I was amazed when I listened on 160 after 10 meters died around
03 UTC on 2/17...it sounded like old times at the sunspot minimum! I
sometimes find it hard to correlate WWV numbers with conditions, but
take a look at this data from http://www.dxlc.com/solar/indices.html
Boulder K-indices (WWV numbers at 3 hour intervals):
16 Feb 01011212 (sum = 8)
17 Feb 00011211 (sum = 6)
18 Feb 10001211 (sum = 6)
Solar Flux:
16 Feb 129.6
17 Feb 129.8
18 Feb 132.0
Both of these number sets are VERY low for this part of the
cycle. It is definitely beginning to look like the peak for Cycle 23
(Smoothed Sunspot Number) was in April 2000. Not good news for 10
meters but great news for Topbanders!
73, Bill W4ZV
P.S. Watch March 15 for a possible repeat of these conditions.
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