[DX-NEWS] ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

2013-09-20 Thread jjreisert
SB PROP @ ARL $ARLP038
ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

ZCZC AP38
QST de W1AW
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 38  ARLP038
From Tad Cook, K7RA
Seattle, WA  September 20, 2013
To all radio amateurs

SB PROP ARL ARLP038
ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

Solar activity continues to be weak, although there was an uptick on
September 18-19 when solar flux rose to 104.1, then 107.9. September
18 was the first day with solar flux above 100 since September 6.
Average daily sunspot number for the reporting week (September
12-18) rose to 42.3, up from 37.7 for the previous seven days. The
daily sunspot number on September 18-19 rose from 59 to 85.

Average daily solar flux dipped slightly, from 98.2 to 95.3 over the
same seven day period. Average daily planetary A index and
mid-latitude A index were both 6.3.

For the near term, solar flux is predicted at 110 on September
20-22, 105 on September 23-24, 100 on September 25-30, 95 on October
1-13, and 100 on October 14-27. Over the past few days all of the
short term predictions for solar flux have been adjusted downward.

Predicted planetary A index is 8 on September 20, 5 on September
21-22, 8 on September 23-24, 5 on September 25-26, 8 on September
27, 12 on September 28, 5 on September 29 through October 9, then
10, 8, 5, 15, 10 and 8 on October 10-15, followed by 5 on October
16-18.

OK1HH sent us another geomagnetic forecast, and he thinks the
geomagnetic field will be quiet to unsettled on September 20-21,
mostly quiet September 22, quiet to unsettled on September 23, quiet
on September 24-25, mostly quiet September 26, active to disturbed
September 27, quiet to active September 28, mostly quiet September
29, quiet on September 30, quiet to active October 1, quiet on
October 2-5, quiet to unsettled October 6-7, mostly quiet October 8,
and active to disturbed October 9.

OK1HH also says a growing solar wind may cause remarkable changes
in the magnetosphere and ionosphere on September 20-21, and on
September 24.

The Autumnal Equinox is just a couple of days away. Fall officially
begins in the Northern Hemisphere on Sunday, September 22 at 2044
UTC.

Check out this science blog, with observation about the current weak
cycle at,
http://www.science20.com/news_articles/solar_activity_smallest_sunspot_cycle_1906-120785.

The following interesting article has a lot of good information,
surprising (to me) for an article from a financial and markets
analyst who is not a science reporter.

The only minor quibble I have is with his apparent confusion between
number of sunspots and sunspot number, which are very different, but
otherwise this article is quite a good effort:

http://www.trust.org/item/20130918115439-cn7ub/?source=hpbreaking

Howard Lester, N7SO sent this article from Sky  Telescope.

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/newsblog/Glimpse-of-Suns-Interior-Befuddles-Theorists-223291961.html.

Jon Jones, N0JK commented on N8II's recent report, and says that 10
meters has been good in Kansas as well, with F0/KH0PR on
Disappointment Island worked on September 11 at 1955 UTC from his
mobile using a modified CB mag mount on the roof.

Roland Anders, K3RA also commented on N8II's experience, Jeff's
excellent report about 12 meters prompts me to pass along that there
was some 12 meter excitement in Maryland on Sept 10 around noon. I
worked 9M6XRO at 1538Z on CW, and E20WKA on SSB at 1603Z. VOACAP
modeling shows that possibility. European stations were coming
through at the same time.

Larry Godek, W0OGH sent these links for checking sunrise/sunset
times around the world: http://www.gaisma.com/en/ and
http://www.gaisma.com/en/dir/us-country.html .

If you would like to make a comment or have a tip for our readers,
email the author at, k...@arrl.net.

For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL
Technical Information Service web page at,
http://arrl.org/propagation-of-rf-signals. For an explanation of the
numbers used in this bulletin, see
http://arrl.org/the-sun-the-earth-the-ionosphere. An archive of past
propagation bulletins is at
http://arrl.org/w1aw-bulletins-archive-propagation. More good
information and tutorials on propagation are at http://k9la.us/.

