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When HF is Quiet

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by M1MRB, Dec 23, 2018.

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  1. MW1CFN

    MW1CFN Ham Member QRZ Page

    Propagation forecasts just lead the masses by the nose. Ignore them, and be pleasantly surprised.

    J. (still working 12m most days)
     
    N4KRX, VK5GG, KN4PWL and 1 other person like this.
  2. SE3X

    SE3X Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    I'll guess you didn't cache the irony? But don't worry, I will avoid answering you on any QRG, any mode .. But based on what I see from your qrz page, chanses are slim to ever hear you on HF .. Seems like you are mainly active on the Internet instead of radio ;)
     
    W3ATT likes this.
  3. WN1MB

    WN1MB Ham Member QRZ Page

    Yes, I'm a dim bulb. Guilty as charged. Carry on with the execution!
     
  4. G1GTX

    G1GTX Ham Member QRZ Page

    Hi -this is Phil G1GTX and I could not agree more. I am running a campaign in the UK called "Why don't you call out CQ"? to encourage all hams to call out CQ more.
    If every time everyone switched their radio they called CQ instead of just listening it would not be quiet.

    Full details are on my QRZ page or contact me by email for more detail.
    Regards
    Phil G1GTX
     
    PD0JBV, MW1CFN, KN4PWL and 2 others like this.
  5. KA3CNC

    KA3CNC XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    The reason the bands "come alive" is because ops get on the air and transmit...lol...Im always hearing how bad the band conditions are...well im still having a lot of fun on hf on 40 and 80 at night...just like the weather man on tv, propagation forecast can be wrong too....Ive been on HF when what is forecasted to be poor conditions and the bands were great!...so if im having such a good time now when the band conditions are supposed to be bad, I cant even imagine how good its going to be when conditions are supposed to get better
     
    PD0JBV, N4KRX, KN4PWL and 2 others like this.
  6. K9GLS

    K9GLS Guest

    Until your internet connection goes south. I digress.
     
  7. NN2X

    NN2X XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    For me, my "Buzz" if you will, is using strictly HF, no internet, or no other telecom infrastructure other then using my Ham Equipment and the Ionosphere.
    'And I like to have a QSO...So with the band the conditions as they are, again, it is JS8 that has the ability to have a QSO...

    Sorry to repeat, but that is (JS8) the only mode that can decode at -24dB below the noise floor while having a QSO supporting 13 to 20wpm, (Occupying 50hz)

    Using JS8 I work DX until I am blue in the face


    Cheers

    C U on the bands NN2X.
     
    W4JSG and KK4CUL like this.
  8. AJ2I

    AJ2I Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    Doesnt' work most of the time anymore, I've called CQ for 20 mins + on an open band with 700w and a hexbeam with no takers. Too many people on FT8 and too many cluster clickers.
     
    KF4ZKU likes this.
  9. WA6AM

    WA6AM Ham Member QRZ Page

    Try 21mins, ya never know! I do hope you have better luck. And you have a wife that's a ham too! Nice lookin' station as well.
    Good Luck OM es 73.
     
  10. AJ2I

    AJ2I Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    Thanks WA6AM , yup I'm lucky in that regard!
     
  11. K1LKP

    K1LKP Ham Member QRZ Page

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    BIG BIRD WAVE.gif BIG BIRD WAVE.gif
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    PD0JBV and G1GTX like this.
  12. KK4CUL

    KK4CUL Ham Member QRZ Page

    Since I've been given a laptop from work to allow working remotely, I have been spending a lot more time listening. (Don't kill me), but I just run a simple LnR Precision EF-Quad that is resonant on 40, 20, 15, and 10M, but tunes 60 through 10. So the past few weeks, I haven't heard jack sh*t on 20 and up. I tuned up and down 20 a few times an hour when I have it on in the background when I'm working. 15 is completely silent here - the antenna worked perfectly in the summer for this band, has not moved, is still resonant without the tuner, and nothing electrical is different.

    So -- I've been mostly on 40M in the evenings. On 40, I've made a bunch of good friends rag-chewing in the past week and can chat for hours about whatever! It seems that my cloud warmer loves New England, Florida, and all of 5 land, specifically TX, NM, OK, and LA. I can also hear Roberto from Italy on every single evening. Well this morning, I tuned around 20 and it was WIDE OPEN. I chatted with a guy in Ireland, Wales, and Spain in about 15 minutes. Another gentleman in Puerto Rico and one in Oregon. An hour or so later I went up to 17M and heard a group of guys solidly 10 over S9 but didn't bump in as I was listening to a conference call and they were QRT when I was done. This evening around 5:30 Eastern time, I called CQ on 60M channel 2 for 20 seconds and immediately got a reply from a gentleman in PA! I scan those 5 channels every evening and only hear the digital modes on CH3 if anything. (Please pardon my laziness to look up the exact frequencies, as I'm getting ready to go to bed.)

    All the band condition sites show everything above 40 as being "Closed', but I've had more fun in the past 24 hours than I have in a year or so. I think the conditions likely have been averaging out to 'dead' in the past month or so here, but like everyone else has implied here, the more you're on and the more you call CQ, the more fun it is. Kind of a feedback loop in that regard -- more hams hear others on the air, the more they get active and the ball keeps rolling!

    73,
    Ross
     
    KF4ZKU, N4KRX, KJ7WT and 1 other person like this.
  13. KG7FIU

    KG7FIU Ham Member QRZ Page

    You mean like RFI? :)
     
  14. WD8MPQ

    WD8MPQ XML Subscriber QRZ Page

     

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    W3ATT likes this.
  15. SE3X

    SE3X Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    Many these days with poor propagation, I do feel the same regardless if I call CQ and do CW or SSB. I say again! I will always choose the best availabel tool in my QSO toolbox to make a contact.

    If someone can't understand that and see the logic in such an approach .. Then someone is just plain ignorant, stupid or prefer to live a borring life without adding QSO's in the logbook ;)
     
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2018

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