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Current Feature Articles   Nov 20 The Amateur Radio Crossword Puzzler   Nov 20 Adventure in the Arctic: VO2A Expedition to Labrador   Nov 20 Surfin': More Radio Piracy on the High Seas   Nov 16 Youth@HamRadio.Fun: Fall Magic   Nov 13 Surfin': The Real Pirate Radio   Nov 06 Surfin': Homebrewing Today   Nov 05 DX the Hard Way   Nov 02 ARRL In Action: What Have We Been Up to Lately?   Nov 01 It Seems to Us: It Doesn't Just Happen   Oct 30 Surfin': Mapping Up ARRL Products: History/Adventure (More) World War II Radio Heroes: Letters of Compassion -- A story about ham radio operators and others who helped ease worries during a time of war. Crystal Clear: The Struggle for Reliable Communications Technology in World War II -- Now Shipping! -- A story of the quartz crystal—a technology that changed the tide of World War II. TEN-TEC: The First 40 Years 1968-2008 -- An exciting glimpse of Ten-Tec's first 40 years in the world of communications. 50 Years of Amateur Radio Innovation -- This guided tour of more than 400 legendary radios from 1930 to 1980, depicts the “golden age” of American radio technology. Don C. Wallace: W6AM, Amateur Radio's Pioneer -- This book traces the life of Don Wallace and with it the early history of Amateur Radio.

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This week's Surfin' discovers why the Sun's spots are in hiding.

The NASA Web site proposes a reason why sunspots are lacking in quantity.

Where's Spot?
When you are out in the field this weekend trying to work stations without the cooperation of Mister Sun, you may reflect on this article that Rich Zwirko, K1HTV, cited to me: "Mystery of the Missing Sunspots, Solved?"

The article appeared on the NASA Web site last week and revealed that "At an American Astronomical Society press conference today in Boulder, Colorado, researchers announced that a jet stream deep inside the sun is migrating slower than usual through the star's interior, giving rise to the current lack of sunspots."

Radio Lover
Last week, Surfin' examined the origin of the word "amateur" and discovered that it means "lover." In response, Tom commented on my blog, saying, ""It is very much the same in Russian -- a 'radio amateur' is called radiolubitel, where lubit means 'to love.'"

K1HTV
When I wrote the first paragraph above, I wanted to double-check the spelling of K1HTV's surname. I've known K1HTV for about as long as I have been licensed and I was sure I knew how to spell his surname. But when you have a surname like mine and know how easily folks can mangle it, I always play it safe and double-check the spelling of other surnames. My spell-check found me on Google, which got me to K1HTV's ham radio bio. It was impressive. If anyone qualifies as a "radio lover," K1HTV certainly does.

Until next time, keep on surfin'!

Editor's note: Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, is an unabashed radio lover and misses sunspots. To contact Stan, send him e-mail or add comments to his blog. By the way, every installment of Surfin' is indexed here, so go look it up.

Previous: The Amateur Radio Crossword Puzzler

Next: President Obama Nominates Meredith Attwell Baker and Mignon Clyburn to be FCC Commissioners