Monthly propagation charts between four USA regions and twelve
overseas locations are at http://arrl.org/propagation.

Instructions for starting or ending email distribution of ARRL
bulletins are at http://arrl.org/bulletins.

Sunspot numbers for September 12 through 18 were 58, 40, 24, 12, 23,
80, and 59, with a mean of 42.3. 10.7 cm flux was 92.9, 91.6, 92.5,
92.8, 94.5, 98.7, and 104.1, with a mean of 95.3. Estimated
planetary A indices were 7, 9, 6, 2, 5, 8, and 7, with a mean of
6.3. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 5, 10, 6, 3, 6, 8, and 6,
with a mean of 6.3.




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[DX-NEWS] ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

2012-09-21 Thread jjreisert
SB PROP @ ARL $ARLP038
ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

ZCZC AP39
QST de W1AW  
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 38  ARLP038
From Tad Cook, K7RA
Seattle, WA  September 21, 2012
To all radio amateurs 

SB PROP ARL ARLP038
ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

Average daily sunspot numbers dropped this week, from 83.1 in the
September 6-12 week, to 56 in the recent September 13-19 period.
Average daily solar flux declined from 118.9 to 101.4.

The latest forecast shows predicted solar flux at 115 on September
21-22, 120 on September 23-25, then 125 on September 26-27, 130 on
September 28, and 140 on September 29 to October 1. On October 2 it
drops to 135, 130 on October 3-5, 125 on October 6-7, 120 on October
8, and 115 on October 8-9.  Flux values then dip below 100 on
October 14-16, and peak again around 140 on October 25-28.

The predicted planetary A index is 12 on September 21-22, 10 on
September 23 and 5 on September 24-28, 10 again on September 29, 5
on September 30 through October 2, 10 on October 3, 8 on October
4-5, and 5 on October 6-11.

The Czech Propagation Interest Group geomagnetic forecast this week
comes to us from Petr Kolman, OK1MGW. They see quiet to unsettled
geomagnetic activity September 21-22, mostly quiet September 23,
quiet September 24-26, mostly quiet September 27, quiet to unsettled
September 28-29, quiet to active September 30 through October 1,
active to disturbed October 2, quiet to active October 3, quiet to
unsettled October 4-5, quiet October 6-8, and quiet to unsettled
October 9-11.

Carol Milazzo, KP4MD/W6 in Citrus Heights, California wrote in about
WSPR mode for weak signal work on 2 meters.  She says, California 2
meter WSPR study group stations on 144.4905 MHz can be heard
throughout the state of California from Redding at the north end of
the central valley down to San Diego. Joe Taylor K1JT's WSPR mode
allows stations with modest power and antennas to participate in
weak signal VHF propagation experiments.  Some of our data is posted
on http://www.qsl.net/kp4md/144_mhz_wspr.htm.;

Scott Avery, WA6LIE of Salinas, California writes: I was very
disappointed in last week's ARRL VHF/UHF contest. We got skunked on
6 meters to local only, but worked all the locals on 2 meters on up.

A few weeks ago I started experimenting with WSPR. Interesting to
see what your station hears, and who hears you. Anyway, most of my
WSPR work has been on 2 meters. Though WSPR is not too popular yet,
I have had some pretty amazing results. Running 20 watts to a 13
element horizontally polarized beam up 40', I usually select Norcal
or Socal to aim.

Most of the stations are in the SF bay area, but a few new ones
popped up in LA and San Diego area.

Beaming south, I still hear a few stations 100 miles plus to the
north. To the south N3IZN in Fallbrook is working me at 340 miles
away, and N6KOG at 387 miles several times a day (via tropo?). More
stations and experiments are needed. It would be nice to see more
WSPR stations up on VHF/UHF.

For more info on WSPR, visit http://wsprnet.org/ and
http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/.

