[K6BW] Current Solar/Radio Conditions

[DHirtz at aol.com]

I
 
 
Thank you, most excellent and timely  post!
d
 
in a message dated 1/20/2005  11:11:31 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
billsmith at ispwest.com writes:

Lifted  from the QRP-L reflector on Thursday, January 20:

Gang,
The sun  whomped out another major flare earlier today, a long duration
X7 beginning  at 0636 UTC.  This came from the same region, number 720,
that most  all of the flare activity the past few days has come from.
However, region  720 is now approaching the west limb of the sun, and
will rotate out of  view in the next day or two.  Because this flare is
near the limb of  the sun, and not near the center, the shockwave and
coronal mass ejection  (CME) was blown out into space away from the
earth.  At best, we'll  get a glancing blow that will not cause much
problem. 

This was an  energetic flare that continues to spew electrons at Earth
right now.   These electrons are ionizing the D, E and F layers.  This
means the  MUF will be elevated over North America for the rest of the
day.  On  the other hand, D layer absorption is elevated for higher
than normal  absorption on the lower frequencies.  However, this will
boil off  during the day, and come to a fairly abrupt end at sundown,
when the earth  rotates away from the sun. 

Right now, the MUF is flirting around 28  MHz along the southern US
states, and 20 MHz along the US/VE border, for  15M across the entire
country and possible 10M openings along the southern  states.  20M will
remain open later into the evening tonight than  normal. 

Another thing to consider is operating 15 and 20M around  sundown for
some interesting grayline propagation.  The contour lines  of the MUF
will be running more or less north-south around sundown, as will  the
earths shadow.  This means around sundown, there could be a  chance
of some very good north-south and over the pole propagation  at
sundown, known as "gray line propagation."  Perhaps even 6M.  

I monitored several HF frequencies Sunday, and when the first  shock
wave hit, noise levels rose from S3-4 to S9 almost  immediately.
Quite impressive.  The "buzzing sound" heard in the noise  levels are
the electrons flying along the earths magnetic fields lines  creating
huge currents, and noise, above your head.  Did you hear  that? 

72, Paul NA5N  
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