6 Meters Sputters to Life

I am disappointed to observe that 6 meters has a season again. While the solar flux marched higher in 2024 there could be openings on 6 at any time. Yes, there was still some seasonality affecting F-layer MUF but there could be excellent DX openings almost any day. And there were many! I lost several opportunities for long haul DX that may be gone for good in this solar cycle because the Sun in 2025 is no longer cooperative.

Which brings us to summer sporadic E. This year's may be better than it has been for the past 2 years since there appears to be a weak anti-correlation between solar activity and sporadic E. That is, you get great F-layer openings or great sporadic E openings but probably not both at the same time. Nevertheless, unusual long distance paths can be formed by linking sporadic E with tropical TEP. 

The summer E season has certainly begun. We had our first 6 meter openings to Europe, the west coast and the Caribbean over the past week. These will become longer and more frequent until the usual peak at the solstice in late June. Shorter, single hop E openings have become common here, in Europe and in Asia.

Regular readers will know that I have little interest in "local" 6 meter contacts. I will occasionally work single-hop contacts, however my focus is almost exclusively on DX. When I call "CQ DX" on 6 meters don't be surprised that I don't answer non-DX -- that's my expressed intent, not rudeness. I am not willing to spend my time trying to please everyone and not myself. 

That said, I may answer. When I'm CQing into a potential but not an active opening, it's to discover if I can raise flags on PSK Reporter in distant locales. Since any transmission will do for that, it doesn't matter whether I CQ or have a QSO. 

So far...

In May we had our first openings to Europe, Africa and the Pacific, along with the more reliable paths to the south. Perhaps it's sporadic E linking to TEP, but I really don't know.

The majority were stations I've worked before, including D2UY and 3D2AG. I tell my friends and keep listening for new ones. The frequency and strength of sporadic E openings will increase over the coming weeks. While that is certain, it may or may not deliver interesting DX.

Despite what I've heard, the spring season has been disappointing so far. At least from here; others have had more success. Unlike spring 2024 the MUF for F-layer propagation has been too low. I listened but mostly it was just the usual propagation to southern South American stations in CE, LU and CX, with the occasional PY and HC. I love working them, since they are long haul DX, but other than for grid hunters (which I am not) they are nothing new. 

Several of us were excited to hear the TX9A DXpedition on 50.313 MHz in early May. We had few opportunities when they were successfully working North American stations well to the west and south of us. I heard them on two consecutive days, May 5 and 6. The screenshot was taken on May 6 during the peak of the opening at my station.

As you can see it was very marginal, with several strong peaks and deep long fades. I tried and failed. Had they responded to me I wouldn't have known. The chase was enjoyable despite proving fruitless. 

Another that got away was PJ7EE. Several of my friends worked him for a new one. I missed out because I was out of the shack. By the time I returned the opening was fading and I couldn't get through the pile up in the few minutes I had before he was gone for good. This one is not so rare that it won't get into my log eventually.

The African openings have all been marginal. One day D2UY was very strong but otherwise signals have been exceedingly weak. There are of course many countries in Africa on my wanted list. At the same time D2UY was heard, others on the east coast were hearing or working TR8CA, 9J2FI and others. I heard a few calling ZS8W but I heard no one working them. Closer Africans such as EA8 and D4 have been heard recently so the easterly path to Africa has returned and should improve. 

I need good propagation and DXpeditions to work most of Africa. Several 7Q were worked last year thanks to the effort of 7Q6M to train and license several young Malawians. It's good to hear them with some regularity. It shows what is possible were there more activity in that vast continent.

Automatic operation

It should be no surprise that the presence of robot operators is increasing on the digital modes. 6 meters is not immune. I have heard rumblings that more effort will be made by awards issuing bodies that disqualify robot QSOs. It'll be interesting to see if this happens and how it can be policed. Suspected offenders include several notable DXpeditions. 

I use the filter feature in WSJT-X-i (improved) to remove suspected robot operators from my monitor screen. Although I can ignore them, the filter clears the screen of pages and pages of CQing robots. The filters help me to easily find the DX station messages without having to scroll through pages of robot muck. 

I don't care whether robot operations are legal, sanctioned or justified by arcane theories and opinions. They interfere with my operating pleasure so they are filtered or otherwise ignored. The filter list is frequently updated as robots come and go.

As more stations give 6 meters a try, it is expected that the same operating practices follow. Higher activity has its pros and cons. I make accommodations to deal with what I consider poor behaviour. Taking advantage of the available tools is more productive and satisfying than becoming angry or frustrated.

Prospects for F-layer propagation

Unless we get a double peak this solar cycle the prospects are not good. It's possible though I am in no position to make a prediction. If it does happen it won't be any later than this fall; solar cycle 25 will almost certainly be in decline by 2026. Fall is a great time of year for a high solar flux since seasonality enhances the MUF to increase the probability of 6 meter DX. Last fall's openings may be it for solar cycle 25. Southern Asia, for instance, is almost unworkable for us without strong F-layer propagation.

Even if F-layer can't do it alone at this high geomagnetic latitude we can look forward to occasional path linkage. Local sporadic E propagation can link to TEP and other F-layer modes and create elusive and brief worldwide DX openings. These can be hoped for but not relied upon. The linkage is more likely during the June-July sporadic E peak to the southern hemisphere due to the higher F-layer MUF at tropical latitudes. After 2025 we may lose that and must rely on links via TEP.

I really can't say any more. We can only monitor and hope for the best. Solar modelling and related predictions are not reliable enough to reliably inform us what will come. We have to listen. Beware of those who misinform with predictions that tell you what you want to hear. We should strive to do the best we can with the hand we're dealt.

The buddy system

We have a small group of local 6 meter DXers that shares news of openings via an email reflector. I believe that with the latest addition there are now 6 of us (an appropriate number). We benefit from helping each other, ensuring that none of us miss much; it's like growing several extra sets of ears. We've all worked new countries by receiving alerts from our buddies.

I've been both hot and cold on the value of the venerable ON4KST web-based 6 meter chat. Some years I don't sign in at all and other years I've been a regular participant. I won't get into the reasons here. If you don't have other 6 meter enthusiasts nearby with whom to form a group you should definitely look into using ON4KST chat. At its best you can really "hear" the pulse of the band and coordinate QSO attempts with others, sometimes in countries you'd love to work. 

Since sporadic E spotlight propagation is common on 6 meters, the members of your group should be nearby. Our group's members are in FN14, FN24 and FN25. Despite our proximity, quite often not all of us hear the same DX stations.

DXCC prospects

The poor likelihood of more F-layer propagation this solar cycle limits my ability to add to my country total. I now stand at 146 worked and 134 confirmed. I've worked just one new country so far in 2025. The reach of sporadic E is inadequate to make up for the loss of F-layer DX paths. I spoke about diminishing returns several years ago and it's only become worse. The new countries come more slowly now.

I often have to rely on DXpeditions to the countries that I need, and that are within the scope of possible propagation paths.When they happen I need a little bit of luck as well. My antenna system could always be improved, but it is already good enough to hear and work weak signals that others in this area cannot. A better 6 meter antenna system is not (yet) high enough on my priority list to incentivize me to make an effort beyond idle speculation about alternatives.

I'll be monitoring as often as possible over the coming months to take advantage of whatever propagation comes my way. If I can put 5 new ones in the log this year and thus surpass 150 countries worked I'll consider it a good year.

I wish the best of DXing luck for all of you who are as seriously infected with the 6 meter bug as I am. My infection has lasted 50 years and shows no sign of abating.