HFU HF Underground
General Category => General Radio Discussion => Topic started by: ChrisSmolinski on September 14, 2013, 1402 UTC
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"The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center has updated their monthly graph set and it is becoming even more clear that we are past solar max, and that solar max has been a dud. “The slump” continues not only in sunspot activity, but also other metrics"
Here's some highlights from the article, the URL for the full article is at the bottom:
(http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/SolarCycle/sunspot.gif)
(http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/SolarCycle/f10.gif)
(http://wattsupwiththat.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/solar_region_count.png?w=640)
But, another important indicator, Solar Polar Fields from Mt. Wilson and Wilcox Combined -1966 to Present show that the fields have flipped (crossed the zero line) indicating solar max has indeed happened:
(http://www.leif.org/research/Solar-Polar-Fields-1966-now.png)
The current prediction for Sunspot Cycle 24 gives a smoothed sunspot number maximum of about 66 in the Summer of 2013. The smoothed sunspot number has already reached 67 (in February 2012) due to the strong peak in late 2011 so the official maximum will be at least this high. The smoothed sunspot number has been flat over the last four months. We are currently over four years into Cycle 24. The current predicted and observed size makes this the smallest sunspot cycle since Cycle 14 which had a maximum of 64.2 in February of 1906.
Full article: http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/09/13/like-the-pause-in-surface-temperatures-the-slump-in-solar-activity-continues/ (http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/09/13/like-the-pause-in-surface-temperatures-the-slump-in-solar-activity-continues/)
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The early 90's was a ton of fun. The past few years have been b-o-r-i-n-g.
Looks like finally 24 has reached it max. 24 needs to give up & go away and let 25 take over and show us how its really done.
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From spaceweather.com: "With the Sun's disk almost completely devoid of sunspots, solar flare activity has come to a halt. Measurements by NOAA's GOES 15 satellite show that the sun's global x-ray emission, a key metric of solar activity, has flatlined. The quiet spell is a bit strange because 2013 is supposed to be a year of solar maximum, with lots of flares and sunspots. Supporting this view are data from NASA-supported observatories which show that the sun's magnetic field is poised to flip--a long-held sign that Solar Max has arrived. Nevertheless, solar activity is low."
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Heck, the sun's tired. Think about it.
One, you weigh billions of tons,
Two, X-rays are shooting out of all your orifices!
And to top it off, you got a bunch of people back on the Earth lookin' at you,
I mean your sunspots? Wouldn't you feel self-conscious?
Wouldn't you get uptight, and start to clam up?
It's like ole "W" and these scratches on my face.
I already explained how they got there . . .
No need to dwell on it, stuff just happens, even to "W"
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So much for DXing the high bands. Didn't hear much on them this year anyway.
On the other hand, MW DX seems to be picking up a bit early, at least here at this QTH.
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Yes, I was thinking the other day how about this time last year, I was hearing the Irish church stations on 27 MHz. I'll have to start paying more attention to MW.
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I cut my teeth on radio in the late 70's. CB, "Convoy" and all that. I could talk halfway 'round the world on my 1.5W Ray-dee-o Shack walk-ee-talk-ee.
Every sunspot cycle has been a disappointment since then :D
Peace!
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