ZCZC AP42
QST de W1AW
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 42 ARLP042
From Tad Cook, K7VVV
Seattle, WA October 16, 1998
To all radio amateurs
SB PROP ARL ARLP042
ARLP042 Propagation de K7VVV
Solar activity was up a little last week, with the average sunspot number increasing 42 points to 95, and the average solar flux rising just over three points to 119.7. Solar flux is rising, and conditions should be great this weekend for the RSGB 21/28 MHz CW Contest. Predicted solar flux for Friday through Sunday is 135, 140 and 140, and the predicted planetary A index is 5, 5, and 8. With the rising solar flux, low geomagnetic activity and the Fall season upon us, 10 and 12 meters are good right now, particularly at lower latitudes.
Solar flux should begin to fall after next Tuesday, going below 130 again around October 24 and below 120 a few days later. The geomagnetic field is expected to remain quiet to unsettled.
VE9AA in New Brunswick reported that he and other hams in VE2 and VE3 reported hearing weak 48.25 MHz video signals from Europe around 1330 to 1430z on October 11. On October 14 WP4O in Puerto Rico worked LW5EJU in Argentina on both 6 and 2 meters.
Great news from the SOHO spacecraft. The mission is continuing to recover, and SOHO is even sending solar images again. Check the latest news and pictures on the web at http://sohowww.nascom.gov/ and also http://umbra.gsfc.nasa.gov/.
Sunspot Numbers for October 8 through 14 were 146, 125, 94, 68, 76, 70 and 86 with a mean of 95. 10.7 cm flux was 124.1, 123.5, 120.7, 118.9, 113.9, 118.1 and 119, with a mean of 119.7, and estimated planetary A indices were 17, 16, 10, 8, 6, 7 and 4, with a mean of 9.7.