Author Archives: Tor

About Tor

"Making Life A Ride"

Solar Cycle 25

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This is very exiting. Solar Cycle 25 is ramping up. That means excellent High Frequency Radio Propagation,
This is good news for Amateur Radio DX operations (long distance propagation and communication on the Amateur Radio HF bands)

Solar Cycle 25 Predictions

The start of a new Solar Cycle (25) means there will be increasing activity and more sunspots until roughly July 2025.

The initial extended forecast is that Solar Cycle 25 will below average, quiet, and cool. This is very similar to its predecessor Solar Cycle 24—the weakest cycle since record-keeping began in 1755.

“According to NOAA/NASA and international experts: “Cycle 25 will be similar in size to Cycle 24, preceded by a long, deep minimum. Solar Cycle 25 may have a slow start, but is anticipated to peak with solar maximum occurring between 2023 and 2026, and a sunspot range of 95 to 130. This is well below the average number of sunspots, which typically ranges from 140 to 220 sunspots per solar cycle.”

  • Specifically, the experts predicted: a peak in July, 2025 (+/- 8 months), with a smoothed sunspot number (SSN) of 115.
  • The panel agreed that Cycle 25 will be average in intensity and similar to Cycle 24, and its peak will be similar as well.
  • Additionally, the panel concurred that solar minimum between Cycles 24 and 25 will occur in April, 2020 (+/- 6 months). 

Contrary to NOAA/NASA’s models, there have been more recent studies with models which suggest that Solar Cycle 25 could be one of the strongest since record-keeping began.

 

Back in the saddle

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After a massive retina detachment in July of 2021, the rest of the year was pretty somber as far as riding goes. No riding for 6-7 months. Eye is back to almost normal, with some different correction that worked extremely good. Having a very talented eye surgeon helped as well. Can’t thank the surgeons and nurses at Carolina Eye Associates enough for what they did. Outstanding.

BMW S1000XR 

She didn’t complain at all when I took her out to stretch her legs. Awesome bike.

Digging holes in the ground – DX Engineering 80m vertical install

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Digging a hole for the first DX Engineering 80 meter 1/4 wave vertical. Hopefully this will be the first dig out of 4 for a 80 meter 4-square phased vertical array. Each antenna requires a huge radial field, as seen from the short cut circle around the dig. 60 radials, each 65 feet long, for a total of 3840 feet of radial wire.

The vertical is currently on backorder, so I’ll have time to dig the 300+ feet trench back to the shack. We’ll use “Betsy” to make the trench. 1 1/2 inch pvc will house the LMR-400 coax line, to keep it from the critters. More to come.

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A piece of art. DX Engineering radial ground plate. First class parts, and first class service. Great company. Waiting for the concrete to cure, and continue to get some 1 1/2 inch PVC pipe in the ground to pull the LMR-400 Coax through. Then the real fun starts. Stretching out radials. A lot of them.

Betsy doing the trench work for 1 1/2 pipe out to the antenna site

Pipe done, and LMR-400 pulled through about 270 feet of pipe. Installed the radial plate and feed line pigtail. Ready to lay down radials.

Cranking the generator up to solder the PL-259 on the coax.

Testing coax length and connection. Next: Mow the grass all the way to the ground, then lay radials.

60 radials, each 65 feet long, installed. A lot of work.

No the wait for the arrival of the antenna begins.

Done…

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Microphone test with GoPro Hero 6

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Trying out a new mike for a GoPro Hero 6 (I know, I need a Hero 9). Have tried a few different mikes, and all of them distort (clips) the input into the camera at higher speeds. This mike will probably be a keeper (Giant Squid lapel mike). Sounds pretty good, even at higher speeds, without any cracking or distortion. It’s a keeper.

2021 OH-Stoc – Shawnee State Park, OH

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Left the house in SC at 6am. Interstate all the way for 460 miles. Raining off an on. Arrived around 2PM, and set up camp at Shawnee State Park campground.

Shawnee State Park, OH

Went for a group ride Friday. Very nice roads in Southern OH. The rain just would not quit.

Group Ride again Saturday. Nice weather. Shot some video with my GoPro Hero 6. We had around 15 riders in the group, using the “drop and sweep” system, which works very good.

 

Great weekend.Met a lot of old friends, along with a few new ones as well.

Returned home Sunday 6/13.