With September a few days away, its time to consider that summer static levels will be decreasing soon, which means better radio conditions.
Now is the time, if you haven't already, to get your listening post in order for the coming DX season. Have you updated your station and countrys totals, and prepared a Most Wanted List of stations to log and verify this season? Radios and outside antennas should be checked, and any necessary repairs made before it's too cold or icy to do so. Hopefully, you have completed any outstanding station correspondence including follow-up reception reports before September. Is your computer software or radio log book updated?
This is a perfect opportunity to concentrate on stations you'd like to log and verify this year as you prepare for the seasonal condition changes beginning in September.
Twilight and nightime patterns will continue to change in September as longer darkness paths provide an extended time to bandscan. Look for stations from South America, Europe, and Africa to fade in earlier, improving prior to 0000 UTC. Stations located in the tropical bands (roughly 2-6 MHz), including East Asia and Indonesia, are being heard beginning at twilight in the evenings, and any time from 0900 - 1500 UTC, depending on your location. The Indian subcontinent's signal will improve in September and peak in the winter months.
South America begins to fade in around 0700 UTC, followed by the Papua New Guinea stations by 0800 UTC. Medium wave conditions are improving too. Autumn and winter are prime time for DXing, especially hearing cross country or transcontinental signals.
In case you're anxious for radio conditions to improve - September is a few days away, and from there conditions will continue to improve. Now is the time to prepare for a new DX season. Hope this one will be your best ever!
(Gayle Van Horn/QSL Report)
