February 15, 2025

This Week in Amateur Radio

North America's Premiere Amateur Radio News Magazine

HOULTON, MAINE - APRIL 08: The sun reaches totality during the eclipse on April 08, 2024 in Houlton, Maine. Millions of people have flocked to areas across North America that are in the "path of totality" in order to experience a total solar eclipse. During the event, the moon will pass in between the sun and the Earth, appearing to block the sun. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Parkersburg South campus draws students, ham radio operators into orbit for solar phenomena (West Virginia)

Amateur radio operators from the Parkersburg Amateur Radio Klub set up stations at Parkersburg South High School Monday to monitor how the solar eclipse may impact radio signals.

“We are contacting stations all across North America and Canada, anywhere they can hear us, and we exchange what is known as signal strength reports,” said club President Larry Dale.

Dale said operators were using multiple ham radio bands like 40 meters, 20 meters, and 10 meters. He said different digital and voice modes like FT8, Morse code, and single sideband were being utilized to contact other amateur radio stations and collect signal reports on readability, strength, and tone.

All the data on locations, times, and solar conditions will be sent to NASA and the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI) for analysis of changes in radio propagation during the eclipse.

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