When HF is Quiet

ICQ Podcast Episode 283

In this episode, Martin M1MRB is joined by Chris Howard M0TCH, Martin Rothwell M0SGL, Dan Romanchik KB6NU, Ed Durrant DD5LP and Frank Howell K4FMH to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Colin M6BOY rounds up the news in brief and this episode’s feature is When HF is Quiet.

ICQ AMATEUR/HAM RADIO PODCAST DONORS

We would like to thank David Cripps (G7IDB) and Bill Seward (KG4SAQ) along with our monthly and annual subscription donors for keeping the podcast advert free. To donate, please visit - http://www.icqpodcast.com/donate

News stories include:-

• National Security Risks with Amateur Radio Violations
• The CWops Award 2019 for advancing the art of CW
• 1940s Radio Times now online
• WSJT-X 2.0 Full Release Now Available
• "Suspicious" Post Office Package Was Ham Radio Equipment
• Worked All Postcodes
• 2018 QST Antenna Design Competition Winners Announced
• Scouts at AJ2019 Awaiting Amateur Radio Call
• Logbook of The World Tops 1 Billion QSO Records
• New Amateur Radio Packet Gear for International Space Station

The ICQPODCAST can be downloaded from http://www.icqpodcast.com

 

When HF is quiet on SSB .. I go for CW or FT8 .. Adapt and Overcome

 

With decent antennas HF is never ( entirely ) quiet. There is always a band open to somewhere.

There is never a lack of propagation. But it might be different than we are accustomed to. So we adapt to conditions. And we overcome our own limitations.

 

And when everything, yes everything, goes south .. Then we go for D-Star ..

 

​

 

When HF is quiet, call CQ. Done. Now go make some noise.

 

Does the term the tail wagging the Dog say any thing. I mean You look at the propagation map, it shows bands are closed, so you slumber off and watch TV all night. START TRANSMITTING be the one to open the bands. When you walk down to your fishing hole and on your way you walk by a fisherman walking back to his truck, you ask how is the fishing, he responds there not biting today, do you turn around with your tail between your legs and walk back to your truck and go home?, not if you are a fisherman.
I mean you just gotta give it a try, after all getting your line wet is half the fun. The same is true if you are a true Amateur Radio Operator. NEVER GIVE UP, we are out there just waiting to bite.

 

When HF is quiet on SSB - I am on JS8 (FT8 with QSO), or Olivia.

DX Plenty on JS8...Olivia domestic


C U on Bands, NN2X, TOM

 

I noticed today the band report said poor conditions on 80/40 meters but I heard several qso's across the 40 meter band. If it says it's dead...talk anyway. I don't think that thing is always right. If you put your call out and no one comes back...try again in a few and try up or down the band somewhere else.

 

same thing here..... band conditions said "poor" for 20 meters; I worked numerous stations across the US and one Japan station ON MY MOBILE !!! Band was a little less active and a bit more noisy, but both 40 and 20 worked well just the same.

 

Try VHF/UHF for a change. You may get a big surprise and find some stations there that you had never thought were possible from your QTH. 73 de John - G0WXU.

 

I agree about being the one that might open a band up. Transmit regularly and listen.

 

I get spots on RBN from South California to Canada, to north on the east coast (Pennsylvania) and down to Kansas, Texas but rarely anybody answer my CQ. Granted propagation is poor
BUT if RBN shows that I am received in most part of the USA it cannot be only the propagation. Is nobody listening or nobody wants to come back on a 12 wpm CQ?
When I succeed to have a QSO I get reports from 339 to 599 with 5 to 10w. Conclusion CW on
HF works. Is everybody snoozing in front of the TV?

 

...I'll meet you on D-Star - when Hell freezes over and elephants perform brain surgery.

 

I have always wondered why with even predictions of a bad band day; the bands will come alive on Field Day and most major contests no matter what was predicted. Oh yes, I can't forget FT8. Could it be the bands are considered poor because of the lack of trying because of a prediction? I used to look at those reports and say why bother? Then I started doing some casual contesting, along came JT65 and FT8 etc and finding myself making a contact when the bands were supposed to be dead. The qso may not be DX but yet it but it's one more qso I wouldn't have had, had I not tried.