Thanks Joel for confirming my thoughts.  I have never relied on them either. That’s a good story about the guy who believed in the charts!!  I think most people who are on this DX journey just learn the propagation patterns and don’t need a chart

One propagation tool I use is FT8 especially on 6 m.  As much as some people don’t like FT8 it is pretty handy when all the stations are on one frequency for determining propagation 

If it’s the middle of June, and you listen on  6 meter FT8 at 6:30 in the morning and can hear Europe – you know it’s gonna be a good day. 

EJ

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From: [email protected] <[email protected]> on behalf of [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2022 9:42:57 PM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [ADXA] Good contact on 3.5 for the J28MD Joel
 

EJ,

I don't use "propagation charts" and never have. I look at where the sun is and take in to consideration the A index but for the most part I pay no attention to propagation charts. Some folks live by them, though. For example, tonight there is darkness between J2 and W5 and there should simply be prop regardless of what a chart says. And right now the sun is about to rise in J2 (0300z) so their 80 meter signal should rise.

You may recall propagation charts were once published in QST back in the 80's. When I was an ARRL Director I made a push to dump those out of QST as I received more complaints about that being wasted space than anything else and so did ARRL HQ. So I made the push. There was a vice director from California at the time that called me every bad name in the English language for suggesting such. So I ask him if he never got on the air unless the prop charts suggested there might be propagation and he said yes that is correct. So I simply said "I guess that's why I have 200 more countries worked and confirmed than you do!" I don't need to tell you how bad that set him off !

Some folks use them, some don't. For me personally I have no use for them and prefer to invest my time studying antennas or reading real propagation material from K9LA and W3LPL !

Joel



On 2022-10-30 20:15, EJ Jones wrote:

 

"Here the propagation charts I use says NO conditions"

 

 

What are the group's thought on the accuracy of propagation charts?  J2 has been in here for hours with good signal. 

 

EJ 

 

Sent from Mail for Windows

 

From: Sandy Hutson
Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2022 7:38 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [ADXA] Good contact on 3.5 for the J28MD Joel

 

Congrats Joel on a super QSO on CW with the J28MD just a few minutes ago. Here the propagation charts I use says NO conditions at all to our local area, even if "super" antennas like you have.. Anyway, good catch.  Luckily I got Djibuti (the old FL8 French Somaliland it was when I was there) on 160-40m, so you know it was long ago when I have good antennas outside town here. HI

San YY

 

Sent from Mail for Windows

 

 


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