06-10-2014, 09:27 AM
We have had two X Class Solar Flares this morning. The first was just about 7:44 this morning and peaked at X2.2.
As I write this an X1.5 class solar flare peaked at 8:52 AM.
Both seem to be around new sunspot 2087 which is on the eastern limb of the sun and has just appeared in the last day or so. It was shown to produce an eruption when it was just off the eastern limb Sunday so some activity was expected. This flare will traverse the solar disc and be with us for about 6 days. If it stays magnetically complex it could product more activity this week so this may be boost to conditions for the VHF contest this weekend.
You can follow solar activity at a number of web sites including SolarHam.com at http://www.solarham.net/ and also get instant flare observations at NOAA's D Region Absorption Predictions web page at http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/drap/index.html . Both of these are two of my favorite sites for getting solar information and using them you can have a heads up on what the bands are going to be like and when they are going to be "hot" or "cold". Also check out N0NBH's page at http://www.hamqsl.com/solar.html where you can download a nice desktop gadget that gives current solar band conditions and is updated with NOAA's WWV Solar Flux numbers as they change. This is another tool to aid in determining band conditions.
Enjoy
-73-
Al - N1API