Message-ID: <003801ce0f7b$1c63f530$6401a8c0@JAYDELL>
From: <jrusgrove@comcast.net>
To: <rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org>
References: <51241A3B.5020105@iup.uni-heidelberg.de> <51241C8C.4030001@iup.uni-heidelberg.de> <001301ce0f67$423300d0$6401a8c0@JAYDELL> <6CCB8568E37648CFB765B787E462B4DA@gnat>
Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2013 10:01:06 -0500
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Subject: Re: LF: Beacon to the west
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Alan

Thanks for your comments.

Based on Spectrum Lab's s/n measurement, along with that of WSPR, I would say that we are in a 
period where signals are down roughly 6 - 10 dB on the EU > NA T/A path as compared to a month ago. 
There have been a few nights where the noise floor was elevated due to thunderstorms in the US but I 
am not including them in my observation.

Jay W1VD  WD2XNS  WE2XGR/2

p.s. I rarely use Argo any more since it is virtually impossible to determine s/n of the received 
signals.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alan Melia" <alan.melia@btinternet.com>
To: <rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2013 9:32 AM
Subject: Re: LF: Beacon to the west


> Hi Jay I am still pondering this, plotting Dst against "period receive signal exceeds xdB" gives a 
> interesting but not very illumination picture. It provides a cut off when theDstis depressed, but 
> it shows a wide range of received signals when the Dst is high (towards zero nT). I am still 
> looking for another factor.
>
> By "quiet period" I mean Kp <2 for 10 days or more.... really quiet geomagnetically and signal 
> levels seem to be unexpectedly poor. Then signals seem to improve after a low level event say Kp=4 
> . That led to my idea of ionospheric "leak".
>
> However taking a quick look at the recent conditions, things look active enough to be "normal". It 
> is very confusing but I am looking to see if it could be explained by just an unfavourable path 
> length/fading. Unfortunately one needs several stations in different location to either tranmit, 
> or several receiving stations to receive the same signal to see the effect of this. If some paths 
> are unfavouable other should be favoured.
>
> One problem also is I do not know what a "subjectively" worse signal means, does it mean 10dB ?? 
> Most likely not waterfal displays are very non-linear so it might only be a dB or two. That could 
> easily be expained by a fading pattern involving say three different hop modes.
>
> There was a grab recently that shoed Stefan and Markus. Markus was fading to a "ragged" trace at 
> times whereas Stefan was solid all the time, though they were probably seeing similar fading 
> conditions.
>
> I am still not convinced that there is not some other effect but I cant find anything:-))  Bit 
> like "Dark Propagation" :-))
>
> Best Wishes
> Alan
> G3NYK
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: <jrusgrove@comcast.net>
> To: <rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org>
> Cc: <jrusgrove@comcast.net>; <lowfer@mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2013 12:38 PM
> Subject: Re: LF: Beacon to the west
>
>
>> Stefan
>>
>> Good copy last night ... although some dB short of the 'best' conditions. Seem to recall Alan 
>> mentioning that prolonged 'quiet' periods can be less favorable than those that feature some 'ups 
>> and downs'. Maybe Alan will chime in.
>>
>> Representative capture below. Copy past 0800Z at http://www.w1vd.com/interestinggrab.html  ... if 
>> you squint hard enough.
>>
>> Jay W1VD  WD2XNS  WE2XGR/2
>>
>
>