[CQ-Contest] Its not the Sunspots folks

[Ed Sawyer]

Congrats to all for enduring the worst slog in decades this weekend.  I
overheard Frank, W3LPL, say it was the worst score since starting up his
famous station in the mid 80s.

 

A number of people, in their frustration, have made 3830 post comments
implying that this is what we have to look forward to for the next downturn.
Not true folks.

 

Low sunspots often mean great 40 - 160 conditions.  This was low sunspots
combined with highly absorptive storming conditions.  By the time 1200Z
rolled around on Saturday, people were throwing in the towel. Not because of
low solar numbers, but because of the storm.

 

So yes, conditions sucked, worst I have seen since 1997 when I got back into
the contesting game, but not because the SFI was at 80 (remember the 66 days
a few years ago).

 

Pray for no storms next time.  But don't lose sleep over the natural cycle.

 

Ed  N1UR