[Elecraft] Is Solar Cycle 24 Starting?

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Tnx Rod! 

10 meters!! What about 6 meters with an XV50 or K3? 

Back in the mega-spot cycle of the late 50's, I was an active reservist in
the California Army National Guard assigned to duty as the communications
sergeant in an Armored Infantry company. We used AN/PRC-6 hand-held
transceivers for communications between troops on foot and the commanders of
the tanks and armored personnel carriers. Pencil-sized vacuum tubes and lots
of batteries (it was bigger than a brick and weighted at least as much) gave
it an output power of about 100 milliwatts AM in the 6 meter Amateur band.
"Six" was a shared band then. After all, the expected range of those radios
was a few hundred feet. One day I was standing outside in the parking area
checking one out when I heard a W0 in Colorado call CQ right on my
frequency! So I answered him, using my Ham call. He came back and gave me an
excellent report. Then I told him I was over 1,000 miles away running 100
milliwatts into a short whip on a hand-held radio. We chatted for a few
minutes with excellent signals. 

If 10 meters is exciting when the MUF is high, and it is, six meters can be
excitement squared!

In the meantime, 160, 80 and 40 can be fun too. I like that about the time I
get good and tired of the "atmospherics" on 160 and 80 the MUF rises with
the next sunspot cycle and I can move up into the 'quieter' bands, Hi!  

Ron AC7AC



-----Original Message-----
Well I don't know but solar physicists think it might me. See this artical
on NASA website:

<http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/14dec_excitement.htm?list841773>

Quoting from the article: "The source of the excitement is a modest knot of
magnetism that popped over the sun's eastern limb on Dec. 11th"...."  and
"Many forecasters believe Solar Cycle 24 will be big and intense. Peaking in
2011 or 2011..."

So probably to early to start chase rare DX, but not to early to start
planing trips and activities for Solar Max period. And if you're an Elecraft
rig owner you'll want to make sure "you got your Mojo working"! See
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjPezeHN9Hc>

Enjoy
--
73 Rod, Ai7NN  ~*~*~Happy Holidays~*~*~
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