Sunspot Number Highest Since November 2003!

[Steve - K4HX]

The daily sunspot number hit 220 yesterday. The number has not been that high since 1 November 2003.

Should be FB conditions on the high bands this weekend.

[K1JJ]

Wow.

How does 220 relate to the numbers in this historical chart?

Are we looking at the same thing here or is the chart counting spots some other way, like the monthly average?  Nov 11th's single day 220 number exceeds most of the previous cycle PEAKS.  What am I missing?

Gonna fire up the 10M AM rig tmw for sure and beam west.

T

[Tom WA3KLR]

Very interesting.  Usually the sunspot number is about 75 % of the solar flux number (179 now).
I've always assumed that the sunspot number had become a polynomial conversion of the more easily measured solar flux, but apparently not.  I guess aliens have landed on the sun.

[Steve - K4HX]

The 220 is the daily number. The chart is probably the monthly average.

Check the link below. Seems the cycle might not be that much different than the last cycle in the early stages.


http://hfradio.org/images/cycle23vs24_progress-lg.jpg

[Tom WA3KLR]

Here's another historical graph.  I don't know where I got it from.  The sunspot numbers are a little lower.

[WU2D]

Is it getting that good? Is it time to get our the 1 Watt 50.4 MC suppressor grid modulated 6BH6 from the old Sams book - 101 Easy Ham Radio Projects? The article opens: "You will not be QSO'ing Germany with this rig but surprised at the 6M fun you will have with this completely self contained 6M rig. Already snagged 40 states etc..."

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I think the last "good" 6 meter opening was back around the end of August. Band has been very "quiet"(nice word for dead).

[Steve - K4HX]

From this week's ARRL propagation report.


Another sunspot number record for Cycle 24 was shattered on
Wednesday, November 9 when the daily sunspot number reached 220.
This is the highest the daily sunspot number has been in over eight
years. The last time the sunspot number was higher than 220 was
November 1, 2003 when the number was 277. The next day (November 10)
the daily sunspot number dropped back to 164.

Two days prior to the sunspot number reaching 277 in 2003, the
sunspot number was 330, a much harder record to beat.

Average daily sunspot numbers this week rose over 53 points compared
to last week, to 153.4. Average daily solar flux rose nearly 39
points to 173.7.