Why is the 15 meter band dead?

Question

I've been going through the dial during mid day and afternoon and there's not much activity on the 15 meter band. I do hear the occasional CW on QSB but that's about it.

Am I missing something?

Answer 1

Check the sunspot cycle.  That's the main factor determining the properties of the ionosphere, therefore skip propagation and the MUF (maximum usable frequency) for skip.  I don't know what you could mean by hearing CW on QSB.  Perhaps you mean CW and SSB?

We are currently in a sunspot minimum.  See the references.  Expect 15 meters to stay dead until the sunspot numbers pick up.