Thank you 🙂 - both for your your recommendation of this MUF map and also for the explanation of what the chip sounds are all about. Until now, whenever I heard it or saw it on the waterfall, I used to think that is someone trying to disturb as many bands as he possibly could. 😉
Thanks for the explanation. Went to the page and created a shortcut on my computer. My favorite mode is ssb and not much activity on technician bands around me in Wisconsin. Studying to get my general and my goal is to talk to you one day. I love you're point about "an amatuer radio license doesn't lake you an expert, it's a license to learn" probably the best quote I've ever heard. Thanks for the motivation. I love your channel.
Good info! Ionospheric Radio Propagation was probably my favorite EE course at Virginia Tech. There were two Extra class operators in the class. One was the professor and I was the other one! The final exam was determining propagation, MUFs, etc between a W station and a G given a certain time of day and sunspot conditions! The text book is now free on the internet and still a great resource. You might note that the MUF is usually given for 3000km distance on most maps. You might see MUF(D) is 30 MHz and while distances of 3000 Km and greater can be worked on 10 meters shorter distances can not. Typically this is F layer info. Sporadic E ( lower layer = shorter distances) can occur anytime and makes for a lot of 10 meter fun. June and December are high probability times for such sporadic short skip on 10, 15 and 20 meters. Also the MUF at the mid point ( reflection point) between two locations usually governs. Multiple hops are frequent. Also the highest critical frequency ( and MUF) is usually directly under the sun.
Great info, thanks for sharing! As an Old Dominion Monarch I'll let you slide on that Hokie mention hahahaha, just kidding. All the best and 73 from a structures guy that designs the masts and towers for you EEs to put your magic.
Very informative Walt. Well done sir. It's very much related to "Brewster's angle". I'm reminded of this when I watch MIT Prof. Walter Lewin lecturing on rainbows. (It's a must watch if you've never seen it.) 73
Thanks very much for the video Walt. Once more you have taught me about a subject that I had no knowledge of. I will most definitely be putting the MUF map to good use. Cheers Phil (ZL2VTH)
great simple explanation. I agree, most ham explanations are overly complicated. As a STEM graduate we all remember the better professors that could explain anything to non STEM people. I enjoyed those professors. Don't get me wrong a good simple formula is great too, but sometimes the topic is too complex for that. Thanks Walt!!!
Thanks so much! I agree and I like to get into a deep dive after I get a basic understanding. I'm hoping I can encourage people to not be intimidated by a topic and just dive in.
Excellent, I will try to use this info to my benefit so as not to waste time! Please, keep up the good work, Walt, I enjoy all your videos! Ken, KA8VLW
Most confusing thing for new hams is that hamqsl widget people put on their sites. It has the band conditions in green-yellow-red and the MUF at the bottom. Well, my MUF says 16Mhz right now but it also has the 12-10m band in green as Good! It is NOT Good if the MUF is 16Mhz. Haha. Anyway, that must confuse a lot of others too. Great video. Thanks for getting this out there.
I always just look at the table on QRZ that shows band conditions. I've never looked at MUF. Thanks for the info Walt. Very educational as usual. 73, Steve K0LBY
Wow, your videos have been so informative for me. I just got my Amateur license recently and have started practicing HF. I always wondered what that line was on my waterfall and now I know. Please keep up the great content! It really is helping people out there. I did have one question. When looking at the MUF map you linked what do the numbers represent. Are they frequency in Mhz or are they the band i.e. 20m. I am assuming it is Mhz? So if it says 14 then I assume 20m and higher i.e. 15m, 10m, etc are useable or is it the other way around?
Thanks for watching my videos! if you see a the numbers on the map represent frequency in MHz. Therefore if you see a 14 then 20m and lower are usable, i.e. 30m, 40m, etc. it's the other way around.
Do you use the same background out your window? I have noticed a guy in a boonie hat walking the trail behind you in your last few vids. In this one, it is about 1:07 & 8:27 marks. Thx for another informative video. Hope to catch you on the air.
@@COASTALWAVESWIRES My family has been here forever. Landings at middle of the Eastern Shore Virginia in mid 1600s and Jamestown. In fact, my 2nd Great Grandmother was a Hudson who was descendent of Hudsons that established at Hungar's Parish, ESVA. Oh yeah, descendent of explorer Henry Hudson's brother. Interesting stuff. 73 de WA3WAT
Fascinating! There's the straight up critical frequency as well as the MUF for skip. Is there any source for what's in between-the maximum usable frequency for NVIS? It seems like it would be just above the critical frequency.
Thanks for watching! Yes the MUF for NVIS is closer to the Critical Frequency. This actually can be calculated by changing the incidence angle in the MUF formula.
If you search for, "NEAR VERTICAL INCIDENCE SKYWAVE COMMUNICATION Antony Wedgwood, G0TJD". Other articles are available. However, I found this one useful. It states a rule of thumb that NVIS "MUF" is 15% below critical frequency. For NVIS, rather than MUF, it's called Highest Useful Field Frequency (HUFF). I remember being told many years ago during radio training. So, if critical frequency is 6MHz, just multiply 6 by 0.85 and you get an NVIS HUFF of 5.1MHz.
Did you happen to mention the url of the website, or did I miss it?? I've been licensed about 4 years now, and I'm STILL a newbie!!! Hopefully, the XYL and I will find a new QTH soon, and I'll be able to put up a REAL antenna instead of a modified cb dipole!!! Thanks!!! DE KE8NFK
@@COASTALWAVESWIRES How I've been doing it is listen to the CB, if/when I hear the Mexican skip (about all I could pick up here outside of the Superbowl channels)10 should be good!!!
I know exactly what you mean when you say you tell hams about it. I have been telling them for years and almost always I get no interest at all. Even though they see the contacts I get QRP, they just blank look at me and that is pretty much the end of the conversation. I guess if you have a lot of power it can kinda hide it. But when you like to go QRP it really does make a huge difference. It took me ages to figure out why I could just sail through pile ups.
Great video Walt!!! Yesterday, MUF on the East Coast was 18, I made two QSO’s one to South Carolina and one to Georgia on 40 meters 7.192 I thought that was crazy, your thoughts everyone??? I live in Santa Clarita, California.
I heard a JU station (which would seem to be Mongolia) around 3 this afternoon checking in with a net on 40. Solid 56. I nearly fell off my chair. That's not something you can say everyday on the east coast lol.
There are times that MUF is useless. Like sending ft8 into Russia on 6m with a dipole 12ft off the ground. two different days two different stations. All based on theory. I like to push theories.
