‰  NOW 30 WPM  ‰  TEXT IS FROM FEBRUARY 2017 QST  PAGE 48‰

MEDIUM FREQUENCY BANDS, AND WERE ALREADY SEEING HINTS OF WHAT IS TO COME.
EVEN SO, THERE WILL STILL BE PLENTY TO DO BELOW 50 MHZ.  BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
SOME HF AND MF BANDS WILL ACTUALLY IMPROVE.  SURPRISED?  READ ON.  HOW THE
HF BANDS WILL CHANGE I DONT KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I LOVE THE QUIRKY BEHAVIOR
OF 10 AND 12 METERS.  UNFORTUNATELY, DURING THE SOLAR MINIMUM, THESE BANDS
WILL LOSE MUCH OF THEIR ABILITY TO SUPPORT LONG HAUL DX.  BUT THATS NOT TO
SAY THEY WILL BE UTTERLY DEAD, CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU MAY HAVE HEARD.  TEN
AND 12 METERS WILL STILL OPEN OCCASIONALLY OVER PATHS OF SEVERAL HUNDRED
MILES OR MORE.  IN ADDITION, THE MYSTERIOUS PROPAGATION MECHANISM KNOWN AS
SPORADIC E WILL STILL PROVIDE EXCITEMENT ON THESE BANDS, EVEN AT THE BOTTOM
OF THE CYCLE.  AS 6 METER ENTHUSIASTS WILL TELL YOU, SPORADIC E CAN SET OFF
SPECTACULAR PROPAGATION FIREWORKS.  DURING ONE OPENING ON 6 METERS LAST
YEAR, I WORKED MISSOURI FROM CONNECTICUT USING SSB.  THAT DOESNT SEEM OUT
OF THE ORDINARY, UNTIL I ADD THAT I WAS RUNNING 25 W TO A DIPOLE ANTENNA IN
MY ATTIC.  FIFTEEN AND 17 METERS WILL BEHAVE MUCH LIKE 10 AND 12 METERS,
ALTHOUGH SHORT TO MEDIUM HAUL OPENINGS ON THOSE BANDS MAY BE SOMEWHAT MORE
‰  END OF 30 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