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[K1JRF]

Howdy,
Started in the hobby in 2016 so rode the end of this cycle down and this is my first one going up as a ham.
I checked the historical sfi data as a memory check on myself and thru the end of 2016 and 2017 the SFI average was in the 90's to start that time period and was in the low 80's towards the end of it.  Its been over 100 for more than a week and off and on the past few months.
Thing is, I remember propagation on voice being much better back then than it is now even though the sfi is higher now. A look at my logs confirms it.  Back in the 2016/2017 time I remember it was one after another Italian station and plenty from many other countries. It wasn't until 2018 and beyond that it got real lousy. Again all on voice.
So just trying to learn here. Reading isn't answering this one for me. Is there something I'm missing where its better on the downside of the cycle than it at least initially is on the upside? Does the good ole ionosphere need more time to get "juiced"? (can't imagine that's the case)
And I was just running a G5RV back then so my antennas have improved.
Thanks
John K1JRF

[K1VSK]

The difference is subtle and more noticeable in terms of length of band openings, earlier/later opening/closing and on long path openings. You won’t see a big difference to Europe from the East coast which is typically open every day.

[W1VT]

There aren't as many stations on voice outside of contests these days.

Yes, I think the downside tends to be better than the upside in terms of human activities.
I've noticed that stores are a lot less busy when they first open compared to when they close for the day.
There aren't as many people at beaches on the first days of summer in New England compared to the end of the season.
Folks are reluctant to invest in a struggling new company.  Remember Apple?

Zak W1VT

[VE3TMT]

I would have to agree.

17, 15 and 12 have been open here for days, just listen to the FT8 frequencies. Not hearing anything in the voice sub-bands.

Max
VE3TMT

[OZ8AGB]

Worked and heard many U.S. stations last weekend in the CQ WW CW. So bands are opening.

[W1VT]

Yes, there is still plenty of CW and phone activity in the major contests sponsored by the ARRL and CQ magazine.
I was referring to day to day Phone activity when I said that that there weren't many stations on voice these days.

I made 500 CW contacts in a 160M contest less than a year ago with a modest Inverted L antenna.

Zak W1VT

[OZ8AGB]

Time to start calling CQ then.