Iknow this has been said by other operators but how many of you have been suffering getting contacts over the last 12 weeks what are your thoughts whats to blame propagation,or is it man made are we to blame have we polluted the atmosphere ice caps melting etc go on what are your thoughts.Best 73s Dave M3XIE
In reply to -M3XIE:
It’s probably because all of the 480,000,000 copper needles from Project West Ford have now been burned up in the atmosphere 
Possibly.
Don
M0HCU
In reply to -M3XIE:
Summer doldrums, D-layer absorption and low SFI just about cover it. As we move into Autumn things should get a little better.
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to -M3XIE:
Summer doldrums with high D-layer absorbancy is one problem. For a sunspot maximum it’s a bit rubbish TBH. You watch what happens in September and October though.
However, despite that yesterday using no more than 4.5W and simple antennas (1/4GP on 24MHz, Buddistick clone on others) I worked:
OE5PEN,24MHz,CW
OM1AX,24MHz,CW
DJ5AV,24MHz,CW
DL1DVE,24MHz,CW
DL3VTA,24MHz,CW
DL8DXL,24MHz,CW
OM7OM,24MHz,CW
HB9AGO,24MHz,CW
OK1DVM,24MHz,CW
SM5SEK,24MHz,CW
UX5MZ,24MHz,CW
S52CU,24MHz,CW
DL1MDV,24MHz,CW
VE1WT,24MHz,CW
UR5FA/MM,24MHz,CW
GM4COX/P,24MHz,CW,ss-029
RX6FJ,24MHz,CW
EA2DT,24MHz,CW
F8FKK,24MHz,CW
DL5MWR,24MHz,CW
N4EX,21MHz,CW
OM5DP,21MHz,CW
HA5LV,21MHz,CW
OK1DVM,21MHz,CW
EA2DT,21MHz,CW
GM3YTS,21MHz,CW
DL8DXL,21MHz,CW
RV9DC,21MHz,CW
OE6WIG,21MHz,CW
US1RS,21MHz,CW
OM3CUG,21MHz,CW
OM5FT,21MHz,CW
DL2HWI,21MHz,CW
DJ5AV,18MHz,SSB
HB9CEX,18MHz,SSB
F/ON4UP,18MHz,SSB
EA7ITL,18MHz,SSB
EB7CIN,18MHz,SSB
HB9AGH,18MHz,CW
OM1AX,18MHz,CW
EA4ESP,18MHz,CW
N1EU,18MHz,CW
OK2HBY,18MHz,CW
IT9CLM,18MHz,CW
GM3YTS,18MHz,CW
HA7WI,18MHz,CW
HB9CIC,18MHz,CW
EA1DFP,18MHz,CW
LZ3SM,18MHz,CW
GM4COX/P,144MHz,FM,ss-029
Now I was on a summit away from noise sources so probably 5 to 10 of those contacts would be unworkable in the city noise smog, especially UR5FA/MM who was not strong and very QSB. Mainly CW I admit, but it works so much better than SSB when you’re QRP. Perhaps you should consider learning it.
Also if you have noise problems, make a noise phasing unit. i.e. have a local antenna to pick the noise and mix it in the correct phase with your main antenna to reduce the crud BEFORE it gets to the antenna socket.
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to MM0FMF:
Summer doldrums with high D-layer absorbancy is one problem. For a
sunspot maximum it’s a bit rubbish TBH.
We are on cycle 24 of the recorded cycles. Ten of those cycles were comparable with cycle 24, with similar or lower peak sunspot numbers assuming that this one has topped out - it may not have, of course. Looked at this way, calling it rubbish just suggests that our expectations are too high! The optimistic viewpoint is that the solar minima will not get any worse!
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to G8ADD:
If it’s not rubbish you’ll be able to list all the 50MHz F2 DX you’ve worked then Brian? No?
Ynda
FMF0MM
In reply to MM0FMF:
Ynda
FMF0MM
Now put the cork back into the bottle.
In reply to MM0FMF:
You missed the point, Ynda (!), it isn’t rubbish, its probably just about long-term normal, and our expectations have been unreasonably inflated by some super maxima in recent decades. Its disappointing that I will probably never experience a major F2 opening on the Magic Band, but such conditions probably only occur over a total of a few months in any given century!
73
Brian G8ADD
PS I shudder to think what conditions would be like if we suffered one of the recently identified “Super-Carrington Events”, anyone for F2 on two metres?
In reply to G8ADD:
if we suffered one of the recently identified “Super-Carrington Events”,
anyone for F2 on two metres?
…assuming the necessary electronics survived the onslaught, of course.
73, Rick M0LEP