Topband: Fwd: AstroAlert: Middle Latitude Auroral Activity Watch - 07-08 January

[Bill Tippett]

         Aurora alert issued yesterday at 2200z:

>=================================================================
>This Is SKY & TELESCOPE's AstroAlert for Sun-Earth Interactions
>=================================================================
>
>                             A s t r o  A l e r t
>                                Sun-Earth Alert
>
>                           Solar Terrestrial Dispatch
>                             http://www.spacew.com
>
>                               07 January 2005
>
>
>MIDDLE LATITUDE AURORAL ACTIVITY WATCH - 07-08 JANUARY
>
>      A transient disturbance in the solar wind (probably related to recent
>coronal mass ejection activity) has arrived at the Earth and is producing
>conditions that are becoming increasingly favorable for generating auroral
>activity that may become visible over many middle latitudes. The near-new
>phase of the moon will aid observers in detecting activity tonight. The most
>intense phase of activity is expected within the next several (perhaps 6)
>hours. This is expected to be a moderately good opportunity for middle
>latitude observers. The official watch statement is appended below.
>
>
>MIDDLE LATITUDE AURORAL ACTIVITY WATCH
>Issued: 22:00 UTC, 07 January 2005
>Solar Terrestrial Dispatch
>www.spacew.com

<SNIP>

         If it had not been cloudy, I would have looked for Aurora outside
but checked the band at 0130z after dinner and UU4JMG was hitting
a real S9+20 on my stingy Orion meter!  Over the next 2 hours I worked
over 40 EU stations, mostly in Central and Eastern EU.  Many UA3, UR,
3 ER5, two OH and a SM.  ER5AA said he was running 80 watts
to a sloper and he was a true S7.  If it had not been for QRN from the
storm cell over New Orleans, it would have sounded like 10 meters!
Signals were definitely skewed south over Africa here.

         Just goes to prove we always need to check the band even
if we think conditions may be bad!  Great to hear the band open for
all you guys in the West!

                                         73,  Bill W4ZV