Re: Topband: Poor 160m DX Propagation
On 4/20/2022 1:35 PM, Wes wrote: I was up at 4:30 local checking the band. We're the same age. You and I think very differently about many things. Ham radio is PART of my life. :) 73, Jim K9YC _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Poor 160m DX Propagation
Hi Roger, I monitor solar weather regularly and over the past 6 weeks there have been lots of C and M class Solar flares with an X class flare thrown in. Between all the flares, CME's and Radio storms there have been very few days when the K index has been below 2 even briefly, which, in Western CT is the propagation equivalent of throwing a wet blanket on a fire. Then add in the QRN from Thunder static and rain static plus at least FIVE Nor-easters in the past 6 weeks and you have all but eliminated most of the good band openings. I realize that the weather related storms don't affect propagation but all the qrn that they generate keeps some ops from wanting to turn on the radio to operate 160. Perhaps the biggest cause of the reduced signal strength comes from the much higher Solar Flux and SSN numbers that we have been experiencing as cycle 25 ramps up. The higher levels of ionization, daytime absorption and increased MUF are all negatively impacting 160 M openings around the world. This will not improve significantly until the solar numbers are in decline again to low levels, hopefully not for another 5 - 6 years. 73 Bob, KQ2M On 2022-04-20 11:11, Henk Remijn PA5KT via Topband wrote: https://www.spaceweatherlive.com/en/solar-activity/solar-cycle.html Op 20-4-2022 om 11:51 schreef Roger Kennedy: Propagation on 160m between this part of Europe and North America seems to have been really poor for several weeks now . . . RBN reports from across the pond are typically 20dB down on normal most of the time . . . and hear very few NA stations on the band. Not sure why that is . . . Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Poor 160m DX Propagation
Wes, for me it’s not the age, but the mileage. Mark Lunday wd4...@outlook.com From: Topband on behalf of Wes Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2022 4:35:14 PM To: topband@contesting.com Subject: Re: Topband: Poor 160m DX Propagation Real DXers still do mornings. I was up at 4:30 local checking the band. We're the same age. Wes N7WS On 4/20/2022 12:37 PM, Jim Brown wrote: > On 4/20/2022 10:31 AM, David Raymond wrote: >> There a lot of us that are essentially shut down for the season, > > Out here on the west coast, the only time I hear CW on 160 (other than VE6WZ) > is during contests. This time of year, my opportunity for DX is to VK/ZL in > the morning, but deep into retirement, I don't do mornings. :) > > 73, Jim K9YC > _ > Searchable Archives: > https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.contesting.com%2F_topband&data=05%7C01%7C%7Cffd62f816c8a4c92e9e208da23119d89%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C637860855814868214%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=MIoux2LlhTQB6kAFioJ%2FfnrQ89r285AexCmThV9TkIE%3D&reserved=0 > - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.contesting.com%2F_topband&data=05%7C01%7C%7Cffd62f816c8a4c92e9e208da23119d89%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435%7C1%7C0%7C637860855814868214%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=MIoux2LlhTQB6kAFioJ%2FfnrQ89r285AexCmThV9TkIE%3D&reserved=0 - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Poor 160m DX Propagation
I get why many of you in North America may not be active at the moment, if there's now a lot of QRN (let alone risk of lightning strikes) . . . But are the poor RBN reports lately due to high QRN over there, rather than poor Propagation, do you think? (given that RBN shows signal strength above the Noise, rather than absolute signal strength) Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Poor 160m DX Propagation
Real DXers still do mornings. I was up at 4:30 local checking the band. We're the same age. Wes N7WS On 4/20/2022 12:37 PM, Jim Brown wrote: On 4/20/2022 10:31 AM, David Raymond wrote: There a lot of us that are essentially shut down for the season, Out here on the west coast, the only time I hear CW on 160 (other than VE6WZ) is during contests. This time of year, my opportunity for DX is to VK/ZL in the morning, but deep into retirement, I don't do mornings. :) 73, Jim K9YC _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Poor 160m DX Propagation
The situation here at W5ZN is the same as Dave's. Way too much lightning from now until September to keep all of the 160 meter antennas out and operational. 73 Joel W5ZN On 2022-04-20 11:31, David Raymond wrote: As we've said before, many of us in NA are fighting not just QRN but significant attacks from lightning. There a lot of us that are essentially shut down for the season, my self included (four square elements are now grounded and the 8 circle is decommissioned). I'm still QRV somewhat with a 1/4 wave sloping vertical with elevated radials but deaf as a post much of the time. 73. . . Dave, W0FLS On 4/20/2022 11:11 AM, Henk Remijn PA5KT via Topband wrote: https://www.spaceweatherlive.com/en/solar-activity/solar-cycle.html Op 20-4-2022 om 11:51 schreef Roger Kennedy: Propagation on 160m between this part of Europe and North America seems to have been really poor for several weeks now . . . RBN reports from across the pond are typically 20dB down on normal most of the time . . . and hear very few NA stations on the band. Not sure why that is . . . Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Poor 160m DX Propagation
On 4/20/2022 10:31 AM, David Raymond wrote: There a lot of us that are essentially shut down for the season, Out here on the west coast, the only time I hear CW on 160 (other than VE6WZ) is during contests. This time of year, my opportunity for DX is to VK/ZL in the morning, but deep into retirement, I don't do mornings. :) 73, Jim K9YC _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Poor 160m DX Propagation
As we've said before, many of us in NA are fighting not just QRN but significant attacks from lightning. There a lot of us that are essentially shut down for the season, my self included (four square elements are now grounded and the 8 circle is decommissioned). I'm still QRV somewhat with a 1/4 wave sloping vertical with elevated radials but deaf as a post much of the time. 73. . . Dave, W0FLS On 4/20/2022 11:11 AM, Henk Remijn PA5KT via Topband wrote: https://www.spaceweatherlive.com/en/solar-activity/solar-cycle.html Op 20-4-2022 om 11:51 schreef Roger Kennedy: Propagation on 160m between this part of Europe and North America seems to have been really poor for several weeks now . . . RBN reports from across the pond are typically 20dB down on normal most of the time . . . and hear very few NA stations on the band. Not sure why that is . . . Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Re: Topband: Poor 160m DX Propagation
https://www.spaceweatherlive.com/en/solar-activity/solar-cycle.html Op 20-4-2022 om 11:51 schreef Roger Kennedy: Propagation on 160m between this part of Europe and North America seems to have been really poor for several weeks now . . . RBN reports from across the pond are typically 20dB down on normal most of the time . . . and hear very few NA stations on the band. Not sure why that is . . . Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
Topband: Poor 160m DX Propagation
Propagation on 160m between this part of Europe and North America seems to have been really poor for several weeks now . . . RBN reports from across the pond are typically 20dB down on normal most of the time . . . and hear very few NA stations on the band. Not sure why that is . . . Roger G3YRO _ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
