Author Archives: robert

Field Day 2018 Satellite Passes

Posted on June 16, 2018 by robert

I’ve put together my list of candidate orbits that are happening during daylight hours for Field Day 2018.  Orbits in green are pretty optimal.  Orbits in yellow are lower (and hence further away, or in darkness). Satellite Passes FD 2018

Posted in AMSAT, AO-7, AO-73, AO-85, AO-91, CAS-4B, FO-29, From the OM, Satellite, SO-50, XW-2A, XW-2B, XW-2C, XW-2D, XW-2F | Leave a comment

QSO #9,000 in LotW

Posted on May 29, 2018 by robert

Silly, I suppose, but I note almost every accomplishment.  I’m happy to say that today I worked Ron, K4AKK, from Savannah, TN on 15-Meter FT-8.  He found his way into my LotW database as Contact #9,000 (since I started back … Continue reading →

Posted in ARRL, FT8, LotW, Operating | Leave a comment

Still duking it out for the International Grid Chase

Posted on May 27, 2018 by robert

After investing most of April and May’s on-air time to the class I was teaching and the coming of spring (and all the household things that entails), I sort of dropped off the grid chase.  I have been able to … Continue reading →

Posted in IGC | Leave a comment

Solar Cycle 25 Beginning?

Posted on May 26, 2018 by robert

Current solar cycle 24 is declining more quickly than forecast.  Will the solar minimum last longer, or does this signal that Cycle 25 is about to begin? Some helioscientists are saying that early signs of Solar Cycle 25 are already … Continue reading →

Posted in Solar Cycles | Leave a comment

Six Meters is Rocking

Posted on May 26, 2018 by robert

Each day that I have some time to be on the air, I start by listening to 6-meters for a few minutes.  This month, almost every time I do that, I wind up making a few contacts during a short … Continue reading →

Posted in 6-Meters, FT8 | Leave a comment

Happy 6000+ LotW confirmations!

Posted on May 23, 2018 by robert

Back on Jan 19, I was sitting at 5,000 LotW confirmations.  Today, with the addition of a couple of confirmations from QSOs with Iceland back in 2014, I bumped up to 6,001 confirmed in LotW. Thanks to Odinn Thor (I … Continue reading →

Posted in DX, From the OM, LotW | Leave a comment

Thanks to Tom, AB8RL, for 12-meter WAS

Posted on May 20, 2018 by robert

FT-8 has proven its worth over and over again during this bottom part of the solar cycle.  I’ve been having fun noticing the frequent short openings on 10-meters and 12-meters the past few months.  I’m convinced that we think the … Continue reading →

Posted in FT8, Operating, WAS, WSJT-X | Leave a comment

Final Class for New Tech’s

Posted on May 19, 2018 by robert

I recently completed another Technician Class up in Providence RI.  It produced 11 New Techs plus a General (I’m always amazed how common it is for one or two folks to take the next level exam and pass it). As … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, From the OM | Leave a comment

“Green Band” April 2018 FMT!

Posted on April 8, 2018 by robert

I managed to fulfill one of my 2018 goals by getting into the “Green Band” of the ARRL FMT.  The standard is to be better than 1 Hz on all three bands.  My best result was within 0.010 Hz, and … Continue reading →

Posted in FMT | Leave a comment

Warming Up for the FMT

Posted on April 4, 2018 by robert

2018’s first FMT is scheduled for 0100-0225 UTC on April 6 (9 PM-10:25PM EDT Thursday).  It’s been many months since I’ve fiddled with my measurement gear, so today it was hooked up and will be left powered on so that … Continue reading →

Posted in FMT, Gear | Leave a comment