ARRL Technician Practice Exam

Which of the following bands may provide long-distance communications during the peak of the sunspot cycle?

1. Two meters

2. Six or ten meters

3. 430 MHz

4. Decameter bands

The correct answer is: Six or ten meters

The ability to achieve long-distance communications is significantly influenced by the sunspot cycle, which affects ionospheric propagation. During the peak of the sunspot cycle, certain amateur radio bands experience enhanced propagation conditions due to increased ionospheric activity. The six-meter and ten-meter bands are particularly notable during these peak times. They can take advantage of the higher ionospheric layers being energized and become reflective to radio waves, allowing for "skip" propagation. This means that signals can be bounced off the ionosphere and travel much farther than would typically be possible on lower frequency bands. In contrast, the two-meter band, while useful for local and regional communications, typically does not benefit as much from ionospheric propagation. The 430 MHz band operates even higher in frequency and is generally suited for line-of-sight communication rather than long-distance propagation; it tends to be affected more by obstacles and is less likely to benefit from reflections off the ionosphere. Decameter bands, which include wavelengths in the meter range and are often associated with HF (high frequency) bands, can also provide long-distance communication, but they generally refer to areas that are not as focused on the enhanced short-range propagation seen in the six-meter and ten-meter bands during high