Rare Propagation Conditions Exist Now

[Tom WA3KLR]

From the propagation website

http://dx.qsl.net/propagation/

02-Dec-2008 at 0001 UTC
SFI = 68   A = 0   K = 0

I don't think I've ever seen both the A and K indices at zero.

The solar flux plot is absolutely flat lined!

The aurora zones are very small and mild.

Good for 160 meters.

[W1AEX]

Yah, it does seem a little different from the usual winter type of conditions. I had a nice half hour chat with a guy down in Raleigh at the top end of 160 meters at around 10 PM tonight. Very little fading, and very little noise. We had the whole top 40 kc to ourselves. Usually there's a lot of slopbucket in that portion, but not tonight.

Afterward, I gave a few calls on 3885 but, nothing heard. The band had the kind of sound that it makes when it has gone long. Ah well, I went in and played Call of Duty 4 multiplayer and killed a bunch of kids with my AK-47. Very satisfying.

Rob W1AEX

[WB2YGF]

I worked Alabama (W4FRE) with my 30W Pro II around 9:15 PM on 3885.  He was 20 over and he gave me an S9.

[k4kyv]

With the sputtering start of the new sunspot cycle, just a lone spot or two, observed from time to time, along with the recently reported diminishing of the solar wind, makes me wonder if we might be in for another extended minimum.  Maybe not for 60 years, but perhaps three, ten, but for all we know, 100.  Kind of like one's date of death; no way to predict until after the fact.  But in the meantime, 160m could become the new 80, 80 the new 40, etc.

At least I already have my 160m vertical, high 80m dipole, and beverage receiving antenna.  Now if that damned line noise (or whatever it is) would go away.  Bands were quiet last night until about 0630 GMT, when suddenly it came on @ S9, wiping out 75, but audible from 1700 kHz all the way to 29.9 mHz.

[W1UJR]

Interesting post Tom, thanks!

I was on the Antique Wireless Association Top Band Net at 1998 Kc last night about 8PM.
Propagation was very longgggggggg, and the signals had a light fluttering sound, almost like an aurora, esp on the lower audio frequencies.

I made an digital audio recording of NE1S for reference, would post but its on the home machine.
The folks in Northeast had a hard time hearing each other, but the stations from far away were strapping in.

Never heard anything like it on 160 before, we thought it might be auroral flutter, but guess your findings explain it all.

[Tom WA3KLR]

Hi Bruce,

I listened in on the Antique Wireless Association Top Band Net last night, but was not set up to check in.  You and Bill K1BF had strong signals, the best I ever heard you two.

Larry's vintage ssb exciter was warbling and hopping in frequency but no one mentioned that.  I think this was the source of most of the so called "auroral flutter" people heard and mentioned.  When you have aurora strong enough to get the flutter, the propagation website images show that the aurora region is very large, extends down to the U.S. and has regions of red color.  But this was not the case last night.

[Tom WA3KLR]

Same indices again, probably wacko on 75 tonight.

15-Dec-2008 at 2106 UTC
SFI = 69   A = 1   K = 0

[WA1GFZ]

The N.E. strappers are off the air so nothing left to charge up the mirror.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Good conditions on 75, just worked Latvia. The guy's name was Yuri (no kidding).

Same indices again, probably wacko on 75 tonight.

15-Dec-2008 at 2106 UTC
SFI = 69   A = 1   K = 0