High levels of geomagnetic activity have usually, but not always, been the kiss-off-death for LF/MF propagation.
These past few months have seen fairly regular field disturbances, often pushing the K index to a level '5' or higher. However, while usually attenuating the east-west and northerly polar paths, the Trans-Pacific path often seems to benefit from these events ... particularly last night.
Perhaps it is related to the equinox's normal preference for this path or maybe the goop the sun is sending us at this point in the cycle is different or not as energetic as it is at mid-cycle. Nevertheless it's really encouraging to see that not all disturbances are detrimental to LF propagation.
For a daily summary of all overnight activity and much more, see KB5NJD's '630m Daily Reports'.
The WSPRnet map reproduced below shows the extent of reception during my own overnight WSPR 630m beaconing session. Missing are many of the normal spots from the eastern provinces and east coast states, indicating the attenuation on this path. Everything else seems enhanced.
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| courtesy: WSPRnet |
The path to down under, in-spite of my obstruction in that direction, perked-up as well, with VK4YB decoded here 19 times as well as VK3ELV's 150W and inverted-L near Wangaratta, Victoria.
13:56 VK4YB 0.4756 -28 QG62ku 11820
13:50 VK4YB 0.4756 -28 QG62ku 11820
13:44 VK4YB 0.4756 -24 QG62ku 11820
13:40 VK4YB 0.4756 -24 QG62ku 11820
13:30 VK4YB 0.4756 -27 QG62ku 11820
13:24 VK4YB 0.4756 -20 QG62ku 11820
13:18 VK4YB 0.4756 -24 QG62ku 11820
13:12 VK4YB 0.4756 -22 QG62ku 11820
12:42 VK4YB 0.4756 -26 QG62ku 11820
12:14 VK4YB 0.4756 -20 QG62ku 11820
12:02 VK4YB 0.4756 -23 QG62ku 11820
11:58 VK4YB 0.4756 -25 QG62ku 11820
11:52 VK4YB 0.4756 -25 QG62ku 11820
11:40 VK4YB 0.4756 -29 QG62ku 11820
11:32 VK4YB 0.4756 -26 QG62ku 11820
11:24 VK4YB 0.4756 -25 QG62ku 11820
11:12 VK4YB 0.4756 -22 QG62ku 11820
10:56 VK4YB 0.4756 -26 QG62ku 11820
10:54 VK4YB 0.4756 -25 QG62ku 11820
Merv, WH2XCR in Hawaii, was spotted here 56 times, with numerous transmissions at 'easy CW' levels. He even spotted me twice, with his 80m dipole, presently laying on the ground!
It was also encouraging to see 21 spots from Eden, ZF1EJ in the Cayman Islands, with several at CW levels.
The following stations all uploaded spots of my overnight WSPR signals, as nightly activity continues to grow with the DX season now at the doorstep. Given equal ERP, most of these stations would be workable on either CW or on JT9.
WH2XGP DN07dg 319 122
WG2XSV CN85sr 353 169
WI2XJQ CN87ts 138 150
NO1D DM34tn 1825 147
N3IZN/RX DM13ji 1796 161
WW6D CM88pl 1155 177
VE7CNF CN89ng 55 33
VA7MM CN89og 59 38
WE2XPQ BP51ip 2151 321
W5EMC EM10cl 2963 124
K5ACL EM10bd 2987 125
WG2XXM EM15lj 2610 115
ZF1EJ/1 EK99ig 4977 116
KE7LGT DN26xm 739 107
W3PM EM64or 3365 104
ZF1EJ EK99ig 4977 116
VE7KPB DN29cm 550 79
KU7Z DN41af 1227 129
WH2XCR BL11je 4295 236
KB0BRY EN17nc 1966 86
WD2XSH/20 CN83 598 178
WG2XIQ EM12 2841 120
WE4X EM65ut 3326 102
VE7BDQ CN89la 26 44
KB7W CN93jx 565 163
W6LEO DN17oq 498 103
WH2XAR DM33vp 1924 147
As interest in 630m continues to expand, many U.S. amateurs are already building their stations so they will be ready to go when the word finally comes. I suspect that 630m may soon sound like a small slice of 40m on a busy night ... will you be ready?
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