Rich Zwirko, K1HTV wrote on September 14, about what happened in
September 6: I got up early and called CQ on CW on 144.330 MHz. An
announce message was made of the DX Cluster. I logged into the
ON4KST.ORG 144/432 website and notified the guys of my
transmissions. A suggestion was made that I transmit on JT65A, which
I started to do on 144.325 MHz. Three EI stations and G4LOH
participated on the European end of the path. Eventually, when I had
to QRT at 1200Z, VE1SKY in NS and K1TEO in CT joined in the test.
But as far as I know, no Trans-Atlantic QSO was made. An additional
attempt may be made early UTC Saturday by stations in W1 and
VE1/9/VO. FYI, G4LOH was the holder of the IARU Region I 2 Meter
distance record 4041 km record for 4 years with a QSO with D44TD.
M0VRL added 75 miles to the record working D44TD in August of 2011.
Some day, with an assist from Hepburn maps, ON4KST chat rooms and DX
Cluster, two Hams will win the Brendan trophies for completing a 2
Meter QSO between Europe and the Americas (North or South).

Rich included this article from the August 2002 issue of QST:

http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/tis/info/pdf/0208036.pdf.

Dave Clemons, K1VUT of Middleboro, Massachusetts wrote: In the ARRL
VHF Contest on 6 meters, on September 8, I worked both LU9EHJ and
PY1RO from EMA FN41. I believe these might have been a combination
of TEP and Es since it appears that the QSOs might not have been
equal distance from the equator on both ends.  (Or I could be
geographically challenged!  Either way it was very nice to get that
far south on 6 meters.)

If you would like to make a comment or have a tip for our readers,
email the author at, k...@arrl.net.

For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL
Technical Information Service web page at
http://arrl.org/propagation-of-rf-signals. For an explanation of the
numbers used in this bulletin, see

[DX-NEWS] ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

2011-09-23 Thread jjreisert
SB PROP @ ARL $ARLP038
ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

ZCZC AP38
QST de W1AW  
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 38  ARLP038
From Tad Cook, K7RA
Seattle, WA  September 23, 2011
To all radio amateurs 

SB PROP ARL ARLP038
ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

Compared to the uneventful past few years, sunspot activity was
truly remarkable this week. Daily sunspot number for September 16
was 173, a level that hasn't been reached since over six years ago,
way back on July 5, 2005 in Cycle 23, when the sunspot number was
181.

Solar flux reached 150.1 on September 18. Just six months ago it was
slightly higher - 153 on March 7 and 155 on March 8 - but prior to
that the only higher number was 157.3 on August 22, 2005, about 7
weeks after the sunspot number of 181.

Average daily sunspot numbers for the past reporting week (Thursday
through Wednesday, September 15-21) we up over 45 points from the
previous week to 137, and average daily solar flux rose nearly 22
points to 144.

Currently the solar flux and planetary A index forecast from
USAF/NOAA calls for solar flux of 155, 160, 165 and 170 on September
23-26, 175 on September 27-30, 130 on October 1, and 135 on October
2-5.

These flux values through September 30 are quite a bit higher than
the values predicted a day earlier, and run in the ARRL Letter.

Planetary A index is predicted at 5 on September 23, 15 on September
24-25, 5 and 8 on September 26-27, 5 on September 28-30, 8 on
October 1, and 5 on October 2-7.

Geophysical Institute Prague sees quiet conditions September 23-25,
quiet to unsettled September 26-27, and quiet again on September
28-29.

At 2323 UTC IPS Radio and Space Services in Australia issue a
warning of upcoming geomagnetic disturbance on September 24-25 due
to a coronal mass ejection.

You can download the latest (October) edition of WorldRadio Online
at http://www.worldradiomagazine.com/ to read this month's
Propagation column from Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA, on pages 30-33.
This month's effort uses ray tracings from the Proplab-Pro software
(http://www.spacew.com/proplab/) to help explain refraction,
absorption and polarization of radio signals.

Today is the Fall Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.  In fact I am
writing these words at the exact time of the equinox, right at 0905
UTC on September 23.

