Good morning from the shack on Wednesday, October 14. If the bands sound a little restless today, the Space Weather Prediction Center has an explanation. In its October 13 forecast discussion, SWPC reported low solar activity, with Region 4549 producing a largest flare of only C1.2 early that morning and no new Earth-directed coronal mass ejections observed. Solar activity is expected to stay low through October 15, though forecasters put the chance of M-class flares at 35 percent. Geomagnetic conditions were quiet to unsettled, with mostly unsettled to active conditions expected across October 13 and 14 as a coronal hole high-speed stream remains geoeffective. Isolated G1 minor storming was considered likely on October 13, and a slight chance remains today as those effects wane, with quiet to unsettled conditions expected to return by October 15.
The big story for operators is the weekend now just two days away. Jamboree on the Air and Jamboree on the Internet run October 16 through 18, billed by the K2BSA Amateur Radio Association as the largest Scouting event in the world. Every third full weekend of October, Scouts around the globe connect by amateur radio, and for many young people it is their first introduction to wireless technology. This year the theme is a peaceful and inclusive world. Registration is open through the official JOTA-JOTI platform, and hams are encouraged to reach out to a local Scout unit, set up at a camporee, or invite a troop into the shack.
Two major gatherings share those same dates. Pacificon, hosting the ARRL Pacific Division Convention, runs October 16 through 18 in San Ramon, California. Visitors can operate the W1AW/6 special event station, take part in a Saturday youth rally for students ages 11 to 21, and join a Sunday membership forum. Across the country, Hamfest Chattanooga 2026 takes place October 16 and 17 at the Catoosa County Colonnade in Ringgold, Georgia, near the Tennessee-Georgia line. Hours are noon to 7 p.m. Eastern on Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, with vendors, forums, an outside flea market, FCC testing and free parking. General admission is 10 dollars for both days, and youth under 18 are admitted free with a paying adult.
There is plenty to work before the weekend, too. The WA7BNM calendar for today, October 14, lists the CWops Test sessions, the VHF-UHF FT8 Activity Contest, the Mini-Test 40 and Mini-Test 80, and the RSGB 80m Autumn Series on data, following the NAQCC CW Sprint and Phone Weekly Test overnight. On the DX side, the headline operation is S9R from Sao Tome and Principe, scheduled October 17 through 31 from Tamarindos. Organized by the Intercontinental DX Group, S9R plans activity on 160 through 6 meters, including 60 meters, on CW, SSB, RTTY and FT8, counting for IOTA AF-023. JD1BQP from Ogasawara is also planned to begin October 17.
Satellite operators got their weekly update in AMSAT News Service bulletin ANS-284, dated October 11. Headlines included the AMSAT Board of Directors re-electing its senior officers for 2027, six satellites launched on the Transporter-18 mission, and the Augusta University Amateur Radio Club, WA4AUG, earning an AMSAT Rover Award. Finally, a regulatory reminder: comments on the two federal RF exposure inquiries opened in September are due next week, on October 21 for the Health and Human Services request for information and October 22 for the FCC proceeding. Neither inquiry changes the current RF exposure rules for amateurs today. Get on the air this week, help a Scout this weekend if you can, and good DX. 73 de N5XBI.