‰ Now 18 WPM transition file follows ‰

The recent big news regarding projections for a huge solar cycle
number 24 brings in more mail daily. All of us want to see lots of
exciting space weather over the next decade, but not everyone is
convinced. While I wouldnt count him among dissenters, Jon Jones,
N0JK sent in this article from a year ago, where several readers
mentioned this, which predicts a very small cycle 24, and also
claims to use a successful prediction method. Read it and weep, or
not, on the web. Several people wrote in this week about enjoying
the quiet conditions. Without many sunspots, the MUF is low, but
there is less noise and absorption. Mike Schatzberg, W2AJI writes,
The low solar activity seems to have produced some exceptional
conditions on 20 meters within the last week. The band has been most
reliable all day long here in western NC. He continues, Propagation
is marked by very low atmospheric noise. Weaker stations are easily
pulled out, provided QRM permitting. I am working great numbers of
QRP stations, worldwide. Average daily sunspot numbers and solar
flux values were down just slightly this week when compared to last,
and the geomagnetic indexes were up just a bit. We only saw one day
of 0 sunspot count, and there werent any really stormy days with
high geomagnetic K and A indices. The five day projection for
planetary A index is 8, 8, 20, 15 and 12. This slightly higher
activity is based on what was occurring in the area that will be
facing us this weekend, looking back to February 19 to 22, when the
planetary A index was 6, 20, 17 and 12. Sunspot numbers were 12,
12, 0, 18, 14, 34 and 22 with a mean of 16. 10R7 cm flux was 72R9,
72R2, 74, 73R2, 72R6, 73R6, and 74R2, with a mean of 73R2. Estimated
planetary A indices were 4, 12, 12, 6, 3, 4 and 7 with a mean of
6R9. Estimated mid latitude A indices were 3, 9, 9, 3, 2, 2 and 6,
with a mean of 4R9‚

‰ End of 18 WPM transition file ‰