[HCARC] Solar Activity Update 3

[Kerry Sandstrom]

Bill

I wasn't able to find anything noteworthy around 01 UT ( 8 PM local).  
Earlier yesterday, ~16 -17 UT there were some pretty impressive loops on 
the sun's limb where the next spot group showed up today.  There haven't 
been any big flares recently but several C-class flares and the X-ray 
background is running about C0.  It does look like a pretty active 
period for the sun.  There are now 4 pretty impressive groups on the 
rising part of the sun.  The biggest of the groups is under some debate 
on whether it is 1 group or 2 or 3 groups in close proximity.  In any 
event it looks pretty magnetically complex.

Back in the 70's I remember one big noise burst.  I "saw" it on TV 
Channel 2.  I was living in San Antonio at the time and often had the TV 
on with the antenna pointed east towards Houston checking on tropo.  
Usually could see the Houston Channel 2.  On this particular morning the 
picture quickly became solid white and then faded back slowly and the 
tropo signal gradually rose out of the noise.  Many times I heard the 
noise bursts on 6 and 10 m but only once did I see it on TV.  When the 
bursts were associated with an X-flare, the noise would quickly rise to 
cover all the signals, including the S9 signals.  When the noise faded 
down there was not a signal to be heard.  It is important to remember 
that after a flare the bands open from the highest frequency down as the 
absorption gradually subsides.  Its amazing how powerful the sun is.

Kerry

On 4/15/2015 11:36 AM, Bill Tynan wrote:
> Last evening, about 8:00 PM (01:00 UT) as I was preparing to get on the
> regular Tuesday evening 222 MHz get-together and was across the room, I
> heard the white noise slowly increase. It had been about -138 to -140 dBm.
> When I looked at the meter, it read about -128 dBm.  I was aimed east at the
> time, away from the setting sun, but I believe that the noise increase was
> caused by a marked increase in solar noise. I turned the beam west and noted
> some increase in noise as the noise level was receding.
>
> I have noted this phenomenon on numerous occasions in the past, with the
> noise level increasing on both 6 and 2 meters.
>
> So,, yes, the old Sun is acting up.
>
> 73,
>
> Bill, W3XO/5
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HCARC [mailto:hcarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Kerry
> Sandstrom
> Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2015 8:55 AM
> To: HCARC Reflector
> Subject: [HCARC] Solar Activity Update 3
>
> This morning there is another active sunspot group coming around the limb.
> This one is in the sun's southern hemisphere.  Yesterdays solar flux was
> 147.  I believe it will continue to rise for a while longer.
>
> Have fun,
>
> Kerry
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