‰ NOW 18 WPM transition file follows‰ A single new Solar Cycle 25 sunspot appeared over the past week, January 1 through January 8. NOAA did not record or number the new spot until January 2, but Spaceweather.com indicated sunspot region 2755 began on January 1. Then another new Solar Cycle 25 spot emerged on Thursday, January 9 with a daily sunspot number of 14. I was excited to see Spaceweather.com post Solar Cycle 25 Continues to Intensify. Average daily sunspot number rose from 3.1 to 8.4. The solar flux average rose insignificantly from 71.7 to 71.8. Geomagnetic indicators were slightly higher, with average planetary A index increasing from 3.1 to 6.3, and average middle latitude A index rising from 2 to 5.3. Predicted solar flux for the next 45 days is 74 on January 10 to 12, 72 on January 13 to 25, 70 on January 26 through February 7, and 72 on February 8 to 22 and 70 on February 23. Predicted planetary A index is 8 on January 10, 5 on January 11 and 12, 8 on January 13, 10 on January 14 and 15, 8 on January 16, 5 on January 17 to 31, then 8, 8 and 5 on February 1 to 3, 10 on February 4 to 6, 5 on February 7 to 9, 10 on February 10 and 11, 5 on February 12 to 22 and 8 on February 23. Propagation has been quite interesting this week with unexpected happenings on 160 through 10 meters. On January 6th there was a good but poorly attended 15M opening to Europe, OK2PAY in the Czech Republic was worked 599 at 1354Z followed by IW5EKR/m on 15 SSB at 1403Z. I also worked VA2RF in Quebec just north of the ME border. I strongly suspect a sporadic E on the NA end to F2 link for this opening. I then had a big run of about 20 European stations in western EU on 20M SSB 1530 to 1630Z, although 1630Z is a bit late for good conditions. The 7th seemed down from normal, but I did work France, Spain, and Daniel ZD7DL on St. Helena Island on 17M around 1600Z. Last evening, January 8, there was strong sporadic E on 10 meters SSB from 2200 to 2225Z logging stations in MS, TX, MO, NE, WI, KS, IL, MN, and IA. After a dinner break at 2322Z, I logged 3D2AG/p on Rotuma Island at 2322Z on 17M CW about 80 minutes past sunset thanks to the Es to F2 link to the west. Starting 2327Z there was a best it ever gets opening to Europe on 160 meters CW. IK5ZUK in Italy averaged S9 plus 20dB and I also worked very loud IK5ZUL and Romania, Spain, England, Denmark, and Sweden. Today, the 9th, there was another very intense sporadic E opening on 10 SSB from 2126Z until past 0135Z logging stations in KS, MN, GA, western KY, MO, WI, IL, MI, AL, TN, and two in nearby OH, and AR. At 0117Z, LA5MIA in northern Norway was logged S7 on Auroral Es. There was very little Es from December 16 through January 5, so these openings were quite a pleasant surprise. Many stations with simple antennas were S9 or better. The Kp index rose to 4, which aided to produce auroras over the southern Canadian provinces that stretched from coast to coast with a solar flux index of 74. It seems that Solar Cycle 25 is very slowly intensifying out of its slumber. There are news articles about the transition to Solar Cycle 25 and the W1PJE MIT lecture on solar physics and HF propagation on //bit.ly . Sunspot numbers were 13, 13, 11, 11, 11, 0, and 0, with a mean of 8.4. 10.7 cm flux was 71.9, 71.2, 72.2, 71.8, 70.5, 71.6, and 73.7, with a mean of 71.8. Estimated planetary A indices were 3, 6, 6, 9, 9, 5, and 6, with a mean of 6.3. Middle latitude A index was 2, 6, 5, 7, 9, 4, and 4, with a mean of 5.3. ‰ END OF 18 WPM transition file ƒ