50MHz Aurora

Around 5PM on 17th March 2015 I was listening to 2m anda local stations remarked he could hear several auroral contacts on the 6 m band. I tuned to 50.190 USB and heard a Scottish station working several long path contacts. His voice had that strange Dalek like voice reminiscent of auroral QSOs.
The two local stations attempted to contact him and one was successful. I tried but as my antenna is a long wire at the moment and I was only running 5 watts I was unsuccessful.

Then that evening the majority of the UK was blessed with seeing the aurora borealis (or the northern lights where the sky was clear. The earth had just been hit by a huge solar flare and the consequence was enhanced communications via aurora for radio hams in the direction of the flare.

The unexpectedly strong geomagnetic storm meant the lights - seen here in Lewis in the Western Isles - spread far and wide Picture by Chris Lewis from the BBC news website

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31936513