[HCARC] Sun and Texas QSO Party

[Kerry Sandstrom]

We have 2 sunspot groups on the sun's face now.  Both are in the 
southern hemisphere but there is another group in the northern 
hemisphere that is about to come over the edge.  The returning group 
hasn't done anything spectacular yet.  Its still too early to see its 
magnetic configuration and if there are any trailing spots.  Today's 
solar flux is 87 so it is climbing a bit and the X-ray flux is still 
very slowly climbing.


The Texas QSO Party this weekend was a lot of fun.  Of course, I worked 
80 and 40 CW.  Worked 85 Texas counties including 3 new ones.  There are 
only 21 I haven't worked over the last 25 years or so.  Gillespie County 
had quite a contingent on the air: AC4CA, W4WJ, N9OF, N5RZ (who I don't 
know) and myself.  Unfortunately I didn't hear any one on from Kerr, 
Bandera, Real, Edwards, Medina, Kimble, or Mason Counties.  If you 
haven't ever tried the Texas QSO Party you are missing out on a lot of 
fun.  The CW group is pretty easy going and I work many of the same guys 
year after year.

Kerry