Ionosphere? What ionosphere?

I went out to the car at lunchtime to try and get some QRP in.

No dice.

There were no signals on any of the bands that I was able to hear. And this wasn't just a problem this afternoon, as this has been going on for a while. Last night, I turned on the radio in order to get ready for the 20 Meter QRP Fox hunt.  With 10 minutes to go before the hunt started, I twiddled the dial between 14.050 and 14.070 MHz.  I was not able to hear a single, solitary CW signal. No QRPers, no FISTS, no SKCCers - no one. I consider it a minor miracle that an hour into the hunt, I was able to discern NK6A's signal coming out of California and work him to earn a pelt.

It seems that right after the Skeeter Hunt, we have spiraled into a period of solar activity that's been wiping out the HF bands. Periods of favorable conditions have been sporadic and far and few between.  I sure hope that with the coming of the Autumnal Equinox that conditions will improve.

13 Colonies Update - I got the Connecticut QSL card two days ago. I'm waiting on the last card to complete the set - of course, it's New Jersey.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!