The PA2S 50 MHz Tape Archives

I have been active on 50 MHz since 1978. It started with building a converter, because we were not allowed to transmit on 50 MHz in The Netherlands. At first, in the summer of 1978, only noise was observed. Television signals were the best I could get! But in the spring of 1979, I switched on my six metre rig and tuned... It was incredible: the ZS6PW beacon could be heard!

I have always had a tape recorder at hand in my shack. As soon as things got hot, the deck was started...
In early 1996, I put some clips online, using RealAudio coding.
As far as I know, I was the first to use this concept...
This page became very popular very soon, so I decided to add more clips. Over 1 MB of content is available now.

Please note that my call changed from PA2HJS to PA2S.

You will need a RealAudio player to play the clips.
I noted that these guys at RealAudio no longer offer a free downloadable player to play the files.
I recommend to download and install this player: Real Alternative
The Cycle 23 recordings are now on-line in MP3 format.

Check the VK3OT Tape Archives

Listen to fragments from my 50 MHz tape archives:

Solar Cycle 21

• 12 March 1979: ZS6PW beacon (South Africa)
• 7 November 1979: First live amateur signal heard: VE1AVX (Canada)
• 21 November 1979: First 50/28 MHz crossband QSO between PA2HJS and VE1AVX
  Another fragment of this QSO
• 7 November 1979: WB4OSN (USA) working LA9T (Norway) crossband
• 7 November 1979: WB4YKI (USA) working G5KW (England) with only 25 Watts crossband
• 7 November 1979: 13:35 UTC: WD4IYS (USA) working EI2W (Ireland) crossband
• 7 November 1979: 13:40 W4OJU (USA) working EI2W crossband
  7 November 1979: W4OJU messing up calls (it was a bit early)
• 2 November 1981: Another crossband QSO with Bob, VE1AVX
• 9 November 1981: Jim, W6JKV, set up a station in The Gambia: C5AEH. They were strong!

Solar Cycle 22

Africa

• On 9 October 1988, the first F2 propagation showed: ZS6PW beacon (South Africa)
• On 16 February, 1989, J52US (Guinea Bissau) was worked via F2 propagation
• Alain, TR8CA (Gabon) was a very active station: QSO of 26 February 1989
• The ZS3VHF (Namibia) beacon was heard quite a few times: This clip was recorded on the 20th of March, 1989
• A few days later, this QSO with ZS4AAB (South Africa) was made: 25 March 1989
• On October 2nd, 1989, G3GJQ/5N29 (Nigeria) was a new one
• TU4DH (Ivory Coast) was another goodie: 30 December 1989
• About a year later, 6W1QC (Senegal) was worked
• This was a signal with typical quick fading: TL8MB (Bangui)
• Sometimes, listening to others making fine contacts is a pleasure:
  FR5EL (Reunion Island) - GJ4ICD (Jersey) - March 1992
• On 22 February 1992, ZD8LII (Ascencion Is.) was a new one for me.
• The same day, the ZS2SIX beacon showed up.
• 5H3RA was worked on 15 May 1992 for a new one. You can hear the typical TEP fading.




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North America

• The first time, I heard USA stations this cycle was on January 19th, 1989. I heard W2IDZ
I was unable to get a contact (too little power here: 5 Watts)
• WB8ZTV (USA) was worked during a good opening on 13 October 1989
• I had to wait for about 10 years to work Bob, VE1YX (Canada) two-way on six (10 November 1989)
• I was very lucky to work OX3LX (Greenland) first from our country (1 July 1990 ) (Es)
• The OX3VHF beacon was absolutely cracking on 7 February 1992

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South America

• This cycle, HC2FG (Equador) was the first station heard from South America. Lack of power here: no contact
• What a surprise: LU8MBL (Argentina) showing up on 20 March 1989. I just had my amplifier ready!
• PZ1AP (Surinam) was one of the goodies on December 2nd, 1989
• One of the most frustrating signals heard on 16 November 1990:
  The HC8SIX beacon (Galapagos Isl.) but no station active
• Another frustrating signal came from Guiana on 16 February 1992:
  The G4SMC/8R1 expedition called CQ but did not hear me...
• I was so glad to work ZP6XDW (Paraguay) on the 6th of April 1991
• Good signals from Brazil: PS7KM 22 Feb 1992
• The same day, the PT7BCN beacon came through
• A really huge pile-up for PYoFF on the 22nd of February 1992

