In the log this week
* MVARC Breakfast and Meeting Tomorrow 5/30/2025
* Amateur Radio Testing Opportunities This Weekend in Northern Virginia
* MVARC Nets on the Air
* What's happening with DX?
* Solar Activity Update
* Upcoming Contests
* Interesting Online Radio Content
MVARC Breakfast and Meeting Tomorrow 5/30/2025
Photo Courtesy Corey KN4YZY
Tomorrow, Saturday, May 30, 2025, is the date of our next monthly breakfast. As usual we will meet up at 8 AM in the IHOP at 7694 Richmond Highway in Alexandria, Virginia for great conversation, camaraderie, and breakfast too. We have been having a great turn out in the last few months and there is always room for you to join in the fun. We hope to see you all there.
Shortly thereafter we'll be meeting at MVARC President Corey KN4YZY's QTH to make some preparations for this year's Field Day. This will be an in-person get-together with us testing equipment, getting on the air, and having some fun, so there will not be a hybrid meeting this month.
Amateur Radio Testing Opportunities This Weekend in Northern Virginia
Two local clubs here in Northern Virginia will be offering classes and testing opportunities this weekend. The Woodbridge Wireless Amateur Radio Club will be having a class covering the Technician Class examination followed by the test today May 30 and tomorrow May 31 in Woodbridge. The Arlington Amateur Radio club will offer license testing on Sunday, June 1st in Falls Church.
Details on the Woodbridge Wireless event can be found at https://woodbridgewireless.org/events/classes-licensing/ and information about the the Arlington ARC event can be found at https://www.w4wvp.org/exam.html.
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 good amount of DX on the bands this week. Stations on the air include Niue Island (E6RS), Kuwait (9K2HN), Falkland Islands (VP8DPD), Saint Martin Island (FS/K9EL), Marcus Island Minami Tori Shima Islands (JG8NQJ/JD1), 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 145 and the estimated sunspot number was 126 with 8 numbered sunspot regions visible from Earth. Over the last week the SFI has increased. Geomagnetic conditions were at major storm levels yesterday reaching a Kp of 7 early in the day resulting from the high-speed stream with negative polarity from coronal holes 116 and 112. Later in the day the conditions reduced to minor storm conditions where they are expected to continue today. Solar wind is expected to be enhanced due to the high-speed stream. G1 to G2 level (minor to moderate) geomagnetic storms are likely today with G1 storms and unsettled to active conditions expected this weekend. The chance of solar radiation storms at the S1 or greater level is low at 10%. R1 to R2 radio blackouts are likely with a predicted probability of 50%. R3 or greater blackouts are unlikely with a 10% chance predicted. 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. HF 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 Club Three Day Weekend Contest, the Feld Hell Sprint, the Russian WW MultiMode Contest, and the PVRC Reunion. 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
Jason KM4ACK takes a look at the Buddipole PowerPro -
Sebastian KI2D shows us some updates to Ham2k Portable Logger -
Mike K8MRD does a QRP POTA activation from Galveston Island with the FTX-1F -
Jim WT1W takes a look at the Heltec MeshPocket Meshtastic Node -
TJ K9KJ looks at the Ham Radio Duo Straight Key One -
Evan K2EJT talks about the backlash surrounding the Yaesu FTX-1 and radio YouTubers -
George VK2AOE builds some BNC patch cables -
George VK2AOE builds an AliExpress Antenna Switch as a Rig Selector -
Dugbo KD7DUG builds the Hi-Per-Mite CW Audio Filter Kit to great results -
Mike M0MSN finds the source of local QRN and QRM and nulls it out -
Matt M0DQW takes a look at Red Pitaya firmware for the Web-888 SDR -
Steve KM9G uses ammo cans for radio storage -
Kevin KB9RLW uses tungsten infused filament for 3D printed radiation shielding -
Kevan 2E0WMG and Richard G0NAD get let down by a kite antenna -
Vince VE6LK shows us his Hamvention haul -
Kevan 2E0WMG talks about 18650 batteries for portable power -
Dr. Tamitha Skov WX6SWW gets us up to speed with solar weather -
Forrest KI7QCF shows us CW on the Yaesu FTX-1 -
Evan K2EJT compares the Icom IC-705 and the Yaesu FTX-1 -
Mike K8MRD activates POTA for the first time with the Yaesu FTX-1 -
Walt K4OGO tries out the Alpha Antenna SS34+ 34 foot telescopic antenna -
Mike K8MRD unboxes the Yaesu FTX-1 -
That's it for this week.
Best 73,
Ed
N2EC
