Is it just my imagination or what?

[w5hro]

I don't know if it’s real or just me. I have been in the receiving mode here in California for the past several months and I have noticed the absence of the usual “static crashes” on the lower bands I grew a custom to while living in Oklahoma for many years. Those bands were useless during that time.

During the summer months thru early Fall 160 meters, 75 meters, and almost up to 40 meters would be overrun with “static crashes” due to all of the thunderstorms and atmospheric junk. Now that I live in California that appears to be all gone. Is it just me or is it because there are hardly any thunderstorms and etc. in this part of the country during the summer?

[N3DRB The Derb]

I'd say that you probably far enough away that cratic stashes from the mid south US dont propagate out to where you are very much. In the mid atlantic here I still get a ton during the summer. it sux.

In the 20's, summer was always the time to fix yer gear and put up new antennas in preparation for the fall and winter operating season. I have always thought thats the way it should be - fighting +20 over static just doesn't do it for me. I've never liked operating after "spring forward time", and "spring back time" has always meant that radio season was open for business. the extra hour of darkness just clicks on "it's radio season" signal in my head.

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

Looking at the mean thunderstorm days map of the US, CA appears to be in the 10 range. OK appears to be in the 50-60 range!

[K6IC]

Hi Brian,

Well for me,  on 75,  Lightning crashes are very significant this summer.  160 is, of course,  worse.  Still significant on 40,  and 20,  depending on the direction one looks.   Does depend on the time-of-day,  tho.  In the morning,  after sunrise,  75 is delightfully QUIET !  At night (my normal OP time) is is usually very noisy.   Bet in the Midwest it IS much worse at night.

Perhaps my antennas are static magnets.

73,  Like UR call.    Vic

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

It very much depends on the time of day and of course direction too. Last night it was rather noisy on 40 meters listening towards Europe (from about 2200-0100Z). After 0100, the static began to decrease. I took a break from the radio and came back around 0630Z and the band was nearly dead quiet! Even more so when listening west. Working the VKs was very nice with almost no QRN.

Listen to the two audio clips. The first is early, when I was working a station in the Czech Republic. You'll hear static on the signal, even though he was 5/9+10. The second is much later, a VK at about 5/7 (20-some dB weaker than the Czech station) and you hear very little static.