The ZS1I - 6 Meter Magic Band Project in the Southern Cape Area of South Africa. (Part 1)

 

Images:  Southern Cape Area, South Africa (Grid - KF15BT)  (Click on images for larger view.)

I have decided to embark on a 6 Meter Magic Band Project which started in September 2025.  Through the years many of the older radio amateurs living in the Southern Cape Area of South Africa would "discourage" younger radio amateurs to operate on 6 Meters in the area.  One of the reason being "we are to far away from the equator and we are located  to far south" away from the majority of 6 meter operators.  Is this true?  I do not believe this "hogwash" for one minute.  Today we have all the tools,  equipment and software available to create activity on the magic band even from the Southern Cape Area of South Africa.

Interested to join the fun using the 6 Meter Magic Band?  Wait no further.  Let's find out what the "Magic" of 6 Meters is.  I will not go into detail here but will provide a short / cryptic overview instead.  It does not take much to operate on the 6 meter band - your existing HF+6 meter radio and a simple antenna, even a dipole will work.  The Magic Band or six meters is from 50 - 54 Mhz.  It is located midway between the HF Bands, ending with 30 Mhz and the higher VHF Bands starting with 144 Mhz.  In this position it provides virtually all forms of propagation familiar to HF and VHF operators, along with a few that are much more prevalent at six meters.  Modes of operation entail CW, SSB, and WSJT-X but also FM Simplex, Beacons and FM Repeaters.

The Six Meter Band offers a great deal.  That includes white noise during the tragic times but also some exceptional operating conditions during the magic times.

Before I tell you about my 6 Meter Magic Band Project one need to provide an intro to what the magic band involves.

Image VK3FS  (Click on image for larger view.)

A "6 meter magic band project" for amateur radio involves building or using equipment (radios, antennas) to exploit the unique, unpredictable long-distance propagation (Sporadic-E, F2 skip, Aurora) on the 50-54 MHz frequency, offering both short-range VHF and surprise HF-like DX (long-distance) contacts, often using simple DIY antennas like halo loops or Moxons for great results and rewarding challenges. Projects focus on maximizing these propagation modes, especially during peak seasons like summer (Sporadic-E) and solar maximums (F2). 

What Makes it "Magic"?

• Diverse Propagation: It exhibits nearly every known radio propagation mode: Sporadic-E, F2-layer skip, Aurora, Meteor Scatter, and Troposcatter, says Icom America and Ham Radio Secrets.
• Sporadic-E (Es): Dense patches of ionization allow contacts from hundreds to thousands of miles, peaking in May-July and December.
• F2-Layer (Solar Cycle): During high solar activity, the ionosphere reflects signals globally, similar to HF bands, say ve3ips.wordpress.com and Fleetwood Digital.
• Trans-Equatorial Propagation (TEP): Exciting long-distance paths near the equator in March/April and September/October, according to ve3ips.wordpress.com and Fleetwood Digital. 

Project Ideas & Components

1. Radio: A transceiver with 6m capability (like an Icom IC-756 or IC-705), even a simple one, is needed.
2. Antennas:
   • DIY: Simple wire antennas like a Hula Hoop Halo, Moxon, or simple dipoles work surprisingly well, notes PA9X and the Nashua Area Radio Society.
   • Commercial: Verticals (like the Diamond V-2000) are popular, says Ham Radio DX.
3. Techniques:
   • Listen: Leave your radio on 50.125 MHz or scan for openings.
   • Explore Modes: Use SSB (voice), CW (Morse code), or digital modes like JT65 for DX, as mentioned in the QRZ Forums.
    

Now that we know more about the 6 Meter band it is time to provide a few frequencies that will be used and monitored from Mossel Bay  KF15BT, South Africa. 

