I used to use the various WWV signals as a rough measure of propagation on 
the various bands but no longer trust it as much.  One day I couldn't hear 
WWV on several bands which led me to conclude that propagation was generally 
bad, then I worked a number of stations on 10 meters and so on.  So, I don't 
know how reliable it is to conclude that conditions are poor across the 
spectrum just because you can't hear WWV.  Of course, during the day, from 
my location the 2.5 and 5  MHZ signals are not there.  I'd be interested in 
other peoples comments on this.  I imagine it also has much to do with your 
location as well.  I mean if you live in Fort Collins Colorado then you 
probably can't get away from WWV any time of the day.  73, Jim WA6EKS

-----Original Message----- 
From: Martin G. McCormick
Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2015 10:58 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Field Day Propagation

I am not a big contester at all but since the Stillwater
Amateur Radio Club was nice enough to elect me President this
year, I knew I needed to be there and we got two nice stations
setup at a local park.

It turns out that Earth got a glancing blow from a
coronal mass ejection. This is when pieces of smashed atoms spew
out through a momentary hole in the Sun's corona or atmosphere
just like air hissing out of a punctured tire. The CME wasn't
bad enough to kill the bands but it did change propagation for
the worse. After our event had been going for a while, I went
home and tuned around. My receiver has the speech board in it so
I could tell what frequency I was on. WWV is usually audible in
Oklahoma on at least 10, 15 and 20 MHZ on a Summer afternoon. On
Saturday, I could only hear it on 10 MHZ with deep fades. It was
totally absent from all other frequencies. Twenty meters was
still active and I could hear our FD station in the park from my
house which is a few miles away.

Sunday, six meters was wide open but our FD station had
closed down as the club had not meant to really go all out, but
to have a good time.

On six, I heard several CW stations and listened to a
lady in Wisconsin with a W9 call working one station after
another.

I had to break off listening and do some furniture
moving but it sounds like it was a very good field day despite
the CME. The Sporadic E on Sunday made up for it. Who knows?
Maybe they were related but Sporadic E is so common in Summer
around the Solstice that it was most likely just coincidence.

Martin