Angel Santana, WP3GW of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico is excited about
all the new solar activity right around the equinox. He wrote,
Almost two weeks ago I did not have much luck on the Work All
Europe SSB contest. On 20 and 40 meters I only had 77 QSOs. But last
Saturday September 17 at about 1500 UTC 10 meters exploded with
European stations. Did someone say sunspot numbers over 100, and
everybody got on the air?

First to work was F4EZJ, then OT4A who even asked if there were a
contest, for the fast pace of the contacts. Even worked 5B4AIF and
went to 12 meters and worked EA9IB. Returned to 10 and some even
answered my call. Later at 2000 UTC went to 12 meters and worked
another bunch of Europeans. If this is a preview of the upcoming
contest period, we're in for a roll!

Rob Steenburgh, KA8JBY says the Space Weather Prediction Center now
has a Facebook page.  Check
http://www.facebook.com/pages/NOAA-NWS-Space-Weather-Prediction-Center/232532740131296.
NW7US has a similar Space Weather and Radio Resources page at
https://www.facebook.com/spacewx.hfradio.

Jeff Hartley, N8II of Shepherdstown, West Virginia wrote: I knew it
was probably going to be a good day (September 16) when 4W6A was the
first signal heard on 21295 at around 1200Z; he was not workable,
running EUs I couldn't hear. 20 sounded fair, logging BP100 (Taiwan)
and BA8AG. Then a quick check of 15 at 1245Z showed 4W6A up to about
S4-5 and looking for 'North America only'; after several tries, he
was in the log; he was busy. By 1300Z, EU signals were loud on 15
and 12M was opening up to EU. On 12m, I logged 4K9W, OM5DP,  and
OE3GCU, then checked 10M at 1314Z to find YL2SM S7 running 4/4 Yagis
and a KW; he was getting very few CQ answers. At 1416Z I found
E21EJC in Thailand signing with a station on 28005 CW. Kob was about
S5-6 and gave me a '599, very loud' report, what a surprise!
Eventually at 1418Z, I had a nice CW run of stations on 10M as far
as the Ukraine and as far north as SP and HA and west as PA. After
checking 12M to find good signals from RA3CQ and SK2AT. Starting at
1457Z I was able to run Europeans on 10M phone with some having S9+
signals as far west as EI3JS, north to DJ8CG, and east to 9A1HDE.

After a long break, I returned to some of the best late day 12M
conditions to EU I can ever remember. Between 1856 and 1933Z, I ran
off about 25 EU SSB QSOs including SM5FQQ and six SQ/SPs. Everybody
was loud; I never got down to the weak ones until right at the end.
Then, a check of 10M yielded a SSB QSO with EC1KR at 1935Z who was
S7.

Saturday September 17, the Scandinavian Activity Contest CW started
at 1200Z which is only about an hour after sunrise. By 1220Z when I
fired up, OH9W 

[DX-NEWS] ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

2009-09-18 Thread jjreisert
SB PROP @ ARL $ARLP038
ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

ZCZC AP38
QST de W1AW  
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 38  ARLP038
From Tad Cook, K7RA
Seattle, WA  September 18, 2009
To all radio amateurs 

SB PROP ARL ARLP038
ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

The STEREO mission (Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory) web
site shows a new display, in which the Sun is visible via an
animated image that rotates to show the whole Sun.  The small
portion on the Sun's far side--which is not yet visible to the
spacecraft--is shown as a dark area.

Currently (early Friday, September 18) the animation shows an
emerging bright spot, just beyond the direct view from Earth.

Check the animation at http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/.

The zero degree meridian represents the area closest to Earth,
appearing in the center of the solar disk as viewed from Earth.  The
two 90-degree meridians represent the eastern and western horizon,
and of course the 180 degree meridian is directly opposite Earth's
view.

A full rotation of the Sun relative to Earth takes slightly less
than four weeks.  The bright spot appears around 120 degrees, or 30
degrees short of the eastern limb, and may represent a new sunspot
group.  This would be a wonderful event coinciding with the Autumnal
Equinox, the first day of Fall, which starts next Tuesday afternoon
(September 22) in North America.

