[Elecraft] Fwd: SDR Transforms Amateur Radio

[Tom W8JI]

> This seems to have been seriously mangled by a journalist. 
> As written it is suggesting that we are at a sunspot 
> maximum and that the effects of sunspots are detrimental 
> to HF amateur radio.  We are actually at a sunspot minimum 
> and, whilst sunspots may increase unpredictability they 
> also enable long range HF propagation and are generally 
> considered desirable in the amateur radio community.


Some people think sunspots make everything better, but 
sunspots really just move the MUF up higher. More sunspots 
"enable" higher bands. Propagation over the world is just as 
good if your ERP, local noise, and antennas are about the 
same on low bands as higher bands.

I never miss the sunspots because I mostly work 40 meters 
and lower frequencies. Matter of fact.... I like solar 
activity to be low because polar paths on the low bands are 
much better at the sunspot minimum. Long live the low 
sunspots, unless of course they get high enough for 6 
meters!

73 Tom