AmateurRadio.com

Here is this week’s space weather and geophysical report, issued 2015 Nov 02 0132 UTC.

Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 26 October – 01 November 2015

Solar activity was at low levels on 26-30 October and 01 November with numerous C-class events, primarily observed from Region 2443 (N07, L=316, class/area Fkc/650 on 01 Nov). An isolated M1/Sf (R1-Minor) flare was observed on 31 October at 1752 UTC from Region 2443. On 29 October, Type II (estimated 972 km/s shock velocity) and Type IV radio emissions were detected at 0219 UTC and 0230 UTC, respectively. SOHO/LASCO C2 imagery observed a non Earth-directed CME off the SW limb at 29/0236 UTC, believed to be associated with the Type II and Type IV radio activity.

A short-lived greater than 10 MeV at greater than or equal to 10 pfu proton event was observed on 29 October. The event began at 29/0550 UTC, reached a maximum of 23 pfu at 29/1000 UTC and ended at 29/1700 UTC. Coincident with this event was a short-lived greater than 100 MeV at greater than or equal to 1 pfu event. This event began at 29/0435 UTC, reached a maximum of 2 pfu at 29/0610 UTC and ended at 29/0930 UTC. Both of these events were most likely associated with activity just beyond the SW limb described above.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal levels on 26, 30-31 October and 01 November with moderate levels obsered on 27-29 October.

Geomagnetic field activity was predominately at quiet levels with some unsettled periods observed on 30-31 October and 01 November. Solar wind parameters reflected a mostly nominal environment with wind speeds ranging from a high of 483 km/s at 26/1145 UTC to a low of 287 km/s at 29/0746 UTC. Total field strength ranged from 1-10 nT while the Bz component did not vary much beyond +/- 7 nT. Phi angle was in a positive (away) orientation from the beginning of the period through early on 28 October when a switch to a negative (towards) sector was observed. Phi switched back to a positive sector at about 29/1915 UTC and remained so through the balance of the summary period.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 02 November – 28 November 2015

Solar activity is expected to be at predominately low levels with moderate levels (R1-R2.Minor-Moderate) likely through the outlook period. Region 2443, through 10 November, and the return of old Regions 2434 (S09, L=165) on 07 November and 2437 (S18, L=098) on 12 November are likely to produce M-class activity through the outlook period.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit in the absence of any siginifcant flare activity.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high to very high levels on 02-13 November due to an enhanced solar wind environment as a recurrent, trans-equatorial coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) becomes geoeffective. Normal to moderate levels are expected from 14-28 November.

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to began the period at G1 (Minor), G2 (Moderate) and G3 (Strong) levels on 02 November followed by G1 to G2 levels on 03 November as a recurrent, trans-equatorial CH HSS impacts Earth. Unsettled to active levels are expected on 04-06 November as CH HSS effects wane. Unsettled to active levels are expected on 13-14 November and 16-17 November due to periods of southward Bz and a weak positive polarity CH HSS. Quiet to unsettled levels are expected for the remainder of the outlook period.

Don’t forget to visit our live space weather and radio propagation web site, at: http://SunSpotWatch.com/

Live Aurora mapping is at http://aurora.sunspotwatch.com/

If you are on Twitter, please follow these two users: + https://Twitter.com/NW7US + https://Twitter.com/hfradiospacewx

Get the space weather and radio propagation self-study course, today. visit http://SunSpotWatch.com/swc for the latest sale and for more information!

Check out the stunning view of our Sun in action, as seen during the last five years with the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXN-MdoGM9g

We’re on Facebook: http://NW7US.us/swhfr

Visit, subscribe: NW7US Radio Communications and Propagation YouTube Channel

It is a known fact that China has been cutting through import red tape for many years now. We have all purchased Baofeng's, cheap electronic components, tablets, computer hardware and many other items that we all have bought directly from China to benefit our radio hobby.


