Lowest Sunspot Cycle for 5 Years

Sunspot counts have reached their lowest level in 5 years, a clear sign that Solar Minimum is approaching. 

Solar Minimum is neither dull nor uneventful. Instead, space weather changes in interesting ways.

Spaceweather - http://spaceweather.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0c5fce34d5ca05f64a13d085d&id=f592752b6e&e=f98eeb7cd6

Suggestions Requested for Technician Pool

The National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC) Question Pool Committee (QPC) is reviewing the 2014-2018 Technician question pool for revisions and updates. The QPC will accept comments and suggestions from the Amateur Radio community via e-mail through 31st March 2017.

The NCVEC QPC will take all comments and suggestions into consideration as it updates the Technician question pool for 2018-2022. Input from the Amateur Radio community may include suggestions for new questions, changes to the topic areas, or changes to existing questions in any of the current Amateur Radio examination question pools.

More Information - http://www.arrl.org/news/ncvec-question-pool-committee-seeks-comments-on-the-technician-question-pool

New Greenlandic Beacon - OX4M

Launched earlier in November 2016,  Bo, OX3LX/OZ1DJJ, has activated a new Greenlandic beacon OX4M on the air from Ittoqqortoormiit in HQ90AL.

The frequency is 70,047 MHz running 25 W into a dipole radiating North/South.

The beacon transmits PI4 + CW + carrier and has a sister beacon OX6M on 50,047 MHz too.