Two-way 136kHz Transatlatic Contact Thwarted

Over the weekend of the 12th to the 14th of January, stations in Canada, the USA and Europe attempted the first two-way transatlantic contact on the 136kHz band. Although the two-way was not successful, the one-way distance record was broken in both directions. The new world distance record now stands at 5736 kilometres.


G0MRF, who was the first station to cross the Atlantic on 136kHz, put up his antenna on an apartment block on the Sunday, but was hampered by high static levels and poor conditions that made that day's tests a washout at both ends. On the Saturday, however, several European stations received good signals from VE1ZZ and VA3LK. MM0ALM and OK1FIG were the only Europeans received in Canada.


Extremely slow Morse was used by all stations to enable signals to be decoded well below the noise level. VE1ZZ was occasionally audible in the UK but the strength was not sufficient to read normal speed Morse.
The USA team, operating from North Carolina, heard a number of LF stations, but none from Europe.

 

Good evening,
I am HA5BWW. At 30.November, 2003 we made two QSO's with HA70VLF call-sign from JN97MI grid-locator. The essentials: our antenna was an old, 314 meters high (70 years old "big cigar" in Lakihegy, near Budapest: represents the "70" in our call) broadcasting tower, and our power OUTPUT was less, than 1 Watt! The maximum distance between us and OK1DTN (JO70VE) was 395 km!!!
It was our first attempt, but we hope, not the least!
I will send an mail, when we will again QRV on 136 kHz.
Hope CU OM!
Best regards from Hungary.
73!
Ed/HA5BWW
mail: ha5bww@dpg.hu
On the photo I am after our first QSO. HA5BIK listening.

 

This photo shows the "Big Cigar" on our QSL-card.
73!
Ed/HA5BWW

 

This letter is the last... On the photo me and HA5OJ with the rig: russian VOLNA-3M receiver, the wood-modell 137, and the auto-transformer for the "short" antenna .
73!
Ed/HA5BWW