Welcome to Tropical band

To most people the phrase "tropical bands" bring a pretty clear picture to mind - a bunch of shirtless guys playing calypso music. But to experienced shortwave DXers those two little words express the most challenging and enjoyable part of the radio hobby. The phrase kindles memories of a DXer's best catches and favorite QSLs, of exotic stations, music and of early morning listening sessions. (Don Moore)
I like the "Tropical band" name for new 60m allocation. (OK1RP)

Effective from 1st Jan 2017 please paper QSL via OM-bureau only.


Friday, November 29, 2013

TU5NK on 60m by Petr, OK1RP

Hello,

there is short band report from yesterday evening when I monitored the band in order to catch Jan, TU5NK...

I switched ON radio even on 20Z and I realized that band condition were great. UK stations went thru very loud and all beacons were S9 + 10dB. Also the activity on ch5 was really huge and I listened to OU5U, G's, VX9MRC, Dave, A92IO with really big sigs and mni others.

Around 22Z I switched to 5371.5 and after few mins I found Jan as TU5NK in QSo with US guys. Unfortunately I had really excessive local noise QRM which masked me lot of time Jan's sigs on this channel but I have to say I copied him well. Sigs peaked 35 to 46 and also US station called him were strong. 

When I switched back to ch5 I was surprised with lot of stations from US with so loud sigs in my location. W3ORU, Jeff, K0OD, VX9MRC and other were really strong and clean on the band. Dave worked on the channel for long time and switched between USB and CW so lot of callers was able to work him.

When I switched back to ch4 I was surprised because over the Jan, TU5NK I realized that there was some another station but I was not able to copy who it was. I tried to recognize the callsign but unfortunately I failed in so strong local QRM.

How about You and TU5 on 60m from last few days?

73 - Petr, OK1RP
.../-.-

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

TU - Ivory Coast on 60m by Jan, DJ8NK

Jan DJ8NK is on Channel 4 (5.371.5) from the Ivory Coast as I type this. Its a new one for 60 meters. Listen for him tonight and the next few nights. I suggested to him to come on the top and bottom of the hour. Spot him on the cluster so everybody knows he's on the band. I think this is the fourth new country he has put on for us.
Bob WH6XM reported " I'll be monitoring channel 4 (5.371.5) more often during my night hours.  Also be transmitting periodically".

73's
Bob WH6XM

As Joe, W8GEX mentioned Jan, DJ8NK is operating as TU5NK and will be on channel 4 again tonight (28.11.2013) at 2215Z. This is a NEW ONE on 60m. I will be glad for any reports about his signals around EU/WW.

Good luck,

73 - Petr, OK1RP
.../-.-

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Skimmers on 60m by Mick, LA5SAA

Hi everybody.

I have had a dialogue With Ulli, ON5KQ, and he has started skimming on 60 yesterday afternoon. At Our night time he will skim With beverage antennas, at daytime With a longwire. He has a very sensitive system. However, while he himself is active (transmitting), he will switch off the skimmer. A great "thanks" to Ulli.


http://www.webmaatwerk.com/hamradio
http://www.webmaatwerk.com/hamradio/
His skimmer will probably be very helpful during the Activity from TU5 Nov 17 to 30.


73 Mick, LA5SAA

---In 60meter@yahoogroups
.com, <michael.theiss@...> wrote:

Hi everybody.


This is the link to the CW skimmers on 60:
http://www.reverseb
eacon.net/dxsd1/dxsd1.php?f=5 http://www.reversebeacon.net/dxsd1/dxsd1.php?f=5

When I started my Activity on 60 in late summer 2012, the only skimmer on 5 MHz was WZ7I.


I contacted many stations by e-mail and asked them to start skimming on 60. The following skimmers showed up:
AA4V, DL1EMY, DL8LAS, IK3STG, KH6LC, LA5EKA, N7TR, PJ2T, RN4WA, TF4M. A great thanks to all of them.


Since the Activity in CW on 5 MHz is quite low, these skimmers are of great value to check if you are getting throu when calling cq in CW.


I also contacted some skimmers in the UK and asked for skimming, but I never got an answer. I think it's strange that the UK skimmers do not seem to want to support Our cw activities on 60.


73 Mick, LA5SAA


Thank You very much Mick for Your effort and activity over there.


73 - Petr, OK1RP
.../-.-

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

ZS on 60m this weekend by SARL - OK1RP

Hello all,

There are results of my trials to hear or (dream) work ZS cross to 80/40m band from last weekend on our lovely 60m.

Saturday 9th I worked Dragan, 9A286W cross to 3561 and heard lot of others. Very good signals came from SM, 5P, VX9, 2x4X, G, GM, 9A, OM on 5405 CW without any QRM so the activity was high and even the propagation seemed not to be as bad...

Also beacons OV1BVC/B, GB3WES/B, GB3ORK/B and GB3RAL/B were readable 599+ on 5290/5290.5. On the other hands all these sigs were local and it was not talking anything about the propagation to ZS.

Unfortunately no ZS signals were copyable on 5260 or beacon on 5250 Sat nite. I decided to try it again Sunday evening/nite.


As You can see on the Voacap prediction there is no chance... You never know so I prepared new preamplifier to the setup and watched the 5260kHz from 18Z Sunday evening.

Around 19:30Z I realized there is some weak signal on 5260.5kHz CW. Unfortunately I found after few mins that it is QRM produced by our small near TV stuff !!! Be careful when You have some mystery sigs on band and check if You have not some of the similar source of band QRM at home...

Finally I did not heard any ZS signals on the band even I watched the frequency from 18Z - 02Z Monday morning. Anybody was lucky to hear or even work ZS guys on the 60m band please? Any reports from this weekend are welcomed.

best regards,

73 - Petr, OK1RP
.../-.-

K9W on 60m by Joe, W8GEX


The K9W - 60m band update

We will try to be on the next three nights on 60m. Will call on the top of the hour for 10 minutes and if no takers then will go back to the regular bands.

Will be on USB and will TX on 5371.5kHz

Channel 5 (5403.5kHz) is not usable out here because of radar issue.

Joe, W8GEX
K9W Team

Thank You to Joe, W8GEX for this update. It will be good challenge from EU. Unfortunately the propagation are not the best currently. I will be glad to get reports or feedback how did You heard them...

73 - Petr, OK1RP
.../-.-

Thursday, November 7, 2013

ZS activity on 60m band by SARL

Hello,

The SARL association is organizing an unique activity weekend on 60 meters from Sat, November 9, 00:01 and ending at midnight Sun, November 10 evening. 




Activities will focus on 5260 KHz frequency, all modes. The objective is to study the propagation between many stations in many parts of South Africa and elsewhere as possible worldwide.  It seems interesting to listen carefully to this frequency over Europe.

It will be great to have a chance make crossband QSOs to 40m or 80m band from countries where the 60m band is not allowed like OK land...

Thank You to F6AIU / F5SN for sharing this information with us and wish to all of us good luck and have a fun on 60m this weekend.

73 - Petr, OK1RP
.../-.-