= NOW 5 WPM = TEXT IS FROM JUNE 2021 QST PAGE 56 = EFFECTS OF A THICKER E LAYER THE E LAYER ALSO GETS THICKER AS SUNSPOTS RISE. THIS CAUSES ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT ADDS TO THE D LAYER LOSS. FIGURE 2 IS A PLOT OF SIGNAL TO NOISE VERSUS DISTANCE FOR 40 METERS WITH HIGH AND < QST DE W1AW = LOW SOLAR ACTIVITY. FOR DISTANCES BETWEEN 300 AND 500 MILES, THE SIGNAL WITH AN SSN OF 10 BLUE LINE IS ABOUT 10 DB STRONGER THAN THE SIGNAL WITH AN = END OF 5 WPM TEXT = QST DE W1AW <