Another halfway decent evening was experienced last night on 75m. Myself, bro KK4TVR, and N4OYT had a very enjoyable chat on 3885. Lightning static was tolerable. Not feeling the love here, folks. Where is everyone? Fleep
I rarely get on at night, and rarely get on 80, but listen a bit. Last night had a lot of static crashes (in South Jersey). I was doing some testing and had my 813 rig on 3885 for a bit at 500 watts carrier. Heard and saw nothing but static crashes and ssb (noise). For me, radio is mostly a winter activity but I am ready and looking forward to it.
I listened later in the evening. The CBers up on 3892 were loud and clear, and another SSB QSO around 3870, but nothing in between, AM or SSB. Static was pretty loud here, so I figured it had driven everyone else off. Turned off the filaments and went to bed. No signals at all on 160, and not much on 40. Hope activity picks up as the summer QRN subsides (assuming it eventually does).
I had my first 60 meter QSO in a long time, on "Channel 4" ....the last one was about a week after we first got the band. 60 should actually be a great band for NVIS in interior Alaska, but nobody seems to have discovered it yet.
I am on every day. Mornings will find me on 3725. Afternoons on 7293 and most evenings will be 3870 or 3885. Of course the charming little SSB midgets in Texas who occupy 3870 when there is AM activity, always seem to have some sort of net going... all of a sudden. We usually carry on until they get tucked in bed by Mommy or Jack Daniels, or both. Not a problem.
On a side note, I wonder how the season is going to be. When I first got into AM (late 70's) 80 meters seemed to be the great daytime band, then it changed to 40 meters, back to 80 I think, and now 40 again. I heard the sun activity may be really low and stay that way, and they say it might even impact climate change (make things cooler). How will that impact 80 and 40 meters, and bands in general? I know 15 and 10 meters may only be good for line of sight stuff, but will things be more stable? Will 80 be the daytime band again? Or will 40 be solid as a rock?