= NOW 35 WPM = TEXT IS FROM MAY 2021 QST PAGE 57 = WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THE RISE OF SOLAR CYCLE 25 SOME PREDICTIONS FOR HOW THE NEXT 4 YEARS OF THE SOLAR CYCLE WILL AFFECT HF PROPAGATION. FRANK DONOVAN, W3LPL SOLAR CYCLE 25 IS AFFECTING HF PROPAGATION IN UNEXPECTED WAYS SINCE WE REACHED THE SOLAR MINIMUM OF CYCLE 24 IN DECEMBER 2019. THE NEXT 4 YEARS, WHICH INCLUDE CYCLE 25S RISE TO SOLAR MAXIMUM, WILL PROVIDE MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO ENJOY GREATLY IMPROVED HF DX PROPAGATION, ESPECIALLY WITH EFFECTIVE ANTENNAS FOR 30 THROUGH 10 METERS, WHICH BENEFIT MOST FROM INCREASING SUNSPOT ACTIVITY. MY OWN EXPERIENCE ON HF BEGAN 1 YEAR AFTER CYCLE 19S SOLAR MAXIMUM IN 1958. HOWEVER, I WASNT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BEST HF PROPAGATION IN HISTORY BECAUSE I COULDNT MAKE CONTACTS BEYOND A FEW HUNDRED MILES ON 80 METERS WITH MY 35 FOOT WIRE ANTENNA. LISTENING TO THE LOCALS SNAGGING DX ALL OVER THE WORLD ON 10 METERS CONVINCED ME THAT I, TOO, COULD ENJOY DXING IF I HAD BETTER ANTENNAS. SEVERAL LOCAL HAMS HELPED ME ERECT SOME SIMPLE HORIZONTAL DIPOLES AND SOON I WAS MAKING CONTACTS AROUND THE GLOBE, EARNING DXCC IN JUST 1 YEAR. AFTER EXPERIENCING SEVERAL SOLAR CYCLES, I BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND THAT EACH ONE HAS ITS OWN PERSONALITY, AND THEY ALWAYS DEFY PREDICTION. HIGHER SMOOTHED SUNSPOT NUMBERS SSNS INDICATE IMPROVED HF PROPAGATION, AND A LARGE NUMBER OF SPOTLESS DAYS WITH NO SUNSPOTS AT ALL OFTEN INDICATE A PRECURSOR OF A WEAK SOLAR CYCLE TO = END OF 35 WPM TEXT = QST DE W1AW <