Here is this week’s space weather and geophysical report, issued 2015 Jun 22 0548 UTC.

Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 15 – 21 June 2015

Solar activity was at low to moderate levels. Weak to mid-level C-class flares were observed on 15-17 Jun from Regions 2360 (N15, L=129, class/area Eac/220 on 12 Jun), 2367 (S20, L=002, class/area Ekc/400 on 15 Jun), 2268 (S06, L=100, class/area Bxo/010 on 14 Jun) and 2371 (N13, L=302, class/area Fkc/1180 on 21 Jun). Activity increased to moderate levels (R1-minor) on 18 Jun. Old Region 2365 (S13, L=079) produced a long duration event (LDE) M1 flare at 18/0127 UTC. At 18/1736 UTC, Region 2371 produced an M3/1n LDE with associated Type IV and Tenflare (2200 sfu) radio emissions. Associated with this event was an asymmetric, full-halo CME first visible in LASCO C2 imagery at 18/1724 UTC.

19 Jun saw a return to low levels with weak to high-level C-class flares observed from Region 2371. At about 19/0500 UTC, a large filament eruption was observed in the SSE quadrant of the disk. Associated with this eruption was a partial-halo CME, first observed in LASCO C2 imagery at 19/0845 UTC. Moderate levels returned on 20 Jun with an M1/if flare observed at 20/0648 UTC. 21 Jun saw a total of 4 M-class class flares. Region 2371 produced an M2/1n flare at 21/0142 UTC with associated Type II (682 km/s) and Type IV radio emissions. Also associated with this event was a full-halo CME. Shortly afterward, this same region produced an M2.6 x-ray event. At 21/0944 UTC, Region 2367 produced an M3/2b flare followed by an M1 x-ray event at 21/1820 UTC.

A pair of 10 MeV at greater than or equal to 10 pfu proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit. The first event began at 18/1135 UTC, reached a maximum of 16 pfu at 18/1445 UTC and ended at 19/0230 UTC. This event was associated with the M1 flare from old Region 2365 observed at 18/0127 UTC. The second event began at 21/2035 UTC and reached at peak of near 50 pfu at the end of the summary period and was still rising. This event was associated with the M1 flare from Region 2367 observed at 21/1820 UTC.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels through the entire summary period.

Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet to active levels through the period. Quiet to unsettled levels were observed on 15-17 Jun with isolated active periods observed on 15 and 17 Jun. This activity was due to positive polarity coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) effects. Solar wind parameters, measured at the ACE satellite, indicated wind speeds of near 600 km/s early on 15 Jun decreasing to about 450 km/s by the end of the 17th. Total field ranged between 4-8 nT while the Bz component varied between +/- 5 nT. Phi angle was in a predominately positive (away) orientation. Predominately quiet conditions were observed on 18 Jun through late on 21 June. Solar wind speeds decreased from about 450 km/s early on 18 June to near 275 km/s by 21/1540 UTC. During this same time frame, total field ranged between 1-6 nT, Bz varied between +4 nT to -3 nT and phi remained mostly positive. After 21/1540 UTC, wind speed increased to about 360 km/s, Bt increased to 12 nT, Bz varied between +8 nT to -7 nT and phi briefly rotated to a negative (towards) sector. This deviation indicated a possible co-rotating interaction region in advance of an anticipated positive polarity CH HSS.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 22 June – 18 July 2015

Solar activity is expected to be at moderate to high levels (R1-R2, minor-moderate). Active Regions 2367 and 2371, and the return of old Region 2365 on 30 Jun, are expected to keep activity levels enhanced through the outlook period.

The 10 MeV at greater than or equal to 10 pfu proton flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to remain at the S1 (minor) to S2 (moderate) levels through 24 Jun. Effects from the 21 Jun M1 flare, coupled with multiple shocks from the 18, 19 and 21 Jun CMEs, are expected to keep proton flux above event levels.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at normal to moderate levels on 22 Jun through 06 Jul. Moderate to high levels are expected on 07-18 Jul due to CH HSS effects.

