View Full Version : Are we pass the sunspot Minimun?
I believe that the bands are getting better very fast. I have noticed in the last week that propagation is improving at a major rate.
Today alone, I worked from Southern California. Sudan, The Gambia, Taiwan, China, Burundi ( 3 bands) , Northfolk Island (4 bands) , Madagascar, Dominican Republic, South Cook Islands and Montserrat. Oh yea, and Asiatic Russia and Japan , but I can work those guys anytime !!
It has been quite some time since the Bands have been this good. Maybe the sunspot minimum is actually passed..
( I hope ! )
Of course, the new ( to me) 1500 Watt amp doesn't hurt when I can get the DX on the first call either... hi hi..
Come on Sunspot Maximum !!!!
Gordon
N6WK
Gordon,
There seems to be a correlation between fewer sunspots and global warming. Reduced sunspot numbers mean less atmosphere ionization, thus radiation from the sun penetrates more easily through our atmosphere and the planets average temperature rises.
If we are truly beginning a planet warming cycle, that would suggest that the sun spots that aid HF amateur radio communication will begin falling each cycle for the next 1000 to 10,000 years.
P.S. I am glad that you were able to work some DX today, because in a few thousand years.............well who knows.
73,
Terry, K7FE
KB3LIX
02-28-2007, 05:24 AM
It may just be the new amplifier, as the sunspot numbers have been very low the last several weeks.
Last time I looked, there was one lonely sunspot on the sun facing earth. Before that, there were several days with zero.
Trust me though, I sure hope you are right !!!
It will be interesting this weekend with the ARRL DX contest cranking up.
I need MORE DXCC's !!!!!!!!!!
I admire your zest for band activity but let's face it, it is an eleven year cycle! A few weeks, months, or even perhaps a couple years isn't going to make any real dramatic difference.
There are small ups and downs along the way to enjoy OR be ANNOYED at!! I have heard that the 11 year cycle is suspected to be on a larger cycle as well! Some cycle peaks are real good some are not. My best cycle peak was in the early 80s. Man was that something! Working JA mobiles on 6 meters SSB for what seemed like hours! All total I worked around 500-600 JA's on 6 that one winter. I got over 350 qsl cards from them. Your list is ok but not awesome. I remember listening to the Arabian Knights Net (a Persian Gulf DX net) on 20 meters for HOURS back then in the evening. They would take so many worldwide check-ins I would loose propagation before they finished! And the early AM 20 meter longpath signals of S9 from African countries? OH MAN! If it gets close to anything like it was then, you ain't seen nothing! That winter every day was like a major contest for a few hours at least. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif
One DXCC for each band is usually enough. Hi Hi
73,
Terry, K7FE
Quote[/b] ]One DXCC for each band is usually enough. Hi Hi
No...two! CW and Phone, each band! Git 'er done! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif
I think I am gonna need more stamps! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif
NN4RH
02-28-2007, 11:16 AM
Are we past the sunspot minimum?
Want to start a pool? Of course we won't know for 6 months to a year who won so someone will have to save this thread and revive it later in the year.
I'll wager that the official sunspot cycle minimum / start of cycle 24, in terms of smoothed monthly average values, already occured on February 12, 2007.
W3MIV
02-28-2007, 11:46 AM
Quote[/b] (K7FE @ Feb. 28 2007,00:21)]Gordon,
There seems to be a correlation between fewer sunspots and global warming.
Which means, Gordon, that you must not run your new amp unless and until you can verify that the cycle has actually started. We don't need unnecessary sources of added heat burdening the planet.
I shall report you to Algore if you continue to pump those extra BTUs into the atmosphere.
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
(BTW, hope to chat with you again soon.)
k0ews
02-28-2007, 12:43 PM
Gordon, could it be that the reason you are working more DX is that people are getting active for this weekend's DX contest? It seemed to me that right before the DX contest on CW, like the week before, there was plenty of DX to be had on the bands.
I'm sure that your amp didn't hurt either.
I will say, we're about due for the minimum to have passed. I'm hoping that a year from now we see definite evidence that the sunspots are on the rise! Good DX to you, Gordon.
Yep, folks are warming up for the weekend contest.
I'm not sure we've move onto the upswing. The minima usually lasts a few months, and there are NO spots right now.
Nope, I sent kg4kww to check it out and this is a picture of him returning. UWL told him the problem was that he should have gone at night. Anyway, wwe're not at the bottom yet.
