the K values vary between observatories because of the difference in magnetic latitude but at all stations the scale is established such that the lower range limit for K = 9 is 100 times the upper limit for K = 0.
Since the K values are computed for three hour intervals, the A Index is then computed to have one value to describe the magnetic activity for the entire day. Since the K values are quasi-logarithmic, an equivalent amplitude (Ak) has been established to enable a standard conversion back to an almost linear scale. The Ak factors, ranging from 0 to 400 are then averaged to find the single A value for the twenty four hour period (see Table 1). High A Indices of about 30 or more (K = 4) indicates a probability of DX within within a day or so. This is a good time to stay home!
The information in Table 1 has been included because these indices are frequently referred to to by amateurs, especially on 50MHz.
K | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
Ak | 0 | 3 | 7 | 15 | 27 | 48 | 80 | 140 | 2424008 | 400 |
Table 1a - Standardized conversion from K to AK
K Index values for given 3 hour period | Ak equivalent |
4 | 27 |
5 | 48 |
3 | 15 |
3 | 15 |
3 | 15 |
3 | 15 |
2 | 7 |
4 | 27 |
Total = 169 |
Table 1b - Method for calculating a single A value for a given 24 hour period.
First convert the K values for each three hour period to its Ak equivalent and then total these eight numbers. In this example, the total is 169. Averaged over eight intervals this gives an A Index of 21.
If we measured at Fredericksburg it would be known as the Fredericksburg A Index (Af). There is also an A Index called called the Planetary A Index (Ap). which is computed by averaging A values from stations around the world in order to gain an A Index that reflects the state of the field on a global scale rather than just one station. Normally, there is not much variation between the various A Indices.
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