Let’s have some fun on the 6 Meter Amateur Radio “Magic” Band in South Africa and Abroad

 

6 (Six) Meter Amateur Radio Frequencies

50.125 Mhz SSB Calling

50.100 Mhz CW

50.100 Mhz to 50.125 Mhz DX Window

50.313 Mhz WSJT-X FT8

50.323 Mhz FT8 to Europe

50.318 Mhz FT4

50.260 Mhz MSK144 Meteor Scatter

50.275 Mhz Q65 in 30A Mode

50.000 to 50.080 Beacons

50.293 Mhz WSPR Beacons

 

6 (Six) Meter Amateur Radio Beacons – Africa – Nearby Islands

1. South Africa, Western Cape ZS1SIX Bellville 6m Beacon 50.080 Mhz 25khz JF96HB

2. South Africa, Wolkberg ARC ZS6TWB Wolksberg 6m Beacon 50.044 Mhz 12.5 khz

3. South Africa, PEARS ZS2SIX P.E. 6m Beacon 50.005 MHz UPE Building

4. South Africa, ZSLINK ZS1I Mossel Bay 6m WSPR Beacon 50.293 Mhz KF15BT

5. South Africa, Centurion ZS6DN Doornkloof 6m Beacon 50.050 Mhz KG44DC

6. South Africa, Krugersdorp ZS6JON Paardekraal 6m Beacon 50.051 Mhz KG33VV

7. Namibia V51VHF Windhoek 6m Beacon 50.018 Mhz JG87MI

8. Malawi 7Q7SIX Malawi 6m Beacon 50.003 Mhz KH75FX

9. Réunion Island (Indian Ocean) FR5SIX 6m Beacon 50.022 Mhz LG78RQ

10. Ascension Island ZD8VHF (Atlantic Ocean) 6m Beacon 50.032 Mhz II22TB

11. Gabon TR0A Radioclub AGRA 6m Beacon 50.048 Mhz JJ40QL

12. Zimbabwe Z21SIX ZARS Harare 6m Beacon 50.052 Mhz KH52ND

13. St Helena Island ZD7VC (Atlantic Ocean) 6m Beacon 50.007 Mhz IH74D

 

Antarctic 6-meter (50 MHz) beacons

These amateur radio propagation beacons are used by scientists and amateur radio operators to study radio wave propagation, particularly the rare F2 layer openings that allow long-distance communication with the continent. 

Several research stations operate, or have historically operated, 6m beacons: 

• LU1ZV (Esperanza Base, Argentina): A multimode 50 MHz beacon that operates continuously.

• DP0GVN (Neumayer III Station, Germany): This station has new hardware for a permanent WSPR (Weak Signal Propagation Reporter) beacon system covering 160m through 6m, which was planned for commissioning in early 2025. The call sign for the operator there is DP0GVN.

• VK0RTM, AX0GR, VK0GR, VK0MA (Various Australian Bases): Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition (ANARE) bases have historically run beacons, including VK0RTM on 50.300 MHz and others at Casey and Mawson stations.

Purpose and Operation

These beacons transmit continuous or periodic signals on the 6-meter amateur radio band (around 50-54 MHz), typically using Morse code (CW) or digital modes like WSPR. The signals are monitored by amateur radio operators worldwide to: 

• Study Propagation: Beacons provide stable reference signals to indicate when atmospheric conditions (like the ionospheric F2 layer) are suitable for communication over vast distances, including to Antarctica.

• Scientific Research: The German project, for example, is a science project that uses a "swarm-source of data" from ham radio operators around the world to gather information on propagation over a full 11-year solar cycle.

Monitoring and Frequencies

Amateur radio operators often monitor frequencies between 50.025 and 50.080 MHz (in some regions) or dedicated segments for WSPR and other digital modes to hear these signals. Specific frequencies can be found on amateur radio beacon lists like those provided by the Wireless Institute of Australia or the UKSMG. The Reverse Beacon Network is another resource where automated receiving stations log beacon reports. 

Image:  Ultimate 3 WSPR Beacon

On to the project itself.  What will it entail?

As indicated the project was started in November 2025.  It will be undertaken in several stages/phases. 

• Constructing of the Ultimate S3  Six Meter WSPR Beacon. (Currently active on 40 meters WSPR.)
• Constructing the 6m SummerLoop II Magnetic Loop Antenna to monitor the WSPR Beacon (Constructed, pedestrian mobile ready.)
  
• Constructing the 6m Moxon Antenna for the WSPR Beacon (Constructed, need to be installed on the mast.)
  
