Topband: Topband at solar maximum

[John Kaufmann]

I've said this before and I'll repeat it again.  By far the best years on 160m propagation-wise in New England in the last 3 decades were in the 1986-87 period, around or just after the solar minimum.  There were more openings into central Asia and Japan than in all the years combined since that time.  During January of 1987, the band was open to JA almost every morning.  Another noteworthy propagation path observed during that period was the North Atlantic path at local sunrise to TF, OX, UA1, etc., which has never recurred since.  And so on.  Note that these are all paths that skirt the polar region.  

The second best period was 1996-1997, also around the solar minimum, but it was not close to 1986-1987.  By then I had more Beverage antennas and had observed a number of long path openings at local sunset to VK6, 9V1, JA (of these I was only able to actually work VK6 with my short vertical system).  I have not personally heard any LP from those areas since that time, although I know 9V1GO has been worked from New England this year.

If anyone can shed any light on why the '86-'87 period in particular was so spectacular, I would be interested in hearing it.  

73, John W1FV