The Cycle that was?

[VK3ZAZ]

Us oldies don't have the years left to wait.

Don't blame the oldies we were just along for the ride also and got lucky with two really good 21, 22 and one not so bad 23..
Attempting to understand 24 will and has proven frustrating and all those waiting in line for DXCC will have to wait a little longer I am sure.
S0 I hope you young guys get the peaks we experienced and the awesome 6M DX, now some 33 years back.

The Weakest Solar Cycle in 100 Years

By: Monica Young
- Scientists are struggling to explain the Sun’s bizarre recent behavior. Is it a fluke, or a sign of a deeper trend?

- See more at: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronom ... qy0lO.dpuf

[VK3LU]

Cycle 19 wasn't bad...even on AM, low power and a quad antenna

Nev

[VK4BZ]

Gotta feel sorry for those poor hams back in the 1800's...DXCC would have been very hard to come by!

[VK6ZFG]

To me it looks like there could be 100 year cycle present on top of the 11 year cycle and we are in the process of entering the trough of the 100 year cycle.

I don't think I will hang around till the next peak on 6M in some 50 years as my superannuation will run out well before then!

[VK4WDM]

We need to take a balanced view on this. Whilst the 6m and the higher HF bands are going to be RS, the lower bands will come into their own. I can remember sunspot minimas when DX could be worked on 40m almost all day and you could easily get DXCC on 80m.

I first became involved in ham radio in ZL4 where we used to listen for the Mexican AM BC station XERF on 1570kc late afternoon and once it was heard got stuck into the stations in the Americas one 160m CW.

OK, we have a lot more challenges to working on the lower bands than back then - lots more noise and less room for antennas, but we also have better technology and access to digital modes, and very importantly we have the 30m band (and maybe a 5MHz segment in the future).

In have been excited about what I have worked on 80m JT65 in the last couple of years and can't wait to see how it performs once the lower bands reach their potential. My challenge now is to get a 160m antenna into my small yard.

73

Wayne VK4WDM

[ZL3ADT]

If we are heading for a Maunder minimum period, does this mean 40m and below will be RS as well, unlike the good years ?

73 Ross

[VK3HJ]

This weak cycle 24 has been just fine for HF. Since 2009 I have managed to make 9 bands DXCC with 200 or more countries worked on most bands. 6 m has been generally quite uninteresting.

The better activity on the Low Bands was around the minimum before this cycle peak. SSN of low single digits and SFI around 65 was common for long periods of time. Over ten days in early 2009, the VK9LA Lord Howe Island DXpedition made over 30,000 contacts under these conditions.

There will always be something of interest for most of the time on at least one of the nine MF/HF bands.

The future will bring what it brings, and we'll adapt to make the most of it.

73,
Luke VK3HJ

[VK3MEG]

I'm a noobie to this radio thing compared to you guys. only had my license since 2012 hf active from 2013.
it has been interesting. I had a sneaking suspicion the high bands would fade rapidly after 2014. so i worked pretty hard to get a tower up with the biggest antenna i could fit
tet emtron te 5-3 8.2m long boom. i'm really happy i did 3 band dxcc double dxcc on 20m and nearly double on 10m 250 worked (all ssb) in that time with 100w. i was also realized i better get better skills for low band dx and have been working on cw since last year playing digi modes and rtty. creeping up on dxcc on 40m 90 worked and 12 on 80m. the low bands have been getting easier the signals louder in vk3. 10m is almost a waste of time except for e's and the odd ja or russian for the last few months its starting to spark up again but i doubt it will be better than last year. this time last year i was working LP africa on 10m. i'm still enjoying the hobby and dx isnt the only thing that sparks my interest. 6m was a lot of fun for the basic stuff i could work but i wont invest heavily on 6m. no point really. worse case there is always eme or jt65
cheers

[VK4WTN]

This cycle was far from a disaster, although signals were a lot weaker there were opportunities on CW. Both Paul VK4MA and Wade VK4WM worked into Europe and Paul showed with a good antenna system and a lot of research good results could be achieved. If 6M was too easy it would loose its appeal. I managed about 25 new 6M countries this cycle mainly on CW including OA and west Afrca LP using a modest station. Anyway I had a lot of fun this cycle and cant wait for the next one.
Wayne VK4WTN

[VK3ZAZ]

One thing the graph cant compare is equipment and support.
Compared with 1800 when there was morse over wires and no radio
now we have radio over wires and not much morse.
And lets not forget the radio aids and props
compared with 28.885 the 6M liason net and the 50 MHZ DX bulletin monthly and UKSMG,
we have day by day blow by blow minute by minute selfies of every qso every frequency used everywhere in the world where you can click on the link, the radio tunes in, antenna turns the right way and your station makes you a cup of coffee, logs the qso in JT robot mode and sends an E QSL and LOTW entry which you get confirmed instantly. LOL
And if all else fails pay your subscription and just log into the remote station and work it from that end anyway

[VK3HJ]

There are modes other than Morse Code?

[VK2AVR]

There are plenty of other modes if you are prepared to open your mind.

Huge opportunities with digital modes. Solar minimum means it won't be fish-in-a-barrel worldwide comms using a piece of wet string and 5 watts, but it doesn't mean hang up your radio by any means.

[VK3HJ]

Geoff, it appears you didn't see my comment as facetious and seriously un-serious.

I find the best contacts, not necessarily only DX, as those one needs to apply serious effort to achieve.

Even now, I surprise myself with a QSO made with only one or two calls in a decent pileup. I shrug, and think "that was just too easy!" and not really as satisfying as a QSO such as that with PY0T some months ago where I waited all day for the DXpedition to start on a band with propagation to my station. I was the only VK in their log in that short activation. Or the single contact made with a DX after trying for a week or more for a new country, and making it just before they QRT.

The high bands and 6 m may fire up this summer, or they may not. Regardless, there's still fun to be had with radio.

73,
Luke VK3HJ

[VK4ABW]

Cycle 24 not working.......why wasn't I told about this? That's it...im telling the DX to go away

Gary
VK8AW

[VK3HJ]

My thought too, Gary. Although, referring to the forum this discussion is in, 6 m has been dismal and really quite uninteresting here.

HF has been fun and challenging, and I'm looking at a slight possibility of achieving Honour Roll within Cycle 24, which incidentally, is not over yet!

73,
Luke VK3HJ

[VK4GHZ]

13 years on, and I thought everyone else had 6m DXCC by now as well???
Surely the digital modes (that weren't around last cycle) have allowed some queue jumping?

I enjoyed my /P trips to Townsville and Broome to earn this DXCC... meanwhile the old stuck-in-the-mud whingers who moaned at the time that it wasn't right and that DXCC should be worked from one's home location are, well, just older and still have no DXCC.

Europeans have the benefit of proximity - so do we - but to opposite advantage.

You can moan about things, or you can get out there, use some initiative and lateral thinking within the DXCC rules.
Failing that, come back in 30 years time.


6RO was right.
Maunder minimum is here.

Nothing to see here... move along.

[ZL1TPH]

Hi Adam,

Your DXCC on 6 metres is something to be real proud of - well done!

Cheers, Steve