Today W2AZQ was good SSB copy at AB4AM (154 mi) and at W4DEX (98 mi).  AB4AM was partial SSB copy at W4DEX (218 miles).  A solid CW QSO was made between WW8II/4 and W4DEX (218 mi) with WW8II operating from the QTH of AB4AM.  No CW was heard from KGØVL and he did not hear any signal from WW8II/4 or W4DEX

Present today for the test was WA1AC, WA4LDU, W3VT, AB4AM, WW8II/4,  KGØVL, KW4DE and W4DEX.  Initially, signals less than 200 miles were fairly good.  WA1AC and WA4LDU were S7 at W4DEX but shortly later QSB set in.  But both were still Q5 copy all the time.  WA4LDU had good copy on WW8II/4 operating from the QTH of AB4AM, a 160-mile path.  WW8II/4 on SSB was partially Q5 copy at both W4DEX and KW4DE which is 216 and about 226 miles.  WW8II on CW was Q5 at both locations.  WW8II/4 reported good copy from W4DEX on CW.  KGØVL, the most distant station at over 700 miles from others present, was not herd on CW and did not report hearing any other station.  

Only KGØVL and W4DEX present today for the test.  No signal detected in either direction.  

Present today for the test was AB4AM, KGØVL, WW8II and W4DEX.  Both AB4AM and W4DEX detected weak CW from an unknown station just before 1630 UT.  The 216 mile AB4AM / W4DEX path was good enough today to support a CW contact but not good enough for SSB copy.  WW8II on CW was detected at KGØVL, 443 miles.  AB4AM and W4DEX did not hear WW8II.  W4DEX on CW was not heard by KGØVL.  During the 2-minute transmission by W4DEX, WW8II once again detected quick blips of signal.

We had reports today from AB4AM, WW8II, KGØVL, N7ZDR, KW4DE and W4DEX.  AB4AM was heard Q5 at times by KW4DE and W4DEX.  AB4AM had Q5 CW copy from W4DEX.  No CW was heard from KGØVL, WW8II and N7ZDR.  

WW8II reported twice hearing a burst of SSB while W4DEX was in QSO with KW4DE.  Such quick burst of signal has been reported several times by multiple operators.  

Only one path tested today.  No signal detected either way between WW8II and W4DEX.

 Active today for the propagation test was AB4AM, WA4LDU and WA1AC.  All reported high noise and poor propagation.  All also reported hearing a very weak CW signal.  So far the source of the CW remains unknown.  

Today we had reports from AB4AM, KW4DE, WW8II, KGØVL and W4DEX.  AB4AM on CW was Q5 at W4DEX and KW4DE.  KW4DE had some SSB copy on AB4AM.  AB4AM copied W4DEX on CW but SSB was not Q5 copy.

CW from KGØVL and WW8II was not heard.  WW8II reported copying a "W" while W4DEX was transmitting CW.  Such quick signal peaks have been reported several times by different operators over the past 17 months of 160M daytime propagation test.
  

WW8II-BR
16:49 WW8II-BRUCE: WAS A BURST

16:49 WW8II-BRUCE: about 2 to 3 sec

Present today we had WW8II, KGØVL, WA1AC, KM4PFF and W4WAV.  The short paths between W4DEX and WA1AC, KM4PFF and W4WAV were useable but not very strong.  QSB was noticeable but not severe.  

No signal was detected during the usual CW transmissions between WW8II, KGØVL and W4DEX.

Only three operators on today for the test.  WW8II, KGØVL and W4DEX.  No signal detected on all paths.

Space Weather Message Code: ALTEF3
Serial Number: 2942
Issue Time: 2019 May 15 1726 UTC
ALERT: Electron 2MeV Integral Flux exceeded 1000pfu
Threshold Reached: 2019 May 15 1710 UTC
Station: GOES15

No signal detected between WW8II, KGØVL and W4DEX on the daily 2 minutes CW transmissions.  WA4PGI on CW was heard by W4DEX and KW4DE but no contact was made.  KM4PFF was marginal SSB copy by both KW4DE and W4DEX. 

Space Weather Message Code: ALTK07
Serial Number: 114
Issue Time: 2019 May 14 0901 UTC
ALERT: Geomagnetic K-index of 7
Threshold Reached: 2019 May 14 0859 UTC
Synoptic Period: 0600-0900 UTC
Active Warning: Yes
NOAA Scale: G3 - Strong

Report for the 13 May 2019 activity:

KGØVL was able to detect some of a CW transmission from WW8II at 443 miles.  No signal was detected at W4DEX, KW4DE or W4NUS.  No signal was detected from KGØVL at W4DEX or WW8II.  Also no signal was detected at KGØVL or WW8II from W4DEX.

No propagation data to report as of 2200UT.

Space Weather Message Code: WARK05
Serial Number: 1518
Issue Time: 2019 May 11 0218 UTC
WARNING: Geomagnetic K-index of 5 expected
Valid From: 2019 May 11 0218 UTC
Valid To: 2019 May 11 0600 UTC
Warning Condition: Onset
NOAA Scale: G1 - Minor

Space Weather Message Code: ALTEF3
Serial Number: 2939
Issue Time: 2019 May 11 1642 UTC
ALERT: Electron 2MeV Integral Flux exceeded 1000pfu
Threshold Reached: 2019 May 11 1625 UTC
Station: GOES15

 

 

Finally, we saw some improvement in propagation today between Iowa and Michigan.  KGØVL received complete calls from WW8II during a 2 minute CW transmission.  That is about a 443 miles path.  At a lower latitude noise was a problem at W4DEX which made reception of KP2AE difficult.  No other stations were heard.  

