Best DGRD = 1.9 dB on 19th BUT New
Moon on 18-19th
Mar 27-31
Best DGRD = 1.1 dB on 28th
Apr 14-17
Best DGRD = 1.8 dB on 15th BUT New
Moon on 17th
Apr 23-27
Best DGRD = 1.0 dB on 24th
May 11-15
Best DGRD = 2.0 dB on 13th
May 20-24
Best DGRD = 0.8 dB on 21st
Jun 9-11
Best DGRD = 2.2 dB on 11th
Jun 16-20
Best DGRD = 0.5 dB on 18th
Jul 14-18
Best DGRD = 0.4 dB on 15th
Aug 11-15
Best DGRD = 0.5 dB on 12th BUT New
Moon on 12-13th
Aug 29-30
Best DGRD = 2.3 dB on 30th
Sep 7-11
Best DGRD =
0.6 dB on 8th BUT New
Moon on 10-11th
Sep 25-27
Best DGRD = 2.3 dB on 26th
Oct 4-8
Best DGRD = 0.9dB on 6th
Oct 22-25
Best DGRD = 2.2 dB on 24th
Nov 1-5
Best DGRD = 0.8 dB on 2nd
Nov 19-21
Best DGRD = 2.3 dB on 20th
Nov 27-Dec 2
Best DGRD = 0.6 dB on 29th
Dec 24-29
Best DGRD = 0.3 dB on 26th Best
conditions in 2026
The best EME conditions occur when:
The Earth-Moon distance is at the absolute minimum and
The Moon is in the coldest sky region (less background noise) along the moon path.
The effect of distance is independent of frequency, but sky temperature
decreases with frequency, up to ~1 GHz and then levels out. The EME
signal-to-noise ratio, in dB, is DGRDaded, from the minimum, by a factor (DGRD,
see below), which varies over hourly, daily, weekly, monthly and yearly time
periods. As a guide for the basic weekend EME conditions the present calendar lists the
expected conditions based on the DGRDadation (DGRD) value. Factors such as local
noise, antenna beam width, side lobes, polarization, etc. can also affect the
s/n ratio of moon bounce signals.
Conditions:
Summary of EME conditions as controlled by DGRD at 144
MHz and New Moon. Conditions may be worse, due to ionospheric disturbance, local
noise and polarity, but not better than indicated.
In general, 144 MHz DGRD:
<1.0 dB is considered Excellent
1.0 to 1.5 is Very Good
1.5 to 2.5 is Good
2.5 to 4.0 is Moderate
4.0 to 5.5 is Poor
and over 5.5 is Very Poor
Within a day of New Moon (NM), high sun noise can make conditions
very bad
regardless of the DGRD.
When two different conditions are indicated for the same weekend, it means
that they change from the value indicated on the left at Saturday's moonrise to
the value indicated on the right at Sunday's moonset. For instance:
Dec 07-08
Moderate -> Poor
means that on Dec, 7th Moonrise conditions are
Moderate and get worse until Dec, 8th
Moonset when they are Poor.