2019-11-08

Solar Cycle 25 Is Slowly Coming to Life.

According to an article at Space Weather ( https://www.spaceweather.com ) a few sunspots have appeared since May this year, all deemed to belong to the new cycle. These spots come interspersed with sunspots from the old cycle, a well known phenomenon during a sunspot minimum.

Now, the minimum is expect to last about another year, then we should see more sunspots going towards a maximum. The article says that it is estimated to me 2023, but I consider that a bit optimistic. I think 2024 is more likely, since low activity sunspot cycles tend to last longer, i.e. the build up to the maximum is slower.

Never the less, I am looking forward to more solar activity, so the higher HF bands will awaken from their deep sleep. Mind you, even in the deep sleep of this minimum, 10m is not completely dead. It does not happen daily, but there are sporadic openings from my place in Denmark, mostly to the Southern part of Africa and occasionally South America, in the autumn/winter/spring-time, and, of course, occasional sporadic E all year around, with a large peak in the summer and a smaller one in the winter.

Here is to be a bit (quite a bit) optimistic and hope for DX F2 openings on 6m. I know it is not likely, but let us see what happens.

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