Topband: Better low band conditions

[Bill Tippett]

SM2CEW:
 >I can monitor aurora activity very well here
(on VHF, 49 MHz) and this season the days WITHOUT aurora activity have been
very very few. The scenario was the same last season, and that was the
worst I've seen for long path W6/W7 on 80 mtrs ever.

 >As I have made daily observations of radio aurora for more than 10 years I
can sure tell the difference in conditions on 160m when the geomagnetic
field is disturbed compared to when it is quiet.

See:  http://www.spacew.com/swim/bigstorm.html

"The chart portrays the fact that severe geomagnetic and auroral storm 
intervals can occur at almost any time during the solar cycle, but there is 
a slightly heavier preference for the years around the solar maximum and 
during the declining years of the solar cycle. Intervals of severe activity 
are less frequent during the years immediately around the solar minimum and 
during the ascending years of the sunspot cycle."

         Sunspots may be winding down, but we may
still experience many disturbances until we get a
little closer to the solar minimum (or slightly after).
Hang in there...much better conditions are coming.

                                 73,  Bill  W4ZV