[HCARC] Expected Solar Activity

[Kerry Sandstrom]

Gary,

Today didn't seem very good.  I looked at the Austin ionosonde a few 
times today and it appeared to be having a problem getting any signal 
reflected backCfrom the ionosphere.  The newly visible sunspot group has 
been pretty active with several C-class flares. The x-ray background 
level is almost up to the C0 level so absorption has been up.

No antenna is "magic" and don't ever forget that.  A lot of 
manufacturers will claim their antenna is magic and provide testimonials 
galore, but its not true.  As I've said before, for a new guy the best 
antenna is the longest dipole he can put up, as high as he can get it  
and a good antenna tuner.  Trap dipoles, Carolina Windoms, G5RV OCF 
dipoles, etc will never perform as well as you expect.  Remember that 
all those antennas date from the days when transmitters had Pi-net 
outputs that could match anything from 25 - 600 Ohm impedance.   Anyway, 
good luck to you and the probable new general.

Kerry

On 4/11/2015 8:34 PM, Gary J - N5BAA wrote:
> Thank you Kerry.  I guess I need to get my new HexBeam antenna up and 
> take advantage of it.  DW has been keeping me ultra busy in the yard 
> doing the things that she isn't capable of landscaping wise.  My OCFD 
> is coming down and going to one of our Techs who will be passing 
> (confidence!!) his General test in May. We put up a G5RV for him the 
> other day, but it's from MFJ and they weren't exactly truthful with 
> their advertisements that it is a "Magic Antenna".  Ain't no magic, 
> not here, nowhere.  MFJ said that 20 meters was the primary band that 
> their G5RV was designed for.  Best at about 35 feet we could get was 
> an SWR of 3:1. Called MFJ and they said what were we complaining about 
> - they said that the best most people get is 4:1 unless it's at about 
> 60-80 feet up.  Yeah, like anyone can get or would put a G5RV up that 
> high in Texas (ain't no trees that high).  Much easier to make one of 
> Dale's OCFD antennas that are resonant at 30 feet up.
>
> Gary J
> N5BAA
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Kerry Sandstrom
> Sent: Saturday, April 11, 2015 9:10 AM
> To: HCARC Reflector
> Subject: [HCARC] Expected Solar Activity
>
> A large and complex appearing sunspot group has just come around the
> limb.  I believe it will provide some interesting propagation over the
> next 1 - 2 weeks.  Be sure to check the higher bands from time to time
> in the next week or so.
>
> Kerry
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