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OT: geomagnetic storm effects on bands?

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Al Gulseth-2

OT: geomagnetic storm effects on bands?

Greetings Elecrafters,

I have an older Sangean portable next to the bed that I sometimes listen to
while I'm settling in for the evening. Frequently I'll tune in W1AW for a
quick rough propagation indicator. Last evening 40M, which usually has a
strong signal in the 9-10 PM Central timeframe, was much weaker than usual.
80 was also down, so I went to 20 expecting a weak signal at best as the band
is usually shutting down by that long after sunset. I was surprised to hear a
stronger signal there than on 40, and I could also hear W1AW on 17 and 15,
which are usually dead by then this time of year. Is this possibly due to the
current geomagnetic storm? (I'm still learning when it comes to
solar/geomagnetic events and propagation.)

TNX/73, Al
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Jim - N4ST

Re: OT: geomagnetic storm effects on bands?

Al,

There are times you have to look out the window to see if you still have an
antenna.
Conditions can be that bad when a storm occurs.
Usually improves in less than 24 hours.

_______
73,
Jim - N4ST

-----Original Message-----
From: Elecraft [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Al
Gulseth
Sent: Wednesday, November 4, 2015 10:04
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] OT: geomagnetic storm effects on bands?

Greetings Elecrafters,

I have an older Sangean portable next to the bed that I sometimes listen to
while I'm settling in for the evening. Frequently I'll tune in W1AW for a
quick rough propagation indicator. Last evening 40M, which usually has a
strong signal in the 9-10 PM Central timeframe, was much weaker than usual.
80 was also down, so I went to 20 expecting a weak signal at best as the
band is usually shutting down by that long after sunset. I was surprised to
hear a stronger signal there than on 40, and I could also hear W1AW on 17
and 15, which are usually dead by then this time of year. Is this possibly
due to the current geomagnetic storm? (I'm still learning when it comes to
solar/geomagnetic events and propagation.)

TNX/73, Al
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Rick WA6NHC-2

Re: OT: geomagnetic storm effects on bands?

In reply to this post by Al Gulseth-2

You can check the space weather yourself, which will help answer your
question. Try looking at:

http://ok1dub.cz/wwv/wwv.txt

Which as I write this states:

:Product: Geophysical Alert Message wwv.txt
:Issued: 2015 Nov 04 1505 UTC

# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction
Center
# Please send comments and suggestions to [hidden email]
# 3-hourly messages issued this UT day.
#
# Geophysical Alert Message
#
#-----------------------------------------------------------------

Solar-terrestrial indices for 03 November follow.
Solar flux 124 and mid-latitude A-index 32.
The mid-latitude K-index at 1500 UTC on 04 November was 5 (70 nT).

Space weather for the past 24 hours has been minor.
Geomagnetic storms reaching the G1 level occurred.
Radio blackouts reaching the R1 level occurred.

Space weather for the next 24 hours is predicted to be moderate.
Geomagnetic storms reaching the G2 level are likely.
Radio blackouts reaching the R1 level are likely.

73,
Rick wa6nhc

On 11/4/2015 7:03 AM, Al Gulseth wrote:

> Greetings Elecrafters,
>
> I have an older Sangean portable next to the bed that I sometimes listen to
> while I'm settling in for the evening. Frequently I'll tune in W1AW for a
> quick rough propagation indicator. Last evening 40M, which usually has a
> strong signal in the 9-10 PM Central timeframe, was much weaker than usual.
> 80 was also down, so I went to 20 expecting a weak signal at best as the band
> is usually shutting down by that long after sunset. I was surprised to hear a
> stronger signal there than on 40, and I could also hear W1AW on 17 and 15,
> which are usually dead by then this time of year. Is this possibly due to the
> current geomagnetic storm? (I'm still learning when it comes to
> solar/geomagnetic events and propagation.)
>
> TNX/73, Al
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

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kevinr@coho.net

Re: OT: geomagnetic storm effects on bands?

In reply to this post by Al Gulseth-2

A good place to check space weather is : www.spaceweather.com
73 & GL,
Kevin. KD5ONS

On 11/4/2015 7:03 AM, Al Gulseth wrote:

Al Gulseth-2

Re: OT: geomagnetic storm effects on bands?: follow up

Gotta learn to be a little less wordy HI HI!! In summary the conditions seemed
more in line with what I'd have expected for mid-day instead of several hours
after sunset. Guess that's part of what makes ham radio exciting ;-)

73, Al

On Wed November 4 2015 11:16:16 am [hidden email] wrote:

> A good place to check space weather is : www.spaceweather.com
> 73 & GL,
> Kevin. KD5ONS
>
> On 11/4/2015 7:03 AM, Al Gulseth wrote:
> > Greetings Elecrafters,
> >
> > I have an older Sangean portable next to the bed that I sometimes listen
> > to while I'm settling in for the evening. Frequently I'll tune in W1AW
> > for a quick rough propagation indicator. Last evening 40M, which usually
> > has a strong signal in the 9-10 PM Central timeframe, was much weaker
> > than usual. 80 was also down, so I went to 20 expecting a weak signal at
> > best as the band is usually shutting down by that long after sunset. I
> > was surprised to hear a stronger signal there than on 40, and I could
> > also hear W1AW on 17 and 15, which are usually dead by then this time of
> > year. Is this possibly due to the current geomagnetic storm? (I'm still
> > learning when it comes to
> > solar/geomagnetic events and propagation.)
> >
> > TNX/73, Al
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > Elecraft mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > Post: mailto:[hidden email]
> >
> > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> > Message delivered to [hidden email]
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

k6dgw

Re: OT: geomagnetic storm effects on bands?

In reply to this post by kevinr@coho.net

http://www.n3kl.org/sun/noaa.html Most everything you could want to know
about solar conditions on one page.

http://www.hamqsl.com/solar.html The table to the left tells the
remainder of the story, including band conditions. As of the time of
this email, the best HF conditions we can expect are "fair" on 17 and
15. All the others are "poor". Note the "SW" [solar wind], 618 km/s
... about twice what it normally runs.

There was a group of flares [and CME's] just off the left side of the
graphs and Kp has been 5 all 11/4 UTC day and for some of 11/3. Couple
of M-class flares today. GOES magnetometers are all over the place
right now, probably from CME's early this week.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the Cal QSO Party 1-2 Oct 2016
- www.cqp.org

On 11/4/2015 9:16 AM, [hidden email] wrote:
> A good place to check space weather is : www.spaceweather.com
> 73 & GL,
> Kevin. KD5ONS

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Kevin Cozens-2

Re: OT: geomagnetic storm effects on bands?

In reply to this post by Al Gulseth-2

On 15-11-04 10:03 AM, Al Gulseth wrote:
> I was surprised to hear a
> stronger signal there than on 40, and I could also hear W1AW on 17 and 15,
> which are usually dead by then this time of year. Is this possibly due to the
> current geomagnetic storm? (I'm still learning when it comes to
> solar/geomagnetic events and propagation.)

Yes, it is quite possible. Geomagnetic storms can have interesting effects
on the ionosphere and on radio wave propagation. Some years back there was a
storm that pretty much killed all the ham bands on HF. I tuned around the
bands and heard almost no activity. I eventually ran across two hams talking
each other. Both of them had very good signals when I could hear so little
activity. One person was in VK land (about the opposite side of the world
for me). I forget where the other one was located.

--
Cheers!

Kevin.

http://www.ve3syb.ca/ |"Nerds make the shiny things that distract
Owner of Elecraft K2 #2172 | the mouth-breathers, and that's why we're
| powerful!"
#include <disclaimer/favourite> | --Chris Hardwick
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