On Sat, 16 Dec 2006 01:22:44 +0000, Jim - NN7K wrote:

Owen is correct- and anyone operateing 10& 6
meters will tell you the same thing!

Good morning, Jim.

What I'm trying to figure out is the effect of sporadic E on the lower
bands, e.g. 75 meters.

I was on a military net on a frequency somewhat above 4 MHz and was able
to work a station 70 miles away, well after dark when the critical
frequency was below 3 MHz. According to everything I know about critical
frequencies and MUF (which isn't very much), my NVIS signal from my
17-foot-high dipole should have gone right off into space, and the
70-mile-away station shouldn't have heard a peep out of me (and vice versa).

I'm trying to figure out if the solar storms of the last few days might
have something to do with why I was able to contact that station when
every indication was I shouldn't have been able to. Sporadic E? I dunno,
maybe, but it seems like quite a stretch...