JHU Applied Physics Lab Amateur Radio Club (W3APL)

W3APL is the Amateur Radio Club station of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, MD.

Bill's Weekend Update for 8/21/2026

By: Bill (KC3FOX)

Wow!! I am actually starting to get this Weekend Brief out in a more reasonable hour…. Since I have my warm cup of socially acceptable caffeine addiction, I am ready to charge into the day!!! It is time for all the news that is the news for your Weekend Update, on everything that will keep your radio humming, and your antennas tuned.

Weather

Mostly sunny (as opposed to partly cloudy?) with a 65% chance of Rain on Saturday. Highs in the high 70s to low 80s throughout the weekend and lows in the mid 60s. The solar conditions show an SFI of 125 (Higher the better up to about 300, so not great, and a raise from 108 last week), A index of 11 (lower is better from 0-400, and a raise from 7 last week), and K index of 1 (lower better, 1 = quiet Earths magnetic field, down from 2 last week). 10 and 12m are fair to poor, with 15m through 80m should be pretty good.

Events

Brian (N3BMC) is setting up an external Discord channel for W3APL, and has a number of people supporting the beta test. Get on it, and try it out!

There are two Hamfests… maybe not in the area, but still… The National ARRL Huntsville (AL) Hamfest and the TARCFest out of Tampa Florida.

Y’all feel like a bit of a drive, right!?!

Special Event Stations

State QSO Parties

Contests

  • 2000Z-2100Z, Aug 21 -  K1USN Slow Speed Test – Worldwide CW slow speed practice.
  • 0600Z, Aug 22 to 0600Z, Aug 23 - Turkiye HF Contest – Worldwide CW and SSB contest, obviously out of Turkey.
  • 1200Z, Aug 22 to 1200Z, Aug 23 - YO DX HF Contest – Worldwide CW and SSB contest out of Romania.
  • 1200Z, Aug 22 to 1200Z, Aug 23 - ARSI VU DX Contest – Worldwide CW and SSB contest focusing on India.
  • 1800Z, Aug 22 to 2100Z, Aug 23 - CVA DX Contest, SSB – Worldwide SSB contest out of Brazil.

2026

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