Prime Time 6 Meters

Summer is coming.

The solstice is less than 6 weeks away and E_s (sporadic E) season is well underway. As I tell everyone I know with a passing interest in 6 meters mid-May is when the DX starts to roll in. Indeed the DX has been heard here since early in the month.

This is the DX I've heard so far on 50.313 MHz and 50.323 MHz FT8:

• Europe: EA, F, CT
• Africa: EA8, 5B
• South America: PY, YV
• North America: VP9, J8, KP4

Some signals have been excellent and in for several minutes at a time. Here is one example:

I have not worked any DX as yet. The interesting stations have been weak or fleeting while the strong ones I've worked before and did not want to get in the way of the many trying to work them, perhaps for a new one. Further east in W1, VE1 and VO1 the openings have been better than ours.

Chances are you have an HF transceiver with 6 meters. Try loading up any HF antenna with the ATU and give it a try. It doesn't take a lot of power or a lot of antenna to have some fun. This is prime time 6 meters. It will continue until early August, peaking in late June. Go ahead and give it a try. If you are already active on 6 meters be on the lookout for those elusive DX openings.

Have fun and I hope to see you on the magic band.