"I assumed that this was normal propagation for 160 but I have never
observed anything consistently as good as it was in the 1980's. Anyone else
found this to be true? What was different about the solar minimum in that
decade?"
John. I was in Brazil that time and I remember working several US station
using 100w and a low dipole during CQWW in May.
I have few observations on my records from last cycle hard to compare.
Last solar minimum we have unprecedented opening throughout north pole.
Several stations on Z18 was crossing the pole on 160m every night.
I remember one station on zone 18 working all US states in less than 30
days.
Long path, at least from Florida was unique I could work XU7ACY almost every
morning from October to March, but that was in 2010 , same long path
propagation on 2011. Zip , nada after 012.
2007, 2008 and 2007 where in the top 20 most spotless days list of last 150
years.
http://icecap.us/images/uploads/Sunspotless_days.JPG
My expectation is that cycle 25 should better than 24 for low bands. But
just my expectation without scientific reasons.
73's
JC
N4IS
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