‰  NOW 18 WPM transition file follows‰

We just saw 15 straight days with visible sunspots, but it ended on
Wednesday, August 29 with a sunspot number of zero.  There were also
no sunspots seen on Thursday, the following day.  According to
Spaceweather.com, in 2018 so far weve seen 134 days, 55 percent,
with no sunspots.  For all of last year, in 2017 there were 104
days, 28 percent overall, with no sunspots.  During the last solar
minimum, there were 528 days with no sunspots in 2008 and 2009, or
about 72.2 percent of the days over the entire two years with no
activity.  The past reporting week, August 23 to 29, saw the average
daily sunspot number rise to 17.7, from 13 over the prior week.
Average daily solar flux rose from 67.5 to 70.6.  Average daily
planetary A index rose from 10.1 to 19.9, while average mid latitude
A index rose from 10.4 to 13.4.  For HF operations, we want to see
high solar flux and sunspot numbers, and low A index, a measure of
geomagnetic instability.  On Sunday, August 26 we saw high A index
numbers from an unexpected crack, opening in Earths magnetic field.
Solar wind spewed forth and the planetary A index rose to 76.
During this period the planetary K index, a component of the A
index, rose to 7 over a six hour period.  Seven is a big K index
number.  The middle latitude A index for the day was 34.  But Alaska
felt the full force of the geomagnetic storm, with an A index in
Fairbanks, the College A index, of 90, a very high number.  The
College A index hasnt been that high since September 8, 2017 when it
reached 110.  Spaceweather.com reported new sunspot group 2720 is
the first large spot of the next solar cycle, cycle 25.  The
magnetic polarity is reversed from the polarity of sunspots in cycle
24.  K9LA, Carl Luetzelshwab noted that the latest spot was not a
high latitude event, which would be expected for a new cycle spot.
Carl said there was a new spot possibly from the new cycle on April
10, but it was very short duration.  Way back on December 20, 2016
the first spot from the new cycle appeared.  Predicted solar flux is
68 on August 31 through September 7, 67 on September 8 and 9, 68 on
September 10 and 11, 69 on September 12, 70 on September 13 to 22,
69 on September 23 to 25, 67 and 68 on September 26 and 27, 67 on
September 28 through October 6, then 68, 68 and 69 on October 7 to
9, and 70 on October 10 to 14.  Predicted planetary A index is 5 on
August 31 through September 2, 8 on September 3 and 4, 5, 5, and 8
on September 5 to 7, 5 on September 8 to 10, then 15 on September 11
and 12, 12 on September 13 and 14, then 10, 12 and 8 on September 15
to 17, 5 on September 18 to 21, then 12, 18, 12, 10, 8 and 5 on
September 22 to 27, 8 on September 28 and 29, 5 on September 30
through October 3, 8 on October 4, 5 on October 5 to 7, then 18 on
October 8, 15 on October 9 and 10, 12 on October 11, 10 on October
12 and 13, and 8 on October 14.  Geomagnetic activity forecast for
the period August 31 to September 26, 2018 from F. K. Janda, OK1HH.
Monthly propagation charts between four USA regions and twelve
overseas locations are at //arrl.org/propagation.  Instructions for
starting or ending email distribution of ARRL bulletins are at
//arrl.org/bulletins.  Sunspot numbers were 15, 29, 31, 26, 12, 11,
and 0, with a mean of 17.7.  10.7 cm flux was 69.5, 72.4, 71.6,
71.1, 69.6, 69.8, and 70.5, with a mean of 70.6.  Estimated
planetary A indices were 5, 5, 11, 76, 26, 10, and 6, with a mean of
19.9.  Estimated mid latitude A indices were 5, 7, 12, 34, 20, 9,
and 7, with a mean of 13.4.

‰  END OF 18 WPM transition file ƒ