https://strangesounds.org/2020/07/solar-minimum-deepest-century-mini-ice-age.html
NOAA has released a new interactive tool to explore the solar cycle, which lets you scroll back through time, comparing sunspot counts now to peaks and valleys of the past.
One thing is clear. Solar Minimum is here, and it’s one of the deepest in a century.
Solar Minimum is a natural part of the solar cycle. Every ~11 years, the sun transitions from high to low activity and back again. Solar Maximum. Solar Minimum. Repeat.
The cycle was discovered in 1843 by Samuel Heinrich Schwabe, who noticed the pattern after counting sunspots for 17 years. We are now exiting Solar Cycle 24 and entering Solar Cycle 25.
In 2019, the sun went 281 days without sunspots, and 2020 is producing spotless suns at about the same rate.
To find a year with fewer sunspots, you have to go all the way back to 1913, which had 311 spotless days.
This makes 2019-2020 a century-class Solar Minimum; solar flares are rare, geomagnetic storms are almost non-existent, and Earth’s upper atmosphere is cooling.
Some people worry that the sun could “get stuck” in Solar Minimum, producing a mini-Ice Age caused by low solar activity. According to scientists, there is no evidence this is happening. On the contrary, the next solar cycle (Solar Cycle 25) is showing unmistakable signs of life.
On May 29th, the sun unleashed the strongest solar flare in years–an M1-class eruption that just missed Earth. The blast came from an active region belonging to Solar Cycle 25.
![]() |
VHF NetsNet NameDayTimeFREQ/ModeEast Central Indiana 6M NetSunday8 PM EST50.140 MHz /USB... READ MORE
- Bradley Stone (UncleBrad), 01/20/2020
|
![]() |
Below is a picture of my latest project. After doing the transceiver thing, with a CE20A, mated to a SX-115, then the next transceiver project, a 10A mated to any Drake R4 series receiver, I had an idea. Those transceiver projects have a lot of oscillators, and even the crystal oscillators can drift as they warm up, which requires re-zeroing the transmitter to the receiver from time to... READ MORE
- Bradley Stone (UncleBrad), 10/27/2019
|
![]() |
All times are in Eastern unless otherwise indicated. Frequencies are in Megacycles. Recommended HF NetsNet NameDayTimeFREQ/ModeSwan Technical NetWednesday2200 UTC14.2925 +/- /USB3938 Traders NetWednesday8 PM3.938 / LSBBoatanchor NetWednesday7:30 PM CST3.870 / LSBWA9ZTY Vintage AM GroupSaturday7:30 AM3.885 / AMMidwest Classic Radio NetSaturday8:30 AM3.885 / AMSwan Technical NetSatu... READ MORE
- Bradley Stone (UncleBrad), 08/29/2019
|
![]() |
W1LSB Finds an EBay TreasureThis 1964 WRL catalog was addressed to Major General Butch Griswold – K0DWCCategory: Vintage Manufacturers
- Bradley Stone (UncleBrad), 04/30/2019
|
![]() |
Crazy EBay Prices!Pictures of radio suckerbait on the world's largest online auction!Category: Crazy EBay Prices!
- Bradley Stone (UncleBrad), 03/22/2019
|
![]() |
These excellent examples of the Swan Twins are from the estate of John Thuren, AA5T (SK) of Houston, Texas. John had checked in to the 20M Swan net with these very desirable "big Swans" until a few years ago. A big thanks to Eddie, NU5K, who handled John's estate and placed these on EBay. He packed them well, knowing they are indeed an important find. ... READ MORE
- Bradley Stone (UncleBrad), 12/21/2018
|
![]() |
W9RAN started playing with RTL-SDR dongles about 6 years ago, and knew they were going to have a big impact on the radio hobby. But since these $15 receivers only tuned the VHF and UHF bands, he designed a wideband upconverter to make HF coverage possible, and described how it worked in an article in Jan. 2013 QST "Cheap and Easy SDR". The "RANVerter" as... READ MORE
- Robert Nickels (rnickels), 08/09/2018
|
![]() |
Barry, AC9NK and I attendended the 2018 Cave City hamfest, which was awesome this year. The facility was packed, with lots of vendors. We enjoyed the company of my friend Tom, N4LID for dinner the night before. Tom, who is blind, had not been able to get to the hamfest for many years. You will find more pictures at the Kentucky Phone Net site. A big thanks to Rod, N4ZIF, fo... READ MORE
- Bradley Stone (UncleBrad), 03/04/2018
|
![]() |
For nearly five years, spanning 1978 - 1983, I worked as an Electronics Technician in the original Bearcat manufacturing and service facility in Cumberland, Indiana. Electra was one of the best places I've ever worked, and were among the many innovative consumer electronics companies which sprang up in and around Indianapolis. Al Lovell, a former employee of Regency (also in ... READ MORE
- Bradley Stone (UncleBrad), 02/22/2018
|
![]() |
The tube-type Linear Master Oscillators (“LMO”) used in the Heathkit SB-Line equipment is a very stable and accurate means of controlling the frequency in the equipment. Unfortunately, as the units age, many LMOs develop a “warble” when tuning. This “warble” usually stops when the frequency control knob is not rotated. However, accurately “zero-beating&rdq... READ MORE
- Bradley Stone (UncleBrad), 02/08/2018
|