In the log this week
* The SV1GA/A Mount Athos DXpedition Announces Further DXCC Processing Delays Expected
* NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center Data Shows Solar Cycle 25 Has Peaked and is Declining
* MVARC Nets on the Air
* What's happening with DX?
* Solar Activity Update
* Upcoming Contests
* Interesting Online Radio Content
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The SV1GA/A Mount Athos DXpedition Announces Further DXCC Processing Delays Expected
Image of Mt. Athos under Creative Commons License from Dave Proffer
It what appears to be an unfortunately timed press release distributed on April 1 (April Fool's Day), the SV1GA/A DXpedition that sought to bring Mount Athos on the air and was shut down shortly after it began in January, announced they expect further delays while the legitimacy of their paperwork is being reviewed by the ARRL to "ensure compliance". In the press release they mention that theirs was the first outside group transmitting from Mount Athos in more 35 years and that there is a history of challenges in getting operations verified at Mount Athos, even by the monks who live there. As they said in their release "the ARRL accreditation represents climbing a larger mountain than the mountain itself, for a DXpedition to a rare location, such as Mt. Athos". As your author had the good fortune of getting into the SV1GA/A log before they were shut down, we will be monitoring developments with great interest as they develop. The press release can be found at https://dxnews.com/sv1ga-a/.
NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center Data Shows Solar Cycle 25 Has Peaked and is Declining
Data Graphics Courtesy NOAA SWPC
As they say, it is all downhill from here. The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center forecasts space weather conditions and collects data for that analysis. With recently added data, it appears that we reached the peak of Solar Cycle 25 at the end of last Summer and that we are now on a downward trajectory to lower sunspot numbers and solar flux indices. It is predicted that the SFI will dip below 150 early next year which will likely mean a large reduction in the reliability of the 10 and 12 meter bands. So enjoy the good conditions while you can and work that DX. NOAA's page tracking the solar cycle progression for Cycle 25 can be found at https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/solar-cycle-progression.
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 in the next week. Stations on the air will include Cyprus (ZC4RH), Fakarava Atoll (TX7XG), Chichijima Ogasawara Islands (DJ1BOI, JD1BON), Guadeloupe Island (TO1Q), Tanzania (5H3MB), Cayman Islands (ZF2LC), Mali (TZ4AM), Greenland (OX3LX), Martinique (FM/F8AAN), Dominica Island (J79WTA), Gabon (TR8CR), British Virgin Islands (VP2VI), Majuro Atoll Marshall Islands (V73MT), Solomon Islands (H44MS), Senegal (6W7/ON4AVT), and Antarctica (DP0GVN).
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 180 and the estimated sunspot number was 158. Over the last week the SFI has increased. NOAA is forecasting G1 geomagnetic storms today and tomorrow due to predicted coronal hole activity. The chance for solar radiation storms at the S1 or greater level is low at 15% due to flare potential from sunspot region 4048. R1 to R2 radio blackouts are likely today and tomorrow due to region 4048 with a predicted probability of 70%. R3 or greater blackouts are less likely with a 15% chance predicted. There is a reasonable chance of 6 meter propagation through the middle of the month, so keep an eye on the band and spotting clusters to be ready for openings. With the forecasted R1-R2 blackouts there may be some brief degradation of propagation this weekend, but conditions have been favorable overall. It remains a fantastic time for amateurs of all license classes 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
On the contest calendar this weekend we can look forward to the PODXS 070 New Member Jamboree, the EA RTTY Contest, Georgia State Parks on the Air, Florida State Parks on the Air, the RSGB FT4 International Activity Day, the Louisiana QSO Party, the Mississippi QSO Party, the Missouri QSO Party, the SP DX Contest, and the George Batterson 1935 QSO Party. 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
Chuck KK6USY Builds a 1.5 pound Moxon antenna -
Matt M0DQW takes a look at an inexpensive QRP antenna tuner -
Josh KI6NAZ takes a look at Low Profile and Stealthy Radios -
Vince VE6LK unboxes a zBitx -
Hayden VK7HH Fixes an FM Broadcast Transmitter (Part 1) -
Hayden VK7HH Fixes an FM Broadcast Transmitter (Part 2) -
Jeff KF0MYB and Joe KF0MYJ talk about the FCC "Delete, delete, delete" memo -
Kevan 2E0WMG activates Hedge-end Island by kayak -
Sebastian KI2D shows how to do call stacking in PoLo (Portable Logger) -
David DL1DN updates his 2m and 70 cm Moxon Antennas -
George VK2AOE makes bases for some classic CW keys -
Kevin KB9RLW shows how to use a NanoVNA to find a cable fault -
Steve KM9G takes a look at some tool batteries for portable ops -
Matt M0DQW builds a complete VHF to microwave multi mode SDR transceiver -
Mike M0MSN shows his ATAS 120A controllers -
Walt K4OGO tries out the MA-50 Positive V Dipole Antenna -
Mike K8MRD puts the Wattcycle 280 Ah LiFePO4 battery through its paces -
Walt K4OGO takes a closer look at the Red Corner USDR+ 8 Band Transceiver -
April Fools Videos (no ... these aren't real, but they are amusing!)
Tim N7KOM makes a coffee cup holder for his VHF Yagi -
Steve KM9G puts his radials in a spiral for "Spin DX" -
Ara N6ARA introduces the SOTA Phone -
That's it for this week.
Best 73,
Ed
N2EC
