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Over the past few weeks I have been running a WSPR transmitter, using 50W predominately beaming toward VK2. An interesting thing occurs on this path.
These are the stations that have heard me:
VK2HC: Once (1081km)
VK2DVM: 3 times (1095km)
VK2ZMT: 22 times (1189km)
VK2XN: Once (1443km)
What is interesting about this, is that it is currently Spring and not in Sporadic E season. The approx midpoint of most of these paths is over the Australian Alps. It's not uncommon in summer to see stations on this path very very strong. In fact they are probably the strongest 6 metre stations during E events. But what about these events out of season? Are they random Sporadic E clouds forming? From the data that I have, I can ascertain that spots were received by the VK2 over at least three separate days, and I recall at least two days in a row where VK2ZMT was hearing me.
I recently come across this video on YouTube from the RSGB: https://youtu.be/wn5as91ndG4
Watch the whole video but if you skip to 9:12 the speaker talks about "mountain waves" which may be a contributing factor to Sporadic E. An interesting theory and thought.