EU conditions have started

Just before the night fall at EU40 band few Arabian speaking appeared here in Greece, ch 22 had S2 of 4 for short time & ch 18 seems broadcast religious just about heard

seems this African dust (or what ever is) lowered propagation, for 3 days was dust, almost nothing down here to Greece, hardly (very weak) heard 1 Spanish & 5-6 eastern block languages only (possibly was very strong stations) ... today afternoon was way less dust & was better, managed to speak at EU ch20 with Germania (as he called, possibly Germany) Alexander

But my point posting, Do Not know in UK if there is African Dust, here in Greece seems is effecting propagation ... at peak dust times if look far distance the atmosphere was blurry slightly dark

I haven't had many minutes for radio since the weekend, but in the short time I have used it, propagation does seem to be generally a lot worse these few days on 10 & 11m.

We do occasionally have Saharan dust in UK, Babis. More we notice it when it rains and when it dries up the nice clean vehicles on the streets are covered with it. I do not know if it would kill HF propagation. For UHF and microwave it could because heavy rain, snow ect can effect those higher frequencies.

If I get time I'll do a search to see if any studies out there relating to the sand and HF prop, but for now I think it is mostly our Sun to blame. Solar Flux Index has dropped compared to some days in past month, though it is still over 100 which is good for 10/11m.

I am sure it will pick up again, plus... we are getting toward Sporadic E season where you can almost throw away propagation prediction charts. E skip doesn't appear to care too much about SFI and other solar parameters, it just happens. Sometimes lasts just a short minute, sometimes hours. Keep your radio on over next few months, I am sure you'll receive some fun DX

Τhanks for letting me know regarding Sahara Dust ... did not had time either for CB last days (maybe tomorrow) but for quick look yesterday & today nothing at EU & UK bands, only yesterday UK band ch38

This Funny or using super power at UK Band or something wrong with me, today will hear at times
EU40 Band
6, 19, 22, 24, 31, 34 UK speaking religious transmissions, also some eastern blocks, perhaps Finland at ch11, Croatian taxi, one Spanish, one Greek & few weak signals, 2 from UK, ok was some small activity there apart the religious

UK Band
1, 4, 6, 9, 16, 18, 24, 36, 38 UK speaking religious transmissions & None one block chatting, only ch 4 ssb & ch19 very low English voices heard just about & this for very short time almost for 2 hours stayed at CB, all the religious was heard clearly with 1-3 Signal out of 7

Yesterday ... UK Band too many Religious Broadcast, all appeared for about 10-15min then disappeared
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9,1012,14,15,16,20,22,24,25,30,36,38,40

Maybe i am hearing transmissions traveled to space & coming back after 20 years

some channels are not at the video because appeared few minutes later or earlier, & some at video are weak signals that early was stronger, or later was audible .. so here a continuous UK Band scan how many was at once, only ch19 was chatting, all the rest even very weak ones was Religious



Also heard at EU Band ch20 CQ's from Ivan from Russia Samara City (very far from me) but could not hear me replying back ... while ch20 Swedish Repeater managed to Reach it few times

Nice capture. Mostly from Ireland I think. Whenever I hear them I have to fight the urge to press the ptt key and talk to the congregation... whatever I may or may not believe in, I don't want to risk getting smited from the heavens.

27465 am or fm (most likely am) mode italians calling channel appeared they much reaching UK as well, my cb does not going there, catch with pl-990 & also same at 27305 am mode weaker ... from time to time other italians also at 27345, 27105
27535 from time to time some usb noise

Last 2 weeks dx been a bit on the queit side for my location in Finland, Div 1 popping up , but nothing very strong.

Same down here for few weeks, very rear will appear few very weak signals & from time to time & for very short time ... this morning had time, will hear few Italians Romania with signal up/down & will disappear with in 1-2 minutes then back after 2-3 minutes for the same timing, afternoon so far is dead

Right now Italy & Turkey down here EU40 band

EDIT unknown Eastern blocks & central Europe (France, Netherlands or Belgium) ...some good activity at my location after long time ... ch3 heard my self at repeater

EDIT 1 ... spoke with Romania, Turin Italy

EDIT 2 ... last post for today to say first time Serbia with contact Alpha Bravo (that is the only id told me) ch3 & 4... & also Russia Zapat name channel 30...thanks

all day long till now full of Italians (& not only) managed to speak with few at my free time till now form the rear times for my area ... Don't miss out, now the 20m band is full

UK band finally partly open today down to Corfu just now, since over 2 months ... ch28 heard Holland saying to UK station sometimes will hear from England or Wales or Scotland but today are all together, at his area
EDIT
By the way up to ch10 few SSB seems from Europe next of the located UK freqs

Makes sense  Babis I made a QSO with Scotland yesterday, overheard UK station speaking with Netherlands but only heard one side the UK station but not local too me, maybe from high up north rare to hear Netherlands in South UK. Too near for skip on 10m normally.

