Propagation Forecast Bulletin #44 de G0KYA:

ZCZC AP44
QST de W1AW
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 44 ARLP044
>From Steve Nichols, G0KYA
Wymondham, England October 30, 2009
To all radio amateurs

SB PROP ARL ARLP044
ARLP044 Propagation de G0KYA

The propagation bulletin this week is written by Steve Nichols, G0KYA, of the RSGB's Propagation Studies Committee in the English county of Norfolk. K7RA is out of town and will return next week for the November 6 Propagation Forecast Bulletin ARLP045.

Well, what a week it has been. The solar flux hit 82.3 on Tuesday, the highest recording yet since the first observed "new cycle sunspot" in January 2008, which was the "official" visual start of Sunspot Cycle 24.

Even as I write this, the flux is still at 80, thanks to sunspot region 1029, so let's hope that it is a sign of better things to come.

The region (1029) produced several B-class solar flare events and a single C2.2 class flare on the 28th, but luckily CQ World Wide SSB was unaffected for the most part.

NASA's STEREO "behind" spacecraft is not showing any new spots coming around the solar rim, but we live in hope. I was lucky enough to record a Podcast with Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA at the RSGB's Convention in the UK where he talked about Solar Cycle 24 and the possible effect of galactic cosmic rays on Top Band propagation. You can hear the Podcast at, http://www.g0kya.blogspot.com.

In the UK a combination of sporadic-E and F2 layer propagation made 10 meters a "must have" band for contesters last weekend. The 28 MHz band was full of European stations and I personally worked more than 25 countries in two hours of casual operation. Longer DX included 4X (Israel) and ZS9 (South Africa) with signal strengths peaking at 59 with very simple antennas. I can't remember the last time 10 meters was so active, although it was interesting to note that on Monday the band was completely clear. It just shows that you should call CQ once in a while.

Tim, K6GEP reports that he and other Southern California amateurs worked YO4ATW on 10 meters around 1930z on October 25 during CQ World Wide SSB. No other European countries were heard on the band at that time. Only 100 watts and modest tri-band yagis were used at both ends.

Marcel, YO4ATW was a single band entry on 10 meters, and made over 340 contacts, including some in South America. On another day this week, he worked some Brazilians around 1800z. Multi-hop Es or F layer? Let's hope it is a pointer towards better things to come.

Al, AB2ZY also found 21 MHz wide open. From the Adirondacks in upper New York state with a single ground-mounted Butternut HF6V vertical with lots of radials, an ICOM 756 Pro III transceiver and an old Yaesu FL-2100B amplifier, he was hearing Western European stations well after their sundown.

At the other end of the spectrum 80 meters was also a great band with many US and Canadian stations giving novice European operators their first trans-Atlantic QS0s around 3.8 MHz. K3LR in PA was still audible more than one hour after sunrise in the UK.

Let's hope we get similar conditions for CQ World Wide CW in November.

K7RA--and normality--will be back next week.

73 de Steve G0KYA

If you would like to make a comment or have a tip for our readers, email the author at, k7ra@arrl.net.

For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL Technical Information Service web page at, http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html. For a detailed explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin see, http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/k9la-prop.html. An archive of past propagation bulletins is at, http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/.

Monthly propagation charts between four USA regions and twelve overseas locations are at http://www.arrl.org/qst/propcharts/.

Sunspot numbers for October 22 through 28 were 0, 30, 21, 28, 29, 29, and 26 with a mean of 23.3. 10.7 cm flux was 71.6, 72.9, 75.6, 75.5, 81.3, 81.5, and 79.9 with a mean of 76.9. Estimated planetary A indices were 14, 8, 8, 5, 3, 3 and 2 with a mean of 6.1. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 12, 7, 5, 3, 3, 2 and 3 with a mean of 5.
NNNN
/EX

Source: W1AW Bulletin via the ARRL.

Member Comments: