Topband: Boring Report - December

[Jo, YC0LOW]

Tree,

It is NOT the Boring report that matters. It's the boring band to listen in
Cinere.

Having read many of the topband guru's observations here, I realised that I
am not alone and my system on 160 meters found not guilty.

Has someone ever studied the correlation between volcanic dusts/eruptions
and the propagation on Medium Frequency spectrum, please?

Tnx es 73 de Jo, YC0LOW

On Fri, Jan 7, 2011 at 1:15 PM, Jo, YC0LOW <yc0low at gmail.com> wrote:

>
>
> On Fri, Jan 7, 2011 at 6:13 AM, GEORGE WALLNER <aa7jv at atlanticbb.net>wrote:
>
>> >> All of this sort of adds to me thinking conditions are
>> >>significantly worse than they were the past couple or >>years.
>>
>> Tree,
>>
>> I believe that there is no simple answer to your well
>> timed question. Yes, I am one those who believe that
>> conditions have not been very good, especially in
>> December. On the other hand, I also believe that there
>> have been some additional factors at work.
>>
>> My friend, Tomi, HA7RY, and I have been doing some
>> informal testing for the past few months. He has been
>> listening to my signal from FL around 0500Z to see at what
>> power level does my signal disappear in Hungary. (We
>> communicate via Skype or 40 meters.) About 50% of the time
>> he could not hear my 1500 W signal at all (using a Pennant
>> and an Orion RX). The rest of the time, as I reduce power
>> from 1500 W the signal dropped below the noise between
>> 1500 and 100 watts. So I believe that there has been
>> usable propagation between FL and Central EU at least 50%
>> of the time.
>>
>> On many nights, when conditions seemed to be good (i.e.
>> Tomi could hear my 1500 W at S6 to S7), I have called CQ
>> for 20 to 30 minutes with no response. It is hard to
>> believe that my signal would have been readable only in
>> Hungary. I am tempted to believe that the lack of DX has
>> been party due to diminished activity!
>>
>> Another possible factor: From Florida it appears that
>> signals in Europe have been peaking around 0400 -- i.e.
>> well before Central EU sunrise -- and before many TB
>> operators (early risers they may be) get on the band.
>>
>> DX clusters could also be a factor: i.e. fewer stations
>> are scanning the band. Rather, they rely on cluster
>> postings. Often, I call CQ for many minutes with no
>> response, but once I am spotted, activity perks up
>> quickly. Also, with fewer stations scanning the band,
>> there is an increased likelyhood of short openings being
>> missed. What will happen when everybody will be waiting
>> for somebody else's posting to get on the air?
>>
>> George, AA7JV
>> _______________________________________________
>> UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
>>
>
>