Topband: COSMIC RAY UPDATE

[Michael Tope]

During the last minimum, there were times when high northern latitude 
stations in zone 17 and 18 would be very strong for long periods of time 
here in southern California. Last Sunday morning during the ARRL 160 
contest there was an opening that had that very low absorption 
characteristic (RA4LW was briefly pumping my AGC), but it was very short 
lived opening. Nothing like the sustained openings from the last cycle.

I've been hoping for a repeat performance of the last cycle, but so far 
I've been disappointed. Perhaps the GCR phenomenon is the reason. We are 
still early into the winter season, so perhaps there is still some hope.

73, Mike W4EF....................

On 12/14/2019 10:24 AM, Bill Tippett wrote:
> This could account for relatively poor conditions on 160 despite the low SF
> and K indices:
>
> *COSMIC RAY UPDATE:* Something ironic is happening in Earth’s atmosphere.
> Solar activity is low–very low. Yet atmospheric radiation is heading in the
> opposite direction. Cosmic rays percolating through the air around us are
> at a 5 year high and only percentage points away from a Space Age record.
> Find out what's happening on today's edition of Spaceweather.com
> <https://spaceweather.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0c5fce34d5ca05f64a13d085d&id=84e9b2ac89&e=b06d5db3f7>
> .
>
> 73,  Bill  W4ZV