[SEDXC] Low Bands Unusuallly Good

[Hal Kennedy]

Congrats to Mike, K4PI who worked JT1CO yesterday for his last zone on
160.  I heard Chak this morning on 1818 and got on a little too late, I
hope to work him tomorrow.  He is peaking here at least an hour before
sunrise.  Chak is expected to be on for the next few days (our
mornings).  As I type this at 8:30AM Chak is on 80 working the west
coast - it's too late for us.
 
This AM the SFI was 73, effective SSN was -9 !! and A=0 and K=0.  The
auroral oval was nearly gone yesterday morning and just about
non-existent this morning.   If the sun stays quiet, there may be no
oval at all by tomorrow.
 
I worked a lot of northern EU at our SR on 40 and 80 this morning, short
path and no flutter.  I worked China on 40 for a new one, 20 minutes
after sunrise.  E51 was pounding in until well after SR on 80, and JAs
were loud and into the log on both 160 and 80.  The JAs were a solid 599
here on 80. S7 on the meter, no need for earphones.   
 
As we approach the Winter Solstice with nil solar activity, we are
having once-a-decade condx on the low bands.  If we have sunspots by
next winter, we won't see condx like this for another 8-10 years.  
 
We should have some exciting mornings (and sunsets - ZN 18 and 19 very
possible on 80) for the next few days, or weeks depending on solar flux.
Get them while you can.
 
As most of you know, the antennas here are low dipoles and a K9AY for
receive.  It doesn't take a beverage farm at the moment to log great DX
below 10 MHz.
 
 
73,
Hal N4GG