{"id":31843,"date":"2018-05-03T07:28:36","date_gmt":"2018-05-03T11:28:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=31843"},"modified":"2018-05-03T07:28:36","modified_gmt":"2018-05-03T11:28:36","slug":"dont-buy-into-the-doom-and-gloom-low-sunspots-are-not-the-end-of-dxing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/05\/dont-buy-into-the-doom-and-gloom-low-sunspots-are-not-the-end-of-dxing\/","title":{"rendered":"Don’t buy into the doom-and-gloom: Low sunspots are not the end of DXing!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In response to the spaceweather.com article about a lack of sunspots<\/a> I posted yesterday, SWLing Post<\/em> contributor, Rob Wagner (VK3BVW)<\/a>, replies:<\/p>\n

Oh Thomas! Really?
\nIt\u2019s not all doom-and-gloom, you know! The low-frequency part of the SW spectrum is proving very good value at the moment. And the mediumwave guys are telling me that there\u2019s plenty of DX to be had in that part of the RF spectrum.
\nAnd yesterday, I had some FT8 success!
\nFrom southeastern Australia on a dipole with 5w getting into Plymouth, Minnesota on 14mHz in the mid-afternoon here. Not bad at all for the bottom of the sunspot cycle!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Ha ha! Thanks for your reply, Rob! Honestly, I wasn’t trying to spread doom-and-gloom, rather I was pointing out how low<\/em> this sunspot cycle has gone. (Okay, so perhaps I was also shaking my fist at our local star!)<\/p>\n

I completely agree with you Rob. It\u2019s not all doom-and-gloom! Here are a few strategies for working DX during sunspot lows:<\/p>\n

Go low!<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sunspots really enhance propagation on the higher HF bands:\u00a0 especially 17 meters and higher. Without supspots, you’re not going to reliably<\/em> snag serious DX on 10 meters, for example–there will be the occasional opening, but it might not last long. During sunspot cycle peaks, the higher bands provide outstanding DX opportunities even with a modest setup.<\/p>\n

During one peak, I’ll never forget sitting in my car in North Carolina, with a RadioShack 10 meter mobile radio connected to a mag mount antenna, and having a three way chat with a ham in Sandiego, CA and one in Glasgow, Scotland.<\/p>\n

With that said, even this year I’ve snagged some excellent DX on 17 meters (my favorite HF band). And, as you point out Rob, 20 meters is a great band for snagging serious DX even with no sunspots giving you a boost.<\/p>\n

Openings between the US and Australia happen routinely on the 40 meter band as well, although some of us might have to wake up early or go to bed late to participate.<\/p>\n

Of course all of this same advice applies for SWLing. Most of the DX I snag these days is found on the 25 meter band and lower.\u00a0I’ve also been using this opportunity to explore Mediumwave DXing.<\/p>\n

Digital Modes<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a>Kim Elliott and I had an exchange about this yesterday on Twitter<\/a>. Some digital modes are so robust they seem to work regardless of propagation.<\/p>\n

Kim knows this well as he receives reception reports from Shortwave Radiogram<\/a> listeners across the globe each week.<\/p>\n

If you’re a ham radio operator, I strongly encourage you to check out the latest “weak signal” digital modes:\u00a0JT65<\/strong> and, especially,\u00a0FT8<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In fact, SWLing Post<\/em> contributor, Robert Gulley (AK3Q), wrote an excellent introduction to these modes in the June 2017 issue of The Spectrum Monitor magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Robert and I talk about the FT8 mode frequently. Since I discovered this mode at the 2017 W4DXCC conference, I’ve been hooked. Sure–it lacks the nuances of phone and CW, but it’s incredibly fun to watch my flea-powered signal acknowledged by someone on the other side of the planet with a flea-powered signal.<\/p>\n

As Robert will tell you, FT8 seems to defy propagation theory<\/em>. I agree wholeheartedly.<\/p>\n

I’ve worked some of my best DX with this mode<\/strong><\/em> during the sunspot low and have never used more than 15 watts out of my Elecraft KX3<\/a> and KX2<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Don’t give up!<\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a>

Although propagation was poor, I worked more stations during National Parks On The Air than I had worked the entire time I’ve been a ham radio operator. All in the field with modest portable antennas and 15 watts or less.<\/p><\/div>\n

Use the sunspot low as an excuse to explore frequencies and modes you’ve never used before. Use this as an opportunity to improve your listening skills and the most important part of your listening post or ham station–your antenna system!<\/p>\n

I regularly get email from people who’ve found the SWLing Post<\/em> and take the time to write a message to me complaining about the death of shortwave radio: the lack of broadcasters, the prevalence of radio interference and the crummy propagation.<\/p>\n

My reply?<\/p>\n

“Hey…sounds like radio’s not your thing!”<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

While this same person is moaning and complaining, I’ll be on the radio logging South American, Asian and African broadcast stations.<\/p>\n

I’ll be working DX with QRP power, even though everyone tells me that’s not possible right now<\/em>.<\/p>\n

I’ll be improving my skill set and trying new aspects of our vast radio world.<\/p>\n

