[50mhz] [PNWVHFS] Update Cycle 24

[Lance Collister]

Howdy Bill,

Yes, I am sure you will be able to get in on some openings in the next cycle.  It 
seems that the stations along the southern USA did work quite a lot of DX in the 
last cycle - seems you are ideally situated within range of the "TEP Zone" to take 
advantage of even marginal solar flux.  A number of the stations with leading DXCC 
totals on 6m live in noisy urban locations, so it would appear that F2 is strong 
enough - if you are ideally located - so local noise is much less of a problem 
than on a weak signal mode such as EME.

We stations at more northern geomagnetic latitudes have to hold out for summer Es 
or use EME.  Fortunately, my QTH is quiet enough so things are usually pretty 
quiet once I get the antenna elevated above about 10 degrees.  Of course I am 
going to miss working F2, but I have to say that I am having a ball on EME.  On 
the average, I have worked a new DXCC every month for the last several years, and 
I am thrilled to see more and more DX stations getting larger antennas and power 
;-)  Of course, having all these new EME stations on the air around the world 
should make it quiet exciting for stations like yours when F2 comes in for you.

GL and VY 73, Lance


On 11/22/2010 12:23 AM, Bill VanAlstyne W5WVO wrote:
> Lance, I've read the same sad predictions you have, and I expect you are probably
> right, unfortunately. I suspect that 6 meters is destined to be a sporadic-E and
> meteor-scatter band (and for a few like you, an EME band) for most hams for a LONG
> time -- longer than most of us will live. And that means that unless you reside in
> New England or Florida, 6-meter DX is going to mean a really QUIET QTH, HIGH
> power, and BIG antennas (and with elevation, if you include EME in the mix).
>
> EME-wise, from my horizon-only 6-meter station, I've managed all of three 6-meter
> EME QSOs with two super-stations in EU. The likelihood of my being able to put up
> any kind of elevation-controlled yagi array for this band is nil due to space and
> cost limitations. Which means that I'm stuck with a virtually prohibitive EME
> noise floor, the limiting factor in 6m EME work in the absence of elevation
> capability.
>
> Since I'm quite a bit further south than you are, though, I'm still hoping against
> hope that I'll experience at least a few F2 openings in a couple or three more
> years. Since I didn't start on 6 meters until 2003, I've never made an F2 QSO on 6
> meters; all 568 of my grids (mostly K/VE/XE) are Es and m/s. My DXCC total on 6
> meters is a staggering 30 entities, almost all in the western hemisphere. LOL
> Working 6m DXCC is going to be a real challenge for me -- maybe even more of a
> challenge than FFMA, where I'm gradually sneaking up into the top half of the
> leader board with 466 confirmed out of 488.
>
> Bill W5WVO
>
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Lance Collister
> Sent: Sunday, November 21, 2010 22:45
> To: bernhardt9025 at comcast.net
> Cc: 50 MHZ Mailing List ; pnwvhfs at googlegroups.com
> Subject: Re: [50mhz] [PNWVHFS] Update Cycle 24
>
> Howdy Dave,
>
> Yes, that is probably why so many more 6m stations outside the TEP zone are
> gearing up for EME these days ;-) Last year, I only worked 26 different stations
> from E51SIX. However, this year, with essentially the same setup, I worked 52
> stations on 6m EME from 3D2LR!
>
> I know up here in Montana, in the last solar cycle peak, I needed to have AVERAGE
> solar flux over 200 before anything would happen up here...and there were precious
> few times when the flux was that high. The more reputable forecasts for the next
> solar cycle peak suggest that the flux will be considerably lower for the next
> cycles, so I am not holding my breath ever working any F2 again from Montana on
> 6m. However, I am having the MOST FUN EVER, working a new DXCC every month on 6m
> EME ;-) When it rains lemons, make lemonade ;-)
>
> GL and VY 73, Lance
>
> On 11/21/2010 5:45 AM, Dave B. wrote:
>> The historical data site I have been using for solar flux moved and I found it
>> again today.
>>
>> Anyway, just for comparative purposes I checked previous Cycles for the monthly
>> 90-day mean solar flux values. We are now 2 years and 3 months from the solar flux
>> minimum. OK, for purists, it is a little different from sunspot minimum. As we go
>> down memory lane . . . . .
>>
>> 1956- 200
>> 1966- 108
>> 1978- 158
>> 1988- 152
>> 1999- 142
>> Finally, the 90-day mean value for October is a whooping 81.7! EME anyone?
>>
>> FYI de Dave
>>
>> Dave Bernhardt, N7DB
>> Boring, OR CN85uj
>>
>
>


-- 
Lance Collister, W7GJ (ex: WN3GPL, WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8, E51SIX, 
3D2LR)
P.O. Box 73
Frenchtown, MT  59834  USA
QTH: DN27UB
TEL: (406) 626-5728   URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj
LIVE MESSENGER CHAT: w7gj at hotmail.com
2m DXCC #11, 6m DXCC #815

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