UPDATES FROM KJ8V- Dave:

Health and Welfare Updates from Dave: I talked with Kenny KE9TC and Harv AA4HF today. Kenny sounded a lot better and he is making progress and taking one day at a time. But he really did sound better. I also talked with Harv and he is much better. He sounded great and was no longer bed ridden. He said that flat smooth surfaces to walk on were great but steps were still a challenge. Anyway, it sounds as if both are on the road to recovery. Both also said to tell everyone hello and to have a good Christmas and New Year coming up.

Problems with the Postal Service: Effective immediately I will process awards as usual, however, I will not start mailing certificates until January 8th, 2021. I will notify you of your awards and the numbers of the awards. I will need a valid email address with your submission for notification purposes. This problem all started back on October 16 2020. I mailed a certificate to a location in Pennsylvania on that date and it still has not been delivered. I mailed a replacement certificate for that one after two weeks and it took 33 days to be delivered and then only after getting some help from a Lady in Washington from the Postal service. Since then I have mailed several certificates etc. and they have taken a long time to get delivered. Don’t worry, you will get your certificates after January 8th

If you have any questions please send me an emailed so I can reply. Sorry for any inconvenience this causes. Thanks, Dave – KJ8V

WELCOME ABOARD !!

Let’s welcome aboard, our latest GERATOL Website registrant.

• AI8O – Dan; He hails from the great state of North Carolina. He’s is working on his basic, and he is also working toward his DXCC. Let’s get some new states, and some new Canadian Provinces up on the net for Dan to work ! Welcome aboard Dan, and thanks for taking the time to register on our GERATOL website.

Let’s be on the lookout for some new operators, interested in checking out the GERATOL Net.

• Be on the lookout for Bill, AB5G who hails from the state of Louisiana. Bill is very active in the area of Emergency Communications, and may join us some evening this season. Let’s make sure we give Bill the usual hearty, GERATOL Net welcome when he does check into the net.

GERATOL NET ACTIVITY

Conditions, as well as activity on the net are improving. Of course, the two typically go hand in hand. Monday, December 14th, Dale was quite busy with nearly 20 check-ins, representing 14 different states. This of course, is truly helpful to the guys working toward their basic award.

Speaking of conditions, here is an excerpt of some of the upcoming sun spot activity and the move off cycle 24 over to cycle 25, and hence possible improved conditions in the months ahead:

Sunspot Index and Long-Term Solar Observations (SILSO) in Belgium said this month that the minimum between Solar Cycles 24 and 25 “most probably” took place last December. SILSO, a part of the Royal Observatory of Belgium and formerly known as SIDC, cited as evidence the January 2020 increase in the 13-month smoothed sunspot number — the first upswing since the Cycle 24 maximum in April 2014.

“[F]or now, this latest smoothed value in January 2020 is the very first point indicating a rise of the activity. So, the date of the minimum still needs a full confirmation over the coming months,” SILSO said on its website. “For now, preliminary smoothed values, limited to less than 13 months, hint at increasing values over coming months. If the rising trend indeed continues, this [December 2019] date will become fully definitive.”