[Elecraft] K3 - on the bands

[Robin Diane Goldstein]

OMG, Lee!  sounds like your K3 has contracted the dread Ham Flu Virus 
(close relative to swine flu, but you need to take a test -before-) 
i'll be happy to take it off your hands for $100... you can send the 
rig and $100 to...

(smile)

seriously though (comedians rule: never say 'seriously' unless you're 
going to tell another 'joke) propagation is pretty much awful pretty 
much everywhere.  if you don't already use it, N0HBH has a nice 
little widget that'll give you current conditions (A index, K index, 
sunspots plus a whole bunch of other info) and 'predicted' band 
behavior, here:

http://www.hamqsl.com/solar.html

G4ILO has something similar here:

http://www.g4ilo.com/webprop.html

and qso.net has a rolling display that shows current F2 max compared 
the average for the same time of day, here:

http://qsonet.com/propadex.html

i've grabbed all three and put them on a simple page that i can 
easily view on my iphone, and i'm happy to share the link

http://bit.ly/sun24

like the Beatles sang, "got to admit its getting better... its 
getting better all the time (it couldn't get no worse)"

cheers
robin (K9RDG)

On 8/31/09, Lee Buller wrote:

>Now I am concerned about the performance of my K3.  This 
>weekend...signals were weak and at times "wattery" on 20 meters.  I 
>wonder what other people thought.  There was very little propagation 
>to Europe...heck...even to Oh or MI.  So, are the bands crappy or 
>should I have an issue with my K3, coax, or antennas.  Yes, I could 
>work people, but the 20 meter band was not very good.  Is that right 
>or am I off?
>
>Lee - K0WA