Only four operators present today for the test.  WW8II, KGØVL, KP2AE and W4DEX.  The only contact made was on the short 51 mile path between KP2AE and W4DEX.   Conditions on that path were not as good as yesterday and had much more QSB.  No trace of a signal was detected during CW transmissions between WW8II, KGØVL and W4DEX.

Local propagation was much better today.  KP2AE was very good copy at KW4DE and W4DEX hitting near S9 at times.  But there was no signal detected on the distance paths between KGØVL, WW8II and W4DEX.

Propagation today continues to be poor for distances over 100 miles due to minor x-ray flares from sunspot 2740.  No signal was detected between KGØVL, WW8II and W4DEX.  On the shorter paths between KM4PFF, KP2AE and W4DEX signal strengths were good about half the time with fades into the noise.

There were several minor C-class Solar X-ray events this morning.  Recently KP2AE and W4DEX have been meeting briefly at 1400 UT on 1899 kHz due to 60M propagation being uncertain.  Today at 1400 UT the short 51-mile path was unusable at 100 watts.  A check of the current D-Layer ionization map indicated why propagation was poor.  There was another quick X-ray burst just a few minutes prior to 1400 UT.  See the map below.

At 1630 D-layer ionization had subsided enough the KP2AE / W4DEX path was useable but still noticeably weaker and more variable than normal.  W4DEX heard WA4PGI on CW with a weak but Q5 519 signal.  WA4PGI did not reply to several calls from W4DEX.  KW4DE and W4NUS checked in also reporting weak and variable signals from KP2AE.  2 minute CW transmissions were made between KGØVL, WW8II and W4DEX.  No signal was detected between any of those stations.

                                     

Not much to report today.  No signals heard on the 443, 510 and 808 mile paths tested.  Stations on were KGØVL, WW8II and W4DEX. 

There was no activity reported for May 4th.

Space Weather Message Code: ALTEF3
Serial Number: 2937
Issue Time: 2019 May 05 1730 UTC
ALERT: Electron 2MeV Integral Flux exceeded 1000pfu
Threshold Reached: 2019 May 05 1715 UTC
Station: GOES15

The D-layer got an additional shot of solar x-ray just prior to 1600UT.  As expected propagation was again rather poor.  KP2AE at W4DEX was marginal copy at only 51 miles.  WW8II operating CW from the QTH of AB4AM was Q5 copy part of the time at both W4DEX (216 miles) and KP2AE.  WW8II also had a partial copy on CW from W4DEX.  KGØVL was not heard by any of the other stations present and he did not detect any CW from W4DEX at 808 miles.  W4NUS was present but had antenna problems.  

Today we had signal reports from WB4EZ, W2AZQ, KP2AE, W4DEX and KGØVL.  WB4EZ was weak but readable only about half the time at W4DEX a distance of 202 miles.  WB4EZ was heard but not copied by W2AZQ at over 300 miles and at KP2AE at 253 miles.  Between W2AZQ, KP2AE and W4DEX signals were weak most of the time with cycles of much higher levels.   This was just the opposite of what we normally experience, good copy with QSB fades.  A CW transmission by KGØVL was not heard at W4DEX nor was a CW transmission by W4DEX heard at KGØVL

Space Weather Message Code: ALTEF3
Serial Number: 2935
Issue Time: 2019 May 02 1708 UTC
ALERT: Electron 2MeV Integral Flux exceeded 1000pfu
Threshold Reached: 2019 May 02 1645 UTC
Station: GOES15

Today we had signal reports from W2AZQ, KP2AE, KW4DE, W4DEX and KGØVL.  Propagation between W2AZQ and KP2AE to W4DEX and KW4DE was poor with fast deep QSB fades into the noise.  No trace of a CW transmission from KGØVL was detected in NC or SC.  KGØVL did not detect a CW transmission by W4DEX.

Some evidence of today's propagation appears to be indicated by the NASA Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) satellite data in the bottom chart below.

We're back to checking 160-meter daytime propagation after five days of absence.  Considering the conditions of the previous few month's odds are we didn't miss an opening.  

Today we had KGØVL, KP2AE, AB4AM, KM4PFF, and W4DEX on 1899 kHz.  AB4AM on CW was detectable at W4DEX and better copy at KP2AE but still not Q5.  KM4PFF was partially readable at W4DEX and heard with poor copy at KP2AE.  AB4AM had some signal from W4DEX during a CW transmission but KGØVL detected nothing.  A CW transmission by KGØVL was not heard.

Unlike yesterday WW8II's CW was not detected by W4DEX.  Also, WA4LDU's signal was down from yesterday with deep QSB fades.  As we've seen before when a signal fades at one location it may increase at another.  Today when WA4LDU's signal went into the noise at W4DEX the signal increased at KP2AE 51 miles from W4DEX.  AB4AM was not heard on SSB at W4DEX but his CW was Q5 copy.  KP2AE and WA4LDU probably could have copied AB4AM's SSB but they had to check out early.  

Propagation was better than yesterday but still far from good.  WW8II's CW was detectable at W4DEX.  AB4AM on SSB was copied at W4DEX for about 10 seconds out of a 120-second transmission.  The short 73-mile path between WA1AC and W4DEX was back to about a normal level with very little QSB.  WA4LDU checked in late with a much better signal that has been recently seen on that 103-mile path.   None of the solar charts seem to explain why local propagation was very poor yesterday.  Maybe it was due to more D-Layer absorption, weaker F2 Layer ionization or a combination of both.