Strange That No Top 10 Most Wanted Have Been Announced for 2013

[AF3Y]

The Intrepid-DX Group regrets that we had to cancel our plans for a November DXpedition to Somalia. We really wanted to fill the need in North America, particularly the West Coast, however it did not make fiscal sense to go on the heels of the third installment of 6O0CW.

We hope to announce our next DXpedition soon. We are actively negotiating with several rare entities and we hope for a positive answer soon. 2012 was an incredible year for DX and we hope that 2013 will be as well!

Paul N6PSE
Www.Intrepid-DX.com

I knew it - there IS a Santa Claus, and his name is "Paul"!

BINGO!  I was hoping my "Grinchlike" post above would "bring out something" we all want to hear . Thanks for the update Paul, and GL in the continuing negotiations.

73, Gene AF3Y

[WD4ELG]

Let me see...

YI9PSE
ST0R
7O6T
3D2C
3D2R

FIVE ATNO for me over the years from the Intrepid DX Group.  Paul/N6PSE...wherever you and the team are headed next, I am grateful and will be donating to future trips.

Mark Lunday, WD4ELG

[NU1O]

I haven't been at this hobby very long.  Do dxpeditions coincide with the solar cycle?  In other words, do we see a significant decrease in number of dxpeditions at the bottom of the solar cycle?  I sure hope that's not the case.

73,
Jonathan W6GX

The number of hams are correlated with the solar cycle.  I read that in a 2007 ARRL annual report I was looking through the other night. Yes, there are more expeditions at the top than the bottom.

I made very few QSOs after 2002 - not totally due to the solar cycle heading down - but what motivated me to get back on the air in 2010 was an expectation conditions were about to get better - and they did, although not to the extent I was hoping for.  

Gene, AF3Y, could very well be correct that the best days of the cycle are over. Even though solar conditions are expected to peak in 2013, the mainstream predictions are not calling for much better conditions than we had in the fall of last year.

Some will say there is always DX no matter what part of the solar cycle, but when 10, 12, 15, and 17 meters are all closed and 20 is basically only open during the day it gets very dull at a solar bottom.  

You were smart to put up that 40 meter beam but during the doldrums the MUF will even drop below 40 at times.  

Do you have room for an 80 meter beam?  

73,

Chris/NU1O

[W2IRT]

Jon, it makes the most sense to channel massive financial resources toward a DXpedition when there is more interest in HF DXing and also when they're likely to be successful on all 9 bands and not just from 20 on down. If you're going to go somewhere that's only activated very rarely, wouldn't you want to hand it out on 10 and 12m to as many people as possible, since working those bands is really only possible for 3 or maybe 4 years out of 11?

[KD6KVL]

Paul,
My hat is off to you.
You and your crew have been nothing short of phenomenal.
I'd never think twice about donating to ANY venture you folks make, whether I need it or not.
Merry Christmas and thanks for such a great year!
Frank KG6N

[N6PSE]

The best is yet to come!  (We hope)

I think it is important to point out that each of these DXpeditions is a team effort.  It takes a team to pull these DXpeditions together and our success hinges on everyone doing their part. Thank you for supporting us, we aim to have our best DXpeditions ahead of us.

Paul N6PSE
www.Intrepid-DX.com