It seems to me that the 8m experiment is drawing to a close.
With quite a high sunspot number, there have been F2 openings as high as 6m. 40 MHz is between 10m and 6m, so one would expect the F2 MUF to climb to 8m at times when it did not make it to 6m.
There are very few people active on 8m, whereas there are many on 6m, so short-lived 6m openings are more likely to be spotted, especially on FT8. During the Es season distances up to about 1500km can often be worked.
At the moment, I am inclined to pay for just one more year on 8m, but it needs more people in more countries. I still find it incomprehensible (and totally stupid) that radio amateurs are not allowed access to just 5 kHz, secondary only, narrow digital only, power limited, no interference, at 8m. It is as if OFCOM (and the RSGB) and the FCC are very "anti" an allocation at 8m. They are not just neutral!!
I have tried my best, but can do little more.
It needs more people to approach their administrations about a tiny 8m allocation.
Roger, conditions are very, very quiet at the moment, enough for 10 metres but not much higher. This Australian map is useful, you're looking for green/pink/grey colours
ReplyDeletefor 40 MHz prop.. Check it during the local daytime,any other colours
near the UK and forget about 40 MHz via F2 that day.
https://www.sws.bom.gov.au/HF_Systems/6/5
73's
Hugh