VE6WZ wrote:
>Seems like from VE6 just low K and a "small aurora oval" are not enough
>to assure an EU opening......i've been on many nites with 0 K's and not
>a peep
Steve, low K is indeed not the only factor. Seasonality is an
extremely important factor from your area and January is without a doubt
the best month of the year based on my experience from Colorado. I always
assumed this was due to lower absorption caused by the sun being at it's
lowest level due to the amount of darkness in the Northern Hemisphere (of
course the Winter Solstice December 21 is actually the shortest day of the
year but there seems to be a lag factor making January the best month for
propagation). Another factor is the level of solar activity (solar flux is
the ususal measure). There is no doubt that conditions on 160 are generally
better during the sunspot cycle's minimum. If you look at contest records,
you'll see most of them were set during the 1984-85 and 1995-96 minimums.
All that being said, there is no substitute for persistently
listening with your own ears. 160 is a band that will defy any rules we
try to make for it.
73, Bill W4ZV
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