SB PROP @ ARL $ARLP020   
   ARLP020 Propagation de K7RA   
      
   ZCZC AP20   
   QST de W1AW     
   Propagation Forecast Bulletin 20  ARLP020   
   From Tad Cook, K7RA   
   Seattle, WA  May 18, 2012   
   To all radio amateurs    
      
   SB PROP ARL ARLP020   
   ARLP020 Propagation de K7RA   
      
   Look at the archive on http://www.spaceweather.com/. On the upper   
   right side of the page, it is accessed by selecting a date on the   
   three drop-down fields. Now step day-by-day through the past week to   
   see the progression of a considerable number of sunspots. The spots   
   are in the Daily Sun image on the left side of the page.  There was   
   one new sunspot group on May 10, two on May 11, four more on May 13,   
   and another on May 15.   
      
   Average daily sunspot numbers for the past week rose nearly 25   
   points, or about 27%, to 117.3. The big day was Monday, May 14 when   
   the daily sunspot number jumped to 156. This was the day after four   
   new sunspot groups, numbered 1481 through 1484 arrived.   
      
   Average daily solar flux rose 12 points to 131, an increase of 10   
   percent.   
      
   For the near term, predicted solar flux is 135 on May 18-20, 130 on   
   May 21-22, 125 on May 23, 120 on May 24, 115 on May 25-31, 120 on   
   June 1, 125 on June 2-3, 130 on June 4, 135 on June 5-9, and 130 on   
   June 10-12.   
      
   Projected planetary A index is 15 on May 18, 8 on May 19, 5 on May   
   20-22, 8 on May 23, 5 on May 24 through June 4, then 8, 12, 18, and   
   10 on June 5-8, 5 on June 9-11, and 8 on June 12-13.   
      
   Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJu3a2C5zwo for a wonderful   
   video of sunspot group 1476 as it transits the Sun over the week of   
   May 5-11.  The images also have a lovely orchestral accompaniment.   
      
   If you plan to be in Washington, DC on June 5, 2012, you may want to   
   attend the Space Weather Enterprise Forum 2012, held at the National   
   Press Club.   
      
   See details at http://www.nswp.gov/swef/swef_2012.html.   
      
   The "Monster Sunspot" (group 1476) is all over the news, and on the   
   web as well at   
   http://www.space.com/15736-monster-sunspot-solar-flare-satellites.html.   
   Be sure to follow the story all the way down the page below the   
   video.   
      
   A large scale photo of the spot - taken a week ago on May 11 - is at   
   http://news.discovery.com/space/big-pic-sun-space-weather-sunspo   
   -eruption-12051   
   1.html.   
      
   Don't miss a National Geographic article and photo gallery on solar   
   activity at   
   http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/06/solar-storms/ferris-text .   
      
   Sunspot size comparisons are all the rage this week, including this   
   article from Universe Today:   
   http://www.universetoday.com/95232/how-big-are-sunspots/.   
      
   Jim Hadlock, K7WA of Seattle, Washington is now in a limited antenna   
   space, and just uses a couple of 17 meter mobile whips pointing out   
   horizontally from a center feedpoint. Jim writes: "It's not that   
   great an antenna - I often hear west coast stations working DX that   
   I cannot hear myself. I check the band a couple of times a day for   
   activity since I'm trying to work 100 DXCC entities this year   
   (2012). Tuesday I worked number 50 (Scotland) and yesterday around   
   local noon (1718Z) I worked Brunei. In addition to listening on the   
   band for activity, the NCDXF Beacons at 18.110 MHz and W1AW at   
   18.0975 MHz provide a check on real-time propagation."   
      
   If you would like to make a comment or have a tip for our readers,   
   email the author at, k7ra@arrl.net.   
      
   For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL   
   Technical Information Service web page at   
   http://arrl.org/propagation-of-rf-signals. For an explanation of the   
   numbers used in this bulletin, see   
   http://arrl.org/the-sun-the-earth-the-ionosphere. An archive of past   
   propagation bulletins is at   
   http://arrl.org/w1aw-bulletins-archive-propagation. Find more good   
   information and tutorials on propagation at   
   http://myplace.frontier.com/~k9la/.   
      
   Monthly propagation charts between four USA regions and twelve   
   overseas locations are at http://arrl.org/propagation.   
      
   Instructions for starting or ending email distribution of ARRL   
   bulletins are at http://arrl.org/bulletins.   
      
   Sunspot numbers for May 10 through 16 were 93, 102, 85, 138, 156,   
   125, and 122, with a mean of 117.3. 10.7 cm flux was 130.7, 136.4,   
   129.5, 130.5, 130, 129 and 130.9, with a mean of 131. Estimated   
   planetary A indices were 12, 12, 10, 12, 6, 5, and 9, with a mean of   
   9.4. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 11, 10, 8, 10, 7, 5, and   
   8, with a mean of 8.4.   
   NNNN   
   /EX   
      
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   Providing   emergency   communications  assistance  to  your   
   neighbors and community isn't just a good thing to do,  it's   
   the first and foremost activity recognized in the U.s. rules   
   governing amateur radio in 47 CFR section 97.1. IF you enjoy   
   amateur  radio  remember  that  this  is  an  obligation you   
   tacitly agreed to when you acquired your license.   
      
      
      
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