Dead bands - Am I missing something?

Mark WS7M

I've had to work a lot of weekends recently but today, Sunday Apr 2, at 1:00pm MST I decided to see what was up.  

I restarted my 6500 to be sure and went to 20m.  Totally dead.  Virtually zero signals.  I went to 40m.  Same thing.

I figured ok my antenna is a message.  Went outside and it's a up and in ok shape.  I gave it 10w of RF and got a good SWR.

I have a subscription to RHR that I really don't use but I logged in to one of the systems there and tuned up and down 40m CW.  Pretty  much dead.

Is today a world wide "don't send any RF day?"   Did Trump sign an executive order to ban Ham Radio?  What is going on?

-- feeling rather alone...   Mark WS7M

K3DCW

I've noticed the same thing today.  The K and A indices are not very high, but for whatever reason, things are quiet as can be here on the E. Coast.  Perhaps it is because Spring has sprung for a lot of people and they're outside enjoying the improving weather.  That, and no major contests to be had either. 

James Kennedy-WU5E

Product: Geophysical Alert Message wwv.txt
:Issued: 2017 Apr 02 1800 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
#
#          Geophysical Alert Message
#
Solar-terrestrial indices for 01 April follow.
Solar flux 101 and estimated planetary A-index 16.
The estimated planetary K-index at 1800 UTC on 02 April was 2.

Space weather for the past 24 hours has been moderate.
Radio blackouts reaching the R2 level occurred.

Space weather for the next 24 hours is predicted to be minor.
Radio blackouts reaching the R1 level are likely.

you can scribe to this.

Jim

WU5E

Jd Dupuy

One organization claims we have over 750,000 licensed Amateurs.  The reality is we have only about 20,000 active but you would be hard pressed to find 100 on the air during the daytime on any band.

Craig_KØCF

We are in the middle of an M2-class solar flare right now. Likely causing a propagation blackout.

Craig, KØCF

KM6CQ - Dan

I have been trying out a efhw at 15' on 20 meters today in the WSPR mode. At 5 Watts the east coast is seeing my station from NV. Normally I would see some DX stations pick it up. But not today. 

Dan

Gary L. Robinson

I think it is starting to recover some from the class M2 solar flare.  I see about 10-15 signals on 40mtrs and just had a chat with a station in Iowa (I'm in Ohio) on LSB.  He was S9 at times but averaged S7.  It is still not back to normal though - normal that is considering what the state of the sun has been lately in as much as sun spots hihi

NX6D Dave

I had the same experience.  Looking around, I saw absolutely nothing.  I too, checked antennas.

Suddenly about 30 minutes ago there was a break on 20M and I worked W0S in the Missouri State QSO Party, SSB.  JT65 opened up on 20M.

Then just as suddenly, while I watched, the entire band went to zero.  Absolutely flat in space of a couple of minutes.

Looks like I'll be spraying weeds in my yard today.

73

Ned K1NJ

   Another real-time source to check:

https://pskreporter.info/pskmap.html

Ned,  K1NJ

Maybe geomag/solar event is over now.

Craig_KØCF

Ned, that is one nifty tool!

Craig, KØCF

Bob K8RC

Here's the really relevant message: Space Weather Message Code: ALTXMF Serial Number: 265 Issue Time: 2017 Apr 02 2034 UTC ALERT: X-Ray Flux exceeded M5 Threshold Reached: 2017 Apr 02 2032 UTC NOAA Scale: R2 - Moderate NOAA Space Weather Scale descriptions can be found at www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation Potential Impacts: Area of impact centered on sub-solar point on the sunlit side of Earth. Extent of blackout of HF (high frequency) radio communication dependent upon current X-ray Flux intensity. For real-time information on affected area and expected duration please see http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/d-region-absorption-predictions-d-rap. Thank you for using the Product Subscription Service. If you would like to remove a product subscription or update the personal information in your account, go to the Product Subscription Site. Please do not use the from address for correspondence, as it is not monitored. For comments or help, please contact SWPC Help.

Al K0VM

www.Solarham.net has an interesting collection of solar date if you're interested..

AL, K0VM

Rick

I tuned through about 4-5 bands and heard a some total of 4 CW signals. COnditions are awful!
Rick, W2JAZ

ctate243

I just fired out a couple of cq's from my 6700 on 10 meters and got a solid hit on the RBN from KH6LC in Hawaii..  these weird solar events can have various consequences some better than others....

KY6LA_Howard

I really do not know what you guys are complaining about

I was operating JT65/JT9 remote from LAX all day via La Jolla CA

Plenty of DX on JT65 ALL DAY

The problem was that you were using the wrong modes (CW and SSB) for the current propagation conditions..   Digital modes such as JT65 and JT9 always seem to get thru when CW is DEAD

In fact, lately there are far more DX stations live on the JT modes then ever were on CW.

Mark WS7M

It must be that gigantic antenna you have Howard... You are putting out so much RF that 10W on JT65 is blanketing all of our receivers...

I think that must be it.  So stop transmitting already so the rest of us can get a break!  

k3Tim

10 meters is open from So Ca to HI right now.

KY6LA_Howard

Mark

In these conditions you need to input 1.5KW into a gain antenna to be heard

BTW... that 10KW+ ERP really helps with signals received below -24

ctate243

San Francisco to KH6 is wide open on 10 meters.  I imagine it will be open to VK/ZL soon also.  keep calm and carry on...  

ctate243

WritKH6LC N6WM28025.0CW CQ [LoTW]27 dB 28 wpm2208z 02 Apre a reply

Norm - W7CK

Even though the bands have been pretty bad, I still have some signals on 17 meters and down each and every day.   20m has been fairly good during the day but pretty much dies out shortly after sunset (gray line).  40m has been nice up until around 9-10 pm.  80m ok until around midnight or so.  160m has been difficult for me because I just don't have a very good antenna for that band. 

k3Tim

How did you do Chris?

Here is a WSPRnet results from 1-Apr around 11:00GMT  Open to ZL, VK and JA lands.

Wim

I did plenty of DX on 40m this morning, using just a ground mounted ground plane, worked China, Indonesia, Japan in JT modes

k3Tim

Excellent. It seems a challenge for me to work China, Korea of Indonesia.

Curious about your antenna, is a 1/4 wave?

k3Tim

Ned K1NJ

  Try watching for gray line propagation to those areas.  JT modes help, but
planning and patience are also great assets.

              Ned,  K1NJ

KM6CQ - Dan

Here are my wspr results from earlier today. 5 watts, 20 meters efhw up 15'

Dan

Wim

Hustler 6BTV ground mounted with just 8 radials of 30 fr, but I am on the pacific coast

k3Tim

The Hustler is doing good work for you.
Thanks...

k3Tim