Ham Amateur Radio Technician Practice Exam 2026 – The Complete All-in-One Guide to Exam Success

The 20-meter band typically supports worldwide propagation during daylight hours at various points throughout the solar cycle, not just at solar maximum. This is because the 20-meter band is sensitive to changes in the ionospheric conditions caused by solar activity, and while it does benefit from increased ionization during solar maximum, there can still be significant propagation opportunities at other times in the cycle.

During solar minimum, when the sun's activity is low, the band may experience less reliability for long-distance communication, but openings can still occur, especially during the daytime when the ionosphere is sufficiently energized by sunlight. In addition, the 20-meter band can also experience sporadic openings due to short-lived solar phenomena, like solar flares.

Thus, the consistent ability to use the 20-meter band for worldwide communication during daylight hours spans the entire solar cycle and is not limited to solar maximum, making it accurate to say that it can support propagation at any point.