[NLRS] 6M open again today

[Doug Reed]

Yup, I can agree that digital activity does not indicate you'll have
any luck on voice. One of the reasons is the one you mention, the
other is the significantly lower signal levels that digital can use.
Personally, listening to SSB static for hours a day is not my
preferred background music, so I tend to discount SSB voice
monitoring....

That is also the reason I like digital modes and automatic software
monitoring and reporting. I even prefer coupling the automatic
monitoring with beacon transmissions, or simply a repeating CQ
transmission if you are home and in the shack...... It isn't as easy
on voice.

But if the digital web sites report conditions are good, you can either
join them on digital modes, or you can put a voice keyer on the SSB
calling channel and putter around the shack until someone replies.
That will solve the "nobody talking" problem too. The digital signals
tell you conditions are improving and then you can activate the band
with SSB voice. Or ignore it all and continue to play with Internet
and email like me. :-)

73, Doug Reed, N0NAS.