CW Qso on 432 MHz with Brett PJ2BR in Curacao 700+ Km.

QSO with Brett Ruiz, PJ2BR in Curacao, 700+ Km, using DSTAR mode in SIMPLEX.

SSB QSO with Walter, LU2EPO.

LU5CQC <> HI8DL TEP QSO on October 12, 2021.

While monitoring 144.174MHz, I heard a distorted sound followed by a signal on the waterfall. After several attempts, I remembered last year I switched from FT8 to Q65 and was abled to decode a distorted signal.

So we switched from FT8 to Q65-30c as per Joe Taylor K1JT recommendations for this type of propagation.

 First signal heard on the waterfall

On March 30 and 31, there was an Tropo opening to FL, USA. I was able to work K2IL and KW4BY.

This qso was featured on ARRL magazine "The World Above 50 MHz" article June 2020 edition.

There is a typo in the article with my callsign. It should be HI8DL and not HI3DL which does not exist. The author Jon Jones, N0JK has been notified.

On May 24, 2020 I contacted Brett PJ2BR on Curacao on 432 MHz  FM mode. 

 

Tropo map from https://tropo.f5len.org/the-caribbean/ for May 24, 2020

On May 17, 2020, after watching the Tropo map on Tropospheric Propagation Forecast decided to give try again. It is not the first attempt, but conditions were good ! 

First try was FT8 on VHF to test conditions. Then switch to UHF FT8 and qso was possible.

So Brett and I decided to give it a try on SSB Phone.

On May 17, 2020, after watching the Tropo map on Tropospheric Propagation Forecast decided to give try again. It is not the first attempt, but conditions were good and QSO was successful !

Map from Tropospheric Propagation Forecast

I started testing 432MHz EME on April 2020. I was able to make qsos with DL7APV, HB9Q and UA3PTW.

I have asked around but can't find if 432 MHz has ever been done from HI,

Please contact me if you have any information regarding 432 MHz EME activity in Dominican Republic.
 

First setup of 432 MHz and 1,2 GHz antennas.