Hello Operators.
For the last 24 hours, I’ve bewn running an experiment. An experiment where I am only operating at 25 watts output, but doing so with a directional antenna, and the narrow bandwidth data mode, JS8Call.
The antenna is the Chameleon EMCOMM III Base, configured as a Sloping Inverted Vee. It’s orientation is ~340° and 215°. This should give me some “gain” towards North West, while still allowing EU work.
The ultimate goal is getting the js8 mesh network working, between EU and North America. I’ve tried this for months using 45-75 watts. It wasn’t fail but, I didn’t like the results. Now the opposite approach is employed. 25 watts with the right antenna configuration, gets me into North America. Running tighter filters, gets North America back to me.
Today I received messages from North America, (which is not uncommon). What is an uncommon is having so many North American stations hearing me, and me hearing those same stations. Some of those North American station sending messages, received acknowledgements back from my “low power” station. This went on for hours today.
The only downside to running lower power, was not getting as far into the Midwest as I normally do with my higher power configurations. Even so, from my logs, it appears I have more reliable Communications with more stations in the east and near west of North America. Reliable links means we can use the JS8Call Network, more effectively. This is really huge for the low power off grid station.
I’m going to continue running 25 watts. I’ll also continue publishing updates as often as I can, to validate the results received yesterday and today. So far it looks pretty freaking awesome.
If you want to help me with this experiment you certainly can. Send my station directed short message using JS8Call. You can do that direct, or store your message on another station (between us) which hears me. Also remember, don’t disable the networking features of JS8Call. You can greatly help our testing, by allowing your station to contribute to the networking aspects of JS8, when your station is idle.
Finally you can also use the @NORDNET group on JS8Call. I encourage high-latitude stations or others interested in those stations, to use the @NORDNET group on JS8Call.
73
Julian oh8stn
