[Elecraft] Solar Cycle

[w7aqk]

Hi All,

The info I got from Space Weather today indicated that there were strong 
solar flares occurring, and radio blackouts were predicted.  I believe it! 
Yesterday I put up a "not so great" antenna to tinker with, hooked up my KX3 
(I'm traveling), and tried to snag a contact.  Even with this antenna, and 
running QRP, I rarely get skunked, but I did today!  Interestingly, I could 
hear W1AW, and a couple of 6's not all that far away, but otherwise, zilch!

The nostalgia about the late 50's is still something I well remember.  My 
rig only put out about 30 watts, and the antenna was a simple base loaded 
vertical, but I worked all sorts of DX back then.  My favorite hangout was 
the top 50 khz of 20 meters, which back then was CW only.  I had numerous 
QSO's with HZ1AB up there (I was living in Albuquerque), and I don't think 
I've worked Saudi Arabia since!  I wasn't a 6 meter op back then, but it 
must have been good!  One day I flipped channels on our TV and suddenly I 
was watching a crystal clear picture from KSTP in Minneapolis!   It wasn't 
just a short event either, as I watched it for over an hour.  Maybe this 
sort of thing still happens now and then, but since most of us are hooked up 
to cable TV, we don't know!

Dave W7AQK