x class solar flare

[ghi]

Strong flares and earth directed cme over last 24 hours, aurora Borealis/northern lights possible at lower latitude in next 2-3 days.

http://www.solarham.net/

[Meatwad]

I always miss the rare ones down here

[Buzzard7]

Well maybe that will stop all the DX I have been getting here. Hard to hear the other trucks on the job when they are barely getting over the noise.

[MrGeezer]

Solar Flux is 161 and sunspot number is 144.

The bands are HOT!  Right now hearing a African DX-pedition on morse code working massive pile-ups on 15 meters.   Also hearing central europeans who are local to one another just chatting--not realizing they are 5/9 in Arkansas.

I just picked up two Swan 500's (one for SSB and one for CW) a Swan 400, and 2 dipoles on Ebay.  Three delta loops are going up as well as a long-john 11 element boomer on 2M SSB and a high gain OCF dipole for 40- 6m.

"Not hearing the trucks for the noise?"  Many "mobile" ops areound here ditched CB years ago and do the UHF Family Radio mobile Service and General Mobile Service -- it's VHF and UHF--far above the noise, linear runners, and bootleggers on CB -- only crisp-clear-no static FM mode.  Besides--it used to be no big deal running high power on CB--but the FCC has been handing out fines like candy.  A lot of the linear runners sold their stuff and disapeared into the woodwork.

[gyrene81]

hey Geezer, i think there's a pill for that these days... 

[saggs]

Strong flares and earth directed cme over last 24 hours, aurora Borealis/northern lights possible at lower latitude in next 2-3 days.

http://www.solarham.net/

I doubt you'll see any aurora very far south.  This is the aurora forecast site that I trust http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/Alaska/2013/10/25  and they only have activity hitting 3 on a scale of 0-9... ...

[GScholz]

hey Geezer, i think there's a pill for that these days... 

You're not a signalman, are you...

[gyrene81]

You're not a signalman, are you...

 i use 2 signals (analog of course)...

[GScholz]

 

[SilverZ06]

Solar Flux is 161 and sunspot number is 144.

The bands are HOT!  Right now hearing a African DX-pedition on morse code working massive pile-ups on 15 meters.   Also hearing central europeans who are local to one another just chatting--not realizing they are 5/9 in Arkansas.

I just picked up two Swan 500's (one for SSB and one for CW) a Swan 400, and 2 dipoles on Ebay.  Three delta loops are going up as well as a long-john 11 element boomer on 2M SSB and a high gain OCF dipole for 40- 6m.

"Not hearing the trucks for the noise?"  Many "mobile" ops areound here ditched CB years ago and do the UHF Family Radio mobile Service and General Mobile Service -- it's VHF and UHF--far above the noise, linear runners, and bootleggers on CB -- only crisp-clear-no static FM mode.  Besides--it used to be no big deal running high power on CB--but the FCC has been handing out fines like candy.  A lot of the linear runners sold their stuff and disapeared into the woodwork.

  WUT? I have no idea wtf you just said. 

[Meatwad]

Solar Flux is 161 and sunspot number is 144.

The bands are HOT!  Right now hearing a African DX-pedition on morse code working massive pile-ups on 15 meters.   Also hearing central europeans who are local to one another just chatting--not realizing they are 5/9 in Arkansas.

I just picked up two Swan 500's (one for SSB and one for CW) a Swan 400, and 2 dipoles on Ebay.  Three delta loops are going up as well as a long-john 11 element boomer on 2M SSB and a high gain OCF dipole for 40- 6m.

"Not hearing the trucks for the noise?"  Many "mobile" ops areound here ditched CB years ago and do the UHF Family Radio mobile Service and General Mobile Service -- it's VHF and UHF--far above the noise, linear runners, and bootleggers on CB -- only crisp-clear-no static FM mode.  Besides--it used to be no big deal running high power on CB--but the FCC has been handing out fines like candy.  A lot of the linear runners sold their stuff and disapeared into the woodwork.

I havent had a dipole up for a long time. Would like something for 160 meters but havent really calculated the space needed for one. Just been running a butternut vertical forever

[FatalError1]

Bands seem to still be open here on Sat morning. 160 thru 40 opening long at dusk.

[MrGeezer]

I havent had a dipole up for a long time. Would like something for 160 meters but havent really calculated the space needed for one. Just been running a butternut vertical forever

The only verticals out there covering 160 meters are pretty pricy.  You can make one out of wire if you have a high enough tree or tower...it's some over 50', then you need to make it resonant with what looks like a trap, but that too is very narrow banded.

Dipole for 160 is 250', but an Alpha-Delta Double Sloper (DX-A) is only $110 and only needs one support.  Even as low at 35 feet works DX  A full wave horizonal loop at 500' is doable on most house lots.  If you live in the sticks or have an acre or more it works well as a cloud warmer/NVIS antenna uring the day and preforms well for itself during both incidents of gray-line and after dark.

[smoe]

I think of this South Park snippet every time a solar flare sparks up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-XwOR504X4


And this one when the global warming subject comes up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nei6lxGjVCo

[Meatwad]

Thats what I have with 80 and 40, have a very narrow bandwith for good swr due to the tuning coils. on 80 I think I have only 80khz. Tuner works nice though. Im not even sure on my lot dimensions, but height wise I would be crossing over the triplex since that travels slant wise on the property.