Edition One Premeirs at 2000 UTC, July 18, 2009

The newly created NW7US Space Weather and Radio Propagation Podcast, is premiering at 2000 UTC, July 18, 2009.

Tomas David Hood, NW7US, is producing this weekly podcast that delves into space weather and radio frequency propagation. The podcast is educational as well as informational on current events in space weather and radio propagation.

To subscribe to the podcast, use the SPACE WX PODCAST link, in the main menu.  To COMMENT on the podcast - what did you like, what should we add, or questions you'd like to have answered, please use the feedback form to e-mail Tomas your thoughts, suggestions, and questions.

Edition One Program Highlights

Here are the highlights from Edition One, to be released at 2000 UTC, on July 18, 2009:

1. Tomas interviews Art Jackson, Amateur Radio Operator, KA5DWI. Art is a record-holder on VHF troposcatter, and an enthusiastic participant of the PropNET project. Art has been researching the Spring and Summer sporadic-E (Es) phenomena. He has compiled and written a paper (35+ pages) on 4 years of data (50,000+ 'Catches', 119 calls). Time and continued curiosity have made him decide to add a 5th year to this research. Art has arrived at some revealing conclusions. In Edition One of this podcast, the first part of our interview with Art explores the 2009 Sporadic-E season, and interesting observations from the PropNET project. (Edition Two will continue the interview).

2. Tomas discusses recent solar cycle activity (or the lack of it), and editorializes on the current status of this new Sunspot Cycle 24. Tomas does not agree with some of the conclusions in vogue.

3. Tomas provides a review of the last week in space weather and the resulting radio propagation.

4. The space weather forecast of the coming week is then given, as well as the general outlook for radio propagation.

Don't forget to check out the Online Forums where you can discuss this podcast and other topics related to Space Weather and Radio Propagation, and the Radio hobby in general.

Welcome to the NW7US Space Weather and Radio Propagation Podcast, your source for current news, information, and insights about space weather, the sunspot cycle, and how space weather influences the propagation of radio signals.  Your weekly show is hosted by:

NW7US, Tomas David Hood.  Tomas is the contributing editor of the propagation columns in CQ Magazine, Popular Communications Magazine, and CQ VHF Magazine.  Tomas runs the popular HFRadio.org website, and is published in various books and other media.

KD7TZR, Leigh Hood.  Leigh is Tomas' wife, and co-host of the podcast.  Leigh enjoys the outdoors, and often camps in the Bitterroot Mountains of Montana along with Tomas and family on regular mini-dxpeditoins.

Special guests appear from time-to-time, and will be announced on the episode pages.  Those being interviewed will also be announced.

How much credibility should we grant to the panel of solar researchers and scientists that again releases a speculative prediction of the new Solar Cycle (the 24th since accurate solar cycle records have been kept)? Panel chairman Doug Biesecker of the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center states, "If our prediction is correct, Solar Cycle 24 will have a peak sunspot number of 90, the lowest of any cycle since 1928 when Solar Cycle 16 peaked at 78."

NASA's lead representative on the panel, Dean Pesnell of the Goddard Space Flight Center, adds, "It turns out that none of our models were totally correct... The sun is behaving in an unexpected and very interesting way."

What I find entertaining is the self-importance prevalent in the solar science community, by both professional and some amateur participants. Pesnell states the obvious, "In our professional careers, we've never seen anything quite like it."

Yeah, how many solar cycles can one experience during their professional life? The average cycle lasts between 11 and 12 years in length. But the sun is millions of years old. In my view, it is pretty arrogant to postulate that mankind has any real understanding and handle on what the sun might do next. Pesnell, again: "Go ahead and mark your calendar for May 2013, but use a pencil."

If none of the models are totally correct, how are they making this current prediction with such dismal expectations? I'm not holding my breath in favor of supporting any of the predictions, at this point.