I had a similar experience on 15M this morning.? My RBN spots were pretty dismal showing just a few db SNR at best.? I was only getting an answer about every 5 minutes or so from very weak stations.
A similar set up in use here.? A K4D, KPA1500 and a Mosley Pro67 @75ft. which should be more that adequate for what we're doing.? I'm up at bat on 20M at 4PM.? Hopefully that will be a little more lively.
Chuck K4QS
On Tuesday, July 4, 2023 at 01:43:35 PM EDT, Jim N3JT via groups.io <jim@...> wrote:
I will never understand the link between SFI/A/K and actual propagation.? With SFI at 170 and a low A and K one might imagine conditions on the higher bands would be good.
Just now I was? on 17, 1 pm to 1:30 pm, trying especially to work Europeans.? Only one of them was over 529, with most in the noise and unreadable.? A few stateside stations off the back of the antenna managed to break through, but even when I turned the antenna west the W6 guys were 229 at best.?
Am using a K4D with a JK WARC antenna (3 elements on 17k) at about 77 feet.? I do have relatively high noise from power lines (which have been brought to the attention of my Dominion Power contact), but I can manage if the incoming is above 229.
It's much more fun when guys are calling like crazy!? And they are strong!
Did a 42-mile bike ride this morning so missed operating during any HF opening to EU!
Chuck K4QS