Propagation Predictions from VU7 to the World for December 2006

Carl Luetzelschwab K9LA

December 2006 will offer DXers an unprecedented opportunity to work an extremely rare DXCC entity. Propagation predictions from VU7 to various areas of the world follow.

With the path to North America being the toughest, detailed short path and long path predictions are given to seven geographical areas in North America. All other areas of the world should fare well using just short path.

Assumptions for the predictions are

Mode: CW

Transmit power = 200W on 30m, 700W on all other bands

Antenna gain = 5dBi for 30m and 40m, 12dBi for 20m - 10m

Noise environment = quiet rural

Minimum angle = 1^o

Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) = 0dB in a 500Hz bandwidth

Minimum Discernible Signal (MDS) of receiver = -130dBm

Your specific openings may be longer or shorter than the predictions depending on your transmit power, your antennas, your site, and your noise environment. Openings will be a bit shorter for SSB due to needing a higher SNR than what is assumed in these predictions for CW.

Detailed predictions for 160m and 80m are not given. The times of possible propagation on these two bands are determined by the times when the desired path is in (or very near) darkness. These times can be calculated from your specific sunrise and sunset times and the sunrise and sunset times at VU7.

VU7 for December 2006