On 14 Aug 2009 at 3:05, Roland Zurmely wrote:

Here is an audio recording from QSO with Andre ZS2BK, distance = 6890 km !   http://www.qsl.net/py4zbz/satelite/ZS2BK_AO7.wav   Only 2 element Yagi on VHF and 6 el on UHF:   http://www.qsl.net/py4zbz/satelite.htm#owa6   73 de Roland PY4ZBZ

As the earth circumference shrink towards the poles the same satellite footprint will cover more distance. This does not diminish this quite impressive edge QSO. I was also making one of FO-29 with Domenico I8CVS last year and it was below 5 degree. Some have reported having hard time with DX QSO'S due to their location on the planet i think the south pacific Australia and New Zeland region is the less favourable spot as they are surrounded by oceans and the south pole.

Could be i'm wrong here if you know the worse place to be on earth for an amateur satellite operator just mention it? (Poles excluded)

P.S. For those who come after AO-40 this was one of the explanations why an HEO is the ultimate goal for an amateur satellite operator. As P3E is one of our last card to play for an HEO it will be also the last chance for a lot of us who will probably not be able to see it happen in their life time. As i ever said aging is a sickness and when your weekly pills bills became higher than your supermarket food bill this will tell you that you are old.:( "-"

Luc Leblanc VE2DWE Skype VE2DWE www.qsl.net/ve2dwe WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE