Skip, seasons, solar cycles: what’s next?

[Prime Number]

Having just gotten a base antenna up last fall and gotten started DX’ing, the skip has been pretty good, and it’s been surprisingly easy to make contacts 1200 miles away with nothing more than a barefoot 148. I’ve also played around with VOACAP Online - professional-grade 11M coverage area predictions , looking at the seasonal variations, and that model predicts a serious fall-off in skip during the summer. Is that realistic? Is that what usually happens?

What can we expect for the rest of the year, and how will the upcoming solar max affect things? Any answers much appreciated.

 

[Robb]

Think it is going to get better within one month and then continue solid for a couple more into Spring. Wouldn't count on too much skip activity in the summer months though.

The solar peak isn't until next year; so it's gonna get crazier still . . .

 

[kd-5-bgt]

The past few months on the 17 and 15 meter ham bands have been opening up alot more and holding for a while...europe in the mornings and Japan later in the day....so good times are ahead for 11 meters and 10 meters as well.....

But as already said,summer months does slow down a bit. But over all for the past year the conditions have been in a slow but steady increase...that is what I have been seeing anyway

 

[IMD262]

Think it is going to get better within one month and then continue solid for a couple more into Spring. Wouldn't count on too much skip activity in the summer months though.

The solar peak isn't until next year; so it's gonna get crazier still . . .

The past few months on the 17 and 15 meter ham bands have been opening up alot more and holding for a while...europe in the mornings and Japan later in the day....so good times are ahead for 11 meters and 10 meters as well.....

But as already said,summer months does slow down a bit. But over all for the past year the conditions have been in a slow but steady increase...that is what I have been seeing anyway

There will be plenty of "E" skip in late spring/early summer as there is every year.

 

[Prime Number]

so good times are ahead for 11 meters and 10 meters as well.....

Suh-weet! Thanks y'all, it's good to hear that the fun's not slowing down for a while.