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DX at the Equinox
Paul Veal (N0AH)
on
April 12, 2008
View comments about this article!
Many cultures around the world have understood the significance of events during the equinox. The equinox is the beginning of spring and fall where the daylight and nighttime hours are briefly equal with one another around the globe. (Not a text book explanation but you know what I mean)
For a few days before, after and during, Going on to my 3rd cycle, I have always experienced excellent and/or surprising DX during this time period. I am not talking about the solar flux. I'm speaking from just who I am logging in.
Sometimes I think if I just turned on the radio for two weeks a year around the equinox's, I could work just as much DX for the rest of the year...
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DX at the Equinox
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by KF4HR on April 12, 2008
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Well, I've never noticed increased DX during the Equinox, but I have noticed my mother-in-law seems to call more often, and my dog barks a bit more.
KF4HR
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RE: DX at the Equinox
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by G3LBS on April 12, 2008
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I noticed same effect.
Were your contacts along the Gray Line?
Gil
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DX at the Equinox
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by SM5IUF on April 12, 2008
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I have also noticed that conditions around equinox is allways very good.
I believe this is because ionization in the northern and southern hemisphere is a mirror of each other. This should make it easier to cross the equator and get these rare DX stations.
When the ionization is less of a mirror image, it is more of a challenge to cross the equator. You will mostly end up with QSO's in the same hemisphere as you live in yourself.
Many years ago I modified the Minimuf software in a clever way to be able to find the best seasons for contacting different parts of the world by requiring that MUF for each reflexion should be the same for all reflexion points. The result was agreed very well with what old hams had experienced about what dates some parts of the world was easy to contact. (This software is long gone in an OS crash, thank you Bill G)
Equinox was one of the most interesting but for some parts of the world other dates was more important.
73 de SM5IUF
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RE: DX at the Equinox
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by N2UGB on April 12, 2008
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My YL seems more chatty. And, as she is from a foreign country, that may qualify as DX.
I'm not getting any more on the HF waves, though.
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RE: DX at the Equinox
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by NI0C on April 12, 2008
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It depends on what zones of the world you want to work.
In general, Dx'ers have much better luck over the six to eight week period spanning their Winter solstice.
73,
Chuck NI0C
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DX at the Equinox
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by G0GQK on April 12, 2008
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Well, I think some of you folks must be living on sacred ground because since the Equinox the band conditions have been worse than they have been for years.
We know 10 metres is virtually un-usable, but 15 and 17 metres have been dead now for three weeks, ever since everybody got excited about a small sunspot which appeared.
The condition of 20 metres is that its working sort of OK, but look at the screen on a digital waterfall and its messy and noisy. Its the same on 30 metres and I go so far as saying that this band is in the worst condition that I have ever seen it since I've been using PSK.
About a month ago I was making contacts into the US and Canada at 21.00 but its not possible now and there are few 30 metre operators in Europe at the moment. The QSB is still severe, and it will remain this way for some time, stations are vanishing off the screen while waiting for replies. Maybe its better in some parts of the world but its grotty in Europe.
G0GQK
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RE: DX at the Equinox
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by K4JSR on April 12, 2008
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What I really hate is Daylight Saving Time. That extra hour of sunlight everyday makes my grass grow so fast that I spend more time mowing than hamming!!
73, Cal K4JSR
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DX at the Equinox
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by KE4ZHN on April 13, 2008
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Nothing special about the propagation here in the SE. Its been fair to horrible most of the time. Even the low bands have been going flat off and on for the past few months. Worst propagation Ive seen in years.
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RE: DX at the Equinox
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by N5YPJ on April 13, 2008
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I know what you are talking about. I've done well Dx wise a week or so before and after the spring equinox and the autumn equinox.
This year I did not notice it, never saw many openings on 15 (didn't have 17 mtr antenna) and 20 seemed sort of blah. It's probably me - more distracted with the kids & ongoings, but I was disappointed in the results which along with setting out my vegetable garden is usually the high spot of spring.
