Positive Doppler Aircraft Scatter at 50MHz

So far observation at G3ZJO of straight line reflections from Aircraft have concentrated on the departing path as planes travel North up the UK and turn toward the USA. This has produced the now classical approx 60Hz negative Doppler shift.

Today an accidental alignment of beams at G6AVK and G3ZJO has produced AS which approaches the path between the two stations then vanishes. I surmise that these are reflections from Aircraft on the Thames Estuary approach from Europe which may well vanish when past the front of the AVK beam.

Looking at the capture at 13.30 GMT there is a straight line AS reflection which decoded, it has a 53Hz shift but this time positive Doppler. This is the first time positive straight line Doppler shift has been observed here. Again I assume from an Aircraft on the EU Thames approach heading toward G6AVK and G3ZJO at 53×540/50.294436 = 569KmH

Modular Multimode si570 MEPT on 28MHz

The Modular si570 MEPT was completed ahead of the start of the Sporadic E season, I have put it on On Air Test on 28MHZ (10m). Reports on the WSPR ident have come from Portugal, Italy, Norway, Slovenia, Iceland, Germany, Spain and Greece. A very pleasing start.

Always extra pleasing is a capture or three of the Visual modes.

First in was Paolo IZ1KXQ in Italy.

Next up a capture of the WSPR display but from France F6GUU a Country we don’t see many reports from.

Edit : And another from Pat F6IRF in JN35AU on the 7th of June.

Third Spain from David EA1FAQ.

The MEPT is running 300mW, the Antenna is a 6m CB type Vertical at ground level. I knew 10m was going to be good fun. this is the first time I have run a QRP MEPT on the band.

A great quote from an Alaska station today, “its so exciting I may not be able to hold my water”. I know just how he feels.

Aircraft on the Corridor

Today was superb for visuals of the Airliners in the UK South / North Air Corridor. The clear blue sky made it easy to observe Aircraft travelling North ‘over my back garden’ and South ‘over the front’.

Here is just one Plane of the constant stream which passed my QTH and my 4m Vertical Dipole today.

Right Click and select View Image for full view.

It would be interesting to find the true distance at which this one passed, I estimate 1 Mile. I think Aircraft in the Corridor can be anything from Overhead to 20 Miles away.