Ticking the CN22 as a gift, or marking down the value of items, is in effect deceiving the import rules. It appears that this activity has not gone unnoticed by the UK VAT man, and some traders are complaining about this practice too, saying that they cannot fairly compete. Could the door be about to close!








There are quite a few articles on this doing the rounds today, this is the best one I have found that sums it all up:  http://www.pressexaminer.com/uk-troubled-by-chinese-sellers-on-ebay-and-amazon-as-christmas-approaches/77476



Steve, G1KQH, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from England. Contact him at [email protected].

It is a known fact that China has been cutting through import red tape for many years now. We have all purchased Baofeng's, cheap electronic components, tablets, computer hardware and many other items that we all have bought directly from China to benefit our radio hobby.

It appears this activity has not gone unnoticed by the UK VAT man, and some traders are complaining about this practice too that they can't fairly compete, could the door be about to close!








There are quite a few articles on this doing the rounds today, this is the best one I have found that sums it all up:  http://www.pressexaminer.com/uk-troubled-by-chinese-sellers-on-ebay-and-amazon-as-christmas-approaches/77476



Steve, G1KQH, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from England. Contact him at [email protected].

30m WSPRing

On Sunday I found some time to get on the radio and I found there was not to much happening on the bands. I had some other things I could do while on the PC so I started up WSPR just to see how the bands were doing. I gave 30m a go starting around 3pm local time and really there were no spots of my signal. At around 5pm local things began to pickup and I was being heard across the pond. I was using 5 watts and I understand that is very high for WSPR but I wanted to see how the loop antenna would do with that type of power. I would like to use WSPR to see when each of the bands peaks in my area and this would mean a few weekends of WSPRing from morning to evening to see if I can pickup a pattern for good propagation from my location. Just as a side note I'm not sure where W0AY is located.....seems to be out in the ocean?? I did look his call up on QRZ.COM and found his home QTH to be in Montana so not to sure why he is out in the ocean.........maybe M/M?? I did email Laurence to see if in fact he was M/M or if WSPR was just a bite confused last evening.  
Mike Weir, VE9KK, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Brunswick, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].

“The starship hypothesis is a very interesting one, and the one which seems to be the most popular one on the internet,” said Sverre Holm, a professor of signal processing at the University of Oslo. “Such theories always excite our imagination, but it builds on a very poor data set. Unfortunately I believe it says more about human imagination than anything else.”

Although scientists have yet to settle on a final explanation for these mysterious echoes, Holm believes this is has less to do with a lack of scientific knowledge than a lack of willpower.

“I think that with today’s satellites and sensors, the mystery of Long Delayed Echoes (LDEs) could probably be solved,” he said. “What’s holding us back is most likely the problem is not considered important enough—it doesn’t occur often enough and doesn’t affect important enough forms of communications.”

These are excerpts from an interview in an article entitled “Radio Ghosts Have Haunted the Airwaves for Nearly a Century” on Motherboard Vice written by Daniel Oberhaus. It builds on a web page that I created some years ago after having spent days studying the archives from the 20’s of professor Carl Størmer at the National Library in Oslo.

Sverre Holm, LA3ZA, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Norway. Contact him at [email protected].

“The starship hypothesis is a very interesting one, and the one which seems to be the most popular one on the internet,” said Sverre Holm, a professor of signal processing at the University of Oslo. “Such theories always excite our imagination, but it builds on a very poor data set. Unfortunately I believe it says more about human imagination than anything else.”

Although scientists have yet to settle on a final explanation for these mysterious echoes, Holm believes this is has less to do with a lack of scientific knowledge than a lack of willpower.

“I think that with today’s satellites and sensors, the mystery of Long Delayed Echoes (LDEs) could probably be solved,” he said. “What’s holding us back is most likely the problem is not considered important enough—it doesn’t occur often enough and doesn’t affect important enough forms of communications.”

