What exactly is 'Long Path'?

[GM6MEN]

I have been operating and listening for decades, but never having had a beam antenna until a couple of years ago it never occurred to me to find out what precisely was meant by the term 'long path'. I know, I know, you're thinking "What an appalling lid!" Okay, I can live with that.

So, I am sitting looking at a Great Circle map, and specifically I am looking at the great circle path from GM to VK, which is roughly between East and North-East. So I would be forgiven for thinking that 'long path' in the opposite direction. Someone recently said to me "Most G stations beam over the North Pole, long path to VK". Well, the North Pole path is about 45 degrees from the great circle path, and my initial reaction was "Huh?". My secondary reaction was to the effect that I had better ask someone for a precise definition and explanation of 'long path' before I made a complete charlie of myself.

Would someone be kind enough to fill in this gap in my knowledge?

Paul
Perth
Scotland

[GM6MEN]

(Gah! Forgot to subscribe to my own thread. Hopeless case!)

[WB2WIK]

Long path is exactly as you described: 180 degrees opposite the short path via the Great Circle route.

However VK is a large target! From here in California where I am, it can be (short path) anywhere from WNW to almost SW because it's a big place. So the long path would be anywhere from ESE to NE. Your headings will be different of course, but I doubt there's any one beam heading that would cover all of VK.

[KA9VQF]

Whats really awesome to me is that occasionally after I let off the key or mic I hear the tail end my own transmission.

I have convinced myself that it is actually my transmission coming all the way around the world and back to me.

And I may be right.

[WA7PRC]

Seldom are two points on a globe (such as Earth) on exactly opposite points. If they were, it wouldn't make any difference which way you pointed a directional antenna -- they would be the same distance apart. Most of the time, that is not the case, and you'll have a short path (the shortest distance) and a long path which is the short path ±180°.

A few years ago, I worked ZS around midnight local. From NW USA, the short path is about 10K miles at 57° azimuth. But, he was stronger to me via long path (14K miles at 57° + 180° = 237° azimuth).

[GM6MEN]

Thank you everyone. Then 'long path' is exactly as I thought it was. 'Short' path (great circle) for me to Australia is roughly between 40 and 90 degrees, therefore 'long path would be between 220 and 270 degrees. Neither of which is over the North Pole.

[GM6MEN]

Update.

So this morning I went on 20m and beamed about 240 degrees, and called for a long path contact with VK. I got three replies. How do I know they weren't off the back of the beam? Because I turned the beam all the way round to short path and couldn't hear them. Job done.

P

[WB2WIK]

Update.

So this morning I went on 20m and beamed about 240 degrees, and called for a long path contact with VK. I got three replies. How do I know they weren't off the back of the beam? Because I turned the beam all the way round to short path and couldn't hear them. Job done.

P

Often, only one path actually "works."

On 20, that would often be long path when it's gray line time or when one path is "light" (illuminated by the sun) while the other path is "dark."

That almost exactly reverses on 40 meters, where the "dark" path is generally better.

[GM6MEN]

Often, only one path actually "works."

On 20, that would often be long path when it's gray line time or when one path is "light" (illuminated by the sun) while the other path is "dark."

That almost exactly reverses on 40 meters, where the "dark" path is generally better.

Noted. Thanks.

[KH2G]

You are!
Dick