Just curious if any of you folks out there are amateur HF listeners or hams. How has reception been for you?

I'm anxious to see the solar cycle apex in the next couple of years, but wish it was sooner rather than later.

Just curious if any of you folks out there are amateur HF listeners or hams. How has reception been for you?

I'm anxious to see the solar cycle apex in the next couple of years, but wish it was sooner rather than later.

I am sorry but the last time I listened to a radio wave emission more than two days in a row, it was the one from the Naval Station in Rota, Cádiz, Spain and operated by its U.S.Navy Broadcasting Service Detachment.
Recently we had the chance to listen/view the broadcasting of an interesting programm through the internet regarding the 2009 Year of Astronomy, where an online connection was provided for all user to see and follow some of the cutting-edge facilities in astronomy and radioastronomy and the projects they are studying.
One of those connections was to the IAC (Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias), an organization splitted in two islands: Tenerife and La Palma.
Here is a link to the specific telescopes and instruments--->at the top left handside you will find a button to switch the page into English
One of those instruments is dedicated exclusively to the Sun, basically in the visible range though.
I hope and wish the rise of solar activity (solar spots) will be moderate, otherwise we will suffer some inconveniences!!
Cheers!

---

Wow, awesome thanks so much for the link too.

Question; does the Navy still broadcast those weather reports in the shortwave band that gets demodulated and then printed out, or has that gone the way of the Dodo?

malignantpoodle; I am an amateur radio operator and short wave listener. Yes, propagation on high frequencies is pretty poor right now, I agree. There are still some fairly good openings, but they are less frequent and shorter in duration than when ionizing effects from the Sun are stronger. I've been reading that the magnetic field of the Sun is declining in strength. This could mean an extended solar minimum. Guess we'll have to wait and see. Michael

For sure. For example I'm in Colorado and can get the WWV clock on 2.5mhz and 5, but nothing at all on 10 or 15, of course I wonder how much of that is going over me because I'm so close to the station. Havana on 6mhz comes and goes. Using a 400' longwire (18AWG copper insulated in the attic) plugged into the Hi-Z on a 750 Satellit.

I'm surprised how lively the AM band can be with it, but of course there's a lot more "local" AM than HF.