Tamitha, you always find the bright side! I have noticed things VERY slowly getting better on the bands. Thanks for the update!
I've noticed that here in Vermont, 17 meters is open most every day and 15 meters has spotty openings. 12 and 10...never. The activity on 20 FT8 AND 4 even during mid week sounds like a contest weekend. FT8/4 : 40 meters is packed from 2 pm on till wee hours, 80 is busy from 3 pm all night. 160 there some up here. 17 meter not as busy as 40-20. other digital modes : psk 31 some here and there on 80,40 and 20. olivia same as above. JS8 why are there more people on this mode? I've worked a few on 40 and 20, maybe since last fall, 15 stations at the most. cw: there some activity on 80,40,20. Most up here in Vermont is heard on 40. I've put on the DX CLUSTER, CQ RAGCHEW of where I'm operating and no bites. It seems that the bands up here ARE starting to improve SLOWLY. As people stay home and get on the radio, the activity will pick and maybe the bands will sound like they did 40 years ago.
Dr Tabitha, Can you find out why there is very sporadic solar indices reporting. Thanks Bob Rice KG4RRN
im certainly noticing 17 opening more this weather and 30 so im rattling the keys more,,mind im rusty and had to slow down to 25 wpm..lol..i hope all you my fellow hams shall remain safe and in good health...
Maybe all the predictions that the sun is coming back is correct for us hams, I hope so. I enjoy this podcast immensely but the facts are it's not coming back so fast, just Look at the numbers, we are into the second-year tied with the lowest number of sunspots in history. No sunspots for 77 percent of the days, Worst than 2008/09