Utility Planet is the official blog for the column of the same name in The Spectrum Monitor. It replaces Utility World in the discontinued Monitoring Times magazine. Utilities are all VLF/LF/MF/HF (and sometimes low-band VHF) radio communications except broadcasting, CB, and non-emergency amateur. If you understood the last sentence, you know enough to read this blog.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Solar Activity Picks Up
Cycle 23 active regions #987 and 988 have appeared from behind the sun's east limb, already with very large sunspots and one M-class flare. A third region is currently appearing. As this complex rotates more toward the center of the sun (as seen from Earth), there's a possibility for more activity. At a minimum, solar flux should go above 80 for the first time in quite a while (it's 79 right now), and with a southward Bz at present one can't discount the possibility of aurora should the solar wind increase.