For the first time since some of the major contests I was not only hearing Asia, but many of the stations were almost what you'd call "loud". I'm not used to that at all, considering my hex is only at 35 feet or so and I've always suspected the angle that those stations are hitting me doesn't lend itself well to that low height. That height works fine for Europe and most of Africa, but Asia (outside of JA's) has consistently been a problem for me. Not only to work, but to hear.
At one point, some of the JA's were actually a true S9. And, for the first time, I was hearing China, Taiwan, South Korea, and the Philippines well enough to actually claim I was copying them Q5 and not just able to tell that a station was there in the mud. I didn't try to work any of those stations, I figured why contribute to the QRM? There'll be enough time later on for that.
3 comments:
I've just started reading Bill N2CQR's SolderSmoke book and in there is a graph produced in 2006 that shows the solar cycle well on its way to the next peak in 2010. I'm wondering if instead of being late starting, the new solar cycle is now well under way and the maximum is going to be a lot nearer than current predictions suggest?
I had the same thought G4ILO tossed in - Is the cycle farther along than we thought?
Another thought that falls into the 'wishful thinking" category - "What if the cycle really does peak at 175+ as was the original projection?
To answer the original question - Yes! We would expect conditions to improve rapidly as the cycle becomes more consistent. Keep checking 10m, because the openings will begin to pop up there soon. 15m should become more consistent, and at times will seem like a quiet 20m. 17m and 12m should be fun too.
I'm told by an OT that 160m and 80m propagation can sometimes also be very interesting when the cycle is swinging back up. The caveat is that everyone gets excited about the high bands and spend more time there.
O'course the best way to find out is to tune around the bands!
Have fun with the DX hunting es gl.
73 de w4kaz
Interesting post Ed. I'm also seeing the improved conditions and wondering how good it will get.
Good is of course only relative. In my most recent post on this I refer back to my first experiences in the early 1990's just after I got my license. If we get anything close to those conditions I'll be pleased.
Nice blog!
73 de Dean - G0RIF
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