Here is an article from NASA on the solar minimum.
This page has a movie of the recent big X-class flare.
The article speaks about the space weather effects on radio propagation
that we have been experiencing.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/15sep_solarminexplodes.htm

The 17 MHz and 21 MHz bands have been very good so far this morning.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

In article
,
Telamon wrote:

Here is an article from NASA on the solar minimum.
This page has a movie of the recent big X-class flare.
The article speaks about the space weather effects on radio propagation
that we have been experiencing.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/15sep_solarminexplodes.htm

The 17 MHz and 21 MHz bands have been very good so far this morning.

Actually other bands 15, 13 and 11 MHz have also been very good this
morning. Got up to late to know about the bands lower than the ones
mentioned.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

On Sat, 17 Sep 2005 19:00:28 GMT, Telamon
wrote:

Here is an article from NASA on the solar minimum.
This page has a movie of the recent big X-class flare.
The article speaks about the space weather effects on radio propagation
that we have been experiencing.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/15sep_solarminexplodes.htm

The 17 MHz and 21 MHz bands have been very good so far this morning.

Thanks for the link!
Howard

This morning was pretty interesting on 2 Meters. On 144.260 USB I heard a
couple of W2 stations coming in. They were not able to hear me. I wonder if
this was some sort of auroral propagation..........the reason I say this is
because every so often I would hear a rapid fluttering that would turn into
a buzzing sound on their modulation.

Pete

"Howard" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 17 Sep 2005 19:00:28 GMT, Telamon
wrote:

Here is an article from NASA on the solar minimum.
This page has a movie of the recent big X-class flare.
The article speaks about the space weather effects on radio propagation
that we have been experiencing.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/15sep_solarminexplodes.htm

The 17 MHz and 21 MHz bands have been very good so far this morning.

Thanks for the link!
Howard

Pete KE9OA wrote:
This morning was pretty interesting on 2 Meters. On 144.260 USB I
heard a couple of W2 stations coming in. They were not able to hear
me.

....could have been the propagation mode known as "tropospheric
ducting", but...

I wonder if this was some sort of auroral propagation.......... the
reason I say this is because every so often I would hear a rapid
fluttering that would turn into a buzzing sound on their modulation.

....you are right. You have described the "classic" characteristics of
auroral propagation. For this type of propagation, always point your
beam North, no matter where the station is that you are trying to work.
You are using the auroral curtain as a huge reflector. (If you weren't
pointing North, that could help explain why you didn't work them).

Lots of solar activity lately...good for VHF, not so good for HF.

-73-

Carter-K8VT wrote:

Pete KE9OA wrote:
This morning was pretty interesting on 2 Meters. On 144.260 USB I
heard a couple of W2 stations coming in. They were not able to hear
me.

...could have been the propagation mode known as "tropospheric
ducting", but...

I wonder if this was some sort of auroral propagation.......... the
reason I say this is because every so often I would hear a rapid
fluttering that would turn into a buzzing sound on their modulation.

...you are right. You have described the "classic" characteristics of
auroral propagation. For this type of propagation, always point your
beam North, no matter where the station is that you are trying to work.
You are using the auroral curtain as a huge reflector. (If you weren't
pointing North, that could help explain why you didn't work them).

Lots of solar activity lately...good for VHF, not so good for HF.

North is good, but many times it's better to hunt around for the 'sweet spot'
which might be north, north east, north west, etc.

CW is a better mode for aurora contacts than is voice due to the distortion.

dxAce
Michigan
USA