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Author Topic: Extreme multipath distortion on wide open bands this morning  (Read 493 times)

WB9LUR

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Extreme multipath distortion on wide open bands this morning
« on: February 02, 2023, 10:17:07 AM »

Have had some very good conditions recently - especially early mornings. This morning, 9N7AA was extremely strong - loud - but with severe multipath echo - even with all filters open - ringing so bad that it sounded like two stations zero beat - sending and stopping precisely at the exact same time.

I tried working him (Nepal would be ATNO) but no luck. Had my shot though.

Numerous other stations were also experiencing severe multipath effects as well. Especially from Asia and Asiatic-Russia.

Worked most of these within just a few minutes of each other today:

JH1HDT on 80M

RA9Y on 20M (zone 18, last one I need for WAZ but he has zero QSL info)

4S7B very loud - gave me 579 on 20M

SP8ARY - 20M very strong

4Z4DX on 12M - also quite strong

OM3CW on 10M - him real 599 - gave me 579

Will definitely be listening again tomorrow morning. I suspect that in anticipation of 3Y0J, there may be an uptick in DX stations on-the-air right now.

Good hunting to all.

Randy / WB9LUR
« Last Edit: February 02, 2023, 10:28:13 AM by WB9LUR »
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73, Randy / WB9LUR - http://www.CallingDX.com

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WB9LUR

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Re: Extreme multipath distortion on wide open bands this morning
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2023, 10:49:54 AM »

Got call wrong - should be 4S7AB
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WB8VLC

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Re: Extreme multipath distortion on wide open bands this morning
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2023, 11:06:23 AM »

Have had some very good conditions recently - especially early mornings. This morning, 9N7AA was extremely strong - loud - but with severe multipath echo - even with all filters open - ringing so bad that it sounded like two stations zero beat - sending and stopping precisely at the exact same time.

I tried working him (Nepal would be ATNO) but no luck. Had my shot though.

Numerous other stations were also experiencing severe multipath effects as well. Especially from Asia and Asiatic-Russia.

Worked most of these within just a few minutes of each other today:

JH1HDT on 80M

RA9Y on 20M (zone 18, last one I need for WAZ but he has zero QSL info)

4S7B very loud - gave me 579 on 20M

SP8ARY - 20M very strong

4Z4DX on 12M - also quite strong

OM3CW on 10M - him real 599 - gave me 579

Will definitely be listening again tomorrow morning. I suspect that in anticipation of 3Y0J, there may be an uptick in DX stations on-the-air right now.

Good hunting to all.

Randy / WB9LUR

Don't always try for a short path beam heading to these stations especially those in central asia, you should Try beaming long path or even move your antenna around listening to see if there is abetter path to these central Asia stations.

Out here in the Pacific Northwest I have been working the indian ocean and central asia but only by long path on 20 to 10 meters SSB, CW and digi.

 9n7aa was worked on 12 meters and several VU's in India on 10 meters over the past two weeks as was 3B8 on cw in the Indian Ocean and even a 5Z4 and a 7Q in east africa but they were only workable via long path as the direct path was not reliable on any mode for me.

Even late at night on 20 meters cw whilst using a single vertical I found long and short path distortion was terrible to the indian ocean and central asia and as a result I phased a second vertical which gave me 20 db rejection in either direction and enabled me to choose the best beam heading, which most times was long path.

Also our early morning european openings on 10 meters ssb, cw and even some 29.3  FM have been a more skewed south path requiring beaming to central africa to work Europe on 10 FM.

The only direct short path that I find consistently reliable especially on 10, and 12 are the South Americans, Pacific, South Africans, Namibians, the Ja's and Indonesia hams but most others especially to Europe, central Asia and the Indian Ocean have been either a large skewed south path or long path.
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VK3HJ

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Re: Extreme multipath distortion on wide open bands this morning
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2023, 03:35:54 AM »

I'm seeing long path openings on the higher bands, 17 m and up quite late at night.
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W1VT

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Re: Extreme multipath distortion on wide open bands this morning
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2023, 06:07:20 AM »

I'd suggest putting up a terminated flag antenna.  Unlike a magnetic loop they can have a directional pattern like a beam, to separate short and long path signals.  I have 10x22 flag that is usable from 160 through 30M.  As well as larger flags with good patterns from 160 to 40M that provide stronger signals.  If you have a lot of noise there may be no need for a large flag antenna, a small one may provide more bands and hear just as well.  Sort of like improving reception by cranking in the attenuator.  Even better, make it rotatable or put  up a couple for instant direction switching.
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VK3HJ

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Re: Extreme multipath distortion on wide open bands this morning
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2023, 04:49:24 PM »

I remember last peak of solar cycle, I was working a station in Scotland on 12 m CW. The signal was coming both Short Path where I was beaming, but also Long Path (or some other not Short). We had to adjust our sending as the arrival of the other signal path was filling in the spaces between CW elements! Even then, it was difficult copy.
Now as for multipath distortion, that's what I'm getting on all signals from 3Y0J and FT8WW. That path goes through the Southern Auroral Zone and it really messes with digital signals. I can see it strong, but no decodes. CW is readable, but modulated.
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K0RS

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Re: Extreme multipath distortion on wide open bands this morning
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2023, 05:50:56 PM »

Below is a copy of an email exchange with V85NPV describing exactly what you experienced:


Hello Larry,

i was really surprised to have a call from US since at this time the propagation is not really open for US. A bit difficult since your signal was very distorted because of the long path (Multipath distorsion). 120w with a Long wire antenna (My beam is not yet installed) and using homebrew TRX.  Hope to contact you soon on other bands.

Take care and 73s

Didier

Le mer. 8 févr. 2023 à 18:00, Larry Clark <k0rs@yahoo.com> a écrit :

TU Didier,

Very tough path from Colorado @09:40Z. By beam heading 180 degrees (long path).

CU on LoTW.

Vy 73, Larry, K0RS



He was about a 579 here on 20m with some echo, but vy easy copy.  Likely my Yagi helped eliminate the multipath on my end whereas his wire was omnidirectional.
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