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Author Topic: Solar Cycle Sunspot Number Progression  (Read 6093 times)

Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Solar Cycle Sunspot Number Progression
« on: May 10, 2022, 2010 UTC »
Chris Smolinski
Westminster, MD
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UncleJohn

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Re: Solar Cycle Sunspot Number Progression
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2022, 2250 UTC »
Well sir, if ya'll like hearin' rantin' & ramblin' on cb channels yah got sumpin tah lookin' fawdward to, ya heah?  ::)
Just got my Spaceweaher.com email & looks like our Sun is barfin' out a "Corona Mass Ejection"...whatever the Hell that is!!
                                                         8) Will sunglasses help?  8)
« Last Edit: May 10, 2022, 2259 UTC by UncleJohn »

Offline BoomboxDX

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Re: Solar Cycle Sunspot Number Progression
« Reply #2 on: May 17, 2022, 0342 UTC »
Looks promising on the graph, but personally I'm not hearin' much of the resulting improved DX, at least not yet.
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Offline BoomboxDX

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Re: Solar Cycle Sunspot Number Progression
« Reply #3 on: June 28, 2022, 2139 UTC »
I still am not hearing the results like I heard in 2011, when -- at least according to this graph -- the sunspot numbers were roughly comparable.... and this is with the same, or better equipment.

That said, the climb of sunspot numbers in this cycle appears less 'jumpy' than the previous one, so perhaps once it all kicks in we'll see more dependable long distance reception on HF and MW.

One can hope.
An AM radio Boombox DXer.
+ GE SRIII, PR-D5 & TRF on MW.
The usual Realistic culprits on SW (and a Panasonic).

Offline ThaDood

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Re: Solar Cycle Sunspot Number Progression? Another update.
« Reply #4 on: August 06, 2022, 1758 UTC »
FWD, from K8RRT:   https://www.onallbands.com/solar-cycle-25-update-what-hams-should-know/   Just a slight warning that there's some DX Engineering pitching at the end of this.
I was asked, yet another weird question, of how I would like to be buried, when I finally bite the big one. The answer was actually pretty easy. Face-down, like a certain historical figure in the late 1980's, (I will not mention who, but some of you will get it, and that's enough.) Why??? It would be a burial that will satisfy everyone: (1) My enemies will say that it will show me where to go. (2) On the same point, I can have my enemies kiss my butt. (3) It will temporarily give someone a place to park a bicycle. See??? A WIN / WIN for everyone.

Offline BoomboxDX

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Re: Solar Cycle Sunspot Number Progression
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2022, 0339 UTC »
About 2-3 afternoons ago I heard my first snippet of Latin American CB Outbanders talkin' from country to country. It was weak, and there was a lot more fading than in 2011-2012, but at least it was there. Pretty sure I heard at least one guy from Costa Rica, and I'm in the PNW, so it's a sign that perhaps the cycle is starting to kick in.

Obviously, there are probably less CBers, even in Latin America, than there were ten years ago, but there should be enough of them wanting to shoot skip that the Outband should be fairly lively if the propagation permits.

I've heard at least three decent signals from Europe on 20 meters over the past couple weeks, so there's that, too.
An AM radio Boombox DXer.
+ GE SRIII, PR-D5 & TRF on MW.
The usual Realistic culprits on SW (and a Panasonic).

Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: Solar Cycle Sunspot Number Progression
« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2022, 1221 UTC »
Latin American 11m signals have been fairly common here the entire year, although not all day long. Also the occasional opening to Europe, but I haven't encountered one in the past few weeks.
Chris Smolinski
Westminster, MD
eQSLs appreciated! csmolinski@blackcatsystems.com
netSDR / AFE822x / AirSpy HF+ / KiwiSDR / 900 ft Horz skyloop / 500 ft NE beverage / 250 ft V Beam / 58 ft T2FD / 120 ft T2FD / 400 ft south beverage / 43m, 20m, 10m  dipoles / Crossed Parallel Loop / Discone in a tree

Offline BoomboxDX

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Re: Solar Cycle Sunspot Number Progression
« Reply #7 on: November 02, 2022, 0537 UTC »
Latin American 11m signals have been fairly common here the entire year, although not all day long. Also the occasional opening to Europe, but I haven't encountered one in the past few weeks.

