‰ Now 18 WPM transition file follows ‰

This week several new sunspots appeared for five days, but they were
all leftover spots from cycle 23, not new cycle 24 spots.  But this
is okay, because at the sunspot minimum we appreciate any spots we
can get.  May 16 to 20 saw daily sunspot numbers of 34, 23, 30, 28,
and 23.  Keep in mind that a sunspot number of 34 does not mean
there were 34 sunspots last Friday.  Instead, the numbers represent
a somewhat arcane calculation that accounts for the number of
sunspot groups and the size of each group.  The count gets 10 points
for each sunspot group, and one point for each spot within the
groups, the designation of these different areas within the groups
seeming somewhat arbitrary to a layman such as myself.  So 34 could
mean that there are three darkened areas, with one of them counting
as two spots, the other two just one each.  Presumably the same
number would describe the sun with two darkened areas facing Earth,
and each counting for seven spots.  Thirty plus four is the same as
twenty plus fourteen, but this week there were three areas.  For at
least a couple of weeks the U.S. Air Force and the NOAA Space
Weather Prediction Center forecast a planetary A index of 25 for May
21, but on May 20 the prediction was downgraded to 15.  The actual
planetary A index for that day was 13, while the mid latitude A
index was 9 and Alaskas College A index, taken near Fairbanks, was
19.  The earlier number was based on an expectation of returning
coronal holes and solar wind streams, which proved to be weaker than
expected.  Currently they expect quiet geomagnetic conditions and
another prediction for a planetary A index of 25 just before the
start of summer, on June 17.  Geophysical Institute Prague calls for
unsettled conditions May 23 to 24, quiet to unsettled May 25, quiet
May 26, quiet to unsettled again on May 27 to 28, and unsettled for
May 29.  Right now we are in the main sporadic E skip season, and we
have reports.  Mike Shaffer, KA9JAW of Tampa, Florida regularly
sends reports of television DX, and sends video and audio recordings
as well.  On channel two he has been receiving Dominican Republic,
at 2230 to 2315z, and a Canadian channel from Toronto, about 1,100
miles from his home.  This week an email arrived from Richie Ranta,
K8JX of Grand Rapids, Michigan asking about some material about
sunspots and propagation for his clubs newsletter, The Open Feed
Line, from the Michigan Amateur Radio Alliance.  Sunspot numbers
were 0, 34, 23, 30, 28, 23, and 0 with a mean of 19R7.  10R7 cm flux
was 71R1, 71R6, 71R2, 71R6, 68R9, 68R6, and 69R1 with a mean of
70R3.  Estimated planetary A indices were 4, 4, 2, 3, 8, 10 and 13
with a mean of 6R3.  Estimated mid latitude A indices were 2, 3, 1,
2, 5, 7 and 9, with a mean of 4R1‚

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