[Elecraft] 6M E-skip

[Jim Brown]

On 8/27/2020 12:26 PM, Rick Bates, NK7I wrote:
> Jim, I'd submit that not only is 160M more challenging on the left 
> coast, but 6M is worse since it tends to be N/S much of the time and 
> even the coastline leans left so not many stations are south. ;-P   6M 
> like 160, also 'spotlights' but in pinpoints.  I have managed DXCC on 
> 160M since the move, 6M is still a greater challenge (up to 6 so far, 
> it's a start).

NC6K has made some interesting posts concerning how 6M Sporadic-E 
propagation is related to upper level winds, which in turn is strongly 
related to topography. He's explained some events by studying upper 
atmosphere weather plots.

Most of my hamming from late April to early August is spent on 6M, in 
pursuit of new grids. Yes, Sporadic E (Es) can be very "spot-lighty," 
especially for double-hop openings, which is what it takes to reach 
beyond about 1800 miles, and even more so to hit Japan. For double-hop 
to happen, two Es hot spots must exist AND line up; it's quite common to 
make multiple QSOs into a single grid, then 10-20 minutes later in an 
adjacent grids as the spotlight moves. And, of course, to make those 
QSOs there must be stations there on the other end.

This season, there was a week-long expedition to a rare grid in the 
Northern Peninsula of MI; they were workable from NorCal for a few hours 
on two days. I managed to work one expedition to a grid a few hundred 
miles inland from the Gulf Coast that was there for several days, but 
missed one to another grid.

Es prop peaks around the summer solstice, and is pretty good for a month 
or so either side, falling off gradually. Year round, and for distances 
less than about 1200 miles, meteor scatter and ionospheric scatter are 
effective with good antennas, power, and persistence. I picked up about 
8 new grids this season with MS.

73, Jim K9YC