Although our birthday is really March 16, we celebrated early at the regular March SDXA meeting. Here are some shots of the activities and the CAKE (thanks Marybeth!).
Marybeth AE7GT cuts the cake
Around the cake table, left to right: Bob N7AU, Randy W7TJ, Dick W7BHP, Marybeth AE7GT, and Treasurer Harold AD7QJ
Happy Birthday SDXA
For a short history of the start of the organization, try this LINK by Lamar Ray WA7LT.
by Steve K7AWB
In the late 40’s and early 50’s, my folks owned the Boat Restaurant west of Smelterville, ID on Highway 10 (previous to I-90). They had car hops bring the trays of hamburgers to your car’s window. No roller skates then (as Sonic does now) due to the graveled parking lot. For the five years there, I was in grades 1-5. I asked my Dad why he parked his car up in front of the restaurant rather then behind the facility where it might be safer. He also had the car hops park their cars in the front too. He said that people driving by on Highway 10 would see the cars and presume the restaurant is open and is a popular place to eat due to all the activity. Tourists would be more likely to drop in if they saw activity at the place. Good marketing way back then.
So why the story? I figure if more of our SDXA members sign up early for our once-every-four-years DX convention in Spokane, it may spur others to sign up too, seeing all the local interest and activity. HAVE YOU SIGNED UP YET? It is August 4-6 and there is a link to the separate website below by the trophy picture.
THE SUN WITHOUT SUNSPOTS ON MARCH 13, 2017
PROPAGATION RATED POOR
THE SUN ON DECEMBER 3, 2001 WITH A SUNSPOT NUMBER OF 271
PROPAGATION GREAT – TOP OF THE SUNSPOT CYCLE #23
AN ORANGE – SORT OF LOOKS LIKE THE SUN?
Climber Jeremiah Puhek KD7DMP
DB18 Going up
Almost ready for Bouvet Island in 2018
At monthly meetings, we often get an update on propagation, the solar cycle, and the lack of sunspots during this solar minimum from Randy W7TJ. Here is a recent article Randy wrote on the subject. If you would like to see more articles like this, let him know.
Sunspot Cycle 24 fell down and was so dismal due to a extremely low and slow start; however, the main driver was the declining magnetic strength, complexity and size of the sunspots which initially started in cycle 23. This trend was “briefly” rectified 4th quarter of 2013, carried through 2014 (the year of the small peak), and started a decline again 2nd Quarter of 2015. All the forecasting models have used the Smoothed Sunspot Number as their “gauge” and reasonable sunspot strength (measured in Gauss is just {assumed}). Below is data from Livingston and Penn and NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado) and the HAO (High Altitude Observatory). *See the links below:
Livingston and Penn Sunspot Strength LINK
Cycle 24 will continue it’s fast decline as MUFs fall (Best signal strength will be when operating at 70% of the MUF) and the low bands will see a nice up-sweep in propagation until the critical frequency drops below 2 MHz. Looking forward to the start of cycle 25:
New Sunspots must be of reverse polarity and high latitude on the Sun (above 60 degrees). The biggest factor is there MUST be a reversal of the declining Sunspot Magnetic Strength and Size (which has been on the decline since cycle 23 and is continuing).
So, three Possible Scenarios (the Current Data and Trends point to Scenarios #1 and #2 as most probable):
1. Sunspots could disappear completely, ushering in a Dalton or Maunder type Minimum.
2. Cycle 24 could see a long drawn out extended low {beyond 2019} (similar to cycle 23’s end), setting up cycle 25 to be a mere “Flash in the Pan”.
3. Or, Cycle 25 could get off to a fast start, with many large strong high latitude spots …… then we can get our 6 Meter Antennas ready.
Randy
W7TJ
This Most Wanted list was generated from Club Log’s Most Wanted page. You can chose several parameters such as NA East Coast vs. West Coast, all of NA, the World, etc. Sign on to Club Log and go to the bottom left corner of the home page to use this feature. Use this LINK just to see the NA West Coast list. If you are not a member of Club Log, just enter your user name (call?) and a simple password to join – no fees.
Their URL is: https://secure.clublog.org/
You don’t have to start your potato salad yet, but we have reservations to use the shelter at Shadle Park on Saturday, August 26 for our annual Summer Picnic. Details will come later, but mark your calendars!
