Sunspot Cycle 24
Ham Radio Tonic!

Sunspot Cycle 24 is finally turned on ... but only after the longest solar minimum of the past 100 years!

This Page Covers
1. Cycle 24 Activity
2. Latest News on Solar Activity

The three-month sunspot moving average hit its lowest count in August 2008. No "significant" sunspot activity was observed ... until a sunspot persisted for five days at high latitudes before disappearing on June 4 2009.

Take a look at the latest picture showing sunspot activity!

The latest sunspot cycle 24 activity from the Solar And Heliosperic Observatory (SOHO).

Source: http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/eit_284/512/latest.jpg
For more info on the sun, visit: http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/classroom/classroom.html

Solar Cycle 24

An international panel of experts predicted, in June 2009, that Solar Cycle 24 would likely not produce a smoothed sunspot number exceeding 90!

The smoothed sunspot number (SSN) represents the average number of sunspots observed over a whole year.

SSN, A index, K index, solar flux, etc.?
What do the numbers mean?
I recommend this article by K9LA.

In comparison, cycle 23 had produced a maximum smoothed sunspot number around 160 in 2001 which, in itself, was less than the maximum observed during each of the two previous cycles.

In other words, we are told not to expect too much out of solar cycle 24. Time will tell.

But, hey! It's so quiet on HF during a solar minimum that any sunspot activity, and its beneficial effect of the "F" layer, will be very welcome indeed :-)

For regular information on solar activity and its effect on propagation, I recommend the
ARRL Propagation Forecast Bulletin
produced by Tad Cook, K7RA

To help you keep tabs on the latest developments in solar activity, here are the latest news articles related to Solar Cycle 24.