[K3PZN-List] Fw: [QRP-L] M8 Solar Flare alert

[Curt Milton]

FYI - this from a guy who gets paid to 'watch' what the sun is doing.  

160m propagation is not as nice as it was - so perhaps indeed its time to work up the spectrum.  



----- Forwarded Message ----
From: "na5n at zianet.com" <na5n at zianet.com>
To: QRP-L at mailman.qth.net
Cc: qrp-l at qrp-l.org
Sent: Fri, February 12, 2010 10:54:41 AM
Subject: [QRP-L] M8 Solar Flare alert

Gang, 

There was an M8 solar flare today (Friday) from 1119-1126 UTC, for which 
NOAA rated it's ionizing radiation at scale R2 - moderate.
You can see the x-ray emissions from it at:
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/today.html 

NOAA has issued a >M5/R2 event alert, and 10cm (1GHz) radio burst notice.  
This means the earth has already received ionizing radiation from this flare 
event.  The current solar flux (SFU) is now about 94, (been <80 last 90 
days) the highest it has been in a long, long time.  However, the 10cm burst 
report means that the flare was detected where they measure the solar flux 
and is usually not added to the "smoothed SFU" value.  Thus, actually solar 
flux may be higher than 94. 

In short, if you are not at work like a bunch of us, check out the higher 
bands.  This M8 flare has sent ionizing radiation our way, which will raise 
the MUF through local sundown.  SFUs around 100 are sufficient to open 10M 
(rough, ball park guestimates).  My records are at home (I'm at work), but I 
believe this is the first >M5 event since very early 2008. 

For those of us stuck at work, let us know if this event has, indeed, opened 
15 or 10M, and make us feel even worse by reporting any good catches or DX 
you worked. 

72, Paul NA5N 


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