73
Richard
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RE: DX at the Equinox
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by WB2WIK on April 13, 2008
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I've noticed operating at the Equinox is better.
Mt. Equinox, that is. It's a 3848' peak in southwestern Vermont near Manchester. I've operated from its summit at the Sky Line Inn parking lot many times and DX is better from there. Clear 360 degree unobstructed horizon for 100 miles in most directions.
Oh, did you mean something else?
:-)
WB2WIK/6
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RE: DX at the Equinox
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by KASSY on April 13, 2008
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I haven't been licensed long enough to notice that the equinox has any effect.
What I have noticed, however, is that most hams are oblivious to what seems obvious to me - the highbands stink, therefore your DX is all to be found on the lowbands.
Just this year, I'm at about 160 worked...since Jan 1. 100W and simple wires or verticals.
My secret? 80/40/30 meters only and 95% CW. None of my 160 Qs has been on 20 or higher and not many on SSB.
It always amazes me how many hams will whine about anything, including things they can't change, like the sunspots.
Guess what - low sunspots affect hams all over the world. So, the DX has moved lower, and so should you.
The trans-equatorial theory makes some sense, although I've never had problems working SA, NZ, or Aust....
- k
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DX at the Equinox
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by AB2T on April 14, 2008
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Great shots yesterday on 20/30 CW from the Northeast to the Caribbean.
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RE: DX at the Equinox
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by WI7B on April 14, 2008
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Actually, I have noticed that around the Spring Equinox is better. I believe the reason is because the CQWPX (for phone) contest fell on the last weekend in March and some Cycle 23 sunspots rose their fading heads.
73,
---* Ken
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DX at the Equinox
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by VE6TL on April 15, 2008
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I think the term equinox could also be revised to be "equinoise", as that's about all I'm hearing. Actually, from VE6, I've worked a bit of Europe on 40m at sunset and some VK/ZL on 20m just after dark. But this seems to be the exception rather than the rule. Hope things pick up in time for Field Day.
Jerry, VE6CNU
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RE: DX at the Equinox
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by AE6RO on April 17, 2008
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Don't worry. It's just the Landscheidt Minimum (look it up). Be happy.
Oh, yeah, it will knock Global Warming into the dustbin of history.
'Course it might get a little chilly . . .
AE6RO
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DX at the Equinox
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by W4ZD on April 20, 2008
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Dunno about equinoxes, solstices, eclipses, or human sacrifices affecting DX, but it seems obvious that 10 and 15 are pretty much useless right now and 20 is a pale and sickly shadow of its former self. In the past few weeks, however, 40 has been really hot, especially just before dawn at my QTH (Colorado). Yesterday morning I worked VK9X and 9M stations, among others.
As for 80 and 160, the only thing I've ever worked there is QRN, and his signal is always 10 over S9. As far as I'm concerned, we could give those bands to AM talk radio, I wouldn't mind.
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RE: DX at the Equinox
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by NI0C on April 21, 2008
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W4ZD,
I really enjoy 80m and 160m, although I'm a fair weather friend to those bands. (I only operate them during the late fall, winter, and early spring months). Sorry you are having so much QRN. Try using as much attenuation as your radio has, and very narrow bandwidths for CW.
73,
Chuck NI0C
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DX at the Equinox
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by VE2ITZ on April 24, 2008
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I was hearing Northern Argentina the other night on 20 meters. Conditions seem to be improving and this is promising. It was a hell of a winter. No contacts on 20 meters at all and a lot of band noise on 40.
I live in an apartment and don't have huge antennas. This means that i really do notice when things start favoring me in my situation.
73 de ve2itz
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RE: DX at the Equinox
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by N6HPX on April 28, 2008
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from my home in the philippines seemed like alot of stations were fading in an out during contacts. Thye were quite strong at first, and then disappeared for a few. This was mostly on BPSK31
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