These are excerpts from an interview in an article entitled “Radio Ghosts Have Haunted the Airwaves for Nearly a Century” on Motherboard Vice written by Daniel Oberhaus.

Sverre Holm, LA3ZA, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from Norway. Contact him at [email protected].

After building the house here on Mayne Island, in the early 90's, it was several years until I was able to set up a dedicated station. In the meantime, I limited my radio activities strictly to listening. I had a nice Icom R-71A set up in a hall closet and spent my radio-time, mostly on weekend evenings, listening to maritime CW, HF aeronautical traffic and, of course, NDBs below the broadcast band. My HF receiving antenna consisted of three inverted-V's ... one for 160m, the second for 80m and the third for 40m ... all fed from the same coaxial line at the top of a 70' Balsam. It didn't take long to realize what an exceptional radio location I had, living right at the edge of the ocean, with dozens of miles of saltwater in most directions other than due west.


I really enjoyed following evening airline flights across both the North and South Atlantic, and in the early winter afternoons, following the commercial air-traffic all over Africa. Even though listening on 5 or 6MHz, I was amazed at how strong the signals from airliners over Africa at 30,000 feet or more could become, this far to the west. In the early mornings, directions were reversed and traffic from the far east, right into India, was fairly common. Often, small single-engine planes, usually run by various missionaries, could be heard while on the ground, taxiing at remote field locations and calling in via HF radio to request takeoff and flight-following.

Now, QSL's have always been one of my top radio interests and it wasn't long before I started sending and collecting verifications for both the aircraft and the ships I was hearing ... once I had figured out how to get my reception reports to their proper destinations. A very small portion of my 'utility' QSL collection is shown below. For the most part, it consists of PRC's or 'Prepared Reply Cards', with blank portions to be filled-in by the verification signers. Surprisingly, my return rate was around 90% and verifications were often returned with long, hand-written letters and numerous photographs ... especially from the ship RO's, as I suspect their days at sea were often quite monotonous. Even many of the military and commercial aircraft pilots would return a handwritten note along with the filled-in verification card, which I found even more surprising. It seemed that most were very surprised to hear that their radio transmissions were even making it this far and could be heard so readily.

Some of the most interesting catches came from the Pacific, with a large variety of ships operating out of Japan. There are probably still several maritime CW stations operating in Japan. Many of these were owned and operated by commercial fishing companies and could be heard working fleet vessels throughout the Pacific on their daily CW skeds.

This interesting catch from the North Pacific was the Japanese 'fisheries research vessel' 'M/V FUJI MARU'. She was about 1200 miles NW of her CW contact, JNA in Tokyo.


A Japanese cruise-ship, the 'M/V ORIENT VENUS' was logged early one summer morning while working JNA on 8355 KHz CW. Her position indicates she was in the Mariana Islands.







One of my first catches from the Great Lakes
was the 'M/V Oglebay Norton', a huge bulk
carrier out of Detroit. Her 150W signal was loud and clear late one August evening while in contact with WLC, Rogers City Radio.




The U.S. Coast Guard is still one of the best QSLers around.
Several of their stations will QSL with a nice printed card.
NMC (San Francisco) and NMO (Hawaii) were two
catches, regularly heard on the old 500 KHz calling
frequency.


Stormy weather often provided a good chance
to catch a search and rescue mission in progress.

'Rescue 6008' was an HH-60J helo enroute from
Chesapeake Bay to Elizabeth City, North Carolina during
a midnight rescue operation.




Although not my farthest HF maritime catch,
this was one of the most surprising. 'C4PC'
was heard early one February evening on 8 MHz CW, when conditions seemed terrible. No other ships were heard on the band at the time. As I learned later, the 'M/V MAIROULI' was at anchor near Beirut, Lebanon, a distance of nearly 7,000 miles from Mayne Island.

                                                                .... cont'd
Steve McDonald, VE7SL, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from British Columbia, Canada. Contact him at [email protected].