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We did not work specific call areas or any region to the disadvantage of any other. However, we listened specifically for VK/ZL, Pacific and QRP stations for a few minutes around the end of each clock hour and particularly welcomed QSOs with new hams and those wanting to work ZL7 for the very first time. Thank you for not making excessive duplicate QSOs, especially on bands and modes where you already had ZL7 confirmed and when we were clearly busy.
ZL7T propagation predictions
We could have given you the usual raft of theoretical computer predictions but took a more pragmatic approach: an outline of the DX worked by ZLs shortly before the DXpedition, mostly on simple single element antennas such as dipoles, verticals and loops.
The low bands had been in good shape from ZL, with long path propagation skirting the Antarctic to our South East into Europe most ZL evenings (approximately 06:00-11:00z) on 160 through 20m. On 30 & 40m, the path to EU was open from ~05:30z to at least 11:30z (my bedtime!).
There had been good greyline openings from ZL to Northern and Western Europe on 160m and 80m around our sunset at ~07:15z plus or minus 15 to 30 minutes.
QSOs were possible on 40m into European Russia around our dawn until 18:45z or later but rising daytime absorption our end plus the EU zoo made it tough going for us after EU sunset.
North and South Americans were workable on the low bands during our evenings and overnight (10:00z to 18:00z?).
ZLs had been working Asians around our dawn (~18:10z) on 80m.
On the high bands above 20m, however, it was a lottery. 17m had opened quite often for an hour or two to US and EU around 09:00z, and when condx were good during our daylight hours [our predictions were too pessimistic here: 17m was far more active than we anticipated]. 15m had also opened occasionally but signals were quite weak making QSOs difficult.
Although admittedly I don’t listen there 24x7, I hadn’t heard any hams on 12m for months. On 10m, I had logged the local South Pacific beacons some days and a Texan beacon just once in the previous 2 weeks but no actual QSOs :-(
To find high band openings, I recommend monitoring the NCDXF/IARU beacons on 28.2, 24.93, 21.15, 18.11 and 14.1. Remember the beacons run 100W to omnidirectional antennas whereas many of us have amplifiers and beams ...
JAs, VKs, ZLs, KH6s and other Pacific stations were workable most of the time on one band or another e.g. on 40m short path around 11:30z. During our evenings on 30 & 40m, JA sigs had good strengths on both short and long path at the same time, making it difficult sometimes to pick out the characters on CW due to the echoes (it may have helped to QRS if we couldn’t quite make out your call).
Daytime absorption knocks out the low bands 1, 2 or 3 hours after dawn on 160, 80 and 40m respectively as the higher bands open, but all bands are pretty quiet here in the lunchtime lull (say 2 hours either side of 23:00z).
Propagation to Africa is difficult to guage due to low activity. Propagation for North Africans seem to mirror that to EU. West and Southern Africans have been heard occasionally around our dawn and dusk on 30 and 40m, albeit working EU. We paid special attention to ZS callers around 04:30z on 20m when the short path should have been open, and due south at our noon was another opportunity.
If you were hunting for your first ever ZL7 QSO, you were most likely to succeed on 30m (CW and data modes only) or 40m. Simple wire dipoles, verticals or loops all make good, cheap antennas for these bands.
Actual propagation
We had worked at least 76 DXCC countries by the first Monday morning. 80, 40 and 17m had been particularly busy. We had made QSOs on 160m and 15m, and even 10m opened briefly.
Here’s a sample of ZL7T DXcluster spots, sorted by band and time of day, to show where we were spotted i.e. when the bands were presumably open. Look for spots from your part of the globe for clues about when and where you might have worked ZL7T:
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