Helioseismic readings also show an active region in that area, at 30
degrees south latitude.

Go to http://stereo-ssc.nascom.nasa.gov/where.shtml to see the
current position of the two craft relative to Earth.  Eventually
they will be 180 degrees relative to each other and 90 degrees
relative to Earth.

Thursday's prediction shows solar flux values at 70 beginning
tomorrow, September 19, and continuing through September 24, then
rising to 72 September 25-28.  We haven't reported a weekly solar
flux average above 70 in this bulletin since Propagation Forecast
Bulletin ARLP020 on May 19, and prior to that there were only four
more weeks above 70 in 2009.

These predictions are from NOAA and the US Air Force, which also
predicts a planetary A index of 8 for September 18, and only 5 from
September 19 to more than a month after.

Geophysical Institute Prague also predicts nothing but quiet
geomagnetic conditions for September 18-24.

Steve Jones, N6SJ of Woodside, California hopes to work FT5GA, the
Glorioso DXpedition.  Glorioso is northwest of Madagascar in the
Indian Ocean at approximately 11.5 degrees south latitude, and 47.33
degrees east longitude.

The expedition is expected to be on the air until October 5, and you
can look at http://www.dxwatch.com/dxped/ft5ga/# to see who is
currently working them.

From California, this weekend Steve's best bet may be 20 meters from
2100-2330z, and possibly 1600-1700z with lower signals.  If we get
some sunspot activity next week, for the following weekend 20 meters
looks good 1430-1930z, and then 2100-z.  15 meters with no
sunspots looks bad for this weekend, but on the following weekend if
there is more solar activity 1900-2130z looks possible.  17 meters
looks very good that following weekend, (September 26) 1630-2300z.

For September 19, 40 meters is possible 0130-0300z, and the
following weekend 2330-0330z, again assuming some solar activity in
the days prior.

If you live in the Southeast United States, based on projections
from Atlanta, your chances look much better than from the West
Coast.

On both weekends from Atlanta, 40 meters looks good 2230-0230z, and
20 meters on this weekend 1930-2300z, and lasting an hour later on
the next weekend.  15 meters looks promising, assuming some
sunspots, 1530-1900z on the next weekend.

From Ohio, 20 meters looks good both weekends 1900-2300z, and 40
meters 2200-0330z.

Bobby Raymer, N2BR of Cookeville, Tennessee says he enjoys working
distant stations despite lack of solar activity.  Running 100 watts
into a vertical dipole, he usually has better luck with CW than
phone.  On 17 meters on September 9 he worked OJ0B on CW on Market
Reef, and on September 11 using SSB he worked St. Helena Island.  He
said he works more stations outside the USA than stateside.

Dennis Reagin, W7KB of Vail, Arizona was running 10 watts SSB into a
portable vertical antenna on September 6 and enjoyed JA0JHA, getting
an S8 report, XE1REM who said he was 10 dB over S9, DL8OBQ/PJ2 in
Netherlands Antilles, who gave him an S6 report.  He notes he is
having fun and working distant stations with no sunspots, low power,
patience and persistence.

If you would like to make a comment or have a tip for our readers,
email the author at, k...@arrl.net.

For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL
Technical Information Service web page at,
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html.  For a detailed
explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin, see
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/k9la-prop.html.  An archive of past
propagation bulletins is at http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/.

Monthly propagation charts 

[DX-NEWS] ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

2008-09-12 Thread jjreisert
SB PROP @ ARL $ARLP038
ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

ZCZC AP38
QST de W1AW  
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 38  ARLP038
From Tad Cook, K7RA
Seattle, WA  September 12, 2008
To all radio amateurs 

SB PROP ARL ARLP038
ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

A new sunspot, number 1001, emerged on Thursday, September 11.  It
is actually a single group with two small magnetic disturbances, and
we hope not another like the last sunspot, a weak one barely
emerging on August 21-22.  It was so small that some observatories
didn't count it, but it was a Cycle 24 spot.

