WPX CW/Propagation Forecasts

[Waltk at PICA.ARMY.MIL]

>
>       I don't need to listen to WWV to know whether conditions are good
>       or bad, and I would never base a strategy decision on a WWV report
>       received during a contest.

>

I concur.  Even though the WWV "forecasts" are updated every 3 hours, 
they're usually old news if some catastrophic event occurs. I only need 
to refer you to 1994 CQWW, both modes. I've been contesting and hamming 
long enough to know whats what on the bands.  If a major event occurs
that impacts propagation I adjust my strategy accordingly in REAL TIME. 
WWV is great as a historical base, and maybe some of the indices may
point to continued good/bad conditions if a pattern begins to emerge.
But, never use them as your sole guide to operating strategy.
In last year's CQWW, I had made up milestone sheets for every hour of the 
contest. By Saturday morning that sheet of paper was used to clean up 
kitty litter.

.......................................................................
73 de Walt Kornienko    <<<  K2WK >>>   Internet:   waltk at pica.army.mil
DX PacketCluster:   K2WK  >  W3MM (FRC) Packet:  K2WK at N2ERH.NJ.USA.NOAM
Member:  The Frankford Radio Club       #1 Contest Club In The Universe
_______________________________________________________________________

>From sellington" <sellington at mail.ssec.wisc.edu  Wed May 24 19:07:10 1995
From: sellington" <sellington at mail.ssec.wisc.edu (sellington)
Date: 24 May 1995 13:07:10 -0500
Subject: WPX CW/Propagation Forecasts
Message-ID: <n1410801633.22810 at mail.ssec.wisc.edu>

I suppose WWV reports might be useful for planning BEFORE the contest starts,
but once we start making contact we operators know a lot more about
propagation
than anyone could predict from the WWV numbers.

Scott  K9MA
sellington at ssec.wisc.edu

>From Peter G. Smith" <n4zr at netcom.com  Wed May 24 19:14:39 1995
From: Peter G. Smith" <n4zr at netcom.com (Peter G. Smith)
Date: Wed, 24 May 1995 11:14:39 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: WPX CW/Propagation Forecasts
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9505241119.A136-0100000 at netcom20>

On the other hand (somewhat qualifying what Trey says) in contests with 
off time it could be helpful to know what WWV's saying in order to 
estimate whether conditions will change (either up or down) in ways that 
could affect when you take your off time.

73, Pete                                       
N4ZR at netcom.com
"Better, faster,cheaper -- choose any two"
"No no no -- it's WEST Virginia"