The "New Normal?" Not for long I think.

Looking at the three days 2 to 4 December 2024 I had contacts with six stations on 6m. But what contacts! 

Best DX was VK6TM (OG65, 13871km) who I found calling CQ with no takers, so I called him. I have worked him before and I usually do not call again so soon as it takes up a space for someone who needs to reach him. However, as he was calling CQ and not getting any response, why not? After all, 13871km is a long way for VHF.

4S7KKG (MJ98 8671km) was in the same category. Although I had worked him a month ago he was not getting any replies when I heard him this time.

Also in there were:-

9V1XX (OJ11, 10870km) - New square and new DXCC on any band (Singapore)

A65BR (LL75, 5654km) - New square. I already had the DXCC (UAE)

A41NH (LL93, 6076km) - New square and new DXCC on 50MHz (Oman)

VU4A (NK61, 9234km) - New square and new DXCC on any band (Andaman & Nicobar Islands)

Now, the idea of working Singapore, Oman and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands would have been laughable to me last month, never mind during the last sunspot maximum. During the last sunspot maximum I saw some more Es but nothing like this.

Of course the last sunspot cycle was pretty weak, but even then using a mini-beam on 10m I was not working anything decent towards the Pacific, Arabian Sea or Indian Ocean. Although I had 6m at that time I was not even trying for DX outside Europe ... there wasn't any that I could hear.

50MHz contacts at GM4FVM 2 to 4 December 2024

This 6m bonanza is not to decry the 12 contacts I had during the RSGB UKAC 2m FT8 contest during this period. Nor the nice QSO today with GM0HBK on 70cm. Those were all pretty good, but 300 - 600km is not a patch on 6,000km. Or 12,000km. Or more? There is something about world-wide DX that is hard to resist.

Hey, it won't last. While I suspect that developments like FT8 and greater understanding of TEP and Es will keep 6m alive during the next solar minimum, 50MHz conditions like this unlike to last beyond the maximum. 

When is the maximum of this cycle? Have we passed it? Who knows.

Enjoy these conditions while you can.

73 Jim

GM4FVM