The Solar Eclipse of 2017… A Cosmic Coincidence?
And what’s the significance of the numbers 400 and 5?
By now we’ve all heard a lot of talk about the 2017 solar eclipse we’ll experience Monday, August 21st. Some say it will be an extraordinary experience no one should miss, “a once in a lifetime experience”. Actually, it’s better than that. It’s a cosmic coincidence that only happens once in five lifetimes! And do you know the significance of the numbers 400 and 5? You will soon!
Last week my wife Kathy treated the family to a presentation on the eclipse at the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center planetarium. The program was informative and we received two great handouts, a pair of “Eclipse Shades” (yes, they meet the ISO requirement for direct solar viewing) and a loaded NASA two sided sheet on the solar event of our lifetime. If you don’t have proper viewing lenses, the NASA page suggests several easy ways to safely view the sun.
Time now for me to say something obvious– DO NOT try to view the sun without proper lenses. These lenses are made of material that reduce the sun’s light to a hundred thousandth of it’s actual intensity. Also, don’t view the sun through a normal telescope or binocular. These devices actually AMPLIFY light level and you will cook your eyes! Remember those times as a kid you took a magnifying glass outside and focused sunlight onto a leaf or piece of paper to start a fire? Well I do. It didn’t work fast enough so I focused it on my finger. Yike!!! That was hot.
Our meeting Monday August 21st will consist of a short business meeting, then I’d like those present to share how they experienced the eclipse of our lifetime.
Check out these links:
Cosmic coincidence. A short animation from NBC.
Many thanks to the West Park RadioOps for sponsoring a fun QRP day August 12th. What a great idea! Eight stations were set up in a North Olmsted park using a variety of very interesting low power rigs and antennas. This ham took advantage of the opportunity to set up the bamboo poles/ 20 meter delta loop I built last summer.
Of course, no ham event goes without ample story swapping and other chit chat and this was no exception. I met many nice folks and even learned some helpful QRP tips.
It was great to see four PRC members come to check out the fun! See photos from Bill and Judi Squires from this event at West Park 2017 QRP Day
Ohio QSO party nears
At our August 7th meeting Dan Kovatch, W8CAR and Activity Whip for the Ohio QSO Party gave us an enjoyable description of the annual activity and his long experience with the popular event.
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The Ohio QSO party is being held on August 26 from 1600Z to 0400Z and your club is invited to participate! Every year many hams in Ohio participate from their home stations, as rovers or as mobiles. Their is also a category for EOC stations and multi operator stations-a great way to get together and have fun with a few friends. Our goal is to have lots of fun making all 88 Ohio counties available on the air for that 12 hour period. The OHQP is a fun way to generate activity and help county hunters get confirmation for Ohio counties.
Thanks for your help in making the Ohio QSO Party for 2015 a great success!
As always remember you do not have to be a member to attend nor do you have to hold any class Amateur Radio License to participate as we always have Extra Class Control Operators present. Stay an hour or the whole event, operate or just watch– it is up to you.
The Ohio QSO Party is a yearly event of our club and the ARRL, it will include a picnic of sorts, a fire will be going all day and evening so bring anything you wish to cook or bring to the picnic.
Hal Rogers, K8CMD President, Communications Director