August was much ballyhooed as the first time since 1913 that there
was a month or more between the most recent sunspot appearances.
Actually it was the first time that a whole calendar month went by
with no spots.  Of course, this doesn't really mean anything more
than any other 30 day period with no spots, because the calendar is
based on arbitrary beginnings and endings.

The US Air Force predicts a planetary A index for September 12-17 at
5, 8, 20, 12 and 8.  Geophysical Institute Prague predicts quiet
conditions September 12, unsettled September 13, unsettled to active
September 14, unsettled September 15, quiet September 16, quiet to
unsettled September 17, and quiet September 18.

John Shannon, K3WWP of Kittanning, Pennsylvania has made it a point
to work at least one station a day for over 14 years, so far, using
QRP CW and simple wire antennas.  He notes that although he can work
more DX at solar cycle maximum, propagation on a day to day basis is
more reliable at solar minimum because it lacks the extreme
geomagnetic storms which appear more often during greater solar
activity.  See his personal page at,
http://home.alltel.net/johnshan/.

Reg Beck, VE7IG of Williams Lake, British Columbia writes that he
had a productive 6 meter summer season, including working 20 JA
stations from 0113z-0143z on July 12, and 368 6-meter contacts
overall from July 8 through August 16.

Reg says propagation is great recently, and he has been running
pileups of Europeans in the morning on 20 meter SSB and CW.  August
26-29 he worked 41-45 stations a day, then 106 on August 30 and 84
on September 3, all in sessions from 20 minutes to less than an
hour.  Reg is north of 52 degrees north latitude, far enough north
that around the Summer Solstice, sunrise to sunset is 1200z to
0421z.

Flavio Archangelo, PY2ZX of Jundiai in northeast Brazil says he has
been having good luck with just a 20 meter dipole.  Last Saturday,
September 6, he worked several EA (Spain) stations around 1830z,
then some OZ stations at 2000z.  All were loud portable stations
working Field Day.  Around 1930z he heard DL stations much stronger,
also heard HB stations, then signals faded after 2015z, but SM and F
stations still heard.

If you would like to make a comment or have a tip for our readers,
email the author at, [EMAIL PROTECTED]

For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL
Technical Information Service web page at,
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html.  For a detailed
explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin see,
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/k9la-prop.html.  An archive of past
propagation bulletins is at, http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/.

Monthly propagation charts between four USA regions and twelve
overseas locations are at, http://www.arrl.org/qst/propcharts/.

Instructions for starting or ending email distribution of this
bulletin are at http://www.arrl.org/w1aw.html#email.

Sunspot numbers for September 4 through 10 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
and 0 with a mean of 0.  10.7 cm flux was 65.9, 65.2, 65.8, 66.6,
67.1, 67.1, and 67.2 with a mean of 66.4.  Estimated planetary A
indices were 33, 7, 7, 8, 8, 6 and 4 with a mean of 10.4.  Estimated
mid-latitude A indices were 17, 7, 7, 7, 9, 4 and 2 with a mean of
7.6.

/EX




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[DX-NEWS] ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

2007-09-14 Thread jjreisert
SB PROP @ ARL $ARLP038
ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

ZCZC AP38
QST de W1AW  
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 38  ARLP038
From Tad Cook, K7RA
Seattle, WA  September 14, 2007
To all radio amateurs 

SB PROP ARL ARLP038
ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

The Sun has been blank, with no visible sunspots, for the past seven
days, September 7-13.  We may not see another sunspot until
September 22, just before the Autumnal Equinox.

Thursday evening, September 13, Spaceweather.com
(http://www.spaceweather.com) mentioned a coronal wind hitting earth
this evening, September 14.  The IMF points south, which makes earth
vulnerable to solar wind, but other sources don't call for an
increase in geomagnetic activity today.

We might assume that a solar wind from 27 to 28 days ago could
return at this time, based on the rotation of the Sun relative to
earth.  But looking back four weeks on,
http://www.sec.noaa.gov/ftpdir/indices/quar_DGD.txt does not reveal
any heightened activity.  Of course, it could be that the
Interplanetary Magnetic field pointed north, protecting earth from
the coronal wind.

