Shetland islands isn't exactly short skip at I think around 500km from you, it would be similar to parts of DL. During the day such distances can produce very strong signals on 30m, there's a good chart at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skywave you can look at.

For example, your dipole will have good high angles take-off as it is not so high compared to the wavelength of 30m. Off the E layer if it is present that can be 100 miles for one hop, and off the F layer it can be 300 miles, so Shetlands should be regularly possible at one hop.

As the dipole doesn't fire all the energy at a single focused angle but a wide range of angles so you'll get of course a wide range of distances possible for the first hop, except for the NVIS which may not be reflected.

After dark the distances will increase and the dead skip zone will get larger because the F layer weakens as time goes on out of the sunlight, and as it weakens, higher angles will not refract but go straight out into space, and only lower angles will refract.

More tests to follow!

Generally your distances are going to be a little longer on 30m than 40m, for horizontal antenna, and shorter than on 20m.

20m can shut down at night (though not often during solar maximum approaching) and 40m can be closed during the day (D layer absorption) while 30m remains open night and day all year round and all cycle round.

NVIS is generally impossible on 20m, but frequent on 40m, on 30m I believe it is possible sometimes during the day.

I've witnessed very strong night time E layer propagation on 20m akin to and possibly Sporadic E, I've seen no literature on this, I think it is exceptionally rare to ever occur below 21MHz.

Easy way to verify that 30m is open, in the absence of many beacons, is DDK9 and also the robots that never sleep, illegally unattended, that are all the rave (FT8) in the top 130's. Also you will often hear 3 beacons (QRP) in SM, IT and HB, see clubs.

http://mi0wwb.wikidot.com/main:layout

I’ll continuing doing this for a while.

The dipole in orientation is roughly on a north - south axis and the feed point is up approximately 6 metres. The wire used for the elements is light wire, same as that sold by Sotabeams. So nothing very sophisticated, and am sure it could be improved upon.

Regards calling frequency, the QRP calling frequencies yes they have traditionally been 10106 and 10116 the latter clearly more sensible (at the time it was decided) but again whoever did this was not thinking long term.

10116 is frequently occupied by QRO from DX Pedo/splits to others in general, and often used by various activations. A far more sensible choice would always have been 10126 and in addition it is in the TOP 9 which are in urgent need of more frequent use if we aren't going to lose the TOP 9 / TOP 5 to ACDS as per IARU (=RSGB/DARC/ARRL) plans next year — they are already trying hard behind the scenes.

10123(.5) as a general CW calling frequency however is an idea beyond only QRP, and QRP Centre of Activity frequencies don't require (recommend) a QSY upon establishing contact, whereas this idea would.

We desperately need to make more use of the TOP 9 and especially TOP 5. See https://internationalcwcouncil.org/top9-activity/

Again I'm interested in your single band 30m dipole, how high above the ground is it and in what orientation (orientation matters only perhaps above 7m AGL). I like to get an idea of its probably radiation pattern and potentials for near-in or mid-long range.

Al, I am wanting to build a simple vertical, see G0KYA’s Blog, so am currently waiting on a few parts which I ordered. So this will enable me to continuing experimenting. Thanks for your encouragement, I’ll try to keep going and I have updated the station journal:

http://mi0wwb.wikidot.com/main:layout

Best 73

Loved reading your posts Will and your Station Journal. I'd be interested to know the height of your 30m single band dipole and its orientation.

I think 30m NVIS is not something there is much information on and this would also be an interesting experiment. At 5-7m above ground a 30m dipole should give good shorter range contacts I think as I believe NVIS is possible some of the time on 30m, above 30m not.

Are you aware of DDK9 this is a good indicator of shortish range propagation to G from a small island in the North Sea off Germany's NW coast.

I can assure that 30m is always open 24 hours a day, but, propagation changes generally to much longer distances with paths in darkness, and shorter distances with paths in the sun light.

Perhaps you can build a 30m Ground Plane (GP). If elevated, it is quite easy, 3 or 4 radials (even 2 would work) sufficient, if you can get a bamboo pole say 7.5m tall to put a wire on otherwise an aluminum one. Good for DX and also working into EU. Easy to make. One could even wrap the wire in a loose helical fashion if need be to shorten it, or have the top 1 or 2m of wire go out at an angle (tied off with rope) if vertical space is not sufficient.

Activity levels on 30m is indeed the main problem. Very encouraged to hear Si G0FOZ taking up the 10123(.45) calling frequency idea. There are a number of ideas for increasing activities on 30m, I hope to share them soon. I'm currently abroad, so not QRV from G, listening via RBN.

Love your journal and will keep reading it, very helpful to cross post and link to it from forum posts, as I check the forum posts here often, so please do continue to do that if you can.

30m is a hidden gem. Even though many are aware of it, they call CQ and don't get replies, so give up. The Calling Frequency 123.45 can help resolve that in addition to other ideas to be shared soon. The other issue is the lack of dedicated antennae.

For 30m I'd recommend a horizontal dipole (or doublet which can be then even shorter) at a height of 7m or more (15m great for DX), a vertical GP, and/or an inverted L EFHW. I've used all three with great results over the years. Others that could be tried are loops, indeed anything!

Si G0FOZ has excellent results with his end fed 40m LW up 10m which works 80m and up iirc?

I'm with you on honest reports, see also the RSN reporting idea, and always love to give and know other stations PWR and ANT info, to make it mean anything!

Very interesting your observations on power levels. There's the wisdom that if a propagation path is open, then power is less important other than overcoming the other station's (local) noise level, which is perhaps the most inhibiting factor these days, hence the usefulness of RSN reports.

73 & 77
Al, G4OJW

Thanks for sharing.
I have been seeing you pop up on RBN calling CQ but no signal ever heard down here.

Well done for trying to increase activity on 30M. I have been calling and even when RBN shows terrific range get very little back.

Interesting discussion here on a calling frequency for 30m. That would be useful for me as I can have that on in the background when working and grab the odd QSO :
http://30cw.wikidot.com/forum/t-14105282/is-there-a-dedicated-calling-frequency-on-30-metres#post-6123255

Hope to work you on air at some point.

73 Simon ( G0FOZ )

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