In recent times, I have not been on 8m much, even though I have a UK T&I permit to TX on the 8m band.
The main reason is I know what the band can do with Es. It is possible to span the European continent with just a few milliwatts of FT8 on 8m.
The 8m band, being between 10m and 6m, comes into its own when the F2 MUF just exceeds 47MHz.
With the sunspot count being good recently, it has exceeded 50MHz, especially on N-S paths. Activity on 6m is much higher, so getting spots is easier than on 8m currently.
As the F2 MUF goes down, I expect 8m will be more useful showing how the F2 MUF can reach 8m, but not 6m. I shall probably try again on 8m this autumn It would be great if more PTTs allowed amateur access.
I hope the FCC, OFCOM and the RSGB are listening!
Roger,
ReplyDeletePLease take into account that the difference between lowest and highest MUF is higher in the winter time. This autumn, especially if the solar flyux stays in the 200 region, the chance of 50MHz (maybe world wide) F2 is very high, especially from late October until early March. I am planning to keep a keen eye on 6m (and also monitor 8m) this autumn and next spring, especially as cycle 25 has exceeded even the most optimistic expectations.
Yes, keep an eye on 8m, but even more so on 6m. I wil, because I have not had much opportunity to work DX from my OZ QTH (I moved away to NL before we got the permits, and moved back about 10 years ago, when 6m F2 openings seemed all over, during the lowest solar maximum I can remember.
Vy 73 de Jan, OZ9QV