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The Sun has been Spotless for a Total of 224 Days in 2019, and
Counting... Looming Grand Solar Minimum - Electroverse.
With obvious implications for HF propagation.
Thus FT8.
This is dramatic, but not surprising to those of us who mostly inhabit
the digital HF world. Until the next solar cycle is established, I
expect this situation to continue or even increase in favor of FT8. To
some "It's just clicking a mouse, it's not ham radio", but to others
"Hey it works when nothing else does."
The event will run from 1300 until 0000 UTC. Some details are
still being worked out, but operation will focus on 40 and 20
meters (SSB).