I see the solar flux ended the day Sunday over 100 for the first time since 2005.<\/p>\n
Yet Sunday afternoon, 10m was still just as dead as a doorknob.\u00c2\u00a0 Spent a few minutes several times hunting beacons, but only the local one here in FM05 was audible.\u00c2\u00a0 Didn’t hear much on 15m either, but there were a few CW Q’s and some RTTY signals.\u00c2\u00a0 One very faint SSB QSO.<\/p>\n
Perhaps a few days of flux will help improve conditions.\u00c2\u00a0 What with ARRL DX CW coming, that would be a welcome change.<\/p>\n
But the whole extended propagation drought has me re-evaluating the 160m antenna versus the 10m\/15m antenna.\u00c2\u00a0 Its not necessarily an either\/or, but the supports they occupy could probably be used for other things.\u00c2\u00a0 Its probably a good time to re-evaluate the available support\/actual usage trade-offs again.\u00c2\u00a0 Most of the wires were hoisted based on what supports were unoccupied, rather than as a whole station best use plan. [ Plan?\u00c2\u00a0 Plan?<\/em><\/strong>]<\/p>\n There’s a three week window here where the temperatures will be moderate and the leaves are not yet budding.\u00c2\u00a0 Plan?\u00c2\u00a0 None yet occurs.<\/p>\n The 10\/15m loop is probably in a spot that might be better used for the 160m vertical.\u00c2\u00a0 The 160m vertical is a bit on the long side, and the darn thing is working – kinda-sorta hate to “fix” something that works.\u00c2\u00a0 But there’s also K2AV’s new idea for the radial\/counterpoise to consider.\u00c2\u00a0 Not sure what the real fun factor is in the situation.\u00c2\u00a0 In the end, the real plan is to maximize the fun.<\/p>\n So, where’s the long-term fun gonna be? 40m and 80m?\u00c2\u00a0 Never much cared for 20m……although it has its moments.<\/p>\n For the current moment, procrastination may cause the ideal antenna work window to come and go. The squirrels in the biological antenna support structures may get to enjoy spring unmolested.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I see the solar flux ended the day Sunday over 100 for the first time since 2005.<\/p>\n Yet Sunday afternoon, 10m was still just as dead as a doorknob.\u00c2 Spent a few minutes several times hunting beacons, but only the local one here in FM05 was audible.\u00c2 Didn’t hear much on 15m either, but there were a few CW Q’s and some RTTY signals.\u00c2 One very faint SSB QSO.<\/p>\n Perhaps a few days of flux will help improve conditions.\u00c2 What with ARRL DX CW coming, that would be a welcome change.<\/p>\n But the whole extended propagation drought has me re-evaluating the 160m antenna versus the 10m\/15m antenna.\u00c2 Its not necessarily an either\/or, but the supports they occupy could probably be used for other things.\u00c2 Its probably a good time to re-evaluate the available support\/actual usage trade-offs again.\u00c2 Most of the wires were hoisted based on what supports were unoccupied, rather than as a whole station best use plan. [ Plan?\u00c2 Plan?]<\/p>\n There’s a three week window here where the temperatures will be moderate and the leaves are not yet budding.\u00c2 Plan?\u00c2 None yet occurs.<\/p>\n The 10\/15m loop is probably in a spot that might be better used for the 160m vertical.\u00c2 The 160m vertical is a bit on the long side, and the darn thing is working – kinda-sorta hate to “fix” something that works.\u00c2 But there’s also K2AV’s new idea for the radial\/counterpoise to consider.\u00c2 Not sure what the real fun factor is in the situation.\u00c2 In the end, […]<\/p>\n