Two Solar Cycles at Once & A Big Meteor Nearly Hits | Space Weather News 10.10.2019

Two Solar Cycles at Once & A Big Meteor Nearly Hits | Space Weather News 10.10.2019

 

JIM,

ONCE AGAIN...THANK YOU FOR KEEPING UP POSTED.

 

Very nice to hear that cycle 25 is coming! Let's hope sooner rather than later.

 

Very interesting post James!

73 de KX5JT

 

Very happy tu hear that, thank you.
73 de HB9AIS

 

That's Good News to Hear - Fingers Crossed !!!

 

We are at the bottom of this cycle. Propagation is remarkably poor and noisy, more so, IMO, than other SC bottoms I've seen over 50 years plus.

There is no justification for any optimism at moment on HF. We have two years more of very poor conditions, then a three year rise in mediocre conditions. What will the 'peak' be like? Probably disappointing, although that is less certain.

Yeh, I know: some of you will brag about all the juicy DX you worked last week. That's BS. The overall trend is very poor and anecdotal issues do not a trend make.

Maybe you are scared of the words 'very poor'. I dunno. I am just presenting the facts. And 53 years of HF experience. Wanna vet my 'DX'? Go onto DXCC and look me up.

I count at least a dozen DXers who just sold off some or all of their stations because of this cycle--and the shift to FT8 (which is a clear result of the poor conditions.)

73
Chip W1YW

 

Gee, Chip don't be such a "Debbie Downer" ...
73, Greg KN1UM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
There is no justification for any optimism at moment on HF. We have two years more of very poor conditions, then a three year rise in mediocre conditions. What will the 'peak' be like? Probably disappointing, although that is less certain.

 

WHy can't we accept reality--that is the first step in dealing with it...positively.

I haven't sold my station. But it sure isn't OTA the way it was 4 years ago.I am not switching over exclusively to FT8 (unlike many others) in these feeble prop times , as I prefer to be a real part of the OTA experience. Your opinion may differ.

The solution to poor prop is more human activity, not a run to almost all machine to machine Q's.

Try calling 'CQ DX'...you will see the problem is only partially the poor prop. RBN shows openings, operators show silence.

 

Just jaggin' Chip .... been at this since '59 and experienced some great cycles ... this one is definitely memorable for its weak peak (excuse me, double peak) and its long, deep low which we are in the depths of experiencing. If anything I feel bad for newer hams who may have to wait to experience things like 24 hour wide open 20m, work DXCC in a day, or darn near ( I worked 72 countries in one memorable day on 10m in '89 or '90). And, if FT8 is going to define what newer folks think is HF propagation that is unfortunate. But, as my Dad used to say "what the hell ya gonna do?". Take care, Chip.

73, Greg KN1UM

 

'The human factor' has been a huge casualty of this SC min. And that's a darn shame.

The good news is there is a rise in activities on HF; more contests, special events; certs; and so on. ANYTHING that keeps us truly (person to person) radio-active is a 'good thing'.

73
Chip W1YW

 

I’m working DX daily on 160m CW.
Low sunspots don’t have to be an issue.

 

You are correct Chip
I can remember when I would Rag Chew with my VK friends night after night after night with 15W and a Ground Plane on 10M many Moons ago.....those days are long gone and more than likely never to return in my Life time......I do think we are in a Maunder Minimum.......No FT8 here just a bit of 20M phone during daylight and semi local Rag Chewing at night and early mornings on 40& 75M.....
73
de KG4BFR

 

Steve,

Montana on 160m adds another 20 dB to your signal...

If it was North Dakota it would be 30 dB....

Also, my comments were on HF, not MF.

;-)

73
Chip W1YW

 

I definitely agree with the poor conditions worst then anyone could even imagine months of zero sunspots last couple years.
I had this back in the 60s we would have thought the world was coming to an end.
I optimize my station to work on 40 and it's been a real good return on investment DX and Gray Line on 40 has been excellent.
I haven't seen that as much on 160, I have a 4 Square on 160 I expected over the last couple of years some remarkable DX but it hasn't proven to be in this cycle on 160.
80 is just so so at my QRH.
But 40 has proven to be a real Workhorse even in the daytime the D layer absorption has been very low and I make Coast to Coast contacts from Kansas midday.