• Constructing the 6m Halve-Wave Flower Pot Antenna (Constructed, monitor 6 meter band for openings.  Need to be installed on a separate mast.)
• Incorporate a Yaesu FT-690R Radio and Amplifier into the project (Await the arrival of the radio and amplifier as send by Fred ZS5SAM. More on this equipment in a future posting.)

Images of the above projects:  (Click on images for larger view.)

End of Part 1.  In Part 2 we will be looking in more detail at the aim of the project.  The aim of a project is its overall, overarching goal or purpose—what it ultimately intends to achieve, providing direction and a shared vision for success, while specific, measurable actions to reach that aim are called objectives (which should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). It's the "why" and the big picture, guiding decisions and defining the final unique product, service, or outcome.

To ensure you "do not miss out on the project"  visit this Blog regularly!!

Staying Connected on AllStarLink Version 3 - Keep your nodes connected after Internet Failure/Dip or Power Outage!

I recently decided that it is time to re-locate the DMR AllStar ASL3 Node Bridge to my Fiber Internet Subscriber as I needed the LTE Internet Router for the DMR Repeater. I experienced a few hick-ups after relocating the DMR Bridge to the Fiber Internet Router/Modem.  I was able to fix the hick-ups but would experience connectivity dropouts from time to time.  This would result in the DMR Bridge connection being disconnecting from the 49355 Hub Node.  When the connection returns the DMR Bridge would not reconnect and I had to manually make the connection.to the Hub Network.  This was really frustrating as I do not monitor the setup every few minutes.

Well thanks to Freddie KD5FMU (Ham Radio Crusader) I was able to fix this annoying issue in a few minutes.  All credit goes to Freddie who published a video and script file to keep nodes connected.

The ASL3 script file will check for a specific node connection and it it is not present (connected) the server will re-connect to it. 

(Click on image for larger view.)

The YouTube video is available HERE

Information on the ASL3 script file is available HERE

I made the necessary changes and this solve the issue that I experienced.  

Feedback: WSPR Beacon to monitor propagation conditions from the Southern Cape (Part 3)

In Part 1 - HERE and Part 2 - HERE we looked at:

Why would one setup a WSPR Beacon in the Southern Cape?  

Particulars of the ZS1I Ultimate 3S Beacon.

Construction of the Southern Cape Beacon.

First station to spot the ZS1I WSPR Beacon on 40 Meters.

Reception of the ZS5SAM WSPR Beacon on an SDR and Antenna inside the Shack and other spotting stations that received the ZS1I WSPR Beacon on 40 Meters.

In Part 3 I will be looking at two Antarctic Research (WSPR) Stations that spotted the ZS1I 40 M WSPR Beacon recently.  One fixed station and one a maritime mobile station.

Station 1:   DP0GVN Antarctica

Neumayer Station III
Ekstroem Ice Shelf
Atka Bay, Dronning Maud Land
Antarctica

Station 2:  DP0POL Antarctica

Research Vessel "Polarstern"
Home Port: Bremerhaven
Germany

Both the above stations spotted the ZS1I WSPR Beacon on 40 Meters on the 14 December 2025.  See image below.

DPØGVN is a club station located at the German Antarctic Research Station "Neumayer III" in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. Find more on this outpost of global research at https://www.awi.de/en/expedition/stations/neumayer-station-iii.html. 

WSPR Beacon

• Station Info

The setup consists of a receiver and a transmitter which independently of each other operate in the WSPR segments of the amateur radio HF bands.

• Receiver

The receiver is located at the "SpuSo" which is the station's air chemistry laboratory. SpuSo's main purpose is to collect continuous, year-round and long-term data records for important gaseous and particulate trace components of the troposphere. This observatory is located about 1.5 km south of the main station where it finds an outstandingly clean air environment.

This is a perfect place for a receiver setup because the RF environment, too, is amazingly  QRM-free with a noise floor well 20, 30 or even more dB below of what we are used to in urban areas.

The receiver is a SDR built around three Red Pitaya (StemLAB 125-14 with 50 dB preamplifier). They permanently observe all eleven WSPR band segments between 160m and 6m and upload the spots to wsprnet.org. A BananaPi and a RaspberryPi single board computer take care of control tasks.

