Bart Bailey wrote:
In posted on Thu, 25
May 2006 14:28:24 -0500, Radio TexMex wrote:


Does anyone here monitor 6 meters? Has it been op lately? I'd been keeping
an eye on this ( http://dx.dxers.info/ ) spot chart for activity and lately
it looks pretty active. Just curious - I don't have 6 meter xmit or receive
capability but want it.

- Matt


Was open yesterday afternoon (May 24) sporadically from San Diego to the
Pacific Northwest, Seattle etc. but very spotty.

Since we are at the minimum of the current solar cycle, any openings on
6-meters (50-Mhz) will come from either sporadic-E or possibly auroral
and meteor propagation. These modes are much harder to predict than the
typical F2 propagation on 6-m, which is associated with a high solar
flux at the maximum of the solar cycle. The sun is just not putting out
enough energy now to sufficiciently ionize the F2 layer to support 6-m.
Hopefully, F2 propagation on 6-m will return in a few years. One of the
best ways to keep track of 6-m propagation is to monitor the world wide
network of beacons on that band. Here's a list of them.

http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/por/50.htm

There are also progagation groups such as the following. Click on the
map menu box for 6-m USA. You can join their e-mail list to get
propagation updates.

http://www.propnet.org/