Solar Update 9-15-11

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The Doctor Is IN: Antennas for Domestic Contests

By Loyd C. Headrick / 2009-11-08 08:17:49

Just the other day, the Doctor and I got to talking about ARRL Sweepstakes. I showed him my crystal mug and whisk broom from last year's Sweepstakes running (the W1AW team did quite well), and he showed me what kind of antennas I should look into for domestic contests. Being more of a DX RTTY contester, I really don't know…
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The Doctor Is IN: Pacemakers and RF

By Loyd C. Headrick / 2010-11-13 22:47:25

Schley Cox, W4AMW, of Owensboro, Kentucky, told the Doctor that he's headed to see the cardiologist next week about a pacemaker. He's already started researching their use around RF and says he is happy to go all low power (QRP), if that's what's called for. Schley mentioned that he might also be able to operate his…
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Ham Radio in Hollywood: Amateur Radio a Plot Point in Major Motion Picture

By Loyd C. Headrick / 2012-01-06 08:59:05

According to previews, the plot of the movie Journey 2: The Mysterious Island -- set to be released February 10 -- hinges on Amateur Radio. The movie’s hero Sean Anderson (played by Josh Hutcherson) receives a coded distress signal that comes from a mysterious island where no island should exist. Sean decides to follow the signal with the unwilling assistance…
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Yaesu’s Amateur Radio Division Breaks with Motorola, Changes Name to Yaesu Musen

By Loyd C. Headrick / 2012-01-06 09:05:54

After four years under the Motorola umbrella, Yaesu has split from that company. According to Vertex Standard President and Chief Executive Officer Jun Hasegawa, effective January1, 2012, Motorola will keep the Vertex Standard Land-Mobile Division, while the amateur, marine and air-band will be under the Yaesu Musen banner. The new company will be known as Yaesu USA here in the…
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Surfin’: Wiring Microphones

By Loyd C. Headrick / 2012-03-27 14:26:08

This week, Surfin’ finds wiring diagrams for all those microphones that are on the loose in Ham Radio Land. Have mic? Need connection? Then a visit to the website Roy Frettsome, G4WPW, is just what the microphone doctor ordered. G4WPE’s Microphone Connections website is probably the most comprehensive and up-to-date Internet source for ham radio microphone-to-radio wiring information. Eleven years in the making,…
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Solar Update 9-15-11

Details: Category: Newsflash; Published on Thursday, 15 September 2011 15:27; Written by Loyd C. Headrick; Hits: 335

The Sun, as seen on Thursday, September 15, 2011 from NASA's SOHO Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope. This MDI (Michelson Doppler Imager) image was taken in the continuum near the Ni I 6768 Angstrom line. The most prominent features are the sunspots. This is very much how the Sun looks in the visible range of the spectrum.

Tad "When the Sun is setting" Cook, K7RA, reports: Although the average daily sunspot numbers are lower -- down nearly 13 points to 91.7 -- the average daily solar flux is higher by 6.7 points, rising to 122.2. Yes, solar activity is rising rapidly. You could see it coming earlier this week by glancing at the STEREO mission when you looked at the back side of the Sun. There was lots of activity, and you can still see quite a bit more (those white patches) just over the eastern horizon, which is on the left side of the image beyond -90 degrees. The image of the daily Sun shows a disc peppered with sunspots, a welcome sight after watching the current solar cycle seem to stall. Numerous CME events disturbed the Earth's magnetic field. The planetary A index record shows September 9, 10 and 12 were the most active days, with the index at 36, 33 and 27. The autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere is just a week away: September 23 at 0905 UTC, which is 5:05 AM EDT or 02:05 AM PDT. Luckily, the increased sunspot activity should continue. The predicted solar flux is 145 on September 15-17, 150 September 18-22, 110 on September 23-24, and 115 on September 25-29. The predicted planetary A index is 5 on September 15-18, 7 on September 19, 5 on September 20-23, 7 on September 24-25, 5 on September 26-29, and 15 on September 30. Look for more information on the ARRL website on Friday, September 16. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical Information Service Propagation page. This week's "Tad Cookism" is brought to you by The Go-Go's Beneath the Blue Sky.