HF Propagation

[Sol100]

Good day all,
How are you finding the current solar cycle is affecting the HF propagation?.
Why I'm asking is that I'm finding the bands are totally unpredictable and different.
Previous sun cycles IMO used to be fairly constant and bands were open and for long periods of time, years even.
What I'm seeing now, and I believe we are a fair way into this cycle is a very erratic and different scenario.
I'm 55 and have been listening to SW since I was in my early teens so I've been through a few cycles.
Things may have changed over time but the during the last cyle for example the 15m band was alive for most of the time (day) but now it's areal hit and miss.
10 & 11 Meters is another example, one day this region is pumping and the next few it's dead apart from the locals.
Is it me or are others noticing a difference?

Sol

 

[K9WG]

This sun spot cycle is not as good as previous ones. That is why the difference in propagation.

NASA/Marshall Solar Physics

You can see from the charts that we have not achieved the numbers as past cycles.

 

[K9WG]

Interesting pod-cast

Astronomy Cast - Ep. 238: Solar Activity

 

[Sol100]

Interesting pod cast. The only thing certain thing about the sun is that it's not that predictable
IMO the comments made throw a spanner in the works for climate change theories.

I guess for radio listeners it's going to be hit and miss this time around.

 

[K9WG]

If you are into astronomy (another one of my $$$$ hobbies) astronomycast.com has some very good programs. The one on spooky space sounds is rather interesting for us radio-heads.

eta - Did see some interesting sun spots the other day. Hopefully HF will keep getting better.

 

[k9rzz]

I would never expect one solar cycle to behave like any of the previous ones. Heck, we have only begun this new one ... who knows what the peak is going to be like? I have always compared 10 meter openings to the one's I worked back in the '80s where with 100w and a small beam on the roof of the house I would work hoards of JAs so loud that you could hear their baby or dog in the background. Well, last month I heard my first JAs on 10 meter FM. How cool!

I've been reading some 1953 QST magazines and there was a horrible solar activity null back then. Twenty meters was flat - FLAT! But during that time they found out they can work meteor scatter on 20. I had no idea you could work MS on 20 meters. There was some other facts about meteor scatter that I never heard of, such as reflections directly back to you are going to be shorter off the same meteor, than between two distant stations This was confirmed on the air on 20 meters! They were also experimenting with "ground scatter" where two stations would point to a distant spot some 600 miles away and work each other off the ground reflections (trees, buildings). I've heard of back scatter off distant E clouds or forward scatter on 6 meters where you can hear a distant high powered station just above the noise, sort of growling, then suddenly a meteor reflection occurs and BAM! He's 20db over S9 ... then back to growling. Never heard of ground-back scatter though.

If you've got too many lemons ... then make lemonade.