September 16, 2025 – Why was 6M so poor in 2025, a year in which low VHF propagation should have been ounstanding?
Who knows? What I do know is that solar cycle 26 peaked in early 2024 and should have provided outstanding F2-layer propagation (with DX into Europe from the North American west coast) last year and this year. But even the normal sporadic-E propagation of previous seasons (May, June and July) did not appear in 2025.
6M has been a sadly vacant band for much of 2025. A few flashes of brilliance did happen – openings from the west coast to other parts of North America, but they were few and mostly very short-lived.
My measure of band vitality for a season on 6M is the number of new US mainland Maidenhead grid squares I worked (and, hopefully, confirmed on Logbook of the World (LoTW)).
This season, which opened in early May, provided just 11 new grid squares in the log – fortunately, 9 of those confirmed via LoTW almost right away.
That’s a little better than 2024, which saw only 9 new grid squares.
Now, compare these most recent years – at the very peak of the solar sunspot cycle – to 2023, which was still on the upspring solar-flux-wise, and you begin to see how poor 2024 and 2025 were for 6M grid hunting.
In 2023, the 6M season began late – in June – and continued through July. By the time the band openings declined, I had 28 new grid squares in the log (and all confirmed over the next year).
As we say farewell to the 6M season of 2025, we live in hope for a much better 2026. Perhaps as sunspots begin to decline toward solar minimum in 2030 or 2031, we will see a return of the conditions experienced in 2023 and 2022 (a spectacular year offering up 52 new grid squares).
One thing’s for sure: sunspots are not a reliable indication of DX conditions on 6M. But as always, if there is an opening, you sure want to be there for it.
Let’s go get ‘em. I’ll see you out there.
Bud VA7ST