U.S. Air Force Space Weather Operations predict continued quiet
geomagnetic conditions, with a planetary A index for September 14 at
8, then 5 every day through September 20.  Geophysical Institute
Prague predicts quiet to unsettled conditions September 14-15 and
quiet conditions September 16-20.

Each month we are checking the Preliminary Report and Forecast of
Solar Geophysical Data from NOAA SEC for updates to the forecast for
this sunspot cycle.  The current edition is at 1671, dated September
12, at http://www.sec.noaa.gov/weekly/index.html.  Compare the table
of predicted smoothed sunspot numbers on page 9 with number 1666
dated August 7.  Note the latest forecast has a more pronounced
minimum, all centered around March and April 2007.

Floyd Clowning, K5LA and Eva Tupis, W2EV sent in some information on
PropNET (see http://propnet.org/), the automated network of low
power BPSK stations dedicated to detecting propagation paths on 160,
30, 10, 6 and 2 meters, and plotting them on maps.  This was
mentioned briefly in Propagation Forecast Bulletin ARLP015 about
five months ago.

The PropNET website has all the information on setting up one of
these stations, and of course, you don't have to be a participant to
use it.  All the data that is generated appears on the web site.

One thing PropNET needs is more overseas participation.  The network
currently gives good propagation indicators in the United States,
but could sure use a few stations outside North America.

Check the October 2007 issue of QST for an interesting article
concerning the bottom of this solar cycle by Steve Ford, WB8IMY.
Titled Waiting for the Sun, Steve gives us ideas on how to best
utilize the available propagation when there are few sunspots.

Finally, Ken Fletcher of the British DX Club sent in a link to
http://www.solarcycle24.com/, a neat site devoted to the current and
upcoming sunspot cycles.

If you would like to make a comment or have a tip for our readers,
email the author at, [EMAIL PROTECTED]

For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL
Technical Information Service at,
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html. For a detailed
explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin see,
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/k9la-prop.html. An archive of past
propagation bulletins is at, http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/ .
Monthly propagation charts between four USA regions and twelve
overseas locations are at, http://www.arrl.org/qst/propcharts/.

Sunspot numbers for September 6 through 12 were 12, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
and 0 with a mean of 1.7. 10.7 cm flux was 66.7, 67.1, 66.6, 66.7,
66.9, 66.1, and 65.9 with a mean of 66.6. Estimated planetary A
indices were 13, 12, 6, 2, 2, 2 and 2 with a mean of 5.6. Estimated
mid-latitude A indices were 8, 10, 3, 2, 2, 2 and 2, with a mean of
4.1.

/EX



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[DX-NEWS] ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

2005-09-09 Thread W1AW
SB PROP @ ARL $ARLP038
ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

ZCZC AP38
QST de W1AW  
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 38  ARLP038
From Tad Cook, K7RA
Seattle, WA  September 9, 2005
To all radio amateurs 

SB PROP ARL ARLP038
ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

Last weekend began with a high speed solar wind provoking
geomagnetic instability, hence the high A index values. Conditions
quieted down after Sunday, but then sunspot 798 returned, which we
last saw in August. The spot released several powerful X-class solar
flares over the past couple of days, and although not squarely
pointed at Earth, glancing blows could cause greater geomagnetic
activity.

Currently the interplanetary magnetic field points north, which
could offer some protection. The forecast for the planetary A index
for Friday through Monday, September 9-12 is 25, 20, 10 and 20.
Predicted solar flux for the same days is 100 for Friday, September
9, then values around 110 for the following week. A little higher
sunspot activity is welcome for the next couple of weeks, as we head
toward the Autumnal Equinox, usually a better time for HF
propagation.

Randy Crews, W7TJ, asked about sunspot and solar flux numbers at the
bottom of the solar cycle, which is expected around the end of 2006,
or early 2007. Of course, there is enough daily variation that we
won't really know when the bottom was until well after it has
passed. We only know this for sure when looking at a smoothed curve
where daily numbers are averaged over many months.

