CQ DX, CQ DX, CB Long Distance Contacts
In a galaxy far far away...
Skip
Although intended for relatively short
distance work of up to 15 miles, atmospheric conditions
can greatly extend the normal range of CB radio. When
the conditions are right your signal, instead of eventually
heading off out into space, can "skip" off
the atmosphere and bounce back down to Earth, sometimes
1000s of miles away. This works both ways meaning you
can speak to people in other countries for short periods
of time. However at its peak this can totally drown
out local signals so for some it is unwelcome. However
many CB users including myself look forward to the skip
as it's exciting to see just how far you can get on
those 4watts the radio oututs.
What causes skip?
Never underestimate the power of the
sun! The sun does much more than light and heat our
planet. It causes such phenomenon as the Northern Lights
(aurora borealis) in the northern hemisphere and the
Southern Lights (aurora australis) in the southern hemisphere.
These are caused by solar activity on the sun's surface
such as sunspots. Sunspots are huge gaseous explosions
on the sun which send streams of particles out into
space, many of which reach Earth, colliding with the
atmosphere and getting drawn to the Earth's magnetic
poles. When the particles collide with air molecules
they change their electric charge and start to glow,
causing the aurora. What has this got to do with skip
and radio communication? Well it is similar solar activity
that causes radio signals to skip, allowing us to reach
people we normally could not. That is why I chose the
northen lights as the theme for my QSL card, (see below)
that and the fact I get to see the northen lights quite
often in this part of Scotland and they are simply awesome!
However the aurora and radio do not always mix as they
are known to interfere with radio transmissions. Sunspots
follow an 11 year cycle, building up to a peak before
subsiding again so skip is not something that is always
there, however when it appears it adds an extra dimension
to the hobby.
QSL
 Having
found some skip it's nice to get a quick chat with someone
from a different part of the globe. People are usually
interested in how strong and clear their signal is,
what setup you are using and what the weather's like
in your country. You are most likely to be asked if
you QSL. A QSL is a confirmation of the contact usually
in the form of a custom printed QSL card posted out
to them. QSL cards (such as the one on the left and
below) are about the size of a post card and can feature
anything from a picture of your pet rabbit to a map
of the world and anything in between. Don't worry if
you don't have any QSL cards as people will appreciate
a post card from your area with details of your contact.
You can also designand print your
own on the computer. Details to include on the card
are the date and time of the contact, channel or frequency,
how clear the audio was, how long it lasted and what
radio equipment was used. There are some beautiful QSL
cards out there and it doesn't take long before you
acquire
and nice selection from around the world. Before you
know it you are watching for the postman every day to
see if he has any more for you! Oh and don't forget
to include your return address if you want to receive
a card back again! If you make a good contact and say
you QSL then please do. If someone has gone to the trouble
of sending you a QSL then it is only fair to send one
back. Some people go to a lot of trouble with their
QSL packs so you can end up receiving souvenirs such
as a coin or calender from their country and much more
so always be respectful and send something back, even
if just a postcard.
|
