July 12 brought exciting times to VHF enthusiasts, when strong E skip propagation and a maximum usable frequency (MUF) approaching 200 MHz opened things up on 2 meters. Often a good indicator of favorable propagation above 6 meters is changing conditions on the FM broadcast band.

Signals of distant FM stations overtaking those of the local stations can be a useful indicator that favorable propagation may be on its way for 2 meters. On July 12, stations in the Northeast, Midwest, and Southwest were the primary beneficiaries on 2 meters. Tropospheric propagation may also have been in play for some contacts.