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Sunspot activity and solar flux dropped this reporting week,
November 4 to 10, with the average daily sunspot number retreating
from 67.6 to 36.4, and solar flux from 102 to 89.1. Geomagnetic
indicators rose, average daily planetary A index from 12 to 18, and
middle latitude values from 9 to 11.7.  When the planetary and
middle latitude A index were 69 and 42 on November 4, Alaskas
College A index was a whopping 131. College K index peaked at 9 on
that day. K index is logarithmic, so each point in the scale
represents a big difference in activity. The A index is linear, and
based upon the K index.  The K index is reported every three hours,
and the College K index on November 4 was 5, 5, 8, 9, 8, 5, 3 and 2.
This was all caused by what Spaceweather.com called a Cannibal CME,
because it was a CME overtaken by a second larger and faster moving
coronal mass ejection.  At 1701 UTC on November 9 a CME eruption
just over the Suns western horizon emitted enough energy to cause a
shortwave radio blackout.  A picture can be seen at,
//www.spaceweather.com/images2021/09nov21/blackoutmap.jpg .
Predicted solar flux is 86 on November 12, 85 on November 13 to 16,
84 on November 17, 83 on November 18 and 19, 90 on November 20, 95
on November 21 to 27, 90 on November 28 and 29, 85 on November 30
through December 2, 82 on December 3 and 4, 85 on December 5, 82
again on December 6 to 9, 80 on December 10 and 11, 85 on December
12, and 87 on December 13 to 15. Flux values may peak at around 95
on December 18 to 24.  Predicted planetary A index is 5 on November
12 to 15, 8 on November 16 and 17, 5 on November 18 to 27, then 10,
10 and 8 on November 28 to 30, 5 on December 1 to 4, 8 on December
5, 5 on December 6 to 9, then 7, 7, 10 and 8 on December 10 to 13,
and 5 on December 14 to 24.  Dont know why I had not noticed this
before.  But take a look at, //stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/10year/ .
Unfortunately, only one of the two spacecraft remains, but it is
still a very useful tool.  See, //stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/ .  Good
conditions on 17 meters Sunday afternoon November 7. I found the
HD8R Galapagos Island DXpedition on 18.147 MHz SSB loud with few
callers. Was able to work them easily with 5 watts and mobile whip
at 2022 UTC. Sometimes a DXpedition is easier to work on the WARC
bands.  Space weather near Earth is calm, but the Sun is not quiet.
This week, SOHO coronagraphs have observed multiple CMEs billowing
over the western edge of the Sun. The source is a farside sunspot
group, probably the same one that produced a strong M2 class solar
flare on November 9th. Earth is not in the line of fire, for now.
Another great video report from Dr. Tamitha Skov, WX6SWW, the Space
Weather Woman, can be found online at, //youtu.be/ .  Sunspot
numbers were 28, 40, 41, 28, 41, 40, and 37, with a mean of 36.4.
10.7 cm flux was 93.8, 92.8, 82.1, 87.5, 88.3, 92, and 87.5, with a
mean of 89.1. Estimated planetary A indices were 69, 13, 18, 6, 5,
7, and 8, with a mean of 18. Middle latitude A index was 42, 9, 13,
4, 3, 6, and 5, with a mean of 11.7.

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