D41CV on Cape Verde Islands and FG8OJ in Guadeloupe spanned the Atlantic Ocean on 2 meters for the first time on June 16, according to reports. The distance was 3,867 kilometers (2,397.5 miles). The historic contact was made on 144.174 MHz using FT8 mode.

“The mode of propagation was most likely marine ducting, with the signal traveling in a layer near the ocean surface,” said John Desmond, EI7GL, who was among those posting information on the contact. Mark De Munck, EA8FF, was at the helm of D41CV, the Monteverde Contest Team club station, off the coast of Africa. He used the beacon antenna at the station, as the so-called “Pinocchio Yagi” was down for repair. Bert Demarcq, FG8OJ, was on the other end of the contact.

D41CV later worked FG4ST, who is slightly farther away at 3,911 kilometers (2,525 miles) distant, with the station in Guadeloupe running just 50 W into a basic vertical.

“Now that this historic contact has been made, more 144 MHz contacts across this part of the Atlantic are sure to follow,” Desmond said.

The initial contact does not qualify for the Brendan Trophies and Brendan Shields awards, because they require a valid contact to be made between Europe and the Americas on 2 meters. The distance covered, however, was greater than the distance between Ireland and Newfoundland.

“We continue to write a part of the history and to push barriers further away,” a post on the D4C VHF & Up Facebook page said.

Propagation prediction maps show a path right across the Atlantic and suggest that more contacts may be possible. — Thanks to Sid Caesar, NH7C, and others