SPORADIC-E PROPAGATION

At certain radio-frequencies, the ionospheric E layer occasionally returns signals to the Earth. This effect is intermittent, and conditions can change rapidly. For this reason, it is known as sporadic-E propagation. It is most likely to occur at frequencies between approximately 20 and 150 MHz. Occasionally it is observed at frequencies as high as 200 MHz. The propagation range is on the order of several hundred kilometers, but occasionally communication is observed over distances of 1,000 to 2,000 km (600 to 1,200 mi).
The standard FM broadcast band is sometimes affected by sporadic-E propagation. The same is true of the lowest television (TV) broadcast channels, especially channels 2 and 3. Sporadic-E propagation is sometimes mistaken for effects that take place in the lower atmosphere independently of the ionosphere.