Sunspot number: 0 Updated 25 Feb 2020 Spotless Days Current Stretch: 23 days 2020 total: 39 days (70%) 2019 total: 281 days (77%) 2018 total: 221 days (61%) 2017 total: 104 days (28%) 2016 total: 32 days (9%) 2015 total: 0 days (0%) 2014 total: 1 day (<1%) 2013 total: 0 days (0%) 2012 total: 0 days (0%) 2011 total: 2 days (<1%) 2010 total: 51 days (14%) 2009 total: 260 days (71%) 2008 total: 268 days (73%) 2007 total: 152 days (42%) 2006 total: 70 days (19%) In other news, you can work a lot of DX with FT8 and 5 watts. On 20-Dec-2016 a USET observer saw a small patch of magnetic field in the southern hemisphere of the Sun. The outward magnetic field (white in the magnetograms) was behind the inward field (black patches). This patch is circled in blue in the HMI magnetogram. This high-latitude region (23°S) did not follow the pattern of magnetic field seen in Solar Cycle 24. Solar Cycle 25 may have a [very] slow start, but is anticipated to peak with solar maximum occurring between 2023 and 2026, and a sunspot range of 95 to 130 (which is relatively crappy). https://sdoisgo.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-first-signs-of-solar-cycle-25.html In other, other news, SUPERNOVA WATCH IS CANCELLED: Call off the supernova watch. Betelgeuse is brightening again. Researchers from Villanova University, who have been leading the study of Betelegeuse's unprecedented decline, have confirmed in a new Astronomical Telegram that the star has reversed itself. The turnaround was actually predicted, and suggests the recent dimming was an unusually deep excursion of the star's natural 430-day periodicity. https://spaceweather.com/
I worked them on 15m with QRO and stacked monobanders at 130 feet. They were very weak, QSB, and the band was in and out, and noisy. It took quite some time to get a Q, this one on CW. The point is that even those with the 'big gun' stations at their access are having problems working DX that used to be worked on 15M with 5 watts and a dipole. VP8PJ isn't even ON 12m, and 10m... I think we should concentrate on better band conditions in the next year, rather than touting the rarity of occasionally getting through now 73 Chip W1YW
Propagation is always good on Peanut!!! I must be a jinx to the hobby. As soon as I became licenced the band's went downhill
I run fractal antennas at home. The 'superstation' I mention is one of the remote ham radio sites. I operated from work. Yep, I get the irony that while I am designing and shipping fractal antennas, I have to use 'lawn chair in the sky' Yagis when at work... My wife doesn't want the home station operated remote (from work)because of 'fire' concerns. Go figure. We don't run the clothes dryer when not home either. I imagine if I was running 5 watts and FT8 remote that would be a different story;-) I use an LK-800C from home with loafing legal limit. There was some ham in CO? who died in a fire from a clothes dryer fire...forget the call.
Clarification: It was Chuck, K0RF , who is very much alive but suffered the destruction of his home and shack from a clothes dryer fire, in 2015. Be sure to always remove the crap in the lint filter...this happens more often than people realize. :-(
Chip works 160 meters with a phased "fractal array". They are 120 feet long, seperated 1/4 wavelength apart and fed in phase to give a broadside signal with a gain of 25 dBi. Also when nobody is looking Chip uses liquid metal mirrors on his home brewed 100" reflector and home brewed 60" refractor telescopes. He also uses the Hubble space telescope via a fractal wifi link to his image processing computer.
I'd be happy to see prop like I saw in 1979 when I was living in Alaska. The lower 48 was 40 over 9 on 10 and 15 meters. I don't think I'll ever see that again - I'm 71 now.
