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Slacker sun still disappoints


Solar image from SOHO

Image: SOHO

Remember that you do have an alternative to HF for worldwide communications: EchoLink!

As if we needed to be told, there is news out today that the sun is, well, not really newsworthy - at least as far as solar activity is concerned. In fact, the very lack of solar activity has now become the news story. Amateur radio operators worldwide have been waiting and waiting and waiting some more for the sun to perk up and enter the new cycle. Sunspots, which are connect to good HF band conditions, have been reluctant to make their appearance, surprising solar weather forecasters!

Check out the Science at NASA RSS feed at:
http://science.nasa.gov/rss.xml

NASA Science News for July 11, 2008 reports that the sun is entering its third year of eerie calm. Sunspots are rare and solar flares simply aren't happening. Is this "solar minimum" lasting longer than it should? A NASA scientist has examined centuries of sunspot data to find the answer, revealed in today's story from Science at NASA:
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/11jul_solarcycleupdate.htm?list6529

The Handiham EchoLink net is on daily except Sundays.

All licensed operators are welcome. The net is controlled but informal, and there is no need to be a Handiham member to participate. Sometimes the net control station will throw out a discussion topic to liven things up! Listen in a few times if you are shy, and then take the plunge and throw out your callsign. Days: Monday through Saturday, and Sunday if anyone wants to take an informal session.

Times: 11:00 hours United States Central Time M-S and a second Monday session at 19:00 Central Time.

Frequency in the local Minnesota repeater coverage zone: 145.45 FM, negative offset with no tone in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul Minnesota.

EchoLink nodes:

KA0PQW-R, node 267582

WA0TDA-L, node 302454

N0BVE-R, node 89680

The Monday evening EchoLink net is at 19:00 United States Central Standard time, which translates to 00:00 GMT Tuesday morning during North American Daylight Time. In the winter, the GMT schedule shifts one hour to 01:00 GMT. Connect from any Internet-enabled computer in the world, and come out on Twin Cities repeater N0BVE on 145.450.