Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports:
Many solar flares and CMEs occurred over the reporting week (March 24 – 30) but with glancing blows and near misses it wasn’t reflected in the geomagnetic indicators. The Planetary A index reached a high for the week of 19 on March 27. Average daily planetary A index rose by a modest amount from 6.3 to 10.
Average daily sunspot number rose from 33.4 to 80.1, while solar flux went from 99.9 to 132.7.
Predicted solar flux is forecast to be 150 on March 31 and April 1, then 145, 130, 125, 120, and 115 on April 2 – 6, 118 on April 7 – 9, then 115 and 110 on April 10 – 11, 105 on April 12 – 14, 108 on April 15, 105 on April 16 – 19, 110 on April 20 – 21, 115 on April 22, 125 on April 23 – 26, then 123, 118 and 118 on April 27 – 29, and 108 on April 30 through May 2.
On Wednesday, March 30, local news in Seattle was telling viewers that if only we had clear skies, we could see aurora tonight or tomorrow. This is likely with the predicted Planetary A index at 58 and 32 on March 31 and April 1, then 10, 12 and 10 on April 2 – 4, 8 on April 5 – 6, then 5 and quieter conditions on April 7 – 19, 10 on April 20 – 21, then 5, 15, and 10 on April 22 – 24, 5 on April 25 – 29, and 12, and 8 on April 30 and May 1.
We’ve been seeing more activity on 10 meters over the past week. Check it out.
Sunspot numbers for March 24 – 30, 2022, were 44, 50, 48, 97, 125, 124, and 73, with a mean of 80.1. 10.7-centimeter flux was 112, 112, 119, 130, 156, 149, and 151, with a mean of 132.7. Estimated Planetary A indices were 9, 10, 7, 18, 10, 8, and 8, with a mean of 10. Middle latitude A index was 6, 3, 6, 11, 4, 7, and 6, with a mean of 8.1
A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL website. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical Information Service, read “What the Numbers Mean…,” and check out the Propagation Page of Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA.
A propagation bulletin archive is available. For customizable propagation charts, visit the VOACAP Online for Ham Radio website.
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