Good luck with propagation today! We are currently at an SFI (Solar Flux Index) of 65. The all time record low was 64.2. PLUS we have an “A” Index of 20, which means the band will e noisy to boot! Maybe some AU conditions?
I managed to work N7CW and KB7HH both in Arizona today on 15m from Gran Canaria! About 12-15W to a Buddistick clone. I was quite happy with that.
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Congrats, Andy on those DX.
I heard you CQing on 17m but you were so weak with QSB that I was unable to know whether you were coming back to my call or not.
Later, on 15m, despite the marginal signals both ways (I was running about 8w into my endfed in the balcony), we managed to complete QSO.
Thank you and enjoy your stay and SOTA in EA8/GC.
73,
Guru
It was good to work some regular calls. At times had good mobile signal but a few SMS got lost. I worked into the US on 20,17 & 15. 15 had some big US signals in SSB which surprised me a bit for such low SFI and high K&A indeces.
Odd! I never found you on SSB though I had worked Victor earlier, and for me 15 was virtually dead. There were no spots for you on SSB again, so I was searching through the noise. Better luck next time, I hope!
I did spot SSB bit got no takers. I was operating ‘on sufference’ with the girls waiting. After not a sniff of SSB for 5-10mins of calling I went to the next band. Glad you got Victor.
I don’t understand why 15 wasn’t dead. I was at 27N, which I’m assuming made the difference to you at 54N.
Sporadic E always possible - this is why 10m still produces contacts in low sunspot times. SpE affects all bands even 80m, so I suspect that’s why 15m was good with big signals.
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Indeed. Propagation, like gold, is where you find it!
I just found it as a +1, at just the time when I left the shack for a cup of tea! I’ll have a thermos next time!
Talking thermos …
That is what I would have needed today on OE/OO-243. No points today for me (3 QSO) and appart from CT no 20m and 17m contact in Europe. But to my big surprise my first contact to North America despite the bad solar conditions.
Thank you George @N1GB for the chase. FT817nd and 5 Watt from from my side of the big pond.
The way up…
About 0°C at the summit. View to the south from the summit.
73, de Joe
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What a difference 2500miles makes! 28C at sea level, 23C at the summit car park.
#GC-006 summit
#Some famous Gran Canaria scenery
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Hi Andrew,
On 10m, there was some E’s around the rest of EU this morning, however, as usual it was missing the UK.
This screen shot was taken about about 1100z 
73 Mike
Very nice indeed!
I would prefere that too 
But no holydays left over for me this year to go on a trip to Gran Canaria.
Thanks for sharing!
73s de Joe
Hi Mike
Indeed selective propagation is a typical characteristic of sporadic E. The relevant ionograms would probably reveal where the intensity was greatest.
It means not giving up on the higher bands even though F layer propagation is unlikely.
Cheers
Andrew VK1DA/VK2UH
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And this is current situation 10 months later.
I’m jumping from one frequency to other trying to copy at least any of the activators spotted on Sotawatch but I can’t copy any. Neither 40, nor 20m is something I have experienced some times in the recent past but I often had that last card in my sleeve with 30m.
Today I have the feel that we must have finally fallen down to the deep, deep bottom of the valley, as I don’t copy anybody anywhere…
Well, we’ll have to wait.
It never rained so long as to not having some sunshine sometime afterwards.
Cheers,
Guru
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Yep and here are the days with NO Sunspots:
57% of the days so far this year, there have been NO spots on the sun - I reckon you can’t get much worse than that … but I could be wrong. At this rate we’re be up in the 70% range by the end of the year similar to 2008 & 2009.
Yesterday and the day before I had difficulties hearing any acticvators - today was actually a lot better and I worked three plus a DXPedition to a rare EU IOTA.
Perhaps skip distance was short on 40m today? Normally I’m too close to many of the activators.
Despite all of this I’ll be out Sunday morning hoping for LP contacts to down under…
73 Ed
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Hi Guru
Don’t give up, I worked Mike 2E0YYY 2 days ago and was also hearing good chaser activity from Europe long path around 07:00 UTC. Some strong signals from Italy and HB9, think i heard an EA station in there too.
Heading out on Sunday so fingers crossed 06:00-08:00 UTC . it would be nice to have you in the log again, its been quite sometime since we worked.
73
John VK6NU
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Ok, I’ll never give up till the end of my days, but I’m working to overcome this tough period at the bottom of the valley.
I yesterday received these new toys…
They are the Remoterig RRC-1258MkIIs which will hopefully let me use my IC-706 remotely with the better antennas in my lower noise QTH of the village near Pamplona.
All I need now is some time to prepare wires, setting up internet connections, etc…
Being my wife out in Lisboa all this week, I’ve been playing Dad’s and Mum’s role together with working at my full time job. I’m eagerly looking forward to my dear wife return… 
73,
Guru
After a bit of moanning, I’ve got the same total here at last.
Not so bad though…
73,
Guru
It’s only dead if no one uses it.