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Nice writeup, but you neglected to mention that none of the 3 sunspot groups
that appeared this week are associated with Solar Cycle 24. Isn't that leaving
out an important piece of information for your readers ?
73,
Steve, N2IC
Tomas Hood (NW7US) wrote:
> This e-mail posting is from the Radio Propagation Reflector that you're
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>
> Bulletin from Tomas Hood, NW7US:
>
> "The Sun awakens in the early dawn of Sunspot Cycle 24"
>
> During the week of March 24, the Sun became quite active. This, after
> many months of long stretches of quiet, sunspot-less days. March 25
> images of the sun revealed a train of sunspots, NOAA AR 0987 (a beta
> configuration), 0988 (a beta configuration), and 0989 (an alpha
> configuration). For many months prior, there would be an occasional
> sunspot, if any at all. These three sunspots indicate a sun that is
> waking up; there was even a strong M1-class solar flare on March 25,
> the first such strong flare in a long period of quiet (the last such
> flare was mid-2007).
>
> The M1.7 magnitude flare originated in sunspot 0989, which was on the
> very edge of the sun, not facing us. As this sunspot group rotates
> into what is known as "geo-effective" position, it may well cause
> intense radio blackouts and storms, while also strengthening the
> ionosphere, in turn creating great DX opportunities on higher HF
> frequencies during non-radio blackout periods. Radio blackouts occur
> during solar flares.
>
> On the same day, March 25, the solar flux (10.7-cm flux index) rose
> from the low 70's to the high of 89 (as of the time this is being
> written), and the flare caused minor storming and a radio blackout on
> HF. This is a great trend for those interested in using the high
> frequencies for radio communications. As we now move away from
> sunspot cycle minimum to the peak of cycle 24, sometime in the next
> three to five years, activity will increase. With this increase in
> activity will come better HF propagation on the higher portions of HF,
> while also bringing an increase in radio blackouts and geomagnetic
> storminess that is part of an active cycle.
>
> We're in for the exciting start of a new solar cycle! Some
> forecasters speculate that this solar cycle will not be too active. I
> still hold to one early forecast that speculates that the cycle may be
> a very active and exciting one. Time will tell!
>
> (c) Tomas Hood, NW7US
> Contributing editor:
> CQ Magazine, CQ VHF, Popular Communications
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