Big Event On The Sun!!

[DXman]

It's on the way.......

Nasa scientists braced for 'solar tsunami' to hit earth - Telegraph

 

[Robb]

Yep, and it should last for more than a few days too...

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Say goodbye to HF and HELLO AURORA! Too bad I failed to get my rotator swapped out yesterday. I could use the ability to rotate my 2m and 6m yagis now.

 

[nat19]

Sorry for the stupid question but I am a newbie when it comes to solar flares. Just how soon will the skip conditions be here? It says in the article as early as tuesday. Is that when conditions are going to pick up? Also is there any way to predict how good conditions will be? Again sorry for the stupid questions but I am becoming intrested in learning about solar flares so any help will be aprreciated.

 

[kd-5-bgt]

Chances are pretty good that VHF and UHF will have some good openings over the next few days,but as far as HF ,or CB I am not to sure.....only thing that I can say would to be spending as much time as possable at the radio the next week or so and see what happens...

Solar flares as far as I know dont really help 'skip' conditions from what I understand (and that isnt much) the sunspots are what will allow for the conditions to improve..The more spots the better the openings..the fewer spots...well you get the idea

The sunspot cycle is on the upswing the next couple of years..I think that 2012/2013 is when they should be at their peak.I am surprised the bands are as flat as they have been this year.

20 meters has some pretty decent openings early in the morning to europe,occasionaly late in the day the pacific realm comes in.I heard on 40 meters reeealy early in the morning Japan was coming in very strong

For me personally 40 and 80 meters has basically been regional contacts ...say about 700 miles or less during my usual radio time..But 40 meters and below are usually night time bands for long haul contacts

17 meters has been all but flat,I have been hearing a very few stations there,made a few contacts in the states but they were all weak

15 to 10 meters has been all but totally dead

looks like I will be spinning around 6 meters and 2 meters the next few days looking for contacts,should be an interesting week for radioing

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Sorry for the stupid question but I am a newbie when it comes to solar flares. Just how soon will the skip conditions be here? It says in the article as early as tuesday. Is that when conditions are going to pick up? Also is there any way to predict how good conditions will be? Again sorry for the stupid questions but I am becoming intrested in learning about solar flares so any help will be aprreciated.

Sunspots are what cause good conditions on HF. Solar flares or in this case what is called a coronal mass ejection which is an extremely powerful explosion that litterally blows off part of the suns skin, causes radio blackouts on the HF bands,including CB but enhances the VHF bands hence my comment above about goodbye HF and hello aurora. CME's also make for good viewing of the northern lights.