[Boatanchors] Propagation conditions

[Rob Atkinson]

sounds like you have an antenna problem.  www.bandconditions.com

www.websdr.org

rob
k5uj

On Wed, Jan 10, 2018 at 10:07 AM, Howard L Ritter Jr <hlritter at twc.com> wrote:
> CQ CQ CQ de N7EXN
>
> I’ve just moved to my new winter residence in FL and am in the process of setting up an antenna, so I haven’t transmitted yet. But I do like to do some SWLing, particularly of broadcasters of English-language programming that is not aimed at the U.S.
>
> The problem is that with either a Dressler active antenna or a long wire, I’m hearing almost no stations. Ditto the ham bands and WWV at all frequencies. There’s no extraordinary level of QRM, just a near-absence of useable signals. The spectrum scope on my Winradio Excalibur Pro shows little other than grass, not very tall grass at that, across wide swathes of the spectrum. The few stations I do hear often turn out to be international broadcasters transmitting from a commercial site in South Florida, maybe a hundred miles from my QTH.
>
> My ZS6BKW antenna (G5RV variant) back in NC was pulling in signals nicely (on the same equipment) just a couple of weeks ago.
>
> So do I have a faulty active antenna and an inadequately long wire, or are the bands suddenly nearly dead?
>
> And is there a website, reflector, or service where current propagation conditions are discussed?
>
> Thanks for your reports,
> —howard n7exn
> Sun City, FL