KA4DPO
02-28-2007, 03:31 PM
Yesterday I worked Mars, the Martians said I was 5 by nine and that WK was weak. I can work Mars anytime I want so it doesn't prove anything.
The Martians said they don't believe in global warming, their atmospher is mostly Co2 and it's freezing. They wanted to know if we could send them some Jack Daniels.
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
k0cmh
02-28-2007, 03:38 PM
DPO: what is the call for Mars?
WA3KYY
02-28-2007, 04:48 PM
Quote[/b] (NN3W @ Feb. 28 2007,10:56)]AL1EN
Are you saying that Alaska is on Mars?
Quote[/b] ]Are you saying that Alaska is on Mars?
Might as well be.
What he said. Cold enough for it. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
I don't think conditions are better, but we are probably experiencing better conditions due to the changing seasons. Once we hit spring, the "summer" conditions come in; e.g. working Europe during late afternoon/early evening on 20, JA in the morning on 20, and transpolar/Pacific stuff at night on 20. However, propagation on the high bands usually is worse during the summer. But 20 at night is a lot of fun-the last two summers have always had good stuff, even for the bottom of the cycle.
Conditions usually get really good after we hit autumn, stay good for most of October, then taper off. The same thing happens for the month before spring starts.
I always know it because conditions for CQWW SSB are always much better than those for CQWW.
Probably nothing from the new cycle yet; the SFI numbers just aren't there yet. Give it another year or two before investing in 10m monobanders...
i forgot about that. #Yes, the spring equinox is coming and that does mean more sunlight up north. #So, while we're not there yet, the days (or more accurately, the nights) of decent transpolar propagation are coming. #Its always interesting stuff to be working those UA9s and JTs late at night over the pole.
There should be enough polar lighting to make a more reliable path in April when all hell breaks loose (a.k.a., the start of the BS7H dxpedition).
W5IEI
02-28-2007, 06:32 PM
Quote[/b] (n2zn @ Feb. 28 2007,10:58)]Probably nothing from the new cycle yet; the SFI numbers just aren't there yet. Give it another year or two before investing in 10m monobanders...
When it does get here,you'll know it without needing a monobander.
WB2WIK
02-28-2007, 06:38 PM
Bands have been "better" last few days, for sure.
A couple of weeks ago it was common that when 20m collapsed after dark, that was it. Band went dead.
Last couple nights haven't been like that. 2-3 hours after dark, the band was still very "open" with quite a lot of activity. I ran a string of contacts on 14.220, starting with the east coast, progressing to Argentina and ending with Asiatic Russia and Hong Kong stations -- all of whom called me, and this was all "after dark."
It doesn't necessarily take sunspots...sometimes all it takes is a low A index to reduce noise levels and make signals more workable.
Nobody knows if we hit the bottom yet, since the way to define the bottom is to be past it and look back to see where the actual minima was. Probably won't know until summer-fall 2007.
WB2WIK/6
40 meters has been very good the last few evenings - managed to pick up a few new countries along the way. Europe was bangin' in here last weekend, lots of true S9 signals just waiting to be worked - many stations calling in the clear - it was almost like shooting fish in a barrel - HI.
KB3LIX
02-28-2007, 11:08 PM
I'm not complaining about band conditions, they seem good to me, but what do I know # http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif # #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
I have never been thru a cycle peak.
All I know, is I picked up another DXCC this afternoon.
Burundi, east-central Africa on 20 meters.
1 call, I about fell off the chair.
Almost forgot, Bonaire/Curacao on 28.457 this afternoon. It was a group setting up for ARRL Intl DX, they will be operating as PJ2T.
W4HAY
03-01-2007, 03:52 AM
Nailed the Czech Republic early this evening on 80 with 50 watts & dipole...
Sunspot minimum passed, Seasonal propagation, Low Noise, Fluke propagation, Bounce off Mars, http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif All I can say is, I am happy to be working DX again and some new Countries don't hurt either. I just want to be ready with Lots of antenna and plenty of power when Scarbough Reef comes on the air. I am hoping to work them on every band 80 thru 10 and Maybe, just maybe, if I get lucky, on 160... but I'm not holding my breath.. hi hi..
It just seems to me that I am seeing a steady rise in propagation, so I am being optimistic !
73,
Gordon