The First 100 Years Are The Hardest

 This is the 10M opening as heard from my RBN spotting node WX7V/5 for the past 30 minutes.   The Hexbeam is pointed about 120 °  SE from Dallas.   The signals are FB on 10M band as we reach solar maximum for Solar Cycle 25, which began in December 2019.   We're midway thru the current phase of the sun's 11-year cycle of activity.  Solar Cycle 25 is expected to reach its peak, or solar maximum, sometime around 2025.  While this is my 54th trip around the sun, this is my first time to experience the solar cycle as a Ham. I got my ticket in May 2020.    73, Chris de WX7V    Condx:  Kp: 1.67 (Quiet)  A: 7  SFI: 122 Sunspot: 122

Tonight 40M is alive with CQ for the annual CQ WPX Contest.  CQ WPX CW is the largest “everyone can work everyone for points” CW operating event in the world.  At of 2:39 UTC this is my WX7V/5 Spotter node for past 30 minutes. Condx:  Kp: 2 (Quiet)  A: 7  SFI: 120 Sunspot: 99 Check out the panadapter on my Flexradio 6600! The waterfall looks awesome!  73, Chris de WX7V

Activated US-3001 Copper Breaks State Park in northwest Texas again with my Dad, who turns 80 this year! I used the new HAMRS Pro v2.37.1 for the first time with flrig 2.0.05 for rig integration which worked perfectly with the  Yaesu FT-991a,  ATAS-120a. Combo of CW and SSB.   Bands were very challenging to say the least.    73,  Chris de WX7V