[CQ-Contest] conditions for 10m]

[Steve London]

jukka.klemola at nokia.com wrote:
> Good guess !
> Has this been verified somehow?
> 
> 73,
> Jukka OH6LI 

This has only been verified empirically from 24 years of observing this 
opening from Colorado, and now New Mexico.

Here's some recent empirical evidence:

- On Sunday afternoon, in the 10 meter contest, we had an excellent 
1-hop F-layer opening between here and the entire USA east coast. There 
isn't much ham population in northern VE2, but I did work many southern 
VE2 stations. The planetary Kp index during that time was 5 - certainly 
high enough for auroral Es.

- This opening did not occur during either CQWW Phone or CQWW CW, on 
either 10 or 15 meters. The planetary Kp index was low during both of 
these contests (Kp <= 2), suppressing auroral activity.

My summary of the conditions required for this opening are:

- A high enough electron density to support F-layer propagation from the 
USA to the arctic region.
- A slightly or moderately disturbed geomagnetic field producing auroral 
Es in the arctic region.

73,
Steve, N2IC/5

> 
> 
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com 
>>[mailto:cq-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of ext 
>>Steve London
> 
> ...
> 
>>F-layer from the USA to northern VE2, then auroral-induced 
>>sporadic-E from VE2 to Scandanavia.  Pretty common with 
>>slightly disturbed conditions, as long as the F-layer supports 
>>propagation to northern VE2.
>>
>>73,
>>Steve, N2IC/5
>>
> 
>