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In this episode, Martin M1MRB is joined by Chris Howard M0TCH, Martin Rothwell M0SGL, Dan Romanchik KB6NU and Frank Howell K4FMH to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Colin M6BOY rounds up the news in brief and this episode’s feature is a double feature, a fictional book featuring amateur radio called Equinox and 40 years of BYLARA.

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• ARRL Considering Move of Corporation from CT to DE
• Number of Radio Amateurs in France
• 175th Anniversary of Morse Code
• New Ham Radio Regulations in Belgium
• Sheffield & District Wireless Society - 100 year anniversary
• SARL Youth Sprint and World QRP Day
• Germany Permits 50 MHz Ham Radio Contest Operation
• Sharon White to Step Down as Ofcom Chief Executive

It's time once again for The Weekender. This is our bi-weekly departure into the world of amateur radio contests, open source conventions, special events, listener challenges, hedonism and just plain fun. Thanks for listening and, if you happen to get a chance, feel free to call us or e-mail and send us some feedback. Tell us how we're doing. We'd love to hear from you.

73 de The LHS Crew

There’s been a festering, ongoing social media battle over Hamvention, its new venue, the fairground in Xenia, and the old Hara arena.  It seems this has bubbled up to the surface again with the recent tornado disaster in Trotwood which severely damaged homes and the venerable, but severely dilapidated Hara Arena.

I won’t dispute that Hara was a dump.  It was a major dump.  It was abused over the years and its long tenuous financial history is available for anyone who wants to find it on the interwebs.  Despite being a dump, Hara was an ideal venue for the Hamvention.  Hamvention started there, grew with Hara even through its physical decline, and the legendary event arguably was molded and enabled by the capabilities the site offered.  Hara may be rebuilt and Hamvention may or may not return to Hara, but I’m not going to bet on it or even entertain the thought.

What bothers me is that some dismiss any commentary or criticism of the Xenia location as merely Hara Arena fanatics sore over the loss of Hara, or simply as complainers.  That’s not the case.  I’ll acknowledge that Xenia was likely the best choice out of a few choices at the time, but it’s just not well suited long term for the Hamvention.   There’s a lack of major highways and hotels nearby. The mud pit parking has become legendary.  The buildings are more suited to host livestock than technology.  The flea market is in the grassy track center, because, well, there’s no where else to put it.  And last, the venue doesn’t feel like the largest amateur radio gathering in the western hemisphere.  It feels like a county fair with amateur radio.

It’s not realistic to think Hamvention will return to Hara anytime soon.  I think what many of us would like to see is a realization that Xenia isn’t an ideal location, and it has changed the character of the event.  Xenia was a prudent, stopgap measure taken under difficult circumstances.  Now that the immediate threat to the future of the event has passed, the Hamvention powers that be should seek a better venue for Hamvention and not settle for Xenia.

This article originally appeared on Radio Artisan.

Welcome to Episode 287 of Linux in the Ham Shack. In this episode, the hosts discuss several topics including sunspots and planetary alignment, proprietary encryption protocols in common browsers, high-altitude balloons, satellite LIDs, new malware, new WSJT-X and much more. Thank you for listening.

73 de The LHS Crew

Here is this week’s space weather and geophysical report, issued 2019 Jun 03 0154 UTC.

Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 27 May – 02 June 2019

Solar activity was at very low levels. No sunspots were observed on the visible disk. The strongest flare of the period reached B2 at 01/1454 UTC and was from around the E. limb. No Earth-directed CMEs were observed in available coronagraph imagery.

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal levels on 27-28 May, moderate levels on 29 May and moderate to high levels on 31 May – 02 Jun. The increase in electron flux was due to increased solar wind speeds from a negative polarity CH HSS.

Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to active levels. A weak, slow-moving transient was observed on 27 May, resulting in quiet to unsettled conditions. Total magnetic field strength reached a peak of 12 nT and no significant periods of southward Bz were observed. Solar wind speeds for the transient were between 320-380 km/s. Late on 28 May, an increase in solar winds to between 500-550 km/s was observed, producing unsettled conditions through 29 May, with an isolated period of active during the 29/0300-0600 synoptic period. The geomagnetic field returned to quiet levels after 30/0300 UTC as effects from the negative polarity CH HSS slowly waned. Quiet conditions were observed for the remainder of the reporting period.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 03 June – 29 June 2019

Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels throughout the reporting period.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to range from normal to high levels. High levels are expected on 03-06 Jun, 09-10 Jun and 26-29 Jun; moderate levels are expected on 07-08 Jun, 11-22 Jun and on 25 Jun. Normal levels are expected for the remainder of the outlook period. All increases in electron flux are anticipated due to multiple, recurrent CH HSSs.

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to remain below G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels. Active conditions are likely on 25 Jun; unsettled conditions are likely on 03-05 Jun, 08-09 Jun, 23-24 Jun and 26 Jun. Elevated levels of geomagnetic activity are anticipated due to multiple, recurrent CH HSSs. Quiet conditions are expected for the remainder of the outlook period.

Don’t forget to visit our live space weather and radio propagation web site, at: http://SunSpotWatch.com/

Live Aurora mapping is at http://aurora.sunspotwatch.com/

If you are on Twitter, please follow these two users: 1. https://Twitter.com/NW7US 2. https://Twitter.com/hfradiospacewx

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Be sure to subscribe to our space weather and propagation email group, on Groups.io

https://groups.io/g/propagation-and-space-weather

Spread the word!

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Links of interest:

+ Amazon space weather books: http://g.nw7us.us/fbssw-aSWSC
+ https://Twitter.com/NW7US
+ https://Twitter.com/hfradiospacewx

Space Weather and Ham Radio YouTube Channel News:

I am working on launching a YouTube channel overhaul, that includes series of videos about space weather, radio signal propagation, and more.

Additionally, I am working on improving the educational efforts via the email, Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr, and other activities.

You can help!

Please consider becoming a Patron of these space weather and radio communications services, beginning with the YouTube channel:

https://www.patreon.com/NW7US

The YouTube channel:
https://YouTube.com/NW7US

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