Q: What do you do when the repeaters don't work and you need beyond line-of-sight radio communications?
A: You use HF with a NVIS (Near Vertical Incidence Skywave) antenna on the lower frequency bands (80/75. 60, and 40).
The good news is that NVIS antennas are very simple and inexpensive to build. A low dipole or end-fed wire at about 1/10 to 1/4 wavelength above the ground generally works well. https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/us/knowledge-center/videos/understanding-near-vertical-incidence-skywave-nvis-video-detailpage_251220-908736.html
Get on the air Saturday, April 27, and develop your NVIS capabilities. If the weather is decent, practice a field deployment.
This effort is being headed up in NNY by Denis N2NCL. Please contact him to 'sign up' or for more info.
This is also Ohio Section NVIS Day.
St Lawrence County, NNY ARES/RACES
NVIS Antenna Day - April 27, 2024, 1000L-1600L
Power 100W (baseline) - SSB only
EXCHANGE: This is not a contest, take time for a normal QSO
LOG: paper and pencil/pen like a real emergency, pdf file log copy to be provided:
STATION: home station, EOC, mobile, roamer, portable - powered by mains, battery, solar power, etc. May be single operator or operator w/logger or spotter maximum.
There are new and existing Technician class operators who have not been around an HF operation and it is requested ALL participants invite a Technician licensee to their station to observe, log, or spot stations
FREQUENCIES: All frequencies are in the General portion of the bands. Frequency of use will depend on MUF at the time
75M: 1 - 3.958, 2 - 3.935, 3 - 3.870. All are LSB
60M: 1 - 5.348, 2 - 5.405, 3 - 5.332. All are USB * (dial)
40M: 1 - 7.245, 2 - 7.278, 3 - 7.160 All are LSB
REMINDER: US Gov’t is the designated primary user of 60M frequencies, we are secondary users on a non-interference basis. If you hear a strange group of letters and numbers calling you it may be a Gov’t station attempting to make contact.
** After Action Reports are a very important part of exercise **
Participants are requested to submit an AAR containing ALL log info, via PLAIN TEXT EMAIL ONLY (NO spreadsheets, computer files, word processor files, etc) to a designated volunteer station(s) to facilitate compiling of information.
Stations participating in the exercise will need to send an email containing: call sign and location to a designated volunteer receiving station, so we know who to look for during the exercise. Last year we had a total of 13 participants.
In 2023 we were emerging from a solar cycle minimum - this year the exercise will take place at or near a cycle maximum and may produce significantly different information. In 2023 the NVIS radius was approximately 400 miles.
IMPORTANT: Volunteers are important and really needed to take info and make a list of email signup participants, also volunteer(s) to receive station logs and AARs to compile information. The more people we have taking and sorting information the quicker we will know and understand the results.
PARTICIPANTS & VOLUNTEER(S): send email to - to signup.
73 Denis N2NCL