In winter, we don't usually get the temperatures necessary to produce inversions which create tropospheric ducting conditions that can carry #2mSSB #hamradio signals further than my 80km radio horizon. There's almost always some jets queueing to land at SYD which cross the radio path between me and Canberra. which produce very brief band openings over this 220km path. Worked Rob VK1KW, can hear Greg VK1AI, will ring his chimes in a minute or two.

SYD bound aircraft on holding patterns giving good opportunities for aircraft bounce #hamradio #2mSSB. Just worked Greg VK1AI in Canberra, sigs up to 5x7 during brief QSO. Need that aircraft bounce to get over the mountains in the southern highlands.

A line of aircraft heading for Sydney giving opportunities for #2mSSB #hamradio signal bounce this morning. Some minor tropospheric propagation happening but not strong. Wkd Greg VK1AI in Canberra. Always amazing to me that this works considering there are 1000m mountains between Canberra & me with Greg & I both at about 600m.

Good #hamradio #2mSSB DX hunting this morning, helped by bouncing signals from aircraft which were in holding patterns near Goulburn & Moruya. Worked Rod VK2TWR & heard his 144.414MHz beacon 328km down teh south coas. Greg VK2AI was very loud at 5x7 with aircraft bounce assistance. Steve VK2ZT in Medowie, north of Newcastle, is coastal with few obstacles between he and I- my sheer 600m elevation is enough to make the trip, no tropo or aircraft bounce needed. he's nearly line-of-sight, but at 170km, curvature of the earth is a problem as he's below my 80km radio horizon. Steve has a 400watt amp which makes him easy to hear. I run a Mirage 160W amp into a 9 element yagi on a 12m tower (that I am not usually standing on).

Bit of purple blobby goodness on the tropo forecast but not over my area. Still getting some #hamradio #2mSSB benefit from it as there's no jets on FR24 to bounce sigs off of. 3 quick QSOs into Canberra, Al VK1RX, Greg VK1AI & Ian VK1BG . Tall signal obstacles in the Southern Highlands between me & VK1, certainly some sort of propgation enhancement afoot

Lots of jets queued up to land at SYD this morning giving a nice AE bounce for the 414 beacon, very strong 579 to 599 CW sigs. 328km is a very good hop on 144MHz considering my radio horizon is only 80km #hamradio #2mSSB

Some purple & green tropospheric ducting goodness on the map. Worked Rod VK2TWR at 328km down the south coast, easy 5x7. Condx like this shouldn't really exist until summer as tropo relies on a temperature inversion, bad omen for an upcoming hot summer #hamradio #2mSSB

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hmm. tropospheric ducting at this time of year? A temperature inversion is required- cool air at ground level, warm air about 1000m or so above it. This is why tropo ducting is typically a summer atmospheric condition. Problem is it is the middle of the middle month of winter in the Blue Mountains. It's almost like the climate is changing or something. #hamradio #2mSSB

A bit of off-season tropospheric ducting on #2mSSB #hamradio. Dave VK2DVM in Blackheath is working Peter VK5PJ in Tanunda, South Australia. That's 1059km!

I can't hear Peter because of the sharply rising terrain to my west as you see in the elevation profile, but Dave is on top of those peaks. No trouble for him having an easy armchair QSO with Peter. I can also hear Rob VK1KW in Canberra talking to Peter.

I do have a good perch at 600m ASL so I can work distant stations in pretty much all directions EXCEPT due west.

Very few aircraft on the radio path toward VK1 but the 144.414 beacon down south in Nimmitabel is audible. Might be some off-season tropo ducting considering we have moggy wx conds in the Mtns this morning #hamradio #2mSSB

Also Dave VK1DJA now. Must be busy at SYD, domestic flights are being put on circuits around Goulburn as int'l flights have priority. Lots of opportunities for aircraft bounce contacts at the moment #2mSSB #hamradio

Add a contact with Rob VK1KW #2mSSB #hamradio

Lucky bit of aircraft bounce from QF730 yielded a nice strong #2mSSB #hamradio contact with Greg VK1AI in Canberra. Greg is on one of the higher points in Canberra but an aircraft bounce or tropospheric ducting is needed to get over the mountains in the southern highlands

Not many a/c crossing the radio path to the SW this morning but have heard Rob VK1KW calling CQ. Not strong enough for a contact. #hamradio #2mSSB

Hoping for a little #2mSSB #hamradio aircraft bounce into Canberra this morning

Saw Grant VK2MAX near Kempsey on the VKSpotter.com system, turned the 9 el yagi NE and waited for a good aircraft bounce, calling multiple times until the sigs improved. VOZ917 provided a strong 5x8 contact, very exciting to hear the sig strength jump up as the jet crossed the radio path. 363km is a very good hop for me on 2m. Bear in mind that signals will not only bounce from the jet but also from the ionised air in the exhaust contrail. Bounces from the wings and fuselage are steady while gaining and losing strength. Contrail reflections have a warbly and watery sound as they dissipate #hmaradio #2mSSB

Add a quick #2mSSB #hamradio contact with Carl VK2TP up at Wellington NSW near Dubbo. Because of the way my rotator is organised, I have to swing the antenna around the long way from looking SW at VK1, so I don't log Carl very often. Takes a looonng time! Now understand why folks make arduino rotator controls that you can set to point at a certain heading and wait for it to get there instead of holding down the buttons on the rotator control box

Very strong sigs on the #2mSSB #hamradio path to Canberra today. Well placed aircraft, not usually the case on Sunday mornings. Very quick contacts with Al VK1RX & Dave VK1DJA.

Got Dave VK1DJA & Rob VK1KW in the log via aircraft bounce, poor signal:noise condx this AM, rough copy but a few repeated calls made for valid contacts #2mSSB #hamradio