AmateurRadio.com

For one reason or another, I’ve not heard an aurora for ages! Being in the south of the country with fairly little aerials means that it’s not a particularly productive propagation mode for me. However, if a big one comes along and I hear something….

Like this afternoon! I knew there was an aurora going on – but hadn’t really worried about it much. I tuned across 144MHz and to my surprise there were some auroral signals. GM4BYF was loudest and I was delighted to work him. Other G stations were heard tone-A including G0CUZ, G7RAU and G3LTF none of whom are very far from me! Missed Clive GM4VVX who it would have been nice to work. GM0HTT on Orkney was a decent signal on SSB, but had quite a pileip, so I didn’t get involved.

I heard GM3WUX weakly on 50MHz also, but he didn’t come back to a couple of calls. An hour or two later, I tuned across 50MHz and found PA2M calling CQ with an Auroral tone. Despite my little signal from the vertical – not ideal for an Auroral QSO – we completed the QSO. Good ears, Frank – thank you!

I wonder if the Aurora will be visible this evening.