By Gayle Van HornNow that summer static levels are decreasing, you will notice DX conditions improving. Now is the time, if you haven't already, to get your listening post in order. Have you updated your station and country totals, and prepared a Most Wanted List of station's to 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 correspondence including follow up reports before September. Now is the time to concentrate on nabbing those favorite stations and prepare for the seasonal condition changes beginning this month.
Twilight and nighttime patterns have improved and will continue to do so 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 in the tropical bands 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 has improved and will peak in the winter. South Americans begin to fade in around 0700 UTC, followed by the Papua New Guinea stations by 0800 UTC. Medium wave conditions are improving too. Fall and winter are prime time for DXing., especially hearing the cross country signals.
In case you haven't noticed, DX conditions are improving, and now is the time to prepare for a new DX season.