only talking about sunspots and not about LF thru VHF propagation. Seriously bro, THAT IS LF and HF. VHF has meteor showers and ducting. Not so much ionospheric. AF4RK
I agree. I use FT-8 mode as well with the WSJT-X software package. Now within the last two months worked 71 countries and 900 plus contacts. I am on the hunt for my DXCC!! 73 N0NAV
Try going digital data for QSO's with this low sunspot cycle using FT-8 mode with the WSJT-X software package in two months over 900 QSO'S and 71 countries, working on my DXCC at the bottom of the sunspot cycle. Can't wait for the sun spot cycle to get even better!.... 73 Lloyd/N0NAV
Lots of reasons for that. I've been sitting in the same room texting someone also in the same room - about what a moron someone ELSE in the same room was. Also it doesn't disturb others, plus, sometimes, it's just easier. I work with some very brilliant people who have such heavy accents I can make out, at best, 1/3 of what they say verbally, on a good day. But I can read what they type. Their command of English is good enough for that, it's their pronunciation that's baffling to my ears.
good ole boys in the south say " coor...for the word car " up here in the Vermont we say AYUH! and well.....YUH! on the repeater we say " ka1bsz mobow listin on tha air. "
In these solar minimums we all should look into VHF and higher frequencies. Bring back 52.525, 146.520, 223.500 and so on. Look into the SSB portions of the bands as well. There are plenty of great band width to utilize up there. So raise up those antennas and get on the air!
Yep https://phys.org/news/2016-08-solar-impact-earth-cloud.html Check out the physics experiment with a cloud chamber. Cosmic rays leave trails of ionization which "seed" cloud formation. Sun spots create a solar magnetic field which shields the earth from cosmic rays. No spots means more cloud cover, and less heating of the earth. See "Maunder Minimum" for a correlation.
HF ionospheric propagation applications Using HF propagation via the ionosphere, radio signals can be heard around the globe – it was this form of communication that first opened up many global links to inaccessible regions, and also enabled international broadcasting. HF propagation using the ionosphere was also used for ships, although they now utilise satellite communications. https://www.electronics-notes.com/a...agation/ionospheric/hf-propagation-basics.php
I have lived all my life in the south and never heard anything remotely like "coor" for "car." OTOH I heard someone from up north who moved to North Carolina insist that we pronounced "tea" as "tay-yah" and I have no idea WTH he was talking about. So maybe it just sounds different to different listeners.
Glad you found something to read and hopefully learn from. However that still does not give one a firm grip on propagation which often defies those basic printed comments. USN and other countries comms is going back to HF and low VHF for backup when satellites are taken out by the enemy or Mother Nature. Even CW is being taught again. For other maritime use there is: HF Simplex single sideband radiotelephone frequencies are provided for worldwide common use by ships of all categories, for communications with coast stations or other ships. Global Maritime Distress and Safety System distress and safety working frequencies are also listed. AND all the reading in the world does not equip one to become an expert in the subject nor does a small tribander well below the treeline and barely over a low roof in an extremely crowded neighborhood. Maybe less time on the keyboard and more OTA might help.
