In the log this week
* The Santa Net returns for its 20th Year
* Special Event Spotlight: AU2JCB Jagadish Chandra Bose Birthday Celebration
* Contest Spotlight: ARRL 160 meter CW
* MVARC Nets on the Air
* What’s happening with DX?
* Solar Activity Update
* Upcoming Contests
* Interesting Online Radio Content
As always, links to all referenced content can be found in the show notes, or at our Substack at mvarc.substack.com
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The Santa Net returns for its 20th Year
The Santa Net returns for its 20th year on 3916 kHz giving girls and boys the ability to talk to “Santa” at 8 PM Eastern time (0100 UTC) on December 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23. Check-ins start at 7:45 PM ET. According to the Santa Net site there are “strategically placed operators who relay the voice of Santa”. When it started 20 years ago they connected with 10 kids, and this year they expect to connect with over 1,000. More information including videos of kids talking to Santa and live stream links can be found at https://www.cqsanta.com/.
Special Event Spotlight: AU2JCB Jagadish Chandra Bose Birthday Celebration
Image Courtesy http://www.setileague.org/photos/wghorn.htm
AU2JCB is currently on the air for a special event to commemorate the birth of Indian scientist Jagadish Chandra Bose who was born on November 30, 1858. Bose was a pioneer of microwave radio, providing some of the first understanding of the nature of those higher frequencies. He was the first to use a semiconductor junction for radio wave detection and made many components still used in microwave work today. His research was decades ahead of its time. In addition to groundbreaking research on microwaves, he also founded the Bose Institute, studied botany, and wrote science fiction.
Fitting of the legacy of such an important scientist, the special event seeks to measure solar radiation, solar flares, and solar storms as Solar Cycle 25 is near its peak. The event will be run by VU2DSI from November 28, 2025 until December 15, 2025. Additionally, VU2XPN will operate as AU5JCB.
Look for AU2JCB on 28545, 28520, 28490, 28350, and 29600 kHz on 10 meters and 21235, 21310, 21350, and 21360 kHz on 15 meters. Also look on 14215, 14250, and 14310 on 20 meters and 7040 and 7150 kHz on 40 meters and 3650 kHz on 80 meters. Also on FM look for them on 50800, 51500, and 29700 kHz. QSL direct to VU2DSI. For more information visit https://www.qrz.com/db/AU2JCB and good luck!
Contest Spotlight: ARRL 160 meter CW
This weekend brings the ARRL 160 meter contest on CW. This is a DX contest, so DX to DX QSOs don’t count for credit, which means that US stations will be in-demand. Stations located in overseas and non-contiguous US territories get to double dip and work both US and DX stations. The contest starts at 2200 UTC on Friday (5 PM Friday ET) and ends on 1559 UTC on Sunday (10:59 AM Sunday). The entire 42 hour period is open to operate without limitation, so get your coffee pot fired up! The exchange for US and Canadian stations is the signal report and ARRL/RAC section. So for me that would be “599 VA”. DX stations just sent a signal report. Certificates will be awarded for the top scoring QRP, low-power, and high power single operator stations as well as low-power and high-power unlimited stations in each ARRL/RAC section and DXCC country as well as the top scoring Multioperator High and Low Power stations in each ARRL division and continent. This is a great opportunity to get some DX on the Top Band. More information and rules can be found at https://www.arrl.org/160-meter. Good luck!
MVARC Nets on the Air
* 2 Meter FM Net: Tuesdays at 7 PM [146.655/- MHz (141.3 Hz PL Tone) ]
* 2 Meter Digital Net: Immediately Follows 2 Meter FM Net [146.655/- MHz C4FM]
* MVARC Slow Speed CW Roundtable: Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 AM [3.565 MHz CW]
* MVARC Cherry Tree Net: Saturday and Sunday at 8:30 AM [3.920 MHz LSB]
What’s Happening with DX
There will be a lot of DX on the air this week. Stations on the air include Sint Maarten (PJ7UK), Saint Martin (TO9W), Colombia (HK3JCL), Gabon (TR8CR), Greenland (OX7A, OX7AM, OX7AKT, OX3LG), Madagascar (5R8IC), Mali (TZ4AM), Solomon Islands (H44MS), Marcus Island Minami Tori Shima Islands (JG8NQJ/JD1), and Antarctica (DP0GVN, FT4YM).
