The thing is, it's sporadic, sometime it's there and sometimes it's not. Already worked VK and JA on 6m this season, and got called by FT4GL on Sat just as he faded out Managed to catch a couple of 2m Es openings as well.

We now appear to be in a bit of a lull and it's very quiet. It should perk back up again in a day or two.

Not expecting that great a season this year, the best seasons seem to occur at solar minimum and we're at solar max. But you never know, just gotta keep watching the bands.

Been a proper year for me up to now - 61 DXCC inc USA, VE, 7Q, SU1, ZS, 9K2 amongst others, really demanding on the shack time though. My first real attempt on 6M.

Just wait until autumn: we could be in for some exciting DX on 6m if the solar figures hold up, we had the highest sunspot count of the cycle yesterday and even last autumn produced VK/DU/VU etc. Pencil in the last week of October & first week of November, that when the action usually starts to happen on the long-haul paths, although we should see plenty of TEP to South America and Africa before then.

The TEP has just returned here, usually does from mid-July onwards, and it'll pop up now and again right through Aug, Sept & Oct.

Hi
Thinking of putting up something for 6m ….would a 4 or 5 element be good enough to work the type of DX you listed …is most activity on data modes these days ….prefer ssb and my crappy cw attempts …..did try MS many years ago

Thanks
Steve

I'm using 5 elements here, albeit on a 6m boom.
and around 400w.
Japan, South Africa, Middle East, South America, Caribbean and N.America so far this year.

mostly FT8 admittedly, but when the signals are strong enough, SSB comes alive too.

Ok thanks for information…may give it a go

I'm also using a 5 ele, signals can be quite strong if you're in the propagation footprint area.

That's the main thing with 6m, being lucky to get the propagation - it can differ at each end of the same locator square. Sometimes you really get the luck, best one this year has been Mayotte FH, the propagation seemed best in IO81 which is where I am. In other openings other grids have done better.

Thanks for all the tips and advice on the KST Chat, Darrell.

I've been watching Neil, JHC, working stuff I can't hear and vice versa.

I'm sorely tempted to go to a 5 ele LFA but short boom, I couldn't get a long boom down in my yard.