Tree, Don't feel like the "Lone Ranger". In my previous post regarding "Where are the JA's" most of the comments have paralleled comments on this thread which at least gives us something to do or talk about.
My remote has been plagued by power issues this year however there have definitely been been fewer new ones with far less activity. Not to mention that 5-6 days of no sun and wind curtail a great deal of operating time. I have however broken into Europe and Africa once or twice each month when the band opens and is near a weekend. Signals have been far weaker and with much deeper QSB than in the last 2-3 years of solar minimum. I have found that from my Arizona location the band must be quiet and the solar wind needs to be in the 330km/sec range or less for me to punch the 100W signal through. This has been occurring only a few times a month since September unlike the solar minimum. With the reflectors and abundance of solar data that is available today many people are operating less and perhaps being more selective about their time on the band. This has been true in almost all areas of the world as near as I can tell. It certainly is indicative of my operation with limitations on power consumption at the remote. I have also noted that even on good evenings activity has dropped off often before I get home from work.(two hours after sunset) Interesting to note that the few "new ones" from Africa and Middle East that were on had such unruly pileups that I had to ask myself why bother with my 100W. As for Europe, there are a few in the log this month to add to the scattering since September. CQWW CW had many good signals that were not able to copy mine as well as in the Stew Perry. I estimate 40-50 EU/Africa stations heard and called but not worked in both contests. Thursday night before Stew Perry I enjoyed a good opening with half dozen Dx in log only to have signals during the contest at about half the strength as the night before. The biggest surprise was greyline path over the pole near my sunrise early Sunday morning. If nothing else during slow periods we all tend to spend more time developing our antennas, techniques and operating skills. Indicative of this is the significant station improvements made in the last two decades of operation where as many stations have improved both transmit and receive capabilities making DX possible that in the past was not likely. 73 Bob W7RH -- Bob Kile, W7RH DM35OS -------------- “There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.” Will Rogers _______________________________________________ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