One reason for the difference between our reception experiences is probably the latitude. I'm above 47N, Maryland is centered around 39N, plus the general time zone / geographical advantage (ET is closer to South American time zones).

But still, me hearing Latin American outbanders is a sign that prop is slowly picking up. During the sunspot lull it was deadsville, as was much of the SW spectrum many nights and mornings.
An AM radio Boombox DXer.
+ GE SRIII, PR-D5 & TRF on MW.
The usual Realistic culprits on SW (and a Panasonic).

Offline BoomboxDX

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Re: Solar Cycle Sunspot Number Progression
« Reply #8 on: December 01, 2022, 0949 UTC »
The last couple weeks have been touch and go. At least three separate nights / mornings where the ionosphere sounded like frying eggs, with the US domestics barely readable and even MW sucked, more or less. One evening / a.m. WWV on 10 Mhz was completely MIA, and I never experienced that before the downturn in the last cycle around 2017. Since the downturn, it seems to happen at least once or twice a month.

So in the northern tier latitudes, we're not out of the woods yet.

But you turn on the radio, tune around, never know what you just might hear. There are surprises that happen, even when the SW bands are down, down, down.
An AM radio Boombox DXer.
+ GE SRIII, PR-D5 & TRF on MW.
The usual Realistic culprits on SW (and a Panasonic).

UncleJohn

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Re: Solar Cycle Sunspot Number Progression
« Reply #9 on: December 01, 2022, 1729 UTC »
Don't know if or how relevant the following is but last moi checked (a couple days ago) 27 megahertz cb had lots of chatter...still, & most all of it from pretty much anywhere east of the Rockies, especially the southern U.S. up to this area.

Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: Solar Cycle Sunspot Number Progression
« Reply #10 on: December 01, 2022, 1819 UTC »
As I am typing this, the SSN is... 12. That's it, 12.
Chris Smolinski
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eQSLs appreciated! csmolinski@blackcatsystems.com
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Offline ~SIGINT~

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Re: Solar Cycle Sunspot Number Progression
« Reply #11 on: December 02, 2022, 0036 UTC »
00:00 UTC 02 DEC 2022

The SSN is still at 12 and the Kp is at 5. This is ok for short distances but definitely not so good for any long distance work. There will be a bit of a window of opportunity between 08:00 to 11:30 UTC followed by 15:00 to 20:00 UTC. Obviously, all subject to change.





Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: Solar Cycle Sunspot Number Progression
« Reply #12 on: December 02, 2022, 1247 UTC »
The SSN is up to 49 now with a new sunspot rotating into view. A few C class flares so far.
Chris Smolinski
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Offline ~SIGINT~

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Re: Solar Cycle Sunspot Number Progression
« Reply #13 on: December 02, 2022, 1654 UTC »
There are 2 associated RSS feeds which I monitor in my RSS feed reader from the Government of Canada - Space Weather Canada which may be of interest to people.

References:
https://spaceweather.gc.ca/
https://www.spaceweather.gc.ca/rss-en.php

Geomagnetic Activity / Forecast RSS Feed:
"Notifies you of our latest Geomagnetic Activity forecast. This includes storm watches, current conditions, and the forecast for the next 6 hours."
http://spaceweather.gc.ca/rss_feed/rss_feed_eng.xml

Storm Watch RSS Feed
"Notifies you of Geomagnetic Activity Storm Watches."
http://spaceweather.gc.ca/rss_feed/rss_feed_warning_eng.xml

If anyone knows of other related RSS feeds I would be interested in the links.

Offline RobRich

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Re: Solar Cycle Sunspot Number Progression
« Reply #14 on: December 05, 2022, 1105 UTC »
SSN is 93 at the moment. 2022 has only had one day so far with zero measured sunspots.

About the solar cycle, another marker is averaged monthly neutron counts, which have been trending downwards this year. Detected neutrons from cosmic rays are inverse to increased solar activity strengthening the sun's magnetosphere.

https://cosmicrays.oulu.fi/
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