Skip

Within the next couple years. Solar Cycle 24: 2011 should be a prime time to shoot skip, everyday, all day, lol

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunspot_cycle

 

so, how often does skip usually happen?

 

All depends on sun activity, but the prime times are every 11 years

 

so, basically it's only every 11 years that you can get good skip activity?

Does it ever happen more often than that? or do you usually just have to have a major base station or setup to get that kind of long range?

 

keep in mind, that 11 meter and 11 year skip cycles have nothing in common. It just so happens that solar cycles peak at 11 years.

During the solar cycles, it peak season for all meter communications. No, you don't have to have a base. I do it fairly regularly on my Galaxy 99V that I have as a current setup in my truck. Just depends on solar flares and conditions.