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[W4AEG]

20 meters is dead on SSB except digital stations on the upper end of the band. For the last 2 or 3 months the band was doing so well that I worked much of South America, the Caribbean,  Europe, Canada and the west coast from Alabama barefoot to a dipole.  What has happened???  I was working from late afternoon to early evening.

Please explain this to me.

[K0AP]

20 meters is dead on SSB except digital stations on the upper end of the band. For the last 2 or 3 months the band was doing so well that I worked much of South America, the Caribbean,  Europe, Canada and the west coast from Alabama barefoot to a dipole.  What has happened???  I was working from late afternoon to early evening.

Please explain this to me.

The Sun is to blame... high A and K indexes. Solar disturbance.

73 Dragan K0AP

[K6AER]

I have not noticed any change out here in New Mexico, I hear Europe, the Mediterranean, South Africa, Japan and Australia and New Zealand on a zep dipole at 50 feet.

What is your noise floor?

[KA2DDX]

check spaceweather.com - there is a solar storm going on - earth's magnetic field has been affected -

[W4AEG]

Propagation on 20 meters
still dead why?

[KS2G]

Propagation on 20 meters
still dead why?

Maybe dead for you -- but I worked 34 DXCC entities and 16 zones in six hours over two days running 100 watts into a 3-element Yagi up only 35-feet in the CQWW DX RTTY contest last weekend.

[W4AEG]

What mode?

[W4AEG]

SSB

[W4AEG]

20 meters still dead for me on SSB. 17 meters is fairly active during the day.  I also hear some SSB on 15 meters.  What gives?

[W1VT]

20M FT8 has been pretty good lately.  Phillippines, India, Thailand, Indonesia, and VK6--which as as far as you can get from CT without being on a boat.  Dipole at 35 ft.

Zak W1VT

[W4AEG]

No interest at this point in FT8. Maybe later as it is just computers talking amongst themselves.  Have email and texting  for that.  Interest here now is SSB propagation.

[K0UA]

No interest at this point in FT8. Maybe later as it is just computers talking amongst themselves.  Have email and texting  for that.  Interest here now is SSB propagation.

Now, you know why people are interested in FT8.   Look, not to worry, the sunspots will come back and things will be much better for SSB in a couple of years. In the meantime, the rest of us are busy working DX.

[SWMAN]

 FT8 ? Is that really ham radio ? If it is I think I will just sit here
and watch my paint dry for the rest of the day.

[K0UA]

FT8 ? Is that really ham radio ? If it is I think I will just sit here
and watch my paint dry for the rest of the day.

How many DX entities have you worked on FT8, and therefore what do you know about it? I would be so bold to say, you haven't worked a single one and therefor know nothing about working FT8.  Would I be right?  The favor of a reply would be appreciated.  Thanking you in advance  James K0UA

[SWMAN]

Hello James,
 Yes, you are correct, I have never made a contact on FT8. The reason is that I like to talk on HF on sideband. It seems like FT8 is just a computer game for the people who are really into computers. I have a computer and use it for emails and watching and reading some web sights . I am not  computer wiz and doing ham radio on a computer is not really for me. If I tried it I may like it but I really doubt it. I just like SSB for now, thats good enough for me.
    Take care and 73. Jim W5JJG