All About Sporadic-E Propagation

I'm thinking of Sporadic E clouds as if they are like the "Pacific Garbage Patch" of tin cans in the thermosphere.
Those asteroid tourists tend to leave their trash all around as they party on through!
The flotsam and jetsam collects in the eddies.

 

Welcome to the Sufferin’ Sevens!
Living in the NW corner of the US (WA & NW MT), 6m does open but we’ll also go a few years sometimes without. Last summer was good, this summer quite iffy.

 

[QUOTE="KQ6XA, Q: What do you call a female radio operator?.[/QUOTE]
A: popular

 

This is a very good point. Often, I'll see a GREAT sporadic E layer on our local ionosonde, but it doesn't help (unless you happen to be interested in NVIS 6 meters.

 

This is more than EVIDENCE....so-called Gravity Waves are very well documented.

 

Another excellent talk on the topic. I think this is becoming my favorite subject.

 

According to ancient propagation lore...
it seems that Europeans and mid-Asia operators enjoy Sporadic E more often than the North American ops.

 

Hi Everybody,
As i come originally from CB Radio in Europe, Sporadic E is the main kind of propagation you can work on 27 MHz by ionospheric reflection.
Now as a ham, i still find it very fun and interesting to work different parts of Europe on 15 and especially 10 Meters.
Some things i recognized here in europe could be interesting:

- Some kind of "Multi Hop E Propagation". After a good day of strong propagation within europe, stations from south america especially PY coming with strong signals through.

- The most southern you are in euope, the more often you can enjoy this kind of propagation. I live in north- west germany, but my south german lads do have much more often and stronger sporadic E Propagation

- Height of the QTH seems not to matter at all- maybe higher QTH's are in disadvantage. Stations with high ground water or close to the sea or rivers are stronger, and have more often QSO's.

- It's interesting how the position of the e clouds can change within the day. But you can work mainly one direction, most often south europe, before it channges after hours to another direction. It's almost never open to ALL directions.

- Short Skip is a rare, but very interesting event. When that happens, i can work stations from bavaria or very north germany with extremely strong signals.

My advise is also to monitor the CB or 11m Band calling frequencies (27.385 LSB in USA, 27.555 USB in Europe and other parts of the World), to seeif you have a Sporadic E opening.

Have fun with the propagation!
73 de
DO1LR
Chris

 

Don't want anyone to get their hopes up. If you go to 6 meters looking for a voice contact or cw contact, it's probably not going to happen. Only signals on 6 meters now is a few beacons and ft8. Just a reminder to those doing ft8, some still want to have real voice contacts or cw contacts. Don't be afraid to come on down away from ft8, we miss you. Come on down and see us, were waiting on 50.125 and 50.090-50.100.

Just remember if we don't use it, Big Brother will want to take it from us.

73'

 

Don't forget..... FT8 was designed for multi-hop Sporadic Es.
73 Art K7DWI

 

Nice presentation, but was mostly used Pat Dyer's material (WA5IYX Silent Key).
Doug really neglected 10 Meter activity. 10 Meters is actually more active than 6 Meters and in low sunspot years is predictable on Es.
I have been studying Es since 2005 and have written multiple reports thanks to the old PropNet Group (ended 12/31/2018).
My personal Blog has many write-ups on Es. Enough to bore you to tears.
http://ka5dwipropagation.blogspot.com/
https://propnet-studies.blogspot.com/
Been active on Es my entire 40 year Hamlife and years before on CB..... sorry Also have dwelved into FMBC and TV DXing and Weak-Signal.
Check it out. Enjoy. 73
Art Jackson K7DWI former KA5DWI now residing in Southern Oregon CN82

 

Thanks for your wonderful articles on Sporadic Es.

 

My map of 10 meter band Sporadic Es single hop propagation, with map centered on San Francisco, California, USA.

The green band in the map is the area of maximum probability radius for Sporadic Es propagation from San Francisco.
This defines the red limit area within which land stations can be worked from San Francisco via single hop Sporadic E on 10 meter band.
There are other possibilities for Es at different distances, but they are much less likely.



Note that the WWV 25 MHz transmitter is within the area of maximum probability here, and this provides a good indicator for single hop Es propagation in that direction.

 

My map of 10 meter band Sporadic Es single hop propagation, with map centered on New York City, New York, USA.

The green band in the map is the area of maximum probability radius for Sporadic Es propagation from New York City.
This defines the red limit area within which land stations can be worked from NYC via single hop Sporadic E on 10 meter band.
There are other possibilities for Es at different distances, but they are much less likely.

http://hflink.com/es/sporadic_es_propagation_10m_map_new_york_city.jpg



Note that the coverage zone looks like a big donut.
There is very little chance of Sporadic Es in the donut hole.
There is a much larger chance of Sporadic E in the main donut ring.

(Or, possibly a bagel )

 

Alas, Interior Alaska resides in the very center of a Bermuda Triangle Bagel, from which no radio signals can emerge. (Most of the time)