Bill's Weekend Update for 10/02/2026

By: Bill (KC3FOX)

Drum Roll, Please!! 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

Wow… Fall is coming in with a vengeance. The weekend is looking somewhat cold and rainy. Today will have a high of 87°F with some apparent rain this evening, and cloudy Saturday with a high chance of rain on Sunday. Temps should drop into the 60s on Saturday and Sunday, with lows down into the mid 50’s. Again, Saturday looks like a great day for outdoor radio activities (you might want a jacket).

The solar conditions show an SFI of 92 (solar flux index, or SFI, is the intensity of solar radio emissions. Higher the better up to about 300, so not great, and a drop from 112 last week), A index of 4 ( daily numerical average of the K Index of Earth’s geomagnetic field and activity. The lower the better from 0-400, and a drop from 16 last week), and K index of 0 (lower is better, 0= no disturbances in the Earths magnetic field activity, a drop from 3 last week). 10-12m are poor, with the rest of the bands being fair to good. Get out and have fun!!

Events

• October 3rd 9am to ???? - The amazing and fatabulous Bacon and Baluns event!!!  Meet at Mikey and Mels for breakfast and then head to the shack for fun and adventure.  Mikey and Mels is located at 8191 Maple Lawn Blvd, Fulton, MD 20759
• October 2nd through October 6th – International Space Station Amateur Radio (ARISS) ARISS has announced an upcoming SSTV event transmitted from the International Space Station (ISS) beginning this coming weekend on October 2nd and continuing through October 6th. This is Slow Scan TV (SSTV) Series 33 and will be the first SSTV event from ISS Expedition 75. The image content is expected to highlight student education. Frequency 437.500 MHz +/- Doppler shift, Mode Robot 36. Received images may be submitted to the ARISS SSTV Gallery.
• October 3rd, starting at 8am – Red Rose Repeater Association (W3RRR) is hosting the Red Rose HamFest. 339 E. Main street, New Holland PA 17557 (about 2 hours from APL). https://w3rrr.org/
• October 4th 7am to Noon – Columbia Area Radio Association (CARA) is hosting CARAFest - 2210 Fairgrounds Road West Friendship, MD 21794 (30 minutes if you drive slowly from APL). W3APL members will be hosting a both with information about our club and activities. We hope to see you there. More information https://www.columbiaara.org/caraFest

Special Events Stations

• ARRL America250 Worked All States
  • A Year-Long Worked-All-States Operating Event Celebrating the 250th Anniversary (Semiquincentennial) of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Is still ongoing.
• Oct 4-Oct 10, 0000Z-0000Z, National Fire Prevention Week (N1F, N2F, N3F, N4F, N5F, N6F, N7F. N8F N9F N0F All out of Gainsville FL). If you get them all are you on fire? https://hamfire.com
• Oct 2-Oct 9, 0000Z-2359Z, 100 Years Of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (N4R), Daytona Beach, FL. Embry-Riddle Amateur Radio Club. 14.320 14.220 7.220. QSL. Embry-Riddle Amateur Radio Club, 1 Aerospace Blvd, SU 225, Daytona Beach, FL 32114. Contact: [email protected]
• Oct 2-Oct 12, 0800Z-2000Z, Rail Road Days (K8H), Craigsville, WV. Bill Edele. 3.815 7.180 14.212. Certificate & QSL. Bill Edele, P O Box 1688, Craigsville, WV 26205. Contact: [email protected]
• Oct 3, 1500Z-2300Z, 51st Lumberjack Day (W6WPT), West Point, CA. Northern Calaveras Emergency Radio Operators . 14.250 14.074 7.240 7.074. QSL. NCERO - C/O Sam Hernandez, PO Box 526, West Point, CA 95255. We will be operating during the 51th Lumberjack day from VFW Post 3322 in West Point, CA. Contact: [email protected]
• Oct 3, 1700Z-2200Z, Rocklin Maker Faire (K6C), Rocklin, CA. ARRL Sacramento Valley Section. 7.290 14.290 21.390 145.250. QSL. Carol F. Milazzo, PO BOX 665, Citrus Heights, CA 95611-0665.
• Oct 3, 1300Z-2000Z, The Big Duck Birthday Celebration (w2dq), Riverhead, NY. Suffolk County Radio Club . 14.220. QSL. Suffolk County Radio Club , PO Box 302, Medford, NY 11763. Help Celebrate the 95th Birthday of the big duck an iconic road side attraction of Long Island. QSL will be returned via club email address please include a SASE.
• Oct 3-Oct 4, 1900Z-0500Z, West Valley ARC 65th Anniversary (NY7S), Sun City, AZ. West Valley ARC. 147.300 14.275 AllStar 63916. QSL. WVARC-65, PO Box 1573, Sun City, AZ 85372.
• Oct 3, 1200Z-2359Z, World’s Largest Coffee Pot and USA 250th Anniversary (W3ZC), Bedford, PA. BCARS - Bedford County Amateur Radio Society. 7.215 14.255 21.225. QSL. Bedford County Amateur Radio Society, 120 W. Watson Street, Bedford, PA 15522. SASE QSL
• Oct 4, 1100Z-1700Z, Rutherford B Hayes President’s Birthday (W8H), Fremont, OH. Sandusk Valley Amateur Radio Club, W8NCK. 7.040 7.265 14.040 14.265. Certificate. David Dyke, KZ4CW, 2783 E. State St, Fremont, OH 43420.
• Oct 5, 1200Z-2300Z, RV Radio Network fall rally (N5IL), Milton, FL. RV Radio Network . 7.268 LSB 14.283 USB . Certificate. Harold Bell / N5IL, 26379 Cedar Crest Rd, Andalusia, AL 36421.

Contests

State QSO Parties

Other QSO Parties

• 3rd-4th October - Collegiate Amateur Radio Program – Collegiate QSO Party - The Collegiate QSO Party is an operating event focused on amateur radio clubs at colleges and universities around the world. Each fall, the Collegiate QSO Party provides an opportunity for clubs to demonstrate amateur radio to new members, engage with alumni, and promote activity throughout college and university communities.

Other Contests

• Other Contests via Contest Calendar

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