Also made nice Euro QSO's to Cyprus, Poland, Spain, Italy, S.France very casual bit of radio with the 1/2 wave at home just for an hour. 100W

What was interesting is I would not have guessed Cyprus is about 1,970miles and NewFoundland, Canada is 2,300 miles. Just a little further. You would never think it.

10/11 was doing ok yesterday with short hops.

this is the first time i can hear this time at night (00:35) UK Band ch 19 & also 34 there is lady i think heard charlie Tango...there is wind here & makes the antenna moving so signal up down ... edit also ch 17 & 26 & 32 ... edit 2 ... 26, 22, 35

Good Dx ibto North Finland at the moment

Good signal from Div 108, North Scotland, to North Finland

2 years and 1 month on and id take some EU right now the white noise is deafening oh the joys of radio , hope we get some conditions soon i miss my uk dx contacts 73's to all

Stick with it there Mark and hopefully as the Summer rolls through we get the conditions we crave.  
(Finger crossed!)

I've been scanning through 10 & 11m today and like you nothing but deafening white noise then all of a sudden on 10m Fred Pereira (PY6FP - Brazil) came booming through 5/9 SSB! I tried a shout (fat chance) but he disappeared as quickly as he had came through. No short 'E' stuff from my location today which is a shame but then the day isn't over yet.


After my long years on CB (with a big break like many) I succumbed to becoming a Ham and got to admit being spoiled with many bands/modes means that there's always some radio action on the go.

Here's hoping we all get a hint of 11m signals some time soon.

hey Victor thanks again for reply just had a quick chat to a couple of guys in Strasbourg on FM mid block done a few quick hello's to S. America recently . But im getting pretty good at surfing the net practice makes perfect ha ha im thinking you been on here for a while ... i mean the CT group , and respect to you for that   73's Mark

Hope y'all caught a bit of the EU skip yesterday. 10 & 11 really came to life on and off, but more later in the day when I had more time I could operate (the skip gods aligned timings in my favour for once, yay). Most countries in about a 900 mile arc from my QTH could be heard and many worked.

Really do hope some of you caught some of it, but fully aware that comms via Es can differ massively between people's locations even short distances away. Often I listen to people in Swindon just 15 miles away or Corsham which is just a bit further in another direction having skip QSOs and I don't even hear murmurings in the back of the box.. just that deafening white noise.

SangueG wrote:

Hope y'all caught a bit of the EU skip yesterday. 10 & 11 really came to life on and off, but more later in the day when I had more time I could operate (the skip gods aligned timings in my favour for once, yay). Most countries in about a 900 mile arc from my QTH could be heard and many worked.

Really do hope some of you caught some of it, but fully aware that comms via Es can differ massively between people's locations even short distances away. Often I listen to people in Swindon just 15 miles away or Corsham which is just a bit further in another direction having skip QSOs and I don't even hear murmurings in the back of the box.. just that deafening white noise.

Hi Neal

We sometimes get the same thing on the Thursday night net, I can hear the US of A, yet other hill top stations get nothing or stations from another completely different part of the world.

G3YLA's footnote to his blog post for today echo's focussing of Es...

"its worth remembering that Es can be very focussed and the recent dearth of Es in eastern UK is the opposite of the successful Es activity from western Britain"

www.propquest.co.uk/blog.php?date=2024-07-15

Sidenote, I find it a touch amusing that he was once a weatherman and now is predicting Es. I think it might be 50/50 on which type of predictions are generally the most accurate

Mr Jim Bacon, very nice gentleman who used to be seen on the TV in his main meteorologist role as a weatherman. (I remember him from our local region 'Anglia Television'.)

I recall attending the old Bedford Amateur Radio club back in 19-clickety-click (sure it was the 80's) where he did a talk on tropospheric propagation. The excitement in the room from the old 'B' licence holders was quite enthusiastic!

To this day I still listen out for GB3VHF and if it comes booming in it's worth a shout on the SSB calling channel......or rather it used to be, seems to be nothing but dead air nowadays even if the beacon is romping in at S9.

Then again, there's still people that believe VHF/UHF is line of sight only.....even if someone from the other side of the UK pops up on your local repeater believing it to be their local one.


As for propagation 'predictions' I'd rather take "good chance" or "fat chance" as an indicator and you still can't beat just simply turning the radio on and giving out a shout.

Oh, and he was right there Neal.....Been a bit dead my way regards sporadic-E yet the webSDR's your side of the country have shown some good activity.

I'm still not moving house just for the radio conditions though!