HF News
With a solar flux index in the 130s and autumnal HF conditions, this is probably as good as it will get at this point in the current solar cycle. So make sure you’re on the air to make the most of it.
Ten metres has been humming with FT8 signals. While these have not been as loud as we might like, this weak signal mode means stations are still workable. The KQ2H 10m repeater in New York State on 29.620MHz has been audible at times, although probably not strong enough to hear in FM mode. Switch to SSB and you will probably hear its signal, especially around lunchtime. Those with a 10m beam may do better.
The SFI has climbed into the 130s, although the NOAA forecast is less favourable. New regions 4574 and 4575 are not considered much of a threat for solar flares at this time.
The Kp index has mostly been below three, which has helped a lot. There have been seven M-class solar flares over the past week and numerous C-class events, so not too much to worry about.
DX to be worked this week includes E51A (South Cook Islands), C8K (Mozambique), 3X4U (Guinea), VK9XY (Christmas Island), and later in the week, A31TD (Tonga), 3B9/M0CFW (Rodriques) and VK9DS (Cocos Keeling).
A little closer to home there are still intrepid climbers operating mountain summits using QRP equipment who would love a call. See https://sotawatch.sota.org.uk/en/. It is relatively easy to work the European summits on 40m and perhaps 20m.
Next week, NOAA predicts that the SFI may reduce to be in the range 90-100. Geomagnetic disturbances are predicted for the 17-19, with a maximum Kp index of five. Otherwise, we can expect more settled conditions with a Kp around two.
There are still occasional problems with data supply for the graphs in Propquest, although the other pages appear to be working fine. It is believed that the issues are with a server beyond our influence, but work continues to address this. It is worth checking the full set of three sites, since it may be an individual ionosonde that is missing.
Meanwhile, start preparing your antennas for the CQ Worldwide CW contest, which is on November 28 – 29.
VHF and up
The weather pattern for the coming week will offer a changeable sequence of cold and bright, with milder cloudier and wetter weather in between. It may become quite windy at times and it appears likely that Tropo will not be part of the story next week.
This unsettled weather probably means that rain scatter will feature for the GHz bands at times. The prospects for meteor scatter are once again reasonable, with the Taurids peaking last week and the Leonids due to peak next Wednesday, November 18th; both are associated with the comet Tempel-Tuttle. This is quite a broad period of activity so it should sustain meteor scatter operators for the week, or longer.
The solar activity has continued to offer some coronal holes and pushed the Kp index up to three, but it would really need to reach Kp=5 to get some interest in aurora prospects.
Another aspect of unsettled weather can also be significant jet stream activity and this will be true next week. In recent weeks there have been a few digital mode Es QSOs reported and with such strong jet streams (believed to have a role in Es) there is every reason to check the 10m and 6m bands for the occasional surprise out-of-season signal. Out of the main summer Es season the usual timings are not guaranteed, but anytime from mid-morning through midday to the afternoon.
EME now, and we have passed minimum Moon declination and apogee for the month, so path losses are falling again and Moon window length and peak Moon elevation are increasing. By midweek, the Moon will be visible for around 10 hours from around lunchtime onwards. 144 MHz sky noise ended last week high, but will fall to low as the week progresses.