[CQ-Contest] We are doomed - no sunspots!

[K3BU at aol.com]

Recent commotion about no sunspots and that we hit the bottom of the cycle 
made it to the media. See the article at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/06mar_solarminimum.htm?list196201
and about the next huge solar maximum at
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1591232/posts

There is one study saying that they arrived at foolproof method of prediction 
and that the next cycle is going to be the strongest. While another one, 
while back said that it will be one of the lowest ones. Go figer!

Relative quiet from the "global Warming" crowd that Sun perhaps has anything 
to do with temperature and weather fluctuations on mother Earth. (Like, dude, 
see the difference in temperatures between day and night, winter and summer?)

In any way, it will be either paradise for low banders if the cycle is low, 
or explosion of activity and high bands, if the cycle is high.

I was fortunate to be ham radio born in 1958, during the peak of the last 
highest cycle. Working the world on 10m, round the clock, coming through all at 
the same time, with 10 W army surplus tank junk on AM, with piece of wire 
(Windom) was the norm. It was never repeated since. So if the next cycle is better, 
we are in for some radio fireworks. 

World did not come to an end, but hams had great time in radio paradise. 

Jus' a bit skeptical about all'em predictions by the "scientwists". They 
can't predict fricken weather few days ahead, but they know all about the next 11 
years and what the ol' Sol will do. We'll see. Just enjoy the freaky 160 and 
low bands and brace for what is to come.

For contesters, it should be another big wake up and stimulation to get in 
and beat some records. You never know what games the propagation will play with 
us. You gotta be there, in case IT happens! So get off the packet crutches, 
sharpen some antennas, beef up your watts, computerize your rigs and touch type 
your way into the top boxes and record tables.
See you all in the contest pileups!

Yuri  K3BU.us da Tesla BUm 
Tesla RC - N2EE, NT1E
N8T, K8V - celebrating 150th anniversary of Nikola Tesla 
- the first Ham and inventor of AC and RADIO