We seek to understand and document all radio transmissions, legal and otherwise, as part of the radio listening hobby. We do not encourage any radio operations contrary to regulations. Always consult with the appropriate authorities if you have questions concerning what is permissible in your locale.

Author Topic: Hello Grand Solar Minima?  (Read 2859 times)

Offline ChrisSmolinski

  • Administrator
  • Marconi Class DXer
  • *****
  • Posts: 31105
  • Westminster, MD USA
    • View Profile
    • Black Cat Systems
Hello Grand Solar Minima?
« on: September 16, 2019, 1050 UTC »
Chris Smolinski
Westminster, MD
eQSLs appreciated! csmolinski@blackcatsystems.com
netSDR / AFE822x / AirSpy HF+ / KiwiSDR / 900 ft Horz skyloop / 500 ft NE beverage / 250 ft V Beam / 58 ft T2FD / 120 ft T2FD / 400 ft south beverage / 43m, 20m, 10m  dipoles / Crossed Parallel Loop / Discone in a tree

Offline KaySeeks

  • DX Legend
  • ******
  • Posts: 1246
  • Quebec. Vive la différence.
    • View Profile
Re: Hello Grand Solar Minima?
« Reply #1 on: September 16, 2019, 2206 UTC »
The sunspots must not be from California. The minima is not fashionably late.
Just somebody with a radio, a computer and a pair of headphones...

Offline Josh

  • DXing Phenomena
  • *******
  • Posts: 4322
    • View Profile
Re: Hello Grand Solar Minima?
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2019, 0037 UTC »
It'll only be, what, 3 years till the next peak?

We can wait for dx that long.
We do not encourage any radio operations contrary to regulations.

Offline RobRich

  • DX Legend
  • ******
  • Posts: 1721
  • Tampa, FL USA
    • View Profile
Re: Hello Grand Solar Minima?
« Reply #3 on: September 17, 2019, 0227 UTC »
I skimmed through 20m voice on Monday afternoon. Only a couple or so active QSOs. Admittedly I was using the 148' loop-on-ground, which is not exactly a great 20m antenna, but still. o.0 IIRC, 40m voice was not much better.

Further up the HF bands, I used to occasionally talk on 11m SSB back in the day, but I have not bothered in a *long* time. Ideally, just a few watts with a simple dipole or vertical can work much of North America.... if ya' can find actually workable 11m propagation. I am not saying 11m is deserted completely, but even 27.025 has been mostly static here more often than not for quite awhile now.

10m SSB largely is vacant here, too. Further up, has anyone heard 10m FM simplex in recent months... err, years? Last time I even heard one of the now seemingly elusive 10m FM repeaters probably was a year or two ago.
Tampa, FL USA | US Map Grid EL88
Airspy HF+ Discovery | KiwiSDR 2 | 2x Msi2500 Msi001 | 2x RTL-SDR V3 + NE602 | 2x RTL-SDR V4
148' Loop-on-Ground | 31' Vertical | 18' End-Fed Vertical | 9' NCPL | PA0NHC MiniWhip

Offline ChrisSmolinski

  • Administrator
  • Marconi Class DXer
  • *****
  • Posts: 31105
  • Westminster, MD USA
    • View Profile
    • Black Cat Systems
Re: Hello Grand Solar Minima?
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2019, 0927 UTC »
I skimmed through 20m voice on Monday afternoon. Only a couple or so active QSOs. Admittedly I was using the 148' loop-on-ground, which is not exactly a great 20m antenna, but still. o.0 IIRC, 40m voice was not much better.

Further up the HF bands, I used to occasionally talk on 11m SSB back in the day, but I have not bothered in a *long* time. Ideally, just a few watts with a simple dipole or vertical can work much of North America.... if ya' can find actually workable 11m propagation. I am not saying 11m is deserted completely, but even 27.025 has been mostly static here more often than not for quite awhile now.

10m SSB largely is vacant here, too. Further up, has anyone heard 10m FM simplex in recent months... err, years? Last time I even heard one of the now seemingly elusive 10m FM repeaters probably was a year or two ago.

I monitor 20m SSTV 24/7 on 14230 USB. Activity has been improving lately, I suspect it is more seasonal than anything else.

11m openings seem to be sporadic. Every so often I'll notice the band is full of signals, but it is a rare event. I rarely check 10m, I've never noticed much there. Perhaps that is due to low activity by operators, propagation should be nearly identical to 11m.


It'll only be, what, 3 years till the next peak?

« Last Edit: September 17, 2019, 1008 UTC by ChrisSmolinski »
Chris Smolinski
Westminster, MD
eQSLs appreciated! csmolinski@blackcatsystems.com
netSDR / AFE822x / AirSpy HF+ / KiwiSDR / 900 ft Horz skyloop / 500 ft NE beverage / 250 ft V Beam / 58 ft T2FD / 120 ft T2FD / 400 ft south beverage / 43m, 20m, 10m  dipoles / Crossed Parallel Loop / Discone in a tree

Offline Josh

  • DXing Phenomena
  • *******
  • Posts: 4322
    • View Profile
Re: Hello Grand Solar Minima?
« Reply #5 on: September 17, 2019, 1840 UTC »
Sitting on 20m and the band noise is absent. A few ssb sigs, hardly any cw, almost same for 40m. My goto S4285 day sig on 13031.2 (FUE French Navy, Martinique) is hardly above the noise floor. 6WW (French Navy, Dakar Senegal) on 16951.5 is out of the question. FUE is now peaking -120dBm.
We do not encourage any radio operations contrary to regulations.

Offline BoomboxDX

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 804
    • View Profile
Re: Hello Grand Solar Minima?
« Reply #6 on: September 19, 2019, 0207 UTC »
Maunder here we come. :-)
An AM radio Boombox DXer.
+ GE SRIII, PR-D5 & TRF on MW.
The usual Realistic culprits on SW (and a Panasonic).

Offline pinto vortando

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 924
    • View Profile
Re: Hello Grand Solar Minima?
« Reply #7 on: November 12, 2019, 2234 UTC »
Maunder here we come. :-)

Record snow and cold here in Michigan.  Got a 9" dumping of snow yesterday and temps
forecast to drop to 6F tonight.
Das Radiobunker somewhere in Michigan

 

HFUnderground T-Shirt
HFUnderground T-Shirt
by MitchellTimeDesigns