Has Solar Cycle 25 Started?→

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Has Solar Cycle 25 Started?

The ARRL’s Propagation Forecast Bulletin #1 for 2020, dated January 3, reports the following:

Sunspots appeared recently, all indicating Solar Cycle 25 due to
their polarity, opposite from spots in Solar Cycle 24. Sunspots
appeared December 24-26, and it looks like a new Solar Cycle 25 spot
on January 1.  NOAA did not report it (too weak?) but
Spaceweather.com reported a sunspot number of 11 on January 1.

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Special Event Operating Tip: ID Once an Hour When Using a 1×1 Call→

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Special Event Operating Tip: ID Once an Hour When Using a 1×1 Call

On the CWops mailing list, we’ve been talking about the use of special event callsigns. One fellow noted:

Operators using US 1×1 calls are required to identify with their own call periodically … every hour I think.

I honestly didn’t know this, so just to be sure, I looked it up. Here’s the rule:

Section 97.119 (d). When transmitting in conjunction with an event of special significance, a station may substitute for its assigned call sign a special event call sign as shown for that station for that period of time on the common data base coordinated, maintained and disseminated by the special event call sign data base coordinators. Additionally, the station must transmit its assigned call sign at least once per hour during such transmissions.

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Looking for Beta Testers for my ARRL Lifelong Learning Class→

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Looking for Beta Testers for my ARRL Lifelong Learning Class

As some of you may know, the ARRL is working on a Lifelong Learning program. They’ve gotten serious enough about it to hire some folks–like yours truly–to start developing classes. I’m currently working on the course “Introduction to Amateur Radio Communications.” This course is aimed at beginners and be a very basic introduction to amateur radio.

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