[HCDX] Re Huge Aurora

["Sean \(G4UCJ\)" <g4ucj@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Whilst this is not strictly broadcast information, I think the following is
interesting.

The aurora caused widespread blackout up here at 52N, the ham dx cluster was
going mad with spots from all over Europe, West Eu working East Eu and even
Russia on 2m. I only operate up as far as 6m but even on my indoor dipole I
was able to hear Au signals from Scotland and Poland (none worked though).
This was around 2330-0030z. Now for the odd part, At the same time as the Au
event on VHF, I found very enhanced conditions on 80m (3,5MHz). 80 was wide
open to Asia and South America, in fact in over 20 years of operating on HF
I have never heard such strong signals from Brazil on that band. I worked a
Brazilian who was peaking to 10dB over 9 here on my vertical. I was only
using 50w (he was running 700w and a folded dipole) at the time. 40m also
showed enhancement, but to a lesser degree. Signals to North America,
however, were very poor and much weaker than usual (as I would have
expected). Strange phenomena to be heard together. Not sure what caused the
enhancement to South America, I can only guess that it was something similar
to greyline propagation, and that the edge of the area of increased
absorption somehow channelled the signals through with very little
absorption/attenuation.

73 Sean, G4UCJ

> Message: 7
> Date: Sat, 31 May 2003 17:22:23 +1200
> From: "Paul" <format4nz@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [HCDX] Huge Aurora - Almost no MW skywave signals
> To: <hard-core-dx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Message-ID: <006601c32734$9fc6e2a0$6b6360cb@q9j7m3>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Hi Bogdan,
>
> Seems as though the aurora has been stirring things up in the Southern
Hemisphere too. Yesterday, shortwave propagation above 7 MHz was hopeless
with lots of fluttery signals.
>
> During last evening Fri 30 May, there was an E Skip opening between
Wellington, NZ and New South Wales, Aust. There were strong signals, strong
enough for a picture to form behind the local stations on  Ch1 (45.25mHz)
and ch 2 (55.25mHz).
>
> This afternoon sat 31 May, I checked on the Shortwave bands and found
strong signals up to 21MHz, There was also a lone ham on 10 metres.
>
> Last night around midnight the whole of the Southern Horizon was a reddy
colour which I think was an Aurora. Not having seen the Aurora Australis
before, what I saw could have been street lights.
>
> Paul


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