A calendar of DXpeditions can be found at https://dxnews.com/calendar/
Solar Activity Update
As we go to press the Solar Flux Index (SFI) was 220 and the estimated sunspot number was 165 with 7 numbered sunspot regions visible from Earth. Over the last week the SFI has increased. Solar activity has been at high levels in the last 24 hours. The geomagnetic field has been at active to minor storm levels and the Kp index reached 5 yesterday. The solar wind peaked at 771 km/s. Solar activity is predicted to be at moderate levels with a chance of M-class flares through Sunday. The chance of solar radiation storms at the S1 or greater level is at 15% today through Sunday. R1 to R2 radio blackouts are likely in the near term with a predicted probability of 75% today through Sunday. R3 or greater blackouts are possible with a 25% chance predicted today through Sunday. There is a chance of 6 meter propagation so keep an eye on the band and spotting clusters to be ready for the next time the magic band does its thing. It remains a fantastic time for amateurs to get on the air and work the world.
Good sources of real-time solar information include https://www.spaceweatherlive.com/ and https://solarham.com/. A good overview of conditions can be found at https://dx.qsl.net/propagation/. To see D-layer absorption data and associated radio blackouts, visit https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/d-region-absorption-predictions-d-rap. To see real-time Maximum Usable Frequency (MUF) and Critical Frequency (foF2) information from radiosonde data, visit https://prop.kc2g.com/.
Upcoming Contests
This weekend brings the ARRL 160-Meter Contest, the Kalbar Contest, the Wake-Up! QRP Sprint, the PRO CW Contest, the INORC Contest, and the FT Challenge. As always the K1USN SSTs, MSTs, and CWTs will also be on the air.
The full contest calendar with events and exchanges can be found at https://www.contestcalendar.com/weeklycont.php
Interesting Online Radio Content
Pia DL7PIA activates POTA from a snowy Black Forest -
Dr. Tamitha Skov WX6SWW goes over last week’s space weather -
Sean W9FFF shows off his “DX Commando” prototype multi-band vertical -
Tim K5OHY continues his deep dive into the EFHW Antenna and looks at DX performance -
Matt M0DQW looks at the new Quansheng UV-K1 -
IMSAI Guy looks at a push-on SMA connector -
Walt K4OGO turns a JPC-7 into a delta loop antenna -
Steve KM9G takes a look at a new Gabil RF Power Meter -
Kevin KB9RLW shows how to make a call sign desk sign using 3D Printing -
Matt M0DQW takes a look at the new Choyong WT2 internet radio and UHF/PoC radio -
IMSAI Guy takes a look at a Si4732 radio -
George VK2AOE updates his workbench ahead of lots of homebrewing -
Kevin W1DED talks to Chris KL9A about his preparation at CQ9A for CW WW CW -
Ramon EA5IW takes us along for mountain QRP with the uSDX+ V2 -
Mark KD7DTS takes us to a summit to see his ultralight coffee setup for SOTA -
Ciprian YO6DXE starts his build of a Matchbox Transceiver -
Dan N6MJ shows himself operating during CQ WW CW at EF8R -
Mike K8MRD shows us his favorite “hidden gems for ham radio” at Harbor Freight -
IMSAI Guy looks at a new F-Nirsi power supply -
Kevin W1DED talks to Dan N 6MJ about his plans for last week’s CQ WW CW Contest -
That’s it for this week.
Best 73,
Ed
N2EC
