Sproatic E skip

[zapp...@my-dejanews.com]

What is this phenomenon, and how (why) does it affect SW propagation?

-----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==-----
http://www.dejanews.com/rg_mkgrp.xp Create Your Own Free Member Forum

[dunhi...@my-dejanews.com]

In article <6pl91j$kh7$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>,

zapp...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
> What is this phenomenon, and how (why) does it affect SW propagation?
>

Zappa,

Hmmm...this brings to mind an experience I encountered while traveling in
Mexico and Central America. Seems I drank too much of the local water, and
was cursed with the sporadic E skip for the next couple of weeks. I believe
it is caused by amoebas, but then it might also be a result of ingesting far
too much of the ethereal ectoplasm.

-Steve Lawrence

[Rob]

zapp...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
>
> What is this phenomenon, and how (why) does it affect SW propagation?

.
.
Sporadic-E skip does affect HF, causing shorter skip than the
"regular" skip that usually affects shortwave and (and mediumwave at
night), which, BTW, is known as F-skip (more technically broken up into
F1 and F2 skip). Among HF bands, it is most notable on 20MHz and above,
causing strong short skip at unpredictable times anytime during the
sunspot cycle.
Sporadic-E is nowhere near as reliable as F-layer skip and for that
reason is far less important on shortwave bands. Where sporadic-E gets
attention is in VHF bands - when it hits (usually on an early summer's
day in late morning or early evening, and even then only on some days)
if brings VHF to life with skip, 6 meters, the TV channels 2 through 6
(yes, you can watch a TV station about 1000 miles away!), into the
3-meter FM broadcast band on a stronger opening (DX in stereo!) and, on
a rare, "maybe once a summer" superopening, 2 meters.
Sporadic-E also explains why 10-meters and CB open up suddenly at
sunspot minimum, or why W8s work W9s on 15m during Field Day (which just
happens to be at the peak of the sporadic-E season).
A more thourough discussion is available at:
<http://www.axs2k.net/fda/propagat.html>
.
Rob
"Everything I have is Y1.96K compliant"