[CQ-Contest] [cq-contest] Re: What To Expect for 10-Meters???

[Kenneth E. Harker]

On Wed, Dec 07, 2005 at 08:40:29AM -0800, Bill Turner wrote:
> 
> Ward is right about unusual propagation, especially noticeable on CW. 
> Listen around dawn, before the band is really open and you'll hear 
> some scatter signals, probably a combination of meteor and various 
> ionospheric modes. I'm no expert on propagation so I can't really 
> identify their exact nature but I found them quite fascinating to 
> hear. Signals will be weak and watery with some occasionally popping 
> up out of the noise quite strong and fading back quickly.

One frustrating aspect of fringe propagation on 10 meters from the USA is
asymmetric noise.  The general ambient level of atmospheric noise gets 
slightly higher the closer you are to the magnetic equator.  It can 
be frustrating to hear a PY or P4 or ZD8 station that is just above your 
noise floor calling CQ that clearly cannot hear you calling, because you 
are still just below their noise floor.

Once the band opens up, this becomes less of a problem.

-- 
Kenneth E. Harker WM5R
kenharker at kenharker.com
http://www.kenharker.com/