Solar flares give us the best and worst propagation
conditions.
They can spew out X-rays which seem to strengthen the ionosphere
and also throw out sub-atomic particles like protons that ruin
the ionosphere for a short period of time. The
positively-charged protons neutralize the F layers of the
ionosphere and cause it to stop reflecting signals. That is a
radio blackout and you should hear one, some time. Sometimes,
you will hear 20 meters, for example, just fade to noise over a
period of a couple of minutes. All that is left is hiss.

	Eventually, the ionosphere comes back but some people
have even thought their antenna was disconnected or that their
receiver had failed.

	I am glad to see the Solar Flux up to 113 and 114, but I
have yet to hear anything exciting. On ten, I hear my electronic
thermostat, some computers in my house and the neighbors'
houses, and that madening arc-welder buzz from our local power
company. I don't hear any DX, yet.

	The X-rays travel at the speed of light so we get them
about 8 minutes after the Sun blows its top. Those X-rays don't
hurt us on the ground because the atmosphere absorbs them but
they certainly strengthen the F layers to give us F2 propagation
on ten and six and sometimes, even higher.

	If the flare shot us with protons, they get here between
18 hours and 36 hours after the event and can destroy
satellites. When we have a big proton event, some communications
satellites actually batton their hatches, so to speak and shut
down until the spray passes. Space walks and maybe even space
flights are canceled and unshielded electronic equipment in
space can malfunction or be destroyed. It's like sub-atomic sand
blasting.

	I have heard that the European 4-meter ham band around
70 MHZ has made it across the pond a couple of times but I don't
know if that was F2 or multi-hop Sporadic E. You'll just have to
wait and see over the next few days what this flare brought us.
Not all Solar flares blast protons or give us free X-rays. Some
just mess up the Earth's magnetic field and make everything on
HF sound like it was under water.

	Last Fall, I did hear a brief opening on ten one Sunday
morning so this increased Solar activity should give us a few
more. Exactly when is hard to say.


Martin McCormick WB5AGZ  Stillwater, OK 
Systems Engineer
OSU Information Technology Department Telecommunications Services Group
Darren Duff writes:
> So what does this mean for us?...