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Is it my imagination or has the ban conditions bee marginal on HF here is the Seattle Area?

Some recent minor storms as of late but conditions have never have been that great. Not usually until the summer time anyway does the propagation really take off. There are exceptions of course.

Generally you need an efficient antenna with some kick (i.e. power) to really get out but that's been true since the beginning of time. :P

I had similar complaints with my mobile setup. I just have 100w with hamsticks and local reception/contacts have been relatively poor. If I cross into E. Wash the bands just open up and I can talk to FL with the exact same setup.

Timing is key. Our propagation window(s) can sometimes just 'open' at off-times too. In the early summer, 10m will open up at like 11pm for an hour or so... sometimes 20m will open up at 7am and close by 9am -- and not open up again until like 4pm.

Just have to be persistent...

You might be new to radio?

The 16th all bands were very hot and open world round. Last night I did well on 40 till about 2230. Just gotta have a good antenna/location and some patience.

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If I had an antenna, I would; but I can only transmit on 160 meters.
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DE K7MHI

KFBK 1530 from Sacramento has been extraordinarily strong the last few days, 4x5 well before sunset. Just wish KNX was the same.

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President-in-Exile, Seattle Area Radio Communications And Scanner Traffic Intercept Crew (SARCASTIC)
Don't feel bad if you can't use your STD100/200; there are still people using Digital Frequency Search!
Bunnery definition for the under-fives

Yeah it helps to have a tower and amp like Spud. :P

Hey I had humble beginnings! QRP and a wire antenna I worked a lot.. Then with 100w and a dipole in the trees I had WAS and a lot of DX.

Now I am lazy with point and click QSO.. Haha

All that aside, I asked if he was new to radio because the propagation is the nature of the beast that we can't do anything about. Can't say "oh propagation sucks i cant contact anyone" I do understand it - but it's sort of a defeatist attitude.

I find that calling cq or spinning the dial around or checking on the conditions 30min later.. You can always find someone to talk to.. And not like a beam, or some amps under the signal don't hurt!

If your ever discouraged understand that as much thrill (as I find) in working a pileup and breaking in vs working QRP ... Countless times I hear a QRP station as loud as a legal limit station.

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If I had an antenna, I would; but I can only transmit on 160 meters.
_____
DE K7MHI

Taken out of context, that should be my new sig line.

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President-in-Exile, Seattle Area Radio Communications And Scanner Traffic Intercept Crew (SARCASTIC)
Don't feel bad if you can't use your STD100/200; there are still people using Digital Frequency Search!
Bunnery definition for the under-fives

Haha

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If I had an antenna, I would; but I can only transmit on 160 meters.
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DE K7MHI

True and I'm not defending his attitude but it's understandable -- and it can be frustrating. Even with a decent wire antenna and radio, it can be an exhausting experience especially if you don't have a lot of free time to sit and play on the radio for hours at a time, day in, day out...

I like FM and cheese...

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"I was installing un-programmed radios"

yea.. and just to ramble on further.. (in no relation to the OP or anything.. just me yapping about crap)

I feel that a lot of new hams today are younger "nerds" who get frustrated with it, demanding that it work or something then giving up. So when I read things in QRZ about ham radio 2.0 and its use of inter-meshing wifi and seeing the use of proprietary repeater internet connected linking modes. I sort of puke.. then go back to using my iphone app to rotate my beam and make QSO's from bed.

go figure ...

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If I had an antenna, I would; but I can only transmit on 160 meters.
_____
DE K7MHI

Sure that's relative to our current society. It's fast food, fast internet, instant social gratifications and responses which equals lack of appreciation (for anything), lack of respect (for anyone -- especially authority figures), lack of patience and lack of discipline. Go figure. It's rather scary to be honest.