Lake Effect Amateur Radio Club

12/21/2024

New to CW and want some practice?
👉Participate in the ARRL Rookie Roundup (CW) Contest tomorrow!

The contest lasts 6 hours (from 1800 to 2359 UTC) and is aimed at getting newly-licensed operators on the HF bands (80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meter) to experience competitive Amateur Radio operating.

MORE INFO➡️ arrl.org/rookie-roundup

12/19/2024

ARRL Kids Day is only a couple of weeks away!

The event is designed to give on-the-air experience to young people, to foster interest in getting a license of their own, and give older hams a chance to share their stations and love for amateur radio with their children. You can share the excitement with your own kids, grandkids, a Scout troop, a church, or the general public!

More information, including frequencies, suggested exchanges, and how to download a certificate, can be found here:
🔗- arrl.org/Kids-Day

12/18/2024

The Patrons have voted, we will be working with Ham Radio Deluxe tonight! Get your webcams ready because there will be SSTV https://www.hamradiodeluxe.com/H...

12/17/2024

12/14/2024

With the peak of Solar Cycle 25, 10-meters has been providing impressive propagation lately...
👉See for yourself by participating in the ARRL 10-Meter Contest this weekend!

Recent reports of “wide open” band conditions makes a great opportunity to take advantage of the best conditions of a generation.
➡️The contest starts Dec. 14 at 0000 UTC & concludes Dec. 15 at 2359 UTC

📸: Pictured- During the 2019 10-Meter Contest, ARRL Member Jon Jones, N0JK, made a few contacts with this setup on his Weber BBQ grill

12/13/2024

Happy Holidays to our followers!

Order your gifts NOW for holiday delivery and get free shipping on your order of $50 or more 📦

👉Use coupon code FABK24 at www.arrl.org/shop prior to checkout.

Applies to standard shipping in the US only. This offer ends Sunday, December 15, 2024.

12/11/2024

An M6.7 flare was observed at 11/1549 UTC from old Region 3912 just around the east limb.

Stay tuned to https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ for updates!

12/11/2024

A few sunspot groups of note that have produced some R1-R2 activity since December 9th remain sources for additional activity. Visit https://www.swpc.noaa.gov for the latest forecasts and information.

12/10/2024

👨‍💻

Dan Maloney's, N7DPM, Hackday.com article, "Modular Breadboard Snaps You into Benchtop Tidiness," points out that solderless breadboards are a great tool for "stirring the creative juices."

"In a few seconds, you can go from idea to prototype without ever touching the soldering iron"

Check out the FULL article➡️ tinyurl.com/y473yz7u

12/10/2024

An M6.4 flare was observed at 10/0648 UTC from newly numbered Region 3922 near the east limb.

12/08/2024

Region 3912 produced an X2.2/2b X-ray flare (R3-Strong radio blackout) on 08 Dec at 0906 UTC (0206 ET). A CME was observed in LASCO coronagraph imagery, beginning at approximately 08/0924 UTC (0224 ET), likely associated with the X-flare. Forecasters are analyzing the CME to determine if there is an Earth-directed component. Appropriate Watches/Warnings/Forecasts will be issued, pending the results of that analysis. Stay tuned to our webpage for the latest updates.

12/07/2024

APPLY Now for 2025 Youth on the Air Camp 📝

Applications are now being accepted (licensed amateur radio operators, ages 15 through 25) for a week-long camp for young hams to meet other young hams, participate in unique experiences with radio related technologies that may not otherwise be viable, and build relationships with mentors and peers.

👉The camp is scheduled to take place June 15 - 20, in Thornton (Denver), Colorado and the Denver Radio Club, an ARRL Affiliated Club, is the local host.

APPLY NOW➡️ youthontheair.org/campapply

12/06/2024

The ARRL 160-Meter Contest is This Weekend (Dec. 6 2200 UTC through Dec. 8 1559 UTC)

In the 2019 edition of the contest, ARRL Member James Peterson, K6EI, was running 5 watts from an isolated cabin at Loon Lake, Washington

Every year he learns something new. This year, it was not forgetting to tune his elevated radials:

"Just because your elevated radials are all the same physical length doesn’t mean they are the same electrical length. My Inverted L uses a pair of elevated radials each up about 15 feet. Although the two radials were exactly the same physical length, it turns out they were different electrically due to variations in the local environment. I discovered this by using an MFJ RF current probe while transmitting a low power (1 watt) test signal and taking readings at equivalent points near each radial. RF current readings indicated an imbalance with significantly more of the antenna’s current going to one of the two radials. Lengthening the second radial by 12 inches resolved this imbalance and reduced the ground losses resulting in improved radiation efficiency."

INFO & RULES➡️ arrl.org/160-meter

12/04/2024

LAST CALL!
➡️The last day to submit your entry for the QST Antenna Design Competition is Dec. 16!📡

All you have to do is send (email: [email protected]) your best design for a portable, mobile, or base station antenna with special attention to the needs of new hams.

📸: Pictured is the second-place winner in the 2017 QST Antenna Design Competition, 80 Through 10 Meters category. “‘Cat Whiskers’ -- The Broadband Multi-Loop Antenna” by Jacek Pawlowski, SP3L. Jacek’s design is lightweight and easy to build and will get you on five bands without the need for tuning.

11/29/2024

It's almost December...
↪️Which means it's almost Youth on the Air (YOTA) Month!

On this month's episode of the On the Air Podcast 🎙️

👉Blake Pearson, KN4VKY, one of the Americas YOTA Month Participation Coordinators, joins the podcast to explain how young hams can apply to use one of the official YOTA Month call signs, and how you can take part in the YOTA Month operating events no matter what age you are.

🎧- LISTEN: tinyurl.com/bd9dxrkv

11/26/2024

A G1 (Minor) watch has been issued for 28 Nov and a G2 (Moderate) watch was issued for 29 Nov due to the arrival of a CME associated with a filament eruption that took off the Sun late on 25 Nov.