Topband: Bad 160m Conditions

[n4is at comcast.net]

Hi guys

This kind of propagation is common on 160m for this part of the solar cycle, I'd taking notes about propagation  since 2006, and 2012 to 2014, all notes are very bad propagation in January, like we are seeing now. However there was great DX along those years. DX expeditions are coming back and the fun with them.
As Frank mentioned, nowadays the E layer blocks most of the signals on 160, but some times the same E layer have holes and create some ducts that can allow DX for long distances with very strong signals. That’s one of many reason 160m is unpredictable and we need to work very hard to get a new one.

73's
N4IS
JC