Keep an ear pealed on the VHF and UHF bands, too, for possible contacts 
during the results of the C M E that is just now striking the Ionosphere of 
the earth.

Phil.
K0NX




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lloyd Rasmussen" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2011 7:10 PM
Subject: Re: Solar flare


> Nobody knows what will happen to the bands the next few days.  I will be
> trying to burn up the CW bands this weekend in the ARRL DX contest, 
> working
> whatever is open.  Japan was fairly loud and stable here yesterday on 15 
> CW.
> We might work Europe from W3 on ten meters, although we're most likely to
> work it on a skew path, where we and the Europeans aim their antennas at 
> the
> equatorial Atlantic.  Conditions are expected to be better on Sunday than
> they would be tomorrow night and Saturday.  But nobody knows anything for
> sure until the coronal mass ejections start hitting the earth's magnetic
> field.
> 73,
> Lloyd Rasmussen, W3IUU, Kensington, Maryland
> Home:  http://lras.home.sprynet.com
> Work:  http://www.loc.gov/nls
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: For blind ham radio operators 
>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>> On Behalf Of Martin McCormick
>> Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2011 11:38 AM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: Solar flare
>>
>> 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
>