Of course we will see many days, sometimes weeks, with no sunspots
at all. Solar flux drops below 70 to a background level, around 67.
A typical low period was September and October 1996, in which the
average sunspot number was 2.6, and average solar flux was 69.3.
Perhaps we'll see these low numbers again about 12-18 months from
now.

If you would like to comment or have a tip, email the author at,
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

For more information concerning radio propagation and an explanation
of the numbers used in this bulletin see the ARRL Technical
Information Service propagation page at,
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html. An archive of past
bulletins is found at, http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/.

Sunspot numbers for September 1 through 7 were 24, 28, 14, 12, 12,
12 and 11 with a mean of 16.1. 10.7 cm flux was 79.2, 77.1, 74.2,
74.6, 75, 83.4, and 117, with a mean of 82.9. Estimated planetary A
indices were 21, 33, 32, 26, 14, 9 and 15 with a mean of 21.4.
Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 11, 24, 20, 18, 9, 6 and 18,
with a mean of 15.1.

/EX

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[DX-NEWS] ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

2004-09-17 Thread W1AW
SB PROP @ ARL $ARLP038
ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

ZCZC AP38
QST de W1AW  
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 38  ARLP038
From Tad Cook, K7RA
Seattle, WA  September 17, 2004
To all radio amateurs 

SB PROP ARL ARLP038
ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA

Solar flux and sunspot numbers rose over the past week. The average
daily sunspot number was over 20 points higher than the average for
the previous week, to 77.6. The highest sunspot count was 87 on
September 10 and 11, and before that, 95 on September 7. The daily
solar flux averaged 13 points higher at 119.1, and the highest
reading over the past two weeks was 131 on September 9.

Predicted solar flux for the near term is 110 for September 17-19,
and down to 100 by September 21-22. The predicted planetary A index
for the next few days is 20 and 15 for September 17-18, then around
10 for September 19-21. September 22-23 is supposed to be quieter.
The higher A index predicted for Friday, September 17 is because of
a weak coronal mass ejection. The high A index on September 14 was
from a solar flare coming out of sunspot 672 on September 12.
Currently sunspot 672 is squarely facing earth.

Dick Gird, K6PZE wrote a letter about conditions on 10-meters. He is
active on a 10-10 net in Southern California, and reports that
check-ins are down to near nothing due to the declining solar cycle.
Of course, interest in 10-meters isn't as high as it was during the
top of the cycle, when worldwide communication with modest power and
antennas ruled the day. But sometimes there are openings on
10-meters when you might not expect it. Even with the low solar
activity, the beginning of Fall should yield some openings, even
with modest sunspot numbers. If the sunspot number is around 80 for
a few days, next week shows good 10-meter propagation possible
between Richard's location in San Diego and Chicago, Illinois, for
instance.

Listen for the 10-meter beacons around 28.2 MHz and above if the
band sounds dead, or just give a call using your favorite mode.
Don't forget that right on 28.2 MHz the Northern California DX
Foundation operates a network of 18 precisely timed and power
controlled beacons around the world. A recently updated list of
10-meter beacons can be found on the web at,
http://www.ten-ten.org/beacons.html.

The Autumnal equinox is less than a week away. This is a good time
for HF propagation, as the nights become longer in the northern
hemisphere and the hours of daylight are about equal all over the
world. Fall begins next Wednesday, September 22 at 1625z.

If you would like to comment or have a tip, email the author at,
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

For more information concerning propagation and an explanation of
the numbers used in this bulletin see the ARRL Technical Information
Service propagation page at,
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html.

Sunspot numbers for September 9 through 15 were 82, 87, 87, 85, 65,
70 and 67 with a mean of 77.6. 10.7 cm flux was 131, 130, 116.4,
114.6, 117.7, 114.7 and 109.6, with a mean of 119.1. Estimated
planetary A indices were 4, 5, 6, 4, 8, 28 and 14, with a mean of
9.9. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 3, 1, 1, 1, 5, 17 and 9,
with a mean of 5.3.

/EX

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