Are the bands Returning?...

It was off to the park today for another great morning of radio fun, after a week of absolutely crap weather and propagation. I was beginning to think we were already at the bottom of the cycle, instead of just starting our way to the bottom in a year or three.

Today's surprise contact was Thomas, SM3NRY, in Njurunda, Sweden. It's been awhile since I worked any European DX.

The band conditions were really not that good. Lots of deep QSB, and QRN. Stations just faded away as soon as they gave their callsign. It was not really a good day to be working QRP.

I worked mainly 20m and 40m SSB and CW. I was hoping to get a few contacts on 15m, but it never opened while I was on the air. 

Propagation this morning was: SFI=108, SN=37, A Index=6, and the K Index=1.

Just so people who work me know, as of this month I'm also uploading my logs to PARC and to CANParks, so check those sites for any hunter certificates you may earn working me.

Here's todays contact map:

Stay Safe Out There!!

Sweden....

It was a good day on the bands yesterday....for a change!!  The last few days have been particularly bad after the double CME hit, but things are improving.  Hopefully today I will catch some DX on the CQ WPX Contest.

I had a first today, I was at Lemoine Park doing a POTA activation (as usual), and I was hunted by Thomas, SM3NRY, a Swedish station.  This is the very first time I have worked Sweden doing POTA.   Thomas gave me a 58 report, not too bad for 10w into a 15m Hamstick!

Propagation yesterday was: SFI=175, SN=90, A Index=7, K Index=1.

It was a quick activation, only 18 contacts were made, but it was great to be out in the sunshine and a park for even a short time.  Just enough to relax and enjoy things.

Here's the contact map:

Stay Safe Out There!