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at unsettled to severe storm levels (G1-G3, minor-strong) on 22-24 Jun. This activity is due to the expected arrival of the three CMEs from 18, 19 and 21 Jun. Unsettled to active periods are expected on 06-08 Jul, 12-13 Jul and 18 Jul, along with minor storm periods (G1-minor) on 05 and 11 Jul, due to CIR/CH HSS effects. Predominately quiet to unsettled levels are expected for the remainder of the outlook period.

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As I write this on Sunday evening, June 21st, the magic band has been open here for over 16 hours straight and shows no signs of slowing down! What has been one of the poorest Sporadic-e seasons in memory, did not disappoint today, on what should theoretically be the peak day of the season.

A loud NØLL in Kansas was the first station heard this morning at around 0600 local time but I suspect the band had been open even earlier, judging by the strength of the signals. It didn't take long for the band to stretch out further and not too much later, signals from the Caribbean were making it into southern British Columbia, as well as many parts of North America.

At times the band seemed as crowded as 20m CW during the Sweepstakes as so many of the CW stations congregate in the 20KHz slot just below 50.100MHz. Before breakfast, the following stations were in the log:

        ZF1EJ Cayman Islands
          9Y4D Trinidad
          YV1KK Venezuela
          6Y5WJ Jamaica
          KP4EIT Puerto Rico
          XE2MVY Mexico
          XE2X Mexico
          WP3C Puerto Rico
          NP4BM Puerto Rico

courtesy: https://www.google.ca/maps

Around 10 am local time, the VA5MG beacon was suddenly heard pounding away ... often a good sign that propagation may be going 'polar'. Sure enough, stations to my south (Oregon and Washington) started to hear and work Europe. I was lucky enough to hear what can only be described as the contact of a lifetime, when K7CW (about 140 miles to the south) was heard working HVØA, the Vatican!! Paul was apparently in the sweet spot of the moment and his efficient homebrew array was up to the job. Over the next hour or so, the European propagation swung wildly between W7 and W6 as well as points to the east. The only Europeans that I heard were two Italian stations, briefly hitting 559 but unable to hear me. Johnny, KE7V (and also the brother of K7CW), about 40 miles to my south, managed to work both stations ... it seems that we were both just on the northern edge of the teasing footprint.

At times, several in band 'growly' carriers with polar flutter were heard as well as weak signals from some of the 49MHz videos still operating in central Europe.

It will be interesting to see if we have a repeat of this prop tomorrow (Monday) but I rather suspect much of this was the result of two well-placed solar flares earlier in the morning and will not be repeated ... I hope I'm wrong!

  Impact from the flares plus a slower moving one is expected later today.
Steve McDonald, VE7SL, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from British Columbia, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

OK, this is very low power but it shows you what can be done. A QRPP transmitter or signal generator anywhere between 500MHz and 1.5GHz.

Please note the image below is not on my blog (it is linked as shown) and will be immediately removed if this is a problem.

http://rtlsdrblog.rtlsdrblog.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/transmit_hack_rtlsdr-500×375.jpg

See http://www.rtl-sdr.com/using-the-rtl-sdr-as-a-transmitter/

See also http://www.steila.com/SDR/RFgenmod/index.html .

Roger Lapthorn, G3XBM, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Cambridge, England.

Work has begun on a new "summer project" (as well as re-shingling the woodshed and garden shed roofs) ... a 3-tube audiodyne receiver.





This one appeared in the January 1933 addition of QST (Rationalizing the Audiodyne by George Grammer) and then in subsequent Handbooks for a few years. It's the type of building I like to do, with lots of pre-planning before breaking out the tools, measuring all components carefully and refurbishing some of the 85+ year old parts.

courtesy: arrl.org

This particular receiver has lots of metalworking involved as it uses two shielded compartments to keep the detector and RF stage from seeing each other. As well, it uses a set of ganged tuning capacitors to have the RF stage track the oscillator. The coils are wound to produce a lot of ham-band bandspread on the big drum dial... hot stuff in '33.


So far, I've completed all of the shielding and drilling of critical holes ... all measured three or four times before taking the plunge. The only chassis available (Hammond or Bud) is about 1/2" smaller in width and depth, making everything just a little snugger, but still maintaining proportions.


