The
W8IO Antenna Site
VHF-UHF
Weak Signal Operating Aids and Resources for North America
(links updated 29 May 2017)
Current
VHF Propagation Conditions: Look for Sporadic E
Normal meteor conditions means that there are no major showers
occuring. Best conditions for random meteor reflections would
be
approx.
6 am local time +/- 6 hours. See Virgo Meteor Sky for local
rise/set times.
Aurora
conditions: POOR -Kp<=3 (Arctic Circle or higher),
FAIR
-Kp=4 to 5 (lower parts of Canada), GOOD -Kp=6 (upper US
states and Canada),
VERY GOOD -Kp>=7 (mid latitudes)
Quick
Links
Real
Time Activity Map
Use for Sporadic E, Trans-Equatorial, Aurora, Tropo recent
activity
North American Sporadic E Map
Use for 50 and 144 MHz Sporadic E detection
APRS
paths in North America
Use for Tropo prediction only - map may also indicate
isolated meteors or Sporadic E on 144 MHz, but use with care
Planetary
K-Index 3-Day History in 3 hour increments
Use to predict Aurora activity: Kp = 7 or higher for 144
& 222 MHz Au, Kp = 6 or higher for 50 MHz Au
VHF-UHF
Contact Schedulers
Current
VHF-UHF Activity
VHF-UHF
Activity Database and Map
W8IO VHF-UHF
Long Boom Antennas
COMPARISON TABLE of VHF-UHF LONG YAGI DESIGNS
VHF-UHF Multimode Radio Comparison
VHF-UHF
Weak Signal Digital Modes
How to get started
on EME
VHF Sporadic E
Propagation
Aids
VHF-UHF
Tropo
Propagation
Aids
VHF
Meteor
Scatter Propagation Aids
Major Meteor
Showers:
Quadrantids - January 1-5 ( PEAK January 3)
Lyrids - April 16-25 (
PEAK April 22)
Eta Aquarids - April 19 - May 28 ( PEAK May 5)
Arietids (daylight
shower) - May 22 - July 2 (PEAK June 7)
Delta Aquarids - July 12
- August 19 ( PEAK July 27)
Perseids - July 17 -
August 24 ( PEAK Aug 12)
Orionids - Oct 2 - Nov 7 ( PEAK Oct 21)
Leonids - Nov 10-23 (PEAK Nov 17)
Geminids - Dec 7 - 17 (PEAK Dec 13)
VHF-UHF Aurora
Propagation
Aids - Look for Kp > 6
2015 Days with Kp >=6:
VHF-UHF Rain
Scatter, Lightning
Scatter &
Aircraft Scatter
VHF-UHF Grid Maps
VHF-UHF Contests and Awards
2017 Contests - through August
- ARRL
January VHF Contest - January 21- January 23 (1900 UTC Sat - 0359 UTC Monday)
- European DUBUS EME Contest, 144 and 432 MHz Feb 11-12, 2017
- European DUBUS EME Contest, 2300 MHz Mar 11-12, 2017
- European DUBUS EME Contest, 1200 MHz Apr 1-2, 2017
- Spring
Sprint (2m) - April 17 (7-11 pm local)
- Spring
Sprint (222 MHz) - April 25 (7-11 pm)
- European DUBUS EME Contest, 3400 MHz Apr 29-30, 2017
- Spring
Sprint (432 MHz) - May 3 (7-11 pm)
- Spring
Microwave Sprints (902 and up) - May 6 (8 am - 2 pm)
- Spring
Sprint (6m) - May 13, 2300z - May 14, 0300z
- European DUBUS EME Contest, 5700 MHz May 27-28, 2017
- ARRL
June VHF Contest - June 10 (1800z) - 12 (0259z)
- European DUBUS EME Contest, 10 GHz+ Jun 24-25, 2017
- CQ
Worldwide VHF Contest - July 15 (1800z) - 16 (2100z)
- ARRL 222 MHz and up Distance Contest - August 5-6, 2017
- ARRL
EME Contest (2304 and up) - Sep 5-6, 2015
- ARRL
September VHF Contest - Sep 12-14, 2015
- Fall
Sprint (2m) - 7 to 11 pm Sep 21, 2015
- Fall
Sprint (222 MHz) - 7 pm to 11 pm Sep 29, 2015
- Fall
