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

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by KB7TBT, Oct 11, 2019.

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  1. W1YW

    W1YW Ham Member QRZ Page

    Nope. You should ask them. I talked to around 50 newcomers at Dayton this past year and they all expressed the frustration (about HF and prop) I articulated. The last thing they want to hear is why YOU are working Mozambique and they are not--as in its easy and anyone can do it.

    They don't want to hear about your Gulf-enhanced gray line contact with C9....

    73
    Chip W1YW
     
  2. G0JUR

    G0JUR Ham Member QRZ Page

    well you can't beat a good bit of doom and gloom,

    Poor conditions? meh, just makes life more interesting, No challenge, no point.
     
    W4WFL, KK4HPY, K8PG and 1 other person like this.
  3. W4PG

    W4PG QRZ Lifetime Member #279 Platinum Subscriber Life Member QRZ Page

    I've been working lots of DX, much on 17 meters. South Pacific was coming in nicely on SSB the other day. Sure, the conditions aren't like during a peak, but things aren't dead either. Problem is most folks THINK everything's dead so few call CQ. I've tuned around on 17 and heard ONE station from the west coast 10dB over S9. The band was open, just no one operating. Seems the digital segment is always hopping . . . easy way to tell how the conditions are. We just need to hit that PTT button a bit more!! :)
     
    KK4HPY, KH2BR, W1YW and 1 other person like this.
  4. WW2PT

    WW2PT Ham Member QRZ Page

    Amen! Weak signals? Difficult contacts? I pay extra for that! :D

    I’ve shot plenty of fish in a barrel with good propagation and a bit of power. These days (years!) of poor conditions, I’m strictly QRP—5w CW to a short end-fed. Just because. It requires lots of patient listening and results in far fewer DX contacts in the log, but I get exponentially more satisfaction now when I work a new one in my chase for QRP DXCC. And if I can’t work the DX before they go QRT... oh, well. Time to read a book.
     
    W1YW likes this.
  5. WA7NTL

    WA7NTL Ham Member QRZ Page

    God's punishment for getting rid of the code requirement.
     
    AA4MB, W0FS and WW2PT like this.
  6. WW2PT

    WW2PT Ham Member QRZ Page

    I blame FT8. All the DX sits on one frequency now which sucks the propagation out of the rest of the band. #banFT8
     
    W0FS likes this.
  7. W4WFL

    W4WFL Ham Member QRZ Page


    Back in the about 3 or 4 minimums we had crappy bands and we did not have computer webpages nor bulletin boards to give us the confidence to go on. I read one guy has been on since 1963 and he has never seen as bad or long conditions as today but I will take his word for it but since 1970 I remember a couple bad minimums. We call this the Radio Art. That means we find a way to make radio work rather than to throw up our hands and give up or do FT8 which is not really the Fraternity of Ham Radio. I said in a previous post I am not doing exotic DX but I am finding bands open and I am even working 10 meters at times. I find 40 meters a hot band except in the middle of the night. 80 meters is good to fair at night. I improvise, adapt and overcome the conditions and I don't expect propagation not to be excellent but workable. I don't expect communications to be easy but possible and there is work required to make a contact. I guess I don't do things the easy way and I like the challenge and to challenge others to get on the frequencies so I can work them. Working hard for contacts makes me feel accomplishment. I get no gratification with these computers giving me where stations are heard. I want to find them myself and work the Art of Radio.
     
    W1YW likes this.
  8. W4WFL

    W4WFL Ham Member QRZ Page



    Anybody can do DX when the Solar Flux is over 200. It takes a real radio operator to work the bands when the flux is only 68. When conditions are bad, you learn to Improvise, Adapt and Overcome. I feel gratification and satisfaction when I have to work hard for a contact.
     
    K9KQX, WW2PT and KK4HPY like this.
  9. KK4HPY

    KK4HPY Ham Member QRZ Page

    In my over 65 YEARS Of Operating experience I have NEVER SEEN sUch a diSplay of NO SUNSPOTS !!!!! Back in the days of about 1953 we KNEW WHAT PROPAGATING WAS !!!!
     
    W1YW likes this.
  10. W4WFL

    W4WFL Ham Member QRZ Page


    Why do you keep coddling these newcomers on how bad the bands are? Why don't you talk up working the Art of Radio? Newcomers and especially youngsters today want instant gratification. Anyone can work DX when the flux is over 200. The challenge is to make contacts when flux is only 68. I find that anything that takes lots of effort as satisfaction and accomplishment. Talking to someone on 80 meters in the next county takes no imagination or something anyone can do. I admit that I work 2 meters on our local repeater but I also do 2 meter simplex and if you live anywhere near a populated area, there is someone listening, especially in the spring when inversions are influencing propagation in the mornings 2 meter FM DX is possible. Tell these new guys to tune around and even where you think no one is listening and try CQ several times. I have worked 10 meters several times last month and heard people talking on 15 and 17 meters. It might not be every day but sometimes they are. During the graylines in the evenings, 40 and 20 meters will give you DX on SSB and CW. Propagation is easier doing digital at the same time using PSK or Olivia. There is lots of HF if you look for it. If you don't try and just complain, I can guarantee you will not make a contact. Close your eyes, hold your nose and jump in the water. The U.S. Marines say "Improvise, Adapt and Overcome" these challenging conditions and stay optimistic.
     
  11. KK4HPY

    KK4HPY Ham Member QRZ Page

    I remember back when There was REAL OPERATING on the REAL BANDS and not these Fake shortwaves with the sun as spotless as a babies REAR END !!! yOU didnT have these NINNIES saying they is TALKING when they is really TYPING !!!!
     
  12. KK4NSF

    KK4NSF Ham Member QRZ Page

    God is punishing us for being cranky old buzzards instead of Wilford Brimley.
    [​IMG]
     
    KS4TD and KK4HPY like this.
  13. KK4HPY

    KK4HPY Ham Member QRZ Page

    yOU are right WE SHOULD NOT ENCOURAGE NEWCOMERS ! What good IS a Youngster on the bands anyway ? Just a nuisance !
     
    W4WFL likes this.
  14. KD8DEY

    KD8DEY Ham Member QRZ Page

     
    WJ4U and KK4HPY like this.
  15. K9GLS

    K9GLS Guest

    I've yet to experience bad propagation on the weekends. Only seem to have bad conditions Monday through Friday. Things that make you say hmmmm. We use "the band is horrible today", "too much QRM", "too much QSB" (probably the only two Q codes anyone knows today) as an overused crappy excuse. I'm having a blast with 6 watts and a wire. Carry on...
     
    W4WFL and WW2PT like this.

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