The antenna setup consists of two two triangle-shaped horizontal loop antennas with 1:4 baluns. The lower bands are received by an antenna with a circumference of 171 meters, the upper bands use a shorter loop of 61 meters.

The antennas are mounted on short masts about one to two meters above the ice shelf. This is not "above ground" as the ice shelf is almost invisible to HF. You even can use antennas lying flat on the ice to do HF QSOs! The real ground is about 200 meters below as this is the average thickness of the ice shelf in this area. Every year precipitation adds about one meter of snow and ice. Therefore the antennas have to be reestablished regularly to not risk having them covered by snow.

• Transmitter

The transmitter is located at the main station and is based on the TX design of the Charly-25 SDR project. Ats it heart is another Red Pitaya StemLAB 125-14 which feeds a rock-solid PA designed to emit up to 20 watts RF. The Red Pitaya runs Pavel Demin’s WSPR transceiver software. A PC Engines APU2 single board computer is in charge of control and monitoring tasks. RF output, SWR and system temperature are constantly monitored.

The antenna is an approx. 20 meter long wire installed on the southern part of the station’s roof. The wire runs in North-South direction and is matched by a 1:9 Unun-type RF transformer. While not being a high-performance antenna it is well suited for the task because it is broad band and believed to be able to stand the stress caused by the extreme Antarctic whether conditions.

The transmitter transmits on all WSPR segments between 160m and 6m on a round-robin schedule. One complete cycle takes 30 minutes. The bands between 40 and 17 meters are served twice per cycle because these offer the best chances for the signal to be heard. So these four bands are visited four times per hour, the other bands twice per hour. The RF output is 5 watts on all bands.

Update June 2020: On 2020-06-04 something in the RF transformer feeding the long wite antenna broke causing the antenna to be unusable. Therefore we are currently transmitting with the 5.5m vertical antenna which was already in use for the project before 2020. This antenna offers a less favorable radiation pattern when compared to the long wire, so expect somewhat degraded reception opportunities. Maintenance work at the antenna can only take place during Anarctic summer so that the repair will not be executed before January 2021.

• The Project

This setup is a long-term project realized by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Hochschule Bremen City University of Applied Sciences (HSB) in cooperation with the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI) and the German Amateur Radio Club (DARC). AWI operates the Neumayer Station III and provides logistics. DARC builds and maintains the receiver and transmitter setup.

The project is meant to run several years to gain long-term data on radio propagation and spectrum pollution in a very specific HF environment as the station is located within the southern auroral oval. The setup will see changes in the future -- we will keep you updated here. As the station is inaccessible from the outside world for about eight months during south polar winter modifications will usually happen during the Antarctic summer season between November and February.

DP0POL is only operated from the vessel when it is en route in international waters, so the call sign always is DP0POL/mm.  You can follow the ship's research activities in our Polarstern Web App. For the ship's current position, please check the SEAICE portal.

I made two adjustment on the ZS1I Beacon and it is now running flawlessly.  Before I had to "reboot" the beacon every second day. Since the setup adjustments I just left the beacon and it operated continually.

In Part 4 we will be looking at changing the band and frequency as what the beacon was intended for.  More on this in Part 4.

Images:  (Click on the images for larger view.)

Suid Kaap Netwerk Groep Aktiwiteite: Sluiting van die 06h00 Dagbreek Span Net tydens die Vakansie Seisoen

Foto:  Sonsopkoms by Die Punt op Mosselbaai  (Klik op foto om te vergroot.)

KENNISGEWING:  Die Dagbreek Span Net wat weeksdae  om 06h00 in die oggende op die Aasvoelkop Herhaler en ZS-Link Hub plaasvind se laaste bymekaarkoms vir die jaar, sal op 12 Desember 2025 plaasvind.  Die net-kontroleerder en storie verteller gaan so 'n blaaskansie neem tydens die vakansie seisoen.  Die Dagbreek Span Net sal weer op die 12 Januarie 2026 in aanvang neem.  Radio amateurs kan nogsteeds om 06h00 weeksdae informeel gesels. Daar word vertrou dat die net-kontroleerder en storie verteller die rustyd sal geniet. 

