[CVCC] Fw: [PVRC] Propagation for WPX SSB

rsmorris rsmorris at nelsoncable.com
Thu Mar 22 18:03:58 EST 2007


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alfred Laun" <hs0zar at gmail.com>
To: <pvrc at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2007 6:58 PM
Subject: [PVRC] Propagation for WPX SSB


President Jim has asked me for a short propagation planner for this
weekend's WPX SSB Contest.

At this writing the A index is 73 and the K index has been running
around zero or 1.  Based on those numbers:

160 and 80 meters:  The warmer weather will probably cause an increase
the static levels over what they have been recently as thunderstorms
will undoubtedly be created in greater numbers.  Other than that,
conditions should be quite good on these bands.  Now that we have
officially begun Spring it is well to recall that the Sun rises
earlier in Eastern Europe, so it may pay to hit these bands earlier
than one is accustomed to.  Also I believe there is a custom that the
Caribbean DXpeditioners try to hit 160 on the hour both nights at 0400
and 0500 UTC, so that's the time to look for mults down that way,
especially Saturday night when the top layer of signals will already
have made the trip.

40 meters:  This band may be usable to Europe as early as 2000 UTC and
the strongest opening to Europe will be between 2130 and 2330 UTC, not
at European sunrise.  That's what happens when the solar flux is
really low.  Since you now get a point for working USA stations in
this contest it makes sense to try runs in the USA phone portions of
the bands rather than relying on split S&P.  About half the European
countries are now allowed to work SSB up to 7200, including Germany
and Great Britain, so while running USA stations, there may be
interleaving of the occasional European.  Around sunrise lots of VK's
hang around the portion of the band from 7150 to 7190 and now that
cooler breezes are blowing down under the lower QRN level is enticing
VK's to try 40 again as their long, hot, QRN-heavy summer season comes
to  a close.

20 meters:  With the current sunspot numbers this band will carry the
load and will be very crowded from 1130 UTC until sundown.  At the
beginning of the morning opening there is likely to be a good opening
to Southeast Asia up until about 1330 UTC so for those with beams it
pays to run with the beam a little closer to the Pole this time of
year until 1330.
Try 20 degrees instead of the usual 45 for the first couple of hours
in the morning.  Shortly before dark in the late afternoon there
should be a reasonable opening to Japan and East Asia.

15 meters:  There is not likely to be a good opening to all parts of
Europe though Spain, Italy, Slovenia and other areas on the shores of
the Mediterranean  will probably be workable in mid- and late-morning
.  What few African stations are on should come through well.  The
problem with Africa  from  here is not bad propagation but a lack of
hams.  It will be largely a Central American - Caribbean -- South
American band this weekend as far as
this contest is concerned.

10 meters:  Though  there may be some South Americans, there's no
guarantee that this
band will open at all.  There may be some short skip openings though
it's a bit early for the Sporadic ":E" season.  Since in the WPX
multipliers count only once regardless of band, it's not as important
to check 10 meters as it would be in most other contests.

Good luck!

73, Fred Laun, K3ZO
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