I’m considering going out to activate another summit next week and would like to know, what time of day (in daylight) should be the best for 10m propagation from Germany. Looking at VOCAP for August mid-afternoon seems to be the only time there will be any chance of contacting anyone on 10m, but it also shows the most likely people I could contact would be amateurs in Saudia Arabia! Everywhere else appears to have no colour in their scale. I realise I may be able to catch some ground-wave contacts, “line of sight” almost, but I was hoping for something a little further away as well.
I’ll only be running 5W of SSB to an OCF at 5m AGL, so I need all the propagation help I can get!
VOACAP does not account for Sporadic E. That’s the mode of propagation that many 10m contacts are being made on. Other than its well known seasonal trends it is not predictable.
VOACAP was designed for broadcast use and sporadic E is only a nuisance for broadcasting.
Hi Richard,
Still learning HF propagation. So the answer is, as we can’t predict Sporadic-E there’s no way of saying whether morning or afternoon might be better for 10m?
its predictable ok, as well known best during summer months LOL.
Always find best way is if you out on summit go onto 28mhz fire up and spot it
Es is either there or not. It is very hit and miss had one yesterday from HB9 just could not reach him with me ickle 10w lovely signal from him with his 100w.
Yet later in day banged into a S5 summit no problems.
Times I have flicked up to 28mhz looking for spotted summit and learnt hang around as the Es may opens as he’s trying to get out. Even in couple cases found couple Sota’s on Standy by called in and bingo there there.
Yet its a hit and miss affair on any band while out on the summit my first one i was just luckily condition’s working in my favour and self spotting helps too.
The map shows six metres contacts reported in the last hour. If six is performing then it is likely that ten will be performing, too, as Es works better on lower frequencies.
Good point Karl, winter propagation on ten is mainly F2 although there is a winter Es season which is much weaker than the summer season.
Es shows first on ten and then appears on six. If it is strong the MUF will move to four metres and there are occasional brief Es openings on two. If nothing is showing on the UKSMG map it is still worthwhile checking ten, look for the beacons, they will show if the band is open and where it is open to. Mind you, there are times when you can hear the beacons but there are no hams on!
I was also considering following WSPR - it showed a lot of inter-Europe communication earlier this morning. I’ll check to see what it shows afternoons.
Hey all I can do is go out and try. If there had been a “general” condition that 10m is better before or after lunch, I would have based my planned activation time on that, but it seems it’s a variable so I’ll use other factors, such as expected temperatures on the day I plan to go out. If it looks like being a 30+ day, then I’ll probably aim for early morning while it’s still cool.
Seems can be morning, mid day or even early evening.
It appears when it appears and if your on air and others bingo its happens
That,s the great thing about it.
Can’t really predict when going to happen and to where.
Be boring other wise
OK, I’ve picked an 8-pointer summit where it will take me several hours to get to, so by default, it’s going to be early afternoon that I get there. If 10m isn’t open, there’s always 40m to rack up the needed activation contacts but I intend to give 10m a good try. It’ll only be 5W SSB from the 817 though, so lets hope for good conditions.
At the moment I’m looking at Monday (tomorrow) at 1200 UTC (2pm local), on DL/AL-158 Breitenberg but depending upon how the weather is, I may move the activation to later on in the week.
Ed.
Will be listening for you if home.
10m just pick a freq and broadcast for fair amount of time as Es i have noticed can trigger off slowly and build up been known to take while for it to be right between the two stations/
PS self spotting helps too.
My rule of thumb if its spotted on 10m check out the freq, if nothing heard sit there for while unless another Sota appears on another band. Then find it work it and return to the 10m freq and bingo if there and get wkd.
I have noted two Spanish stations kick off on 10m and do other bands and return to it time i have worked these gents on the return to the 10m band not first time there one.
Also another rule of thumb looking at the spot page look at freq oh won't work them because of reason b or c or d. Glad I don't do that as some times get good short hops from Scotland to here in SW of the country. But the biggest surprise was working a North Wales Sota of Es on 20m yesterday. Well under 200KM compared to say 400 to 600km or Scotland. Thanks again Colwyn for that one.
