‰ NOW 25 WPM ‰ TEXT IS FROM MARCH 2014 QST PAGE 91 ‰ AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION FALL MEETING IN SAN FRANCISCO, CA DECEMBER 9 13, 2013 FALLMEETING. AGU. ORG/2013. THE SUN IS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ACTIVITY MAXIMUM THAT IS RELATIVELY WEAK. THE MAXIMUM PHASE ENDED IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE OF THE SUN AND BEGAN ABOUT A YEAR AGO IN THE SOUTH. THE WEAK ACTIVITY OF CYCLE 24 IS THOUGHT TO BE DUE TO THE WEAK POLAR MAGNETIC FIELD IN CYCLE 23. IF THIS TREND CONTINUES FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF CYCLES, THE SUN MAY BE HEADING FOR A GLOBAL MINIMUM. WHETHER GLOBAL MINIMUM OR NOT, THE WEAK SOLAR CYCLE HAS RESULTED IN MILDER SPACE WEATHER THERE ARE NOT MANY LARGE GEOMAGNETIC STORMS AND THE ENERGETIC PARTICLE EVENTS ARE ALSO GENERALLY OF LOWER INTENSITY. THE MILDER SPACE WEATHER ALSO REDUCES THE DRAG ON SATELLITES AND IT IS EASY TO KEEP THEM IN ORBIT. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE SPACE DEBRIS ALSO HAVE LONGER LIFE, POSING INCREASED COLLISION THREAT TO OPERATING SATELLITES. THE WEAK SOLAR ACTIVITY IN TERMS OF THE ‰ END OF 25 WPM TEXT ‰ QST DE W1AW ƒ