Tatted With Glorious Sunspots

[KG4CGC]

From this 2 week old article, sunspots are outpacing predictions and the Solar Maximum will arrive 2 years early! That Hypersonic Transport technology is really starting to kick in!


But ever since then, sunspots have been outstripping those predictions. January saw over 140 sunspots, when no more than 92 were predicted, according to a database (https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/solar-cycle-progression) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. May brought nearly 140 sunspots again.

Solar flares have also been growing more frequent and more powerful year by year. An unexpected "stealth" CME washed over Earth on March 24 and created a historically powerful geomagnetic storm, pushing the aurora borealis as far south as Arizona (https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-aurora-northern-lights-rare-appearance-south-solar-storm-2023-3?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=yahoo.com).



Hold on to your rigs because things is gettin' squirrely! I also need to find some of that eclipse glasses film so I can photo graphery it!
This one's gonna be famous!

https://ca.style.yahoo.com/suns-activity-could-peak-2-001937413.html


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[NQ6U]

I think I got back on the air just at the right time, although there is some disagreement about whether Cycle 25 is going to peak early. Some prognosticators are saying that it might just keep getting stronger and become the strongest cycle since the invention of radio.

[KG4CGC]

Yes! That too, Carl!

[PA5COR]

Bit too much CME's to my liking killing the bands.
But, i take everything the condition god's throw at me :smoker::rock:

[WZ7U]

This is going to be a great cycle, no reason to not get out there and enjoy.

[WZ7U]

Screenshot of a solar fart. I hope we don't get any on us
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[W3WN]

Screenshot of a solar fart. I hope we don't get any on us
18146That could stink...

[WZ7U]

If you believe what you read at some places, the sky is literally falling. I had a bunch of time in May to experiment and sometimes I think it's just my crappy antennas. When it's not a solar flare and it's accompanying fuckery.

At least I hope that's all It is.... besides, summer is busy time here at the radio ranch. No time to check the bands, but no reason to suspect anything is wrong. Admittedly, it seems like it isn't as much a problem of conditions as much as a problem of participation. Bands mysteriously close at the end of a contest? Nope, majority human interest closes.

Here's to a spectacular solar cycle 25 !

[KG4CGC]

What were (or when) some of the famous solar cycles of the past 80 years?

[WZ7U]

The best to my knowledge was when I was a much younger person, and I'm horrible on details but I was in high school (78-81) and on eleven meters then. Talking to New Zealand and Australia was a big deal in my mind, but the cycle in the nineties was fun too.

Problem nowadays is, if no one turns on their nodes, no one knows just how far and where six will take you. Just a few minutes ago
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From earlier this year in june
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I know everyone has wood over hf and coming propagation, but I was hoping six would pick up too. I suppose it's time to build a beam.

[KG4CGC]

Once on 6 about the year 2000, I was talking to a guy in Michigan, but my antenna, an MFJ 3 element 6m flat, was pointed South.
No, I wasn't talking to him off the back of my antenna. All I could figure was that his signal was bouncing off of something and I was bouncing off of something back at him.

[KG4CGC]

Today we hit 227!


https://www.spaceweatherlive.com/en/solar-activity/sunspot-regions.html

[NQ6U]

I was able to get out on 80m a bit last night, using FT8. First time in fifteen years I was able to log a QSO on that band. My antenna is marginal on 80, to say the least, but the AH-4 can tune it.

[KG4CGC]

Maybe this explains the GPS issues I've had today.

[WZ7U]

I heard a Tesla (or another electric brand) drive by on 21.042. Sounded like a tortured terminator at 350hz filtering, scared the crap out of me even though I heard the tires as it passed. If the car is that unhappy, well...

The view south, off the deck looking at the road. Also doubles as the shack when it's nice.
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