[Elecraft] 6 Meter Questions - OT

[Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy]

As has already been said there does not seem to be any correlation between a 
sloar cycle and the occurrence of sporadic E (Es) openings on 6m, certainly 
at temperate latitudes. But something worth watching for during years of 
high solar activity, especially around the time of an equinox, are those 
very interesting but quite rare (perhaps) long haul openings over paths 
which cross the geomagnetic equator. The propagation involved, putting aside 
any multihop Es, appears to be regular F layer, sometimes Transequatorial 
Propagation (TEP), between the southern and northern hemispheres and then Es 
for the remainder of the northern path. An example of this was the reception 
of the Cook Island 6m beacon ZK1AA during a double hop Es opening to 
California in October 1969 when I was living near Montreal P.Q. (VE2AIO).

Since 1956 I have found that Es openings on 6m do occur during any month of 
the year, but are certainly much more frequent during the 'summer and winter 
seasons'.

73,
Geoff
GM4ESD

Don Rasmussen wrote on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 12:21 AM

> Are there more sporadic E openings on 6 meters closer
> to the sunspot cycle maximum?
>
> How bad is a "poor" Summer for 6m CW & SSB, and on
> average how often does that happen as compared to a
> decent Summer of stateside DX on 6 meters?