Yesterday 15m was as flat as a pancake. After nearly an hour of calling CQ, was rewarded with one ZS.
Today, zilch total rubbish 10m thru 17m ATM. Anyone got any thoughts or predictions?
Cheers
Mike 2E0YYY
In reply to 2E0YYY:
Hi Mike,
You might like to look at these web-sites for starters, lots of others available.
http://www.voacap.com/prediction.html
73
Roger MW0IDX
In reply to MW0IDX:
In reply to 2E0YYY:
Hi Mike,You might like to look at these web-sites for starters, lots of others
available.
Many thanks for the links, Roger.
73
Mike 2E0YYY
In reply to 2E0YYY:
I like this one
http://www.interalia.plus.com/SOLAR_HO.pdf
When the K-index is high >3 it is probably better to stay at lower frequencies. See http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ftpdir/indices/DGD.txt
73, Jaakko OH7BF/F5VGL
In reply to 2E0YYY:
You need to increase your power spectral density Mike. More W/Hz!
There’s an easy and cheap way to do that involving hitting together some bits of brass. There’s a harder and more expensive way too but many find the 1st way great fun.
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to MM0FMF:
I’ve always thought a rhombic would be a decent antenna for SOTA, especially on summits which are not likely to be visited by members of the public. With a bit of thought such an antenna could be orientated towards where the action is predicted to be coming from. Mind you Mike, you would have to leave the BBQ behind in favour of carrying a few more poles. 
73, Gerald G4OIG
In reply to 2E0YYY:
Conditions yesterday were total rubbish with zilch QSOs here. As said, when the K index is 3 or more things are poor. Today doesn’t look any better.
73 Dave G3YMC
In reply to G4OIG:
A Sterba Curtain would be even better and it only needs two poles so the barby could go back in the rucsac!
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G4OIG:
Mike, you would have to leave the BBQ behind in favour of carrying a
few more poles.
Good point, Gerald. By leaving the BBQ behind, this means I could also leave the cool box and second 20Ah SLAB which powers it 
Win Win!!!
73
Mike 2E0YYY
In reply to 2E0YYY:
If it’s any consolation, Mike, 2m was not much better yesterday. I worked 106 stations in the 2m UKAC last night, but not a single signal was heard from further north than the IO83/IO93 squares! At least a dozen GMs were known to be active, but not a whisper was heard from any of them. It was as if an Iron Curtain had been thrown across the North Pennines!
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G3NYY:
. It was as if an Iron Curtain had been thrown across the
North Pennines!
Dunno if it’s of much significance Walt, but right now, my weather station is showing the barometric pressure as just 999HPa. Not seen it that low for ages.
73
Mike 2E0YYY
In reply to 2E0YYY:
Dunno if it’s of much significance Walt, but right now, my weather
station is showing the barometric pressure as just 999HPa. Not seen it
that low for ages.
It certainly doesn’t help, Mike.
Just been out trying the X-300 on 70cm from G/WB-021. It seems to be just as good on that band as on 2m.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
One more prop-link allowed?
Very helpful for getting an overall impression like a “wx-map”
http://www.spacew.com/www/realtime.php (about once a year there
seem to be one or two weeks without data refresh)
If you see the 18 MHz-contour way down in the mediterranean 17m and up won´t look promising for most pathes. Also the SSN, A- (from two digit upwards bad) and X-ray-numbers (M bad and X very bad but interesting) give indications what´s happening.
73, Chris