eHam.net News

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Riley Hollingsworth, Retired FCC Special Counsel to be on Webcast:

Posted: 13 Feb 2016 03:00 AM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/36170


Live webcast Tues Feb 16 at 8 PMCT (0200 UTC
Wed) on W5KUB.COM. Riley Hollingsworth,
retired special counsel to the FCC, will be
back with us on the broadcast and answering
your questions.


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Fine Tuning in Trying Times:

Posted: 12 Feb 2016 04:43 PM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/36169


The radio has been an integral part of our lives, since the time it was
invented. Through all the wars, floods, earthquakes, accidents, the radio
has stood tall as the most reliable means of communication. Today, on World
Radio Day, with the theme of 'Radio in Times of Emergency and Disaster', NT
BUZZ talks to few radio jockeys across the state to find out the scope for
the first modern medium of communication. From the transistors and
walkmans, to the music system and now cell phones, all these gadgets come
equipped with the series of fine lines that give you music and updates on
news, sports and other happenings around you. It is quite rare to come
across a person who has not tuned into the radio to listen to the voice of
a favourite radio jockey or just for the pure pleasure of listening to
music. However, very few realise that this medium is an all important and
powerful communication tool during emergencies too. This World Radio Day,
February 13, the UNESCO has decided to highlight the use of the 'Radio in
Times of Emergency and Disaster'. There have been a lot of examples where
the radio had been resorted to, as a means of getting updates, and
connecting people during emergency situations. From airing tsunami alerts
in Japan and Chile, and information on how to avoid Ebola transmission in
Liberia or the weather updates when hurricanes strike in the USA. Closer
home in India we had seen the use of the radio in time of the floods and
other calamities. The amateur radio, HAM in Kolkata became a vital lifeline
for many people inquiring about family members who were incommunicable
during the Chennai floods; while the Mumbai Amateur Radio Society were at
work during the Mumbai train bombings, Maharashtra floods, Indian Ocean
earthquake and even the Gujarat earthquake providing necessary
communication links after other modes of communication failed. "The radio
has a much wider reach and nowadays there are various smaller sections of
society setting up their own community radios which cater to their specific
needs. And with this concept the radio is penetrating more into the rural
areas in India, rather than in the urban. The use of radio in emergencies
like natural disasters and other such calamities is of utmost reliance, as
when all other signals die down, the radio is the only signal that
generally works. "So you will have people tuning in to the radio to get
updates rather than rely on the cellphones," says Sachin Chatte, RJ, AIR FM
Rainbow. The reach of the radio is so wide, that in fact during emergencies
people are told to keep the radio safe and keep a stash of spare batteries.


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Solar Activity Remains the Quietest it has Been in More Than a Century:

Posted: 12 Feb 2016 04:42 PM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/36168


We've had smallest number of sunspots in this cycle since Cycle 14. This
cycle reached its maximum solar activity in February of 1906. Low solar
activity can lead to extended periods of cooling, researchers say. The sun
is in the midst of its quietest period in more than a century. Several days
ago, it was in 'cue ball' mode, with an incredible image from Nasa showing
no large visible sunspots seen on its surface. Astronomers say this isn't
unusual, and solar activity waxes and wanes in 11-year cycles, and we're
currently in Cycle 24, which began in 2008. We've had the smallest number
of sunspots in this cycle since Cycle 14, which reached its maximum in
February of 1906. 'With no sunspots actively flaring, the sun's X-ray
output has flatlined,' wrote Vencore Weather. 'The number of nearly or
completely spotless days should increase over the next few years as we
continue to move away from the solar maximum phase of cycle 24 and approach
the next solar minimum phase and the beginning of solar cycle 25.' 'The
current level of activity of solar cycle 24 seems close to that of solar
cycle number 5, which occurred beginning in May 1798 and ending in December
1810,' added an analysis by Watts Up With That.


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Propagation Forecast Bulletin #7 de K7RA:

Posted: 12 Feb 2016 09:06 AM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/36167


All four of the indices we track rose over the past week, with the
average daily sunspot number rising from 50.6 to 86.6, average daily
solar flux up from 105.4 to 117.4, average daily planetary A index
increasing from 7.3 to 9.4, and average daily mid-latitude A index
up from 5.6 to 6.4.