Why ain't it always like this? (Low band prop)

[WD4ELG]

Middle of the day (1:30 PM local), I can hear UZ2M on 40 CW coming in 579.  HG5C is 589.  Several other EU stations fairly strong as well. Never had that happen before.  Usually 40 is dead in the middle of the day for DX.  Running wires here in NC.  40 sounds more like 15 right now!  Maybe I just never listened enough in the fall/winter months, or the DX contest has brought the low bands to life.

160 was tough last night.  Signals were not very strong.  Had to repeat call several times, and never did get through to a lot of EU stations that should have been easy.

[W2LO]

 While the increased activity certainly helps, the primary cause is the long nights at this time of year that open up some paths that normally don't exist. There are often some pleasant DX surprises due to this phenomenon.

 Long path openings to Asia in North American afternoons produce very good signals and EU stations can be heard on 40 and 30 even in the late morning.

 Two or three years ago in the fall there was a VK9 on Christmas or Cocos Island coming through on 80 in the late afternoon that was well over S-9, the loudest that I had ever heard those islands. It's a special time indeed so keep looking!

[KY6R]

I remember working an OX station long after our sunrise on 80M. It during the first week of December 2007.

The best was working VU7LD on both 40M CW and 40M SSB, and FT5XO and TO4E on 40 and 30M each - all either just after sunrise or just before sunset in the middle of winter.

In fact, these are the reason why 40M has always been my favorite band. In the case of VU7LD, 40M was the only band I could work them on - and until recently, VU7 was very rare.

Not very often, but when it does open long in the middle of the day - 30M can be a ton of fun.

[K3STX]

I would not assume all the guys you hear are using legal limit stations. Not to single out the stations you named, but some guys use their Alpha amp as an EXCITER for their "real" amp!

But I agree it is fun.

Paul

[AD9DX]

The combination of the extra stations and the low atmospheric noise yesterday sure made the low bands fun yesterday. The only issue is that the pileups were as large as I had ever seen. 

[AF3Y]

Picked up 15 or so 80 meter bandfills, without really trying. Kinda like shooting fish in a barrel last nite. Some did have big pileups, but not impossible. I think I could have doubled that number if I had not wanted to go watch the Notre Dame - USC game. (Which I liked!  )

73, Gene AF3Y