Sprint (432 MHz) - 7 pm to 11 pm Oct 7, 2015
- Fall
Sprint (Microwave 902 MHz and up) - 7 am to 2 pm Saturday Oct 10, 2015
- ARRL
EME Contest (50-1296 MHz) - Oct 31-Nov 1 and Nov 28-29
- submit
your contest scores to 3830scores.com
- ARRL
VUCC
(on separate page)
VHF-UHF-Microwave
Organizations and News
VHF-UHF Beacons
432 MHz NETS
- Early Bird UHF Net - 432.095 at 7-7:30 am ET
Daily, NCS is
usually in Knoxville, TN or Atlanta, GA
- East
Coast 70cm Net - Wednesdays - 432.090 at 9 - 10 pm ET
- Midwest
70cm Net (N4PZ) - Monday and Thursday - 432.100 at 8 pm CT by N4PZ,
EN52gb (check the ON4KST chat room for details during the net)
144 MHz NETS
Sunday:
- East Coast VHF Society Sunday Morning Net, at
10:30am Local
Time on 144.250 (K2SMN - FN20oj)
- Sidewinders
Around
MICHIGAN 2 meter USB
Net - Sunday 9:30 pm EST - 144.155
MHz (W8IO - EN63vc or KF8QL - EN72)
- Northern
Lights Radio Society at 9:30 central, 144.260, EN34, every
Sunday night
- Kentucky
SWOT Net - 144.270 at 9:30 pm CT, Called by K9OIM in EM56
Monday:
- Southern OHIO Net -
Monday
8:30pm EST - 144.252 MHz (K8TQK - EM89je)
- Guelph, Ontario Net
- Monday,
Wed 9 pm EST - 144.245 MHz (VE3XTM - EN93)
- Rochester, NY Net -
Monday 9 pm
EDST - 144.260 MHz
- North Georgia Net - W4TMW calls the net
from EM84
on 144.210 at 8pm
eastern
- Oklahoma Net - W5VHF Net at 8pm central on
144.190. Net
control is KD5ZVE
in EM26, OK
- Denver Rocky Mountain 144.220 net is on Monday
nights at
8pm
mountain time, from the Denver area
- Deep South Net - MWF on 144.240 at 8:30 pm CT
(AD5TH ?)
- Richmond 2m SSB Net - 144.190 at 8:30 pm ET Called by Greg, KG4KWW from FM17
Tuesday:
- Michigan Splatter Stik Net - Tues,
Thurs - 20:30
- 144.210 MHz (KB8GOY) ???
- Kalamazoo 2 meter USB Net - Tuesday 7 pm local -
144.222
MHz (K8BKB) ???
- Kalamazoo 2 meter AM Net - Tuesday 8 pm local -
144.222 MHz
(WJ8L)
- North Carolina Net - 144.225 Tuesday 8 pm ET -
Called by
Chris, K4HC in Greensboro
Wednesday:
- WISCONSIN
144.240 Wed
night NET - WB9LYH EN54 8 pm CDST (9 pm
EDST) -NE-E-SE-S-SW-W-NW-N
- Deep South Net - MWF on 144.240 at 8:30 pm CT
(AD5TH)
- Florida SWOT Net - 144.250 at 8 pm ET, Called by
W1LVL in
EL99 and W2RAC
Thursday:
- CHICAGO
144.220 Thursday
night Q5 NET
- N9JBW EN61 7 pm Central (8 pm Eastern)
- Kentucky SWOT Net -
144.270 at
8:30 pm CT, Called by K9OIM in EM56
Friday:
- CHICAGO-OHIO 144.215 Friday night NET - KD8IME
EN71
7 pm Central (8 pm Eastern)
- Deep South Net - MWF on 144.240 at 8:30 pm CT
(AD5TH)
50 MHz NETS (centered on
Michigan)
- Grand Rapids 6 meter AM Net - Sunday 8 am local
- 50.400 MHz
- Kalamazoo 6 meter AM Net - Sunday 8 pm local -
50.400 MHz
(K8BKB)
- Kalamazoo 6
meter USB Net
- Tuesday 9:00 pm local - 50.140
MHz (K8BKB)
- Kalamazoo 6 meter AM Net -Tuesday 9:30 pm local
- 50.400
MHz (K8BKB)
- Great Lakes 6 meter USB Net - Saturday 8 pm
local - 50.170
MHz (northern Ohio)
- Cadillac 6 meter USB Net - Daily 7 pm local -
50.200 (rag
chewing)
Comments
and corrections/additions are welcome!
contact
Roger: email to
rgcox2
(at) gmail.com
Roger Cox W8IO-
Spring Lake, MI
