conditions have not been great for about the last week or so,, i think someone posted there is going to be an upward peak next weekend 15th-16th,, when conditions are good someone will reply to you. when conditions are bad and your are still hearing skip, probly lots of them are running extra power. it takes better conditions to get out with just a radio, im just running a radio with no amp and a 102" whip and when conditions are good there is no problem talking all over north america on ssb
also make sure your radio is on freq. if not someone else will have to tune to your radio to even hear you,, my first radio i tried was off freq on ssb and i didnt know till 1 guy did come back to me and told me he had his clarifier adjusted all the way just to make out my voice.