New 40 MHz propagation beacon now operational from the West of Ireland

A new 8-metre propagation beacon with the callsign EI1CAH is now operational from the west of Ireland, and it transmits on a frequency of 40.016MHz. The new beacon will transmit in both CW and PI4 modes with an output power of 25-watts into a horizontal dipole. This new 40 MHz beacon is designed to explore the possibility of VHF paths across the Atlantic as it is situated roughly halfway between the 10m and 6m bands. It is hoped that the beacon will prove to be a handy propagation indicator for any serious 50 MHz stations in North America looking for any impending openings to Europe. It is expected that the beacon can be heard in North America, the Caribbean and South America during the Sporadic-E season going from May to July every year and around the time of the peak of the upcoming sunspot cycle when the MUF goes well above 30 MHz.