Hi All.
The band has been very quiet this past week, think the qrn from rain
static, very bad a times has scared everybody away. There is not the
same activity that there used to be, some months ago it was difficult to
find a slot to work without causing adjacent frequency qrm. Narrow
filters and dsp were essential.
In spite of all this a new one appeared this morning OK1DTN/Ruda. We had
a nice qso at 0749z
and he was pleased to work the UK for the first time. Not a new country
for me because I have worked OK1FIG many times.
One thought about band conditions. The transatlantic tests in November
might be hampered by static because October/November are generally wet
and thundery especially Western  parts of the UK and North West Europe
ie Western France and down as far as Northern Spain/Portugal
The best months would probably be late December to the beginning of
March.
Others might have some statistics and observations.
73 de Mal/G3KEV