Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington, reports:
Solar activity was up, up, up this week, with average daily sunspot numbers increasing from 74.4 to 134.1, and average daily solar flux from 120.3 to 157.3.
Geomagnetic indicators were higher also. Average daily planetary A index went from 5 to 9, while middle latitude A index increased from 4.6 to 9.6.
Spaceweather.com reported on Wednesday that big sunspot AR3014 doubled in size, and presented this movie from NASA, showing 24 hours of activity:
Predicted solar flux is 180 on May 19 – 20, 178 on May 21 – 24, then flux values drop rapidly to 176, 170, 150, 136 and 138 on May 25 – 29, 140 on May 30 – 31, 143 on June 1 – 3, 140 and 136 on June 4 – 5, 138 on June 6 – 7, then 140 and 150 on June 8 – 9, 154 on June 10 – 12, 152 on June 13 – 14, then 150 and 148 on June 15 – 16, 140 on June 17 – 18, 145 on June 19, 142 on June 20 – 21, and 138 on June 22.
Predicted planetary A index is 14 and 12 on May 19 – 20, 8 on May 21 – 22, 5 on May 23 – 25, 15 on May 26 – 27, 8 on May 28, 5 on May 29 through June 9, 8 on June 10, 14 on June 11 – 12, 8 and 5 on June 13 – 14, 8 on June 15 – 16, 5 on June 17 – 19, 18 on June 20, and 15 on June 21 – 23.
The above predictions are from the 557th USAF Weather wing.
In Friday’s bulletin look for reports of unusual propagation on 12 meters.
Sunspot
numbers for May 12 – 18, 2022 were 112, 120, 105, 129, 173, 153, and 147, with
a mean of 134.1. 10.7 cm flux was 133, 149.5, 152.7, 153.6, 161.7, 170.8, and
179.9, with a mean of 157.3. Estimated planetary A indices were 8, 7, 7, 12,
10, 12, and 7, with a mean of 9. Middle latitude A index was 8, 7, 9, 10, 11,
15, and 7, with a mean of 9.6.
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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