Winter 2017-18: A harbinger of things to come?

This forum is for discussions on the noteworthy events, people, places, and circumstances of both the past and the present (note: pop culture etc... is on the back porch).
User avatar
Termite
Posts: 9003
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 3:32 am

Winter 2017-18: A harbinger of things to come?

Post by Termite »

"Solar scientists have shown from the historical record that sunspot activity correlates well with climate change on earth. Fewer recent sunspots fits well with times of global cooling......"
The rest of the article
"Life is a bitch. Shit happens. Adapt, improvise, and overcome. Acknowledge it, and move on."
User avatar
HTRN
Posts: 12397
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:05 am

Re: Winter 2017-18: A harbinger of things to come?

Post by HTRN »

It is warmer at mcmurdo than my current location.

FUCK WINTER. :evil:
HTRN, I would tell you that you are an evil fucker, but you probably get that a lot ~ Netpackrat

Describing what HTRN does as "antics" is like describing the wreck of the Titanic as "a minor boating incident" ~ First Shirt
Langenator
Posts: 1155
Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2010 2:10 pm

Re: Winter 2017-18: A harbinger of things to come?

Post by Langenator »

HTRN wrote:It is warmer at mcmurdo than my current location.
In fairness, it is summer down there.
Fortuna Fortis Paratus
User avatar
Weetabix
Posts: 6106
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 11:04 pm

Re: Winter 2017-18: A harbinger of things to come?

Post by Weetabix »

Even worse than climate change is that low sunspot activity screws with HF propagation. I was all set to try to figure that out. :evil:
Note to self: start reading sig lines. They're actually quite amusing. :D
User avatar
Termite
Posts: 9003
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 3:32 am

Re: Winter 2017-18: A harbinger of things to come?

Post by Termite »

Weetabix wrote:..... low sunspot activity screws with HF propagation.
Why would low sunspot activity negatively affect shortwave radio?
"Life is a bitch. Shit happens. Adapt, improvise, and overcome. Acknowledge it, and move on."
User avatar
Weetabix
Posts: 6106
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 11:04 pm

Re: Winter 2017-18: A harbinger of things to come?

Post by Weetabix »

Long-time users have found that the upper HF bands are reliably open for propagation only when the average number of sunspots is above certain minimum levels.
from: http://www.arrl.org/here-comes-the-sun
any form of radio communications that uses the HF bands and ionospheric radio propagation is very dependent upon the state of the ionosphere. The higher the levels of radiation received from the Sun, the greater the levels of ionisation in the ionosphere and in general this brings better propagation conditions for HF radio communications.

It is found that the number of sunspots on the Sun has a considerable effect on the levels of radiation emitted and hence impacting on the ionosphere. In turn this has a marked effect on radio communications of all forms.
from here: https://www.electronics-notes.com/artic ... tivity.php
Note to self: start reading sig lines. They're actually quite amusing. :D
User avatar
randy
Posts: 8334
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:33 pm
Location: EM79VQ

Re: Winter 2017-18: A harbinger of things to come?

Post by randy »

What Weetabix said.

There are weekly reports that summarize sunspot activity using NASA and other space weather data to plug into propagation software (or calculate using tables if you are into self abuse) so that HF radio enthusiasts can plan their activity around where in the world they can talk in the next few days.

lately the conditions have, in technical terms, sucked. Right now (as I type) 40 Meters is good, but anything in the lower range is almost non-existent on some bands.
graph.aspx.jpg
You can still play HF but your options are limited and often your ops are geared to what you can do, not what you want to do.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
...even before I read MHI, my response to seeing a poster for the stars of the latest Twilight movies was "I see 2 targets and a collaborator".
User avatar
Termite
Posts: 9003
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 3:32 am

Re: Winter 2017-18: A harbinger of things to come?

Post by Termite »

RE randy and Weetabix:

I'm so used to dealing with VHF and UHF fm radio I forget about HF am. I do listen to talk radio on commercial AM, but I haven't listened to shortwave in a long time, even though I have a nice portable Grundig receiver.
"Life is a bitch. Shit happens. Adapt, improvise, and overcome. Acknowledge it, and move on."
Greg
Posts: 8486
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 2:15 pm

Re: Winter 2017-18: A harbinger of things to come?

Post by Greg »

HTRN wrote:It is warmer at mcmurdo than my current location.

FUCK WINTER. :evil:
Yeah I haven't seen temperatures like this since the time I was stupid enough to visit Canada in January. (In fairness it was only Nova Scotia, so still much warmer than the upper Plains.)

Though it's interesting when you recalibrate so 17F is 'warm', so you go outside and do stuff in only pants and a long sleeve button down (not even flannel) shirt.
Maybe we're just jaded, but your villainy is not particularly impressive. -Ennesby

If you know what you're doing, you're not learning anything. -Unknown
Sanity is the process by which you continually adjust your beliefs so they are predictively sound. -esr
User avatar
Weetabix
Posts: 6106
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 11:04 pm

Re: Winter 2017-18: A harbinger of things to come?

Post by Weetabix »

Termite wrote:RE randy and Weetabix:

I'm so used to dealing with VHF and UHF fm radio I forget about HF am. I do listen to talk radio on commercial AM, but I haven't listened to shortwave in a long time, even though I have a nice portable Grundig receiver.
If you're ever up at 1 or 2 AM, tune around the AM dial and listen for a while. I've heard stations from better than 500 miles away. Kind of fun.
Note to self: start reading sig lines. They're actually quite amusing. :D
Post Reply