This concerns me as well. Although I am not presently a digital operator (I did enjoy VHF packet back in the 90s), I believe digital modes offer newbies a tantalizing taste of HF possibilities. Hopefully they won't become bored with those modes and hang in there for better things to come. It's a great time to learn Morse code, too!
Even during the "Low - I am maybe just lucky to do 35-40 SSB contacts 21MHz daily across the globe. It is difficult more than other with 90% 57 - 8 9 and over reports both way. Guys I am just a believer in activity, if we don't call CQ no one will answer, even it sounds dead, there are contacts. 3.5 and 21 the only propagation in A2 land this moment, with very short openings Good luck GD X mast enjoy ! 73
Spaceweather is a bit out with their claim of 270 spotless days... I was taking pictures of sunspots last May with a solar filter and a new camera that I bought back then.. I have a shot of sunspot 2740 taken May 8th (224 days ago). See below.. I put my shot next to the SDO image posted by NASA on their site to compare it with what the camera could do. (There have been a few more minor spots since then). The low ham frequencies have been great lately. I take part in a chat group on 80 meters every morning. The quiet sun has given us strong QSB-free signals from all around for the last month.. That doesn't happen often. I also listen for WSPR beacons on 630 meters. I've managed to pick up low power stations from all over North America and even from Europe and Hawaii
Yep. And for that reason I'm kinda interested in that mode. It also seems to resemble the attributes of AMTOR/PACTOR in a way. I can dig that "error correction" thing (and other neat features); apparently it can be a conversational mode, as well. It sounds interesting. Hmmmmm... it's got this old CW Nut (and former VHF packet geek) considering checking it out one of these days/months/years... We'll see... Maybe that will be the digital mode that will ultimately help keep newcomers interested in Amateur Radio until Ol' Sol starts playing nice?
Bonnie, would like to have your permission to use your sun spot graphic for my QRZ-page DL6BCX or DN4HW
To VE4CY, They say 224 total accumulated spotless days in 2019. Not 224 consecutive spotless days. right? There are rarely more than 50 consecutive spotless days. (Except for a few rare cycles in the early 20th century)
To DL6BCX, Yes, you can use the graphic. Please include a link to the original article it appeared in: http://hflink.com/hforacle/
Correct: Spotless Days, Current Stretch = 35 days 2019 total = 272 days (77%) spaceweather.com THE SOLAR WIND HAS ARRIVED: Earth is entering a stream of high-speed solar wind flowing from a northern hole in the sun's atmosphere. This could cause geomagnetic unrest and enhanced auroras around the Arctic Circle on Dec. 18th and 19th.
I put a bar for 2019 into the Silso bar chart of top yearly spotless days. From this new chart, it is easy to see that 2019 is quite historic, within the past couple centuries. http://hflink.com/solar/Spotless_Days_Historic_2019DEC18.png Top yearly spotless days. Edited and adapted from a SILSO data/image, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels .
I've been saying this for a while: Solar Cycle 24 had the worst propagation since HF radio was invented. You can quote me on that. Now I'm saying: 2019 was the worst year of propagation since HF radio was invented. .. and I have the data to prove it
In looking through the messages regarding HF propogation, I am surprised that here in Europe no one seems to be trying much other than FT8 and similar modes. I can hear beacons on 40 through to 10 meters, some quite some distance. Is it a case of people believing there is no point in trying? 40 meters seems extremely quiet at present. 80 and 160 seem the busiest bands here.
