It is really a strange summer this year. It is wet and not hot. Both of them unusual. During June we had heavy rains and till now the temperature did not rise more than 35 degrees. Such a thing had to happen several years. I spend the days in the cottage and I get lazy as every summer. I use my little shack with my wire antennas. Even though the rig is enough to understand strange propagation behavior in the bands, especially in magic band. It was full of surprises this year. I worked TN5SN (SSB) and JL8GFB (CW). The last one was so clear and loud not distorted signal that made me think that the JE1BMJ theory of Summer Solstice Short-path Propagation should attract more attention. Actually the 21th of June I could hear loud signals in 6m 2 hours after midnight.
But now all this activity, that reminds me F2 propagation and not sporadic E layer, it is decaying as a hot summer day in the cottage. Of course, we have other activities that can fill the gap. Let say Punta Basta…the little beach bar I drink beers every summer. We have to relax a bit as many major dxpeditions are scheduled for autumn.
