Propagation is a fun thing — especially when you’re talking thousands of miles on UHF! On October 16, 2020 a 1,950 mile contact was made on 433Mhz FM between the Island of St. Helena (U.K.) and Plumstead, South Africa. Read more: http://k0lwc.com/nearly-2000-mile-record-setting-contact-on-433mhz-in-south-atlantic/
This is historic and it brings up what I have been preaching for years, when significant propagation like this happen, when it may never happen again, record the contact with video and audio (everyone has the capability, smart phones) or just record the audio of the contact. Hopefully, it was, if not its a great loss.
Great job/ propagation is very interesting and can handout great awards to those who are diligent 2000 miles/ I've done EME on 432 also LoL
My personal record is Best 432Mhz ODX - 2740kms Canary Islands - EA8AVI + EI2IP -SSB 21st July 2008 (14:21)
Signals can be very strong on marine ducts. I've worked Hawaii on 2 meters from Silicon Valley with this path profile.
Mine was 2201 Klunks (the ARRL doesnt like miles) back in 1992 with 35W into a 30' long HB yagi on a Tropo C path which still stands. It was during a massive coastal blizzard up this way and 2M was open from VO1 to the tip of Florida. I was running 1500W SSB for hours from a HB 3CX1000A7 amp into a pair of Cushcraft 4218XL's at 1oo' and it was a constant pileup. Lots of strong signals and many reported me "against the pin" and when I dropped to 100W they said I was still at the pin. Stations all down the coast and out to Alabama. WB4MJE asked to try 432 and the results were similar but much weaker, he was at the tip of Key West. About 20-25 stations worked, some on CW from Carolinas. also out to AL. When 432 died I went back to 144 and the signals were down but overall I was on from ~4PM to 1AM except for a PB and cheese sandwich and a glass of milk. From the current ARRL records page and note how old most of them are: 432 MHz Tropo (C) 2,201 KM1H (FN42hr) - WB4MJE (EL94hq) 16-Dec-92 Tropo (C) 2,166 W5UWB (EL17ax) - K2YAZ (EN74ax) 11-Oct-98 Tropo (C) 2,161 K0VXM (EL98pj) - NN5DX (DM80nv) 21-May-06 Tropo (C) 2,126 WA5VJB (EM12lq) - WB3CZG (FN21ax) 29-Nov-86 Tropo (C) 2,068 W5UWB (EL17ax) - K8MD (EN82bq) 11-Oct-98 Carl
