rjr@mgweed.UUCP (Bob Roehrig) (01/30/85)
qst de k9eui hr propagation forecast bulletin nr 4 from arrl headquarters newington ct january 28, 1985 to all radio amateurs bt after almost no significant movement in more than 4 months, the solar flux rose from 70 on january 11 to 91 on the 20th. the biggest surprise was a single day jump from 76 to 91, but there was also a single day peak, and the flux was back to 72 by the 27th. effects of the higher flux were most pronounced on 21 mhz. this band had been marginal or worse through much of the fall and winter, but almost worldwide dx came back for a few days. there were minor dx flurries on 28 mhz, with only north south paths working, and those only briefly. by the 27th the flux was back down to 72. the game was over, at least for the present. as predicted last week, geomagnetic activity was erratically high, making for unstable prohagation in the higher latitudes. things improved after the 25th, but by then solar activity was back down to near quiet sun levels. for this week, propagation will be mildly unstable, improving to fair to good on january 31, and through about february 4. several fair to poor days will follow, the worst coming around february 6 and 7. generally more stable conditions, but with low muf, are due february 10 through 17. american sunspot numbers for january 17 to 23 were between 16 and 43 with a mean of 28.3 ar