[Elecraft] Experiment: can we create an instant "band opening" on 40 meters?

[Bill Coleman]

On Jun 11, 2004, at 1:43 AM, <al_lorona at agilent.com> wrote:

> This is so cool. I have often thought of this same exact situation. I
> bet that at least 30% of the time, when a band sounds dead, there are
> actually hordes of radio amateurs listening and thinking to themselves,
> "Boy, the band is dead."

This is frequently the case on 10m, especially during the sunspot 
decline. It is my opinion that in earlier cycles, when hams didn't 
"know" better, that 10m and 15m openings were more likely to be 
discovered just because people called CQ into a dead band.

Today, hams tune across 10m, and hearing nothing, head down to 20m.

> (This is one reason why contests are frequently surprising. It isn't
> that conditions are any better, but there are just many more people on
> the air, making it sound like it's really hot.)

There are always guys, who, for whatever reason, will do a contest from 
a single band -- generating activity that wouldn't otherwise be 
present.

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901