Mid winter Es

Don’t ask me why as I don’t know the answer, but there’s a small Es peak in the northern hemisphere around now so it is worth keeping an eye on 6m . I suppose this could link up with F2 propagation further south to result in some spectacular DX on 6m.

Openings to Eastern Europe?

It looks like there are openings to Eastern Europe on 10m and 6m from Western Europe. I am hoping there is some activity on 8m and that it spreads further west.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

Es or F2 or F2 backscatter?

Today, my QRP 6m FT8 has been widely copied in SE and central Europe. At the last count, 89 stations had spotted me. Now Es can occur at any time of year, but I wonder if these spots are related to F2 propagation?

I am definitely not a propagation expert, so would appreciate your thoughts.

The latest Es map suggests it is Es. See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

European Es

Outside the peak season, Es is less frequent. Take today for example: it looks like there is some Es mainly eastern Europe, but it is mainly on bands like 10m.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ ,

European Es

As the year progresses, we will move out of the Es season and, hopefully, see some F2 openings. Last autumn I was spotted in the Caribbean on most days on 8m despite using 2.5W FT8 to a low dipole. 

If things progress as we can expect, there will be fewer Es openings.  Es does not "drop off a cliff", but openings will become smaller and less frequent. There will still be good days, but these will be less often.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

European Es (or is it F2?) - Tuesday

It looks like 6m is open to Eastern Europe. Many (or all) of these reports are probably Es, although some could be F2.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ . 

European Es (Monday)

 

At the moment, most of the Es in Europe is in the direction of Scandinavia. Maybe later it will swing further towards central Europe and Spain?

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

Promising EU Es?

At the moment, things look promising with regard to European Es.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

Scandinavian Es puzzle

In the past I have mentioned a phenomenon that could be pure coincidence or some Es mechanism not understood. 

Later in the Es season I seem to get more northerly Es openings, particularly towards Scandinavia. There are still plenty of stations from other directions, but stations in Norway, Sweden, Scotland and Finland seem far more noticeable than earlier in the Es season. I have noticed this over several summers.

As I have said, this could be nothing, but I don't think so. 

"Theories on a postcard" please as they say!

European Es - promising?

After very good Es yesterday, things look quite promising today. Even though it is still early, there are quite a few spots even on the VHF bands like 4m.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ . 

UPDATE 1305z:  At the moment, Es in Europe looks at least as good as yesterday. See map.

European Es (Sunday)

 Es activity in Europe is holding up, at least on FT8. 

Opinions vary over the length of the Es "season" in Europe, but certainly May, June and July can be good. Others think the season goes on to September. 

In my experience it peaks in the late spring and early summer. Indeed, Es will be there at all times of year, but the intensity and frequency go down. 

I suspect FT8 and FT4 will show that 10m, 6m and 4m are open on Es paths far more often than we think. It is for this reason that I hope people will stick with FT8/4  on these bands. We have so much to learn.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

European Es (Wednesday)

The European Es season is drawing to a close until next spring, although there is a far smaller peak around New Year. I do not know why this happens. This is another Es puzzle (to me at least). 

There have been some (probable) Es openings today, although we can expect fewer Es openings than earlier in the spring/summer. As I have mentioned before Es can occur at any time.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

European Es

At about 0900z, there is some Es in Europe confined to the central area in the main.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ . 

European Es - Scandinavia again

This is, I am sure, more than coincidence as I have seen this pattern for many years. Scandinavian countries dominate. Es is not exclusively Scandinavian stations, but these are far more common than earlier in the Es season here. It is almost like there is some other Es mechanism in play.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

European Es : not over yet

Looking at the Es reports in Europe, it looks like we are still seeing plentiful Es in Europe. My motto is stick with the higher HF bands and lower VHF looking for Es.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

European Es season

Usually, the Es season in Europe goes "off the boil" about now. Es can occur at any time of the year, although the peak times are in spring and early summer.

It is interesting that most of my spots on 10m QRP FT8 this morning were probably F2.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

10m 500mW WSPR

My QRP 10m WSPR beacon was on and I was quite surprised to get spots from Germany way after midnight. Es is more common in daylight. Perhaps there are more people on in the daytime?

European Es (Sunday)

The Es season in Europe seems to be continuing. Peak months are May, June and July.  With FT8 and WSPR, I expect quite a few spots though August and beyond.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .

European Es

According to the past, the European Es season should soon go "off the boil" and subside. 

In my experience the Es season still goes on for a while longer. I have worked Scandinavians on 6m QRP SSB as late as September.  With FT8 it should be even better.  Es can occur at any time of the year, but the peak months are in the spring and early summer.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ 

European Es (Tuesday)

In the spring and summer Es certainly helps short skip on many bands including the lower VHF bands such as 8m, 6m and 4m. It occasionally reaches far higher, although these openings are far less frequent.  

Occasionally, far further may be covered on 6m by Es, although personally I think this is far more likely to be some sort of chordal hop E layer propagation. Some of these paths seem too long to be multi-hop Es. Some may be by multi-hop Es, but I somehow doubt this is the main propagation mechanism.

See https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/radio-propagation-maps/europe-sporadic-e/ .