On Wednesday I headed out again, this time to Parrotts Bay, and once again the propagation numbers didn't look too bad, SFI=139, SN=112, A Index=9, and the K Index=3. This time I spent an hour calling CQ, both on SSB and CW, and once again I put zero contacts in my log. Pretty discouraging I thought.
Thursday dawns bright and clear, and I decide to go out and try to operate portable once again. This time it was off to the Frontenac Biosphere. Here's the propagation numbers: SFI=137, SN=113, A Index=13, and the K Index=1. Success!! First in the log was Pierre VE2EH, and I ended up with 13 contacts on 40m, and 2 on 20m.
Conditions were terrible. The QSB was very bad and some signals completely disappeared in seconds, never to be heard from again. I was just glad to be making a few contacts!
What was very strange is that I, as a 10w QRP SSB station, was getting S6 to S9 signal reports, yet I was hearing them, the 100w home based stations, at about S3 to S4. Very strange conditions.
Here's Thursdays contact map:
Stay Safe Out There!
Yes the propagation sure has been in the dumpers these past little while. I have noticed it in the CWops mini weekly contests the CWT. Just a short time ago I was able to make between 60-70 contacts in the hour mini test and recently that has dropped to 30-35. Stations that would boom in are not at the noise floor or there and then gone. When calling CQ TEST I have many who come back to me that are just to weak to copy.
ReplyDeleteYes I sure do hope things are on the upturn for sure. Great run down of your efforts and good for you for keeping at it.
73,
Mike
VE9KK