You see: I’ve learned that the complainers aren’t actually on the air. They gave up many moons ago because someone told them it wasn’t worth it, or they simply lost interest. That’s okay…but why waste time complaining? Go find something else that lights your fire!<\/p>\n

While these folks are complaining, I’ll be on the air doing all of the things they tell me I can’t do.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rob, thanks for your comment!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In response to the spaceweather.com article about a lack of sunspots I posted yesterday, SWLing Post contributor, Rob Wagner (VK3BVW), replies: Oh Thomas! Really? It\u2019s not all doom-and-gloom, you know! The low-frequency part of the SW spectrum is proving very good value at the moment. And the mediumwave guys are telling me that there\u2019s plenty […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1114,5935,545,3,3196,5099,43],"tags":[6901,7010,412,3609,411,7011,6939],"class_list":["post-31843","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-digital-modes","category-dx","category-ham-radio","category-news","category-portable-radio","category-qrp","category-shortwave-radio","tag-ft8","tag-jt65","tag-propagation","tag-rob-wagner","tag-sunspots","tag-weak-signal-digital-modes","tag-wsjt-x"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-8hB","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":37008,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/04\/ham-radio-digital-modes-joe-taylor-talks-ft8-and-introduces-ft4\/","url_meta":{"origin":31843,"position":0},"title":"Ham Radio Digital Modes: Joe Taylor talks FT8 and introduces FT4","author":"Thomas","date":"April 25, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Pete Eaton, who shares the following note and video: Here is a You Tube Video of a presentation given by Joe Taylor last night at the Fair Lawn ARC Club Meeting on FT8 & Beyond an introduction to FT4. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=2Pd7zB40xdY Click here to view\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Digital Modes"","block_context":{"text":"Digital Modes","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/digital-modes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/0A0F8229-FE79-4A69-8607-B1352E2254DB-1024x571.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/0A0F8229-FE79-4A69-8607-B1352E2254DB-1024x571.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/0A0F8229-FE79-4A69-8607-B1352E2254DB-1024x571.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1976,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2011\/10\/video-listening-to-sunspots-on-your-shortwave-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":31843,"position":1},"title":"Video: Listening to sunspots on your shortwave radio","author":"Thomas","date":"October 2, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Digital Journal \u00a0reported that last weekend's Sunspot 1302 was so strong that it had been detected via shortwave radio. \u00a0The following video marries the shortwave audio with images from the sunspot: A little shortwave radio astronomy courtesy of the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Audio recorded by Thomas Ashcraft in New Mexico.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":49157,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/06\/can-you-id-this-ham-radio-digital-signal-for-rob\/","url_meta":{"origin":31843,"position":2},"title":"Can you ID this ham radio digital signal for Rob?","author":"Thomas","date":"June 8, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Rob, who writes: I have a question about the digital signals I received today during what must have been an E skip opening to the southwest. Can you identify by the bandwidth the wide signal in one screen capture vs. the normal FT8 signals\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Wide-Digital-Signal-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Wide-Digital-Signal-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Wide-Digital-Signal-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Wide-Digital-Signal-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Wide-Digital-Signal-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1170,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2011\/06\/sunspots-hibernate\/","url_meta":{"origin":31843,"position":3},"title":"Scientists predict sun may ‘hibernate’","author":"Thomas","date":"June 15, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"News sources are publishing information regarding new scientific research which puts our sunspot cycle into question. How does this affect the average shortwave listener? Periods of high sunspot numbers generally produce excellent DX conditions. In other words, with modest equipment, listeners can hear even weak signals around the world. Amateur\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/SunSpots1-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":31835,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/05\/sunspots-are-in-short-supply-and-its-only-getting-worse\/","url_meta":{"origin":31843,"position":4},"title":"Sunspots are in short supply (and it’s only getting worse)","author":"Thomas","date":"May 2, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Unfortunately, this is not news to brighten your day. According to Spaceweather.com, sunspots are disappearing faster than expected: Sunspots are becoming scarce. Very scarce. So far in 2018 the sun has been blank almost 60% of the time, with whole weeks going by without sunspots. Today's sun, shown here in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/SunSpots-None.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/SunSpots-None.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/SunSpots-None.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/SunSpots-None.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":31264,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/03\/the-hf-voyager-make-contact-with-an-autonomous-ocean-going-drone\/","url_meta":{"origin":31843,"position":5},"title":"The HF Voyager: Make contact with an “autonomous ocean-going drone”","author":"Thomas","date":"March 19, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Southgate ARC) David, AA6YQ, author of DXLab - 'Better DXing Through (Free) Software', posted the following: 'Jupiter Research Foundation Amateur Radio Club (JRFARC) has integrated an HF transceiver with an autonomous ocean-going drone. Our mission is to deploy a ham radio station that roams the world's oceans while providing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Digital Modes"","block_context":{"text":"Digital Modes","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/digital-modes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/2014_09_03HAMRecoverPurple_Metis_016-HF-Voyager-1024x573.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/2014_09_03HAMRecoverPurple_Metis_016-HF-Voyager-1024x573.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/2014_09_03HAMRecoverPurple_Metis_016-HF-Voyager-1024x573.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31843","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31843"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31843\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31843"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31843"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31843"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}