Spectacular X-class Solar Flare & WCGA 1100 Test


Les Rayburn
 

See the email from Spaceweather.com below. A powerful X-Class flare occurred on the Sun this morning, causing a radio blackout on shortwave briefly. 20 Meters was nearly unusable for an hour or so. 

It’s unclear how that will impact medium wave conditions later today when the WCGA test begins at Midnight EDT (0400 UTC). But generally, X-Class flares result in higher levels of D-layer ionization, which means that it dissipates more slowly at sunset. Long-distance reception on MW is less likely in these conditions. 

This isn’t really a surprise. The sun has been extremely active of late, but we had hoped for a reprieve until after the test tonight. 

Remember, the greater the challenge—the larger the reward. See you all tonight and Good DX! 

73,

Les Rayburn, N1LF
121 Mayfair Park
Maylene, AL 35114
EM63nf

NRC & IRCA Courtesy Program Committee Chairman
Member WTFDA, MWC

Perseus SDR, Elad FDM-S2 SDR, AirSpy + Discovery, SDRPlay RSP-2 Pro, Sony XDR-F1HD [XDR Guy Modified], Dennon TU-1500RD, Sangean HDT-1X, Ray Dees RDS Decoders, Korner 9.2 Antenna, FM-6 Antenna, Kitz Technologies KT-501 Pre-amps, Quantum Phaser, Wellbrook ALA1530 Loop, Wellbrook Flag, Clifton Labs Active Whip. 

“Nothing but blues and Elvis, and somebody else’s favorite song…” 

Begin forwarded message:

Subject: Spectacular X-class Solar Flare
Date: April 30, 2022 at 12:19:00 PM CDT
To: <les@...>

Space Weather News for April 30, 2022
https://spaceweather.com
https://www.spaceweatheralerts.com

X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: The sun produced another X-class solar flare today. Even though the responsible sunspot was located behind the edge of the sun, enough radiation reached our planet to cause a strong shortwave radio blackout. Learn more about today's explosion @  Spaceweather.com.

Don't miss another solar flare: Subscribers to our Space Weather Alert Service received a text message about today's X-flare while it was happening.
Above: Debris from today's X-class solar flare. Credit: NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory
ShareShare
TweetTweet
ForwardForward
Copyright © 2022 Spaceweather.com, All rights reserved.
You are subscribed to the Space Weather mailing list, a free service of Spaceweather.com

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list
 


Bruce Conti
 

On Sat, Apr 30, 2022 at 5:56 PM Les Rayburn <les@...> wrote:
A powerful X-Class flare occurred on the Sun this morning, causing a radio blackout on shortwave briefly. 20 Meters was nearly unusable for an hour or so. 
It’s unclear how that will impact medium wave conditions later today when the WCGA test begins at Midnight EDT (0400 UTC). But generally, X-Class flares result in higher levels of D-layer ionization, which means that it dissipates more slowly at sunset. Long-distance reception on MW is less likely in these conditions.

"Long-distance reception on MW is less likely in these conditions."  Not entirely true.  This could actually enhance long distance reception to the south.  Often a geomagnetic disturbance will subdue northern signals which in this case could reduce co-channel interference from 50 kW WTAM for DX'ers in the eastern U.S.

--
Bruce Conti
B.A.Conti Photography www.baconti.com
¡BAMLog! www.bamlog.com


Les Rayburn
 

Bruce,

Aurora conditions typically take time to develop, and I think the flare is occurring too close to the start of the test to have much hope of significant Au conditions to develop. But any degradation of the WTAM signal would be welcome. It might also help those in Europe. 

I’m expecting poor to below-average conditions but would love to be surprised. Conditions the past few nights have been pretty good. Last night had really solid signals coming from the SW and West here. 


73,

Les Rayburn, N1LF
121 Mayfair Park
Maylene, AL 35114
EM63nf

NRC & IRCA Courtesy Program Committee Chairman
Member WTFDA, MWC

Perseus SDR, Elad FDM-S2 SDR, AirSpy + Discovery, SDRPlay RSP-2 Pro, Sony XDR-F1HD [XDR Guy Modified], Dennon TU-1500RD, Sangean HDT-1X, Ray Dees RDS Decoders, Korner 9.2 Antenna, FM-6 Antenna, Kitz Technologies KT-501 Pre-amps, Quantum Phaser, Wellbrook ALA1530 Loop, Wellbrook Flag, Clifton Labs Active Whip. 

“Nothing but blues and Elvis, and somebody else’s favorite song…” 

On Apr 30, 2022, at 2:19 PM, Bruce Conti <contiba@...> wrote:

On Sat, Apr 30, 2022 at 5:56 PM Les Rayburn <les@...> wrote:
A powerful X-Class flare occurred on the Sun this morning, causing a radio blackout on shortwave briefly. 20 Meters was nearly unusable for an hour or so. 
It’s unclear how that will impact medium wave conditions later today when the WCGA test begins at Midnight EDT (0400 UTC). But generally, X-Class flares result in higher levels of D-layer ionization, which means that it dissipates more slowly at sunset. Long-distance reception on MW is less likely in these conditions.

"Long-distance reception on MW is less likely in these conditions."  Not entirely true.  This could actually enhance long distance reception to the south.  Often a geomagnetic disturbance will subdue northern signals which in this case could reduce co-channel interference from 50 kW WTAM for DX'ers in the eastern U.S.

--
Bruce Conti
B.A.Conti Photography www.baconti.com
¡BAMLog! www.bamlog.com