“ASWFC GEOMAGNETIC DISTURBANCE WARNING ISSUED AT 0211UT/09 AUGUST 2024 BY THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE WEATHER FORECASTING...

Big increase in solar activity this week, with average daily sunspot number rising from 129...

It is one of Murphy’s laws, we think, that you can’t get great things when...

Ever since the beginning of the Space Age, the inner planets and the Earth-Moon system...

As a service to new hams, we’ve compiled a few resources to give you a better basic understanding of the sun and the role it plays in enabling you to fill your logbooks.

The ElectronicsNotes website provides a good explanation in the article “The Sun: Its Structure & Impact on Radio Propagation.” It notes that in terms of radio communication, the sun “is the source of radiation that gives rise to the ionosphere” and is “of great importance for HF ionospheric radio propagation.”

The article explains that solar radiation travels to the Earth, causing the upper portions of the atmosphere to become ionized. The absorption of the radiation provides protection from harmful elements of this radiation while also forming the ionosphere. The ionosphere refracts radio signals, particularly in the MF and HF portions of the radio spectrum, making global radio communications possible. As the levels of radiation change throughout a day, so do different regions in the ionosphere change.

We recommend reading this ARRL article from the ARRL Lab Staff. Mike Gruber, WA1SVF, assisted by Dean Straw, N6BV, answer some questions about how the sun influences the propagation of radio signals. The article provides explanations of the 11-year sunspot cycle, solar flares, coronal holes, A-Index and K-Index numbers, and much more.

Also, check out K7RA Solar Updates from the ARRL website under “Latest News.”

Have you ever heard of Dr. Tamitha Skov? She is amazing. Visit her website, spaceweatherwoman.com, for the latest space weather forecasts, details on how space weather affects us, recent issues of Space Weather Forecast News, and more. You can watch DX Engineering CEO, Tim Duffy, K3LR, interview Dr. Skov in the video below:

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Questions? Share them in the comments below or email me at KE8FMJ@gmail.com.

The post Ham Radio 101: The Basics of Sun and Signal—A Few Useful Resources appeared first on OnAllBands.

Solar activity increased this week, with average daily sunspot numbers rising from 149.6 to 181.6....

OH8STN Portable Ham Radio on Solar Power GIVEAWAY 2024.

This video shows charging Power Queen LiFePO4 batteries with a vertical wind generator and discusses off-grid ham shack power storage solutions, including during non-solar conditions.

The Off-Grid Ham Shack series discusses creating a self-sufficient ham radio station or 'Ham Shack' capable of operating on solar power during any grid down scenario, emphasizing the importance of an energy strategy for off-grid communications. This system includes solar panels, a charge controller, battery, and power distribution system. Key elements are the use of photovoltaic (PV) panels to harness solar energy, a solar charge controller to regulate energy flow and prevent battery overcharging or damage, and a battery to store energy for later. As well, power distribution ensures the allocation of power to multiple devices simultaneously. A grid-down energy strategy is crucial to any communication-related emergency, be it CB, FRS, GMRS, MURS or PMR radio, UHF CB, DMR, DStar, Meshtastic or LoRa communications.

The blog post highlights the benefits of Power Queen LiFePO4 batteries for off-grid projects over traditional lead-acid batteries, focusing on the better performance and cost-effectiveness in the long run. Additionally, it provides subscribers with information and discounts on Power Queen's Christmas offers, and illustrates how LiFePO4 batteries function in an off-grid system. It also includes descriptions and respective links of the batteries suited for specific needs in the US, Europe, and Canada.

The author discusses choosing a solar charge controller suitable for radio communication. He focuses on three criteria: portability, radio frequency quietness, and Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) functionality. Recommending Genasun due to its compatibility with these requirements, he mentions his dissatisfaction with another brand, Victron, that caused excessive radio frequency noise. For optimal results, he suggests keeping devices DC powered and using no inverters. He provides specific instructions about matching controllers to battery and solar panel specs, and suggests parallel configuration for Genasun controllers.