From the 9th May, tropo conditions improved down the sea path to the south, working GU75LIB on 144MHz but really came to life on 18th and concentrating on my favourite band of 70MHz worked 20 stations from SP, S5, DL, OM, HA, OK
Continuing again on 25th on 144MHz tropo worked EA8CXN, and the highlights of the next 8 pages of the logbook include mainly Es
29th was wide open all day long and through midnight EA6SX was still strong
70MHz EA8DBM (IL18), EA (north and south), CT, SP, 9H1CG (JM75), E76BV (JN83), SV2JAO (KN10), SV1QT (KM17) 4X1TI (KM71) Israel, possibly a first GD-4X ?, YO2IS (KN05),LZ2HM (KN12)
On 144mhZ worked five Italian stations in JN61, JN53 and HB9FVL (JN36)
On 30th, 70MHz, worked 5B60AIF (KM64) my first Cyprus on 4m
Since 1 Jan on a quick tally up I've wkd 25 countries and 51 squares on 70MHz, and 19 countries 49 squares on 144MHz
70MHz activity
144MHz activity
One which got away
2m at 19 countries + 49 squares
4m at 25 countries + 51 squares
(going to need a bigger map, to go with working D41CV on 2m on 28th December)
The MUF chart on DXMAPS during this time was very helpful to watch for openings on higher bands
As soon as the weather changed, so did the propagation and everything disappeared again, with a few stations worked on 4m on 13th, 14th, 16th and 17th June, with an unsuccessful attempt to contact A92HK on 18th June (Fabien's QRZ page says he suffers a high noise level at home)
It certainly wasn't just a fleeting FT8 decode, he was a good (normally) workable signal for 10 - 15 minutes before fading out, and an incredible distance, it is great to have so many countries now permitted to use the 4 metre band.
(well, you have to have something new to look forward to !)