Topband: EU Condx

[VE6WZ_Steve]

Congrats to Bob W7RH for working SM5EDX last week. Strong DX from AZ.
I was RX on the QRG during his QSO, but I only had a very brief flash of Johns call.
Here at VE6WZ my EU RX is at 30 deg or so, and this helps to shut down much of the late summer QRN from the US mid-west.
I have had a number of trans-polar openings.

This summer my first EU QSO was F5IN and ON7PQ on Aug 23.  Last year my first EU was Andy DL8LAS on Aug 27.

A log extract from last year shows 18 EU QSO by Sept 11, this year I have worked 16, but notably absent is northern EU.
The very polar northern EU openings have not really started yet which is shown below.

This year (2021) to Sept 11 I have16 EU QSOs logged:

6- OK1CF
2- DL8LAS
2- OZ7YY
2- G4UFK
1- ON7P
1- F5IN
1- PE5T
1- LY7M

Last year (2020) ending Sept 11 I logged 18 EU:

6- DL8LAS
3- SM4DHF
2- SM7BIC
2- OZ7YY
1- OZ4MM
1- SM5EDX
1- F5IN
1- G4UFK

It seems the geo-mag has been a bit more active this season which has shut down the extreme polar northern EU paths.
Last night I had brief copy in Luis IV3PRK during his CQ, but the QSB was deep, fast and the dips between peaks was very long. OK1CF was very solid, G4UFK and LY7M called in with good signals, but the QSB was FAST.

However…..I notice that right now the solar wind has remained around 300m-s for some time, and the Bz has been positive (north) which may help stabilize the geo-mag and allow some good trans-polar conditions tonight!!

73, de steve ve6wz