Grey Line Prop.

[KF5SQB]

This, from a senior, 'newbie..........Please will someone (simply) explain the basics of grey line prop?

I'm interested in 'more' contacts with Pacific stations beyond Hawaii and my radio and antenna ARE NOT a

negative factor. I've looked at several of the world map layouts but I'm not sure as to the effectiveness

of the 'edge of the grey line' and its proximity to a Pacific station location. Thanks, in advance.

[W1JKA]

Basic explanation: Google or Bing "Working the gray line QSl net" by Paul Harden NA5N.

[AA6YQ]

The gray line is a band around the Earth that separates daylight from darkness. HF Propagation along the gray line is very efficient because the D layer, which absorbs HF signals, disappears rapidly on the sunset side of the grey line, and it has not yet built up on the sunrise side.

Thus during twilight conditions (before sunrise, after sunset) at your QTH , HF propagation will be enhanced to all other locations in twilight. Because the earth is tilted on its axis, the set of locations with which you share twilight conditions changes slowly from day-to-day. This can be visualized via a world map that displays the location of the solar terminator on specified dates and times. These maps show the the location of the solar terminator at my QTH in FN42 at dawn today, and at dawn 3 months from today:

[NO2A]

This, from a senior, 'newbie..........Please will someone (simply) explain the basics of grey line prop?

I'm interested in 'more' contacts with Pacific stations beyond Hawaii and my radio and antenna ARE NOT a

negative factor. I've looked at several of the world map layouts but I'm not sure as to the effectiveness

of the 'edge of the grey line' and its proximity to a Pacific station location. Thanks, in advance.

One of the best bands for gray line is 17m. Today (1/24) I got on at around 2300 UTC,and worked a JG1 and UA0. If you have 17m capability,try this band as conditions can be incredible. Especially to the Pacific.

[KF5SQB]

Thanx, We may talk again. UTC and GMT the SAME???

[AA6YQ]

Thanx, We may talk again. UTC and GMT the SAME???

Yes.

[WB2WIK]

This, from a senior, 'newbie..........Please will someone (simply) explain the basics of grey line prop?

I'm interested in 'more' contacts with Pacific stations beyond Hawaii and my radio and antenna ARE NOT a

negative factor. I've looked at several of the world map layouts but I'm not sure as to the effectiveness

of the 'edge of the grey line' and its proximity to a Pacific station location. Thanks, in advance.

If you're in Mississippi, I don't see how there would ever be grey line from there to Hawaii, or lots of other places.

The terminator would never fall there (look at AA6YQs post).

It's useful for working stations along the terminator and not thousands of miles away from it.

For example, from MS to India (VU) might be workable near sunrise by beaming about NNE, and then again near sunset by beaming SSE.