Topband: Band Open - But No Sunrise Peak

[W7RH]

In Response to post by Roger, G3YRO

The morning sunrise peaks are still here in Western US and warrant a 
good listen when the band is open. The key word here is 'Open". I'm 
fortunate to have a beacon station HL5IVL who is on most mornings 
calling CQ DX to cast an opinion. I start listening 2 hours before 
sunrise and hear the W5, 8, 9 and 0 stations working Kim. We are both 
using vertical antennas.

I will note I've been active primarily on 160m since about 1976. This 
solar cycle has definitely been different that cycle 23. As we near the 
absolute minimum time will tell. In cycle 23 there were several years of 
good openings to Europe. Example in last cycle 2006-~2009 I was able to 
work SM7BIC and SM5EDX routinely if not nightly. This is not the case so 
far this time around. In fact this was the first season on 160m where I 
did not work EU during CQWW DX CW in 12 years! I also did not have 
significant numbers of JA QSOs in CQ or Stew Perry operating events.

Having retired last February I've had the opportunity to listen both 
sunrise and sunset periods almost everyday. On occasion hear EU but more 
likely Africa at sunset. Thus far this season only GW3YDX and SM5EDX 
have been worked in the sunset period from Arizona. I've heard but not 
worked UN5J and JT1AO at or after sunrise.

On a daily basis since mid-November I can say the band has been open 
well to Asia ~2 days a week and open to EU well <1 day average per week. 
Night after night I've heard guys 800-1200miles N/NW or guys in W1,2,3,4 
and 5 have big signal openings. Steve VE6WZ told me he worked some 65 EU 
stations last week in one night! On that night at my location they were 
just barely audible. Mind me now I have a very quiet location and can 
hear the Chinese OHR that the breakfast bunch is SE Asia complain about 
every morning.

I do not have the tools to do so but I believe that the F2 layer is 
lower in height this cycle which is the only way I can explain the lack 
of signal strength if at all. I would discount polarity as a primary 
issue because the DX stations heard and worked thus far have in majority 
of the cases been vertical polarization.

Just my comments from and old 160m fart.

73


Bob, W7RH

-- 
W7RH DM35OS


It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.

Albert Einstein