What happened to Solar Cycle 25? It’s been so good the last few years. Then we hit the peak and began what should have been a slow ride back toward minimum. Instead, something happened. “It’s dead Jim”. And in a weird way. Sure, there have been some solar storms tossed in our general direction which will mess up HF radio conditions in even the best of times, but something else seems to be happening. Bas, PE4BAS suggests perhaps a Gnevyshev gap. He might be right.

A year ago, before the solar maximum, I could work 50 or more DX stations in a single session. Now I’m struggling to put two or three DX stations in the log per session. Even using digital modes. In fact, it’s become easier to work the DXpeditions than to just bump into anyone outside NA. And since my current station configuration has been made with a particular focus on 20-10 meters to take full advantage of the Cycle, I might have to deploy a few lower band antennas a year sooner than planned…