Monthly Archives: November 2018

Has Solar Cycle 25 begun?

Posted on November 19, 2018 by robert

From SpaceWeather.com Over the weekend, a magnetically reversed sunspot appeared in the sun’s northern hemisphere. Its high latitude and “backwards” magnetic polarity mark it as a member of the next solar cycle. Is Solar Minimum over? Not even close, but … Continue reading →

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Mobile ZumSpot

Posted on November 19, 2018 by robert

I’ve been using my ZumSpot on my home WiFi network for a few months.  I’ve heard several folks use their’s with their cell phone internet connection (Hotspot), and started to mess with that a couple of weeks ago.  It didn’t work … Continue reading →

Posted in DMR, YSF, ZumSpot | 6 Comments

6-meters: The Magic Band

Posted on November 17, 2018 by Bob Beatty

I usually do a bit of 6-meters operation during the spring and early summer for chance openings, but I’m not a 6-meter OP by any stretch of the imagination. I was checking my LotW account this morning to see where … Continue reading →

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First JS8Call QSO

Posted on November 12, 2018 by Bob Beatty

I’ve been reading the email about the new JS8Call keyboard QSO mode.  If you think FT8 but allowing free-text messaging, you’ve got the basic idea.  The exchange rate isn’t very fast, equivalent to 10-15 WPM CW, but it has similar … Continue reading →

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Thank you VP6D team!

Posted on November 1, 2018 by robert

I have to admit that hunting for VP6D felt like hunting real DX, a feeling that is pretty rare down here at the bottom of the solar cycle.  I had fun working them on 8 CW bands from 80-10m, plus SSB … Continue reading →

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