‰  NOW 35 WPM  ‰  TEXT IS FROM FEBRUARY 2017 QST  PAGE 48‰

GET READY FOR THE SOLAR MINIMUM YES, WERE HEADING FOR THE BOTTOM OF THE
SOLAR CYCLE.  NO, IT WONT BE THE END OF THE WORLD.  STEVE FORD, WB8IMY QST
EDITOR  ACCORDING TO THOSE WHO STUDY SUCH THINGS, WERE PRESENTLY SLIDING
DOWN WARD FROM THE PEAK OF SOLAR CYCLE 24.  IF THEIR PREDICTIONS ARE
ACCURATE, WE WILL REACH BOTTOM IN THE YEAR 2020.  HOW LONG WELL DWELL AT
THE BOTTOM IS ANYONES GUESS.  IT COULD BE A COUPLE OF YEARS, OR IT COULD BE
MUCH LONGER.  SEE THE SIDEBAR, THE DREADED MAUNDER MINIMUM.  AMONG HAMS WHO
ADOPT AN APOCALYPTIC POINT OF VIEW, THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS WILL BE
SOMETHING AKIN TO THE END OF DAYS.  IVE EVEN HEARD FROM AMATEURS WHO SAY
THEY ARE PLANNING TO SELL THEIR EQUIPMENT AND EFFECTIVELY GO INTO
HIBERNATION UNTIL THE YEAR 2023, OR BEYOND.  SERIOUSLY?  YOU MAY NEED TO
MAKE SOME CHANGES TO YOUR STATION AND YOUR OPERATING HABITS, BUT IT DOESNT
REMOTELY JUSTIFY THE THOUGHT OF LEAVING OUR FASCINATING AVOCATION.  REST
ASSURED THAT AMATEUR RADIO IS VERY MUCH ALIVE AND WILL REMAIN SO,
REGARDLESS OF HOW LONG THE COMING SOLAR MINIMUM THE TIME OF LOWEST SUNSPOT
ACTIVITY SHOULD LAST.  FRANKLY, IF YOU HANG OUT AT VHF AND ABOVE, THE SOLAR
MINIMUM WILL BE A NON EVENT FOR YOU.  OTHER THAN THE LOSS OF THOSE
OCCASIONAL F LAYER GLOBAL DX OPPORTUNITIES ON 6 METERS, LITTLE ELSE WILL
CHANGE.  THE SOLAR MINIMUM WILL HAVE ITS GREATEST IMPACT ON THE HIGH AND
‰  END OF 35 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