CQWW DX Contest Propagation Update – Focus on the Low Bands

CQ Propagation Editor Tomas Hood, NW7US, updates us on expected propagation conditions during both the SSB and CW weekends of the 2017 CQ World Wide DX Contest…

CQ WW DX SSB Contest conditions look poor to fair, and somewhat unstable

Poor to Fair Conditions Expected

Here is an updated forecast made a week in advance for the general propagation conditions expected during the 2017 CQ World Wide DX SSB Contest weekend of October 28-29.  Based on the 27-day recurrence tendencies of solar and geomagnetic conditions, we predict poor to fair conditions on both days. Expect the contest to start weak, but to improve slightly as Sunday dawns.

Daily 10.7cm solar flux levels are expected to be around 85 during the contest weekend, so the higher HF bands will be barely productive, with our workhorse remaining 20 meters.  The geomagnetic Planetary A-index is expected to be variable between 10 and 15. The lower frequencies will be more productive, and will allow for weak signals to be heard on higher frequencies when an opening exists on some given path.

Remember that at any time during the contest, if there are sunspots present, a flare may occur.  When flares erupt, it could cause a radio blackout on the Sun-facing side of the Earth.  These last between ten to sixty minutes, depending on the strength and location of the flare.  We don’t expect much solar flare activity. However, as we witnessed recently, a sunspot region may still suddenly develop, and unleash a flare or two (or more).

We're still a month-plus away from the CQWW CW Weekend, but here's how things are looking as of now…

CQ WW DX CW Contest conditions look fair, and stable

Fair Conditions Expected

Here is an updated forecast in late October for the general propagation conditions expected during the 2017 CQ World Wide DX CW Contest weekend of November 25-26.  Based on the 27-day recurrence tendencies of solar and geomagnetic conditions, we predict fair conditions on both days. Expect the contest to start fair, but to improve slightly on Sunday.

As with the SSB weekend, daily 10.7cm solar flux levels are expected to be around 85 during the contest weekend, so the higher HF bands will be barely productive, with our workhorse remaining 20 and 40 meters.  The geomagnetic Planetary A-index is expected to be between 5 and 8; stable. The lower frequencies will be more productive, and will allow for weak signals to be heard on higher frequencies when an opening exists on some given path.

Remember that at any time during the contest, if there are sunspots present, a flare may occur.  When flares erupt, it could cause a radio blackout on the Sun-facing side of the Earth.  These last between ten to sixty minutes, depending on the strength and location of the flare.

For very last-minute updates, visit NW7US's Facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/spacewx.hfradio and his propagation website at: http://SunSpotWatch.com

New Ham Bands Occupied and Busy

The two newest ham radio bands – 2200 and 630 meters – are open for general amateur use and are
already being well-used. It appears that the first approval letters from the Utilities Technology Council (UTC) – which must sign off on notices that individual hams intend to use the bands – arrived on October 13, and some stations immediately got on the air. Amateurs wishing to use these bands must notify UTC and wait until an approval letter is received or until 30 days go by with no response before getting on the air.

Location of the 630 & 2200-meter bands/
in relation to surrounding spectrum.

CQ MF/LF Editor John Langridge, KB5NJD, reports that a record-setting 630-meter QSO of just over 7457 miles (12,002 kilometers) was completed on October 17 between Larry Molitor, W7IUV, in Quincy, Washington, and Roger Crofts, VK4YB, of Queensland, Australia using the JT9 digital mode. John says the previous record was 7333 miles (11,802 kilometers), set in 2016 between VK4YB and Steve McDonald, VE7SL, in Mayne, British Columbia (630 meters has been authorized in Canada for several years).

Meanwhile, the ARRL Letter reports that some denial letters have been received as well, including at least two amateurs who had been operating on the new bands under experimental licenses without reports of interference to power line carrier (PLC) systems, which share these frequencies in some locations. The FCC rule granting US amateurs access to these bands prohibits operation within 1 kilometer of power transmission lines on which PLC is in use.

On a related note, the ARRL says updated amateur frequency charts showing the new bands are now available for download, in several formats, from <http://bit.ly/2xhkUjF>.

ARRL Completes Mission in Puerto Rico; VP Pence Visits Hams

The nearly two dozen radio amateurs sent by the ARRL to help re-establish communications in hurricane-wracked Puerto Rico completed their mission there in mid-October and returned home after about three weeks of deployment on the island.

According to the ARRL Letter, the hams' initial mission was to collect outbound health and welfare reports and feed them into the American Red Cross's "Safe and Well" system, but when they arrived, they found the communications infrastructure in such bad shape that they were redeployed to provide communications for hospitals while other volunteers handled the Safe and Well messages.

On October 6, the hams working at the Puerto Rico Emergency Operations Center – which had been set up at the San Juan Convention Center – got a visit and a pep talk from Vice President Mike Pence. CQ Emergency Communications Editor Walt Palmer, W4ALT, provides a comprehensive report on amateur radio hurricane relief activities throughout the Caribbean and US Gulf Coast in his column in the December issue of CQ. 

In addition, we will be posting audio of Walt's interviews with two major players in the emergency response on our website at <www.cq-amateur-radio.com>. Check the site for links.