LET WEL:  Die Ontbytsake Span Net, Sonsak Span Net en Aand Span Net gaan egter steeds voort op weeksdae onderskeidelik 06h30, 16h30 en 18h30 SAST op die Aasvoelkop en Stilbaai Herhalers.   Meer besonderhede oor die frekwensies en netwerk nodes word op die lug aangekondig maar is ook beskibaar op die ZS-LINK Blog.  Klik HIER vir meer besonderhede.

Radio Amateurs wat in die Suid Kaap vakansie hou is welkom om in te skakel en saam te gesels.

Image:  Sunrise Still Bay  (Click on image for larger view.)

Southern Cape Network Group Aktivities:  Closing of the 06h00 "Dagbreek Span" Net during the Holiday Season

NOTICE: The "Dagbreek Span" Net, which takes place on weekdays at 06h00 in the mornings on the "Aasvoelkop" Repeater and ZS-Link Hub, will have its last meeting for the year on 12 December 2025. The net controller and storyteller will take a break during the Holiday Season. The "Dagbreek Span Net" will resume on 12 January 2026. Radio amateurs can still chat informally at 06h00 during weekdays. It is hoped that the net controller and storyteller will enjoy the break. 

NOTE: The "Ontbytsake Span" Net, "Sonsak Span" and Aand Span Net will however continue on weekdays at 06h30,16h30 and 18h30 SAST respectively on the "Aasvoelkop" and Still Bay Repeaters. . More details about the frequencies and network nodes will be announced on air but are also available on the ZS-LINK Blog. Click HERE for more details.

Radio Amateurs holidaying in the Southern Cape are welcome to tune in and chat.

APRS Activity increasing in the Southern Cape, South Africa

Above Image:  OSCAR 44 (also called Navy-OSCAR 44, PCSat-1, Prototype Communications SATellite and NO-44) is an American amateur radio satellite for packet radio. It was built by Bob Bruninga at the U.S. Naval Academy.

What is APRS?  No APRS is not new in amateur radio.  APRS was developed in the late 1980s by Bob Bruninga, call sign WB4APR, a senior research engineer at the United States Naval Academy.

 

APRS, or Automatic Packet Reporting System, is an amateur radio-based system for real-time digital communication of information like GPS coordinates, weather data, and text messages. It transmits data packets over radio frequencies, allowing users to display real-time information, such as object locations on a map, and is widely used for emergency communications and asset tracking. 

How it works

• APRS uses packet radio technology to send digital information over specific frequencies.

• A GPS receiver is often combined with a radio modem to automatically transmit a station's location, a process known as tracking.

• Data packets can include callsign, GPS coordinates, altitude, weather telemetry, status messages, and short text messages.

• Other users can receive these packets and display the information, typically on a map, allowing for shared situational awareness.

• Information can also be relayed through the internet via APRS-IS (Internet System) gateways, enabling global access to local data.

What it's used for

• Emergency Communications: Quickly sharing tactical information, such as weather alerts or the location of emergency personnel, during a disaster.

• Tracking: Monitoring the real-time movement of vehicles, such as in a rally or search and rescue operation.

• Asset Tracking: Locating mobile stations or other assets on a map.

• Information Exchange: Sending short messages, announcements, or weather station data to other operators.

Above is just a short explanation in a nutshell what APRS entails.  Many radio amateurs think APRS is all about tracking vehicles and objects.   APRS is far more that watching objects on a map.

Want to know more about APRS and it's History.  Click HERE

APRS Activity increasing in the Southern Cape, South Africa

APRS is not new in the Southern Cape / Garden Route Area.  I will in a future article provide more information on the history of APRS in this area and what roll it played during "Exercise Double Barrel."

There is definitely an increase and renewed interest in APRS in the Southern Cape.

Herewith a list of all the ZS1 APRS stations as displayed by aprs.fi.  Click HERE

Stations active on 2 December 2025 at 15h00 SAST:

Click on images for larger view.

Further reading:

How to configure APRS Reporting in South Africa

How to configure a radio for APRS location and data reporting in South Africa