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  • CQ Amateur Radio

    PROPAGATION

    Mar 01, 2020 8 minutes
    BY TOMAS HOOD,* NW7US

    A Quick Look at Current Cycle 24 Conditions

    (Data rounded to nearest whole number)

    Sunspots:

    Observed Monthly, December 2019: 1

    12-month smoothed, June 2019: 2

    10.7-cm Flux:

    Observed Monthly, December 2019: 71

    12-month smoothed, June 2019: 70

    Ap Index:

    Observed Monthly, December 2019: 4

    12-month smoothed, June 2019: 6

    One Year Ago: A Quick Look at Solar Cycle Conditions

    (Data rounded to nearest whole number)

    Sunspots:

    Observed Monthly, December 2018: 2

    12-month smoothed, June 2018: 5

    10.7-cm Flux:

    Observed Monthly, December 2018: 70

    12-month smoothed, June 2018: 70

    Ap Index:

    Observed Monthly, December 2018: 7

    12-month smoothed, June 2018: 7

    During the daylight hours, the energy from the Sun ionizes our upper atmosphere, causing distinct layers of ionized gas to form. These layers, or regions, form the Earth’s ionosphere. The region closest to the Earth is called the D-region. Because this region generally absorbs some of the energy of a radio wave, the D-region is often called the absorption layer.

    Higher up in our ionosphere we find the E-region which plays a role in Sporadic-E (Es) propagation, as well as some absorption.

    Higher yet, we find the , which during the day splits into up to three different distinct regions, , , and , with the F3 primarily existing

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