[CQ-Contest] Polar path handicapping

[Mike Smith VE9AA]

Bob/KQ2M is right.  During disturbed (or worse) condx, the southern W3/W4’s
often kick my butt into EU even though I am about ¼-1/3rd of the way closer
than some of them.

 

Not that it may be especially pertinent to this (HF) conversation, but if
you’re trying to account for everything
.multi-hop Es prop (6m, 10m, 15m)
can often be a fickle mistress.  Anyone who knows 6m, knows that for decades
I ate, breathed and slept 6m DX.  I am closer to EU than anyone in the USA,
however even with a big stack, there are openings that I never saw while the
guys in FL, SC, GA etc get hours of prop.

 

So, even though you can do calculations until the cows come home, you can’t
account for multi-hop Es. (which anyone worth their salt can tell you
happens down to at least 15m)(maybe even on 20m during some limited windows)

 

Then there is backscatter.  In both ARRL DX’s I worked EU beaming SE on 15m.

 

And so it goes
\...things to talk about while we all self isolate.

 

Mike VE9AA
NB (FN66)

 

Keswick Ridge, NB