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Author Topic: # 6 Meter's Band Conditions...  (Read 3627 times)

KC0OHP

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# 6 Meter's Band Conditions...
« on: May 24, 2003, 02:44:24 PM »

   During the year, what month's are consider'ed to be
the best month's of the year for 6 meter's conditions?

   Local and dx'ing etc??  And if so what is the main propagation conditions is this on 6 meter's??

   Any information greatly appreciated...Still new at
Ham Radio.  Learning more about it everday.

    73, de Dwight ;-)))
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KC8AXJ

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# 6 Meter's Band Conditions...
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2003, 12:56:09 AM »

We are getting real close :

http://www.sdc.org/~finley/sixmeter.html

Have fun !
Steve
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WB2WIK

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# 6 Meter's Band Conditions...
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2003, 12:36:47 PM »

Sporadic-E peaks twice annually, in June and December, with the June peak normally more obvious and providing better and more frequent propagation in the northern hemisphere.  Now that it's past mid-May, six meters is opening daily for Sporadic-E in many parts of North America, so if you listen carefully, there's a chance to work "skip" on six meters at least every week, if not every day.  One problem is, the E propagation is indeed sporadic, and it's nearly impossible to predict -- and it sometimes occurs when nobody's around to take advantage of it.

We are now well past the peak of solar cycle 23, and the likelihood of much F-layer (worldwide) propagation on six meters is very slim.  The most pronounced peak of the solar cycle for six meters occurred 1-1/2 years ago, in November 2001, when the band was open world wide for nearly 48 hours.  I wouldn't expect that to occur again any time soon...maybe near the peak of cycle 24, which should happen in November 2009 or 2010.

Six is a very cool band, though, and long-distance propagation occurs by many mechanisms, not just F or E-layer skip.  Six meters can provide very useful meteor scatter, aurora, TE (trans-equatorial) and all sorts of stuff enjoyed mostly by well-equipped stations using SSB or CW (or HSCW).  A typical six meter station using 150W PEP output (SSB) and a 6 or 7 element beam at 40' above ground can usually work "DX" at least a few times each season by simply using the band.

WB2WIK/6

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