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Caribbean

• KP2A (US Virgin Isl.) is a well known station: He was very loud on 11 November 1989
• VP2VI (British Virgin Isl.) is another island in the Caribbean. Worked on 19 November 1989
• PJ4/WA3LRO (Bonaire) was a nice one (2 November 1991)
• It is not always simple to work somebody: CO2KK (Cuba): QSO or not? (11 November 1991)

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Asia and Australia

• VK8ZLX (Australia) was the first VK station worked on 13 October 1989
• I did not believe my ears: on October 13, 1989, VK8GF (Australia) was very strong...
• On 8 February, 1992, a contact with VK5BC (Australia)
• Two days later (15 October 1989) the Philippines could be worked: KJ6WO/DU3
• On 5 November 1989, VS6BI (Hong Kong) showed up. What a signal!
• Just a very short fragment of KG6DX (Guam) to show how strong he was...(3 Mar 1991)
• 18 February 1992 was so good: I asked VK6PA (Australia) to transmit on 51 MHz

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Japan

Early 1992, good openings to Japan occured. The solar flux rose to very high levels. On 11 February, quite a number of stations were worked.
Here are some clips, in call area order:

• JA1BK had a good signal - 11 Feb 1992
• Of course, not all signals were so loud. JI3OPA - 18 Feb 1992
• JH4DIT was difficult to copy- 11 Feb 1992
• This was a contact with JA5FNX - 11 Feb 1992
• JA6QGG - 11 Feb 1992 with good signals
• Listen to this contact with JR6VSP - 18 Feb 1992
• JR6WPT was very strong - 18 Feb 1992
• Listen to this contact with JR6VSP - 18 Feb 1992
• CW is the best mode, I believe. The signal of JA6TEW was one of the few readable SSB signals - 11 Feb 1992
You can hear the call, followed by reports (not to me) and locator - He did not hear me...
Here is a transcript: "Japan America Six Tango Echo Whiskey, Over --- Locator PM53 PM53, You are 5 and 3, QSL?" Well I prefer good old CW...
• Sometimes, the pile-ups were getting very lively - 11 Feb 1992

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Europe, Middle/Near East

• OZ1BVW with very strong F2 backscatter signals - 7 Feb 1992
• On 29 May 1992, an expedition to Turkey took place: TA5ZA (Es)
• It took quite a bit of effort to work 9K2ZR on 20 June 1992 (Kuwait) (Multi hop Es)

Solar Cycle 23

• 16 June 2001: PY5CC, Peter was calling CQ, not much response...
• 11 November 2001: VE1YX, a very well known voice on six
On 6 November 1979, just a bit over 22 years ago, the signal of Bob was the first I heard on six from a live station. It was a pleasant surprise to be able to say hello to Bob Billings this cycle as well.

• 11 November 2001: Working WA1ECF with good signals.
• 12 November 2001: VR2LC (Hong Kong)
Very good signals from Hong Kong.

• 12 November 2001: BG7OH (China)
This was a frustrating one. No QSO. No chance at all in the huge pile-up. He was 59+, but still no QSO. What do I need? 10 kW?

• 14 November 2001: OX3VHF (Beacon, Greenland)
I really thought solar cycle 23 was over, but the band showed different.

• 14 November 2001: VE8BY (Beacon, Northern Canada)
Never heard this part of Canada. The propagation crosses very northern aereas and requires quiet ionospheric conditions.

• 14 November 2001: XV3AA (Vietnam)
Another frustrating moment. The signal (and thus the ionosphere) was strong enough, but the competition was enormous. One or two more stations would have changed the pressure. It is a matter of accepting the fact that you can't have them all...

• 26 December 2001: FG5BG (Guadeloupe), another new one for me.
• 30 December 2001: XE1KK (Mexico), super DX across a very unusual path.
• 3 March 2002: XW0X (Laos), working pretty efficient
• 3 March 2002: TT8DX (Chad), working PE1LCH.

Cycle 23-24 - Es

• 28 June 2004: J79KV (Dominica)
With multi-hop Es, new countries can be found... Thanks Jimmy!

• 7 July 2004: PJ7M (Dutch Antilles)
Another Multi hop Es QSO.

This is just a very small fraction of what I have been recording over the years. It shows how good the propagation sometimes was.

In 1996 I said on this page: "Let us just hope that cycle 23 will add quite a few interesting clips to my archives!"
Cycle 23 was not as good, but produced a number of interesting openings, as you can learn from the audio clips.
Early 2003, the solar activity has dropped to such a low level that F2 openings will be very unlikely. It looks like we will have to wait until cycle 24 will become productive...