Most Active Es Day For Me This Year.

Today was quite a day for sporadic E propagation (Es).

2m:

While I have received Es on 2m a few days ago, I worked my first 2m Es today. One Russian and one Italian. Both were worked with FT8 because I only had low power available at those moments. I discovered the opening to Italy a bit late when I checked the PSKreporter while in a local QSO, then I got busy. I probably missed the main opening, but at least I got one.

Here is the map of received stations via 2m Es today. Quite a bit of propagation.

Initially I tried to work SSB or CW, but at that moment the PA went on strike. After the openings I checked, and with a power disconnect-reconnect it works again. I suspected the RF input level to the PA was too high in SSB, so played with the levels for DIGI modulation and Mic Gain, as well as limiting the RF output level of the radio, and now all works nicely again.

4m:

The other day I worked a single station on Es, today there was a bit more (yes, just two). The antenna used is still the HF dipole. not ideal, but it does provide QSOs.

6m:

This band has been humming with signals every day the past week. Today I got just under 20 QSOs on 6m, all with trying 2 and 4m in the mean time.

Oh, the weather was perfect for working on the radio, raining much of the day.