I have no idea how it will perform but so far it's been a fun project. If it works well, even better yet ... but handily, it's given me a good excuse to avoid more important things, like the two roof projects!
Steve McDonald, VE7SL, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from British Columbia, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

Amateur Radio Weekly is curated by Cale Mooth K4HCK. Sign up free to receive ham radio's most relevant news, projects, technology and events by e-mail each week at http://www.hamweekly.com.

Ham Radio Two-Day License Class

Sat Oct 3 and Sat Oct 10 (8 AM to 5 PM) 2015
Location: Black Forest Fire Station 1, Black Forest, CO

The Technician license is your gateway to the world-wide excitement of Amateur Radio …

• Earn your ham radio Technician class radio privileges
• Pass your FCC amateur radio license exam right in class on the second day
• Multiple-choice exam, No Morse Code Required
• Live equipment demonstrations
• Learn to operate on the ham bands, 10 Meters and higher
• Learn to use the many VHF/UHF FM repeaters in Colorado
• Find out how to participate in emergency communications

There is a non-refundable $25 registration fee for the class.

In addition, students must have the required study guide and read it before attending the two-day class: HamRadioSchool.com Technician License Course $20.95
(make sure you get the most recent edition of this book, updated for the new FCC exam questions)

Advance registration is required (no later than one week before the first session, earlier is better! This class usually fills up weeks in advance.)

To register for the class, contact: Bob Witte KØNR
Email: [email protected] or Phone: 719 659-3727

Sponsored by the Tri-Lakes Monument Radio Association
For more information on amateur (ham) radio visit www.arrl.org

The post Announcing: Oct 2015 WØTLM Technician License Class appeared first on The KØNR Radio Site.

Bob Witte, KØNR, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Colorado, USA. Contact him at [email protected].

Sadly, I fear that my Tri-Tet-Ten has likely seen the last of its glory days of European 10m DX. It has been sitting, forlornly, on it's operating shelf beside my main station, for a few years now and has always been ready to spring into action whenever the winter F2 on 10m rolled-in. Although I anticipate more 10m F2 this coming fall, I don't think we'll get any barn-burner European openings as I have seen in the past. Conditions really need to be very good for the 6L6's 4 1/2 watts of 10m output to make it over the pole but over the past four winters, the one-lunger has worked over 100 Europeans on 10m F2.

Not being quite ready to throw in the towel on one of my favorite ever projects, over the past two nights I have sparked-up the tritet on 20m, which has been like the good old days in the evening ... strong signals over the pole peaking around 2130 local time.

As it did on 10m, the tritet did not disappoint! My first CQ (crystal controlled on 14031 kHz) was a pounced upon by two Europeans, eager to work a VE7. Over the two evenings, contacts were enjoyed with the following stations:

OE5FBL  Haid, Austria
RV3LK   Smolensk, Russia
UA2FT   Polessk, Russia
RA2FAC   Kaliningrad, Russia
RA1OD   Kotlas, Russia
R3RR   Tambov, Russia
DL1SXB   Schwerin, Germany
UR5LCZ   Pivdenne, Ukraine
MD0CCE   Ramsey, Isle of Man
OK1KTI   Huntirov, Czech Republic
IK1XPP   Crescentino, Italy

All of the stations were worked on my crystal frequency (a very old 40m xtal doubling to 20m) of 14031 kHz and answered my CQ. At just under 10 watts output, the average signal report received was 579.

Interestingly, two stations gave me 'T' reports of less than 9 to (incorrectly) describe the slight chirp on the oscillator. In the RST system, anything less than a 'T9' should actually describe the degree of undesired modulation (usually A.C. ripple) and not chirp. The proper way of indicating chirp is to append the report with a 'C'. Since chirp is rarely heard on the airwaves anymore, it's understandable that some might not properly understand the 'T' part of 'RST'.

So it looks as though the Tri-Tet-Ten has earned the right to stay on the side operating shelf a bit longer ... but I'm not renaming it the 'Tri-Tet-Twenty' just yet!
Steve McDonald, VE7SL, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from British Columbia, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].