5 Jul 2021

6m FT8 humming

Quite a few stations are calling the Far East on 6m, suggesting there is propagation from Western Europe to the Far East on 6m. This regularly happens at this time of year. 

It seems linked to noctilucent clouds that form about now, although I am not clear about the mechanism. It looks like E layer propagation, although I think multi-hop Es idea is wrong in my view! There would have to be so many hops and this makes this so improbable. It would not surprise me if we discovered some new E layer mechanism in the next few years. 

There are quite a few incorrect myths about. Never believe all you are told!! Look at facts and make up your own mind.

UPDATE 0908z: 149 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX including 2 in South Korea and 1 in Japan, JA6SBW (9053km) being the furthermost. Although better equipped stations have been spotting and working the Far East, this is the first time I have spotted Japan on 6m since 2017. This is my first time I have spotted Japan on 6m FT8. I think my V2000 vertical omni needs signals to be strong to copy them although at -15dB S/N this station was quite strong here. On TX (2.5W) 37 spots, but no spots from the Far East unsurprisingly!

UPDATE 1112z:  50 spots of my 6m FT8 (2.5W) so far today.

UPDATE 1305z:  92 spots of me so far today on TX. 247 spots on RX plus several QSOs.

UPDATE 1644z:  133 stations have spotted me so far today on TX.  330 stations spotted on 6m FT8 RX today.

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