G0KTN Amateur Radio - 2026 current projects and technical notes

  40MHz (8m) TEP propagation from the ZS6WAB CW beacon Why ZS6WAB matters The ZS6WAB CW beacon is situated near Polokwane, South Africa in QRA locator KG46 and runs 30W to a 5 element yagi pointed north towards Europe on a nominal frequency of 40.675MHz. Its southern hemisphere location makes it ideally placed for studying transequatorial propagation (TEP) into Europe. More importantly, it appears to be the only consistently monitored beacon on this path. The dataset analysed here spans 16 June 2022 to 16 March 2026 and comprises 2,502 reception reports submitted via DX Cluster and the UK Beaconspot archive. TEP: a long-studied but still evolving mechanism Transequatorial propagation is not new. It has been studied continuously since the late 1940s, with the first recognised observations dating back to around 1947. Despite decades of research, TEP remains an active area of investigation, with new refinements and theoretical developments still being proposed. Modern understand...

  40MHz WSPR Beacon Continues for Third Year - Studying 8m Band Propagation I am pleased to report that Ofcom has granted approval for a third year of operation of the 40.680 MHz WSPR beacon (plus the usual 1500 Hz offset). The beacon operates as a propagation indicator on the 8m band (40 MHz) and as a data source for anyone interested in studying propagation   at this  part of the spectrum . Reception reports from the beacon are archived in the WSPRnet database and are available for download via: wspr.rocks Spot data has been accumulating since April 2024 , providing a growing dataset for anyone interested in analysing 8m propagation trends . Why Study Propagation on the 8m Band? The 40MHz region occupies an interesting position between the traditional HF bands and the low VHF spectrum. Because of this location in the radio spectrum, signals on 40MHz often demonstrate propagation mechanisms that share characteristics of both HF and VHF . Most openings on ...

  Looking Back on the Solar Cycle 25 Propagation Series Why engaging with the science matters Over the past months I’ve published a short series of articles looking at HF propagation through the lens of Solar Cycle 25. What began as an exercise in analysing my own monitoring data gradually turned into something broader: an exploration of how much useful propagation science can be done using amateur-collected data, modest equipment, and a willingness to look beyond day-to-day operating. The series covered topics such as MUF dynamics, lower-band absorption at solar maximum, seasonal effects on 40 m, geomagnetic storm behaviour, late-day persistence on the higher HF bands, and the early signs of solar-cycle decline. Individually, each topic stands on its own. Taken together, they tell a more important story. A consistent theme: observation beats assumption One recurring theme throughout the series was the gap between what we expect propagation to do and what it actually does ....