EUROPE
This report is issued directly to KC4COP (www.zseltvay.com) from the
Australian Space Forecast Center. Data is re-published on this
Web Site for the convenience of the amateur radio community
Click on Image to go to enlarged SIDC Solar Map
with Sunspots clearly shown and Numbered (442 KB)
SUBJ: IPS DAILY EUROPEAN HF PROPAGATION REPORT
courtesy smiley central
The Following information is intended to be used for 12 - 13 Jan 2007
SUBJ: IPS DAILY EUROPEAN HF PROPAGATION REPORT
ISSUED AT 12/0630Z JAN 2007 BY IPS RADIO AND SPACE SERVICES
FROM THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE FORECAST CENTRE
EUROPEAN REGION SUMMARY AND FORECAST
MUF SUMMARY/FORECAST INFORMATION IN THIS REPORT IS AUTOMATICALLY
GENERATED FROM REGIONAL IONOSPHERIC DATA
1. SUMMARY FOR 11 01 07
Flares: none.
PCA Event : No event.
Observed T index: 19
Observed European Region MUFS:
Mostly near predicted monthly values,
2. FORECAST FOR 12 01 2007
Forecast T index: 40
Forecast European Region MUFS:
Initially today: Near predicted monthly values.
Rest of day: Near predicted monthly values
IPS Radio and Space Services
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Explanation below is from the Web Site's Sunspot Counting Methods page.
Following the explanation of foF2, Current Solar and Geomagnetic Conditions are listed BELOW
General Note - Applies to All Global Reports using Ionosonde Measurements.
One new way used to determine solar activity is to measure the effects that
solar activity has on the ionosphere. Ionospheric Profiling uses relatively
easily measured ionospheric properties in place of calculating the effects of
solar activity by counting sunspots.. An example is the ionosonde. The
ionosonde gives a real-time ionospheric profile. Among other things, the
ionosonde is relatively simple to operate, measurements are relatively easy to
interpret, and its use eliminates some of the guess work in determining solar
activity by doing away with measurements such as the K-coefficients and Wolf
adjustments.
The foF2 value is the highest frequency that a vertically radiated signal will
be reflected off of the F2-Layer of the ionosphere back to Earth. It does not
measure radio wave refraction since a radio wave may be turned away from
traveling in a straight line (refracted) as it passes from one medium
(concentrated ionic gases) into another - and still travel into
space without being reflected back to earth.
Any portion of a radio wave still usable for communications at another location
on Earth is reflected off of the Earth. It is not refracted off of the Earth's
surface.
A radio wave traveling from the Earth's surface into the ionosphere first
undergoes some refraction (bending away from a straight line of travel as it
goes from one medium into another) before it can be reflected back toward Earth
The device used to make the measurement is called a ionosonde. The measurement
is the ionogram.
The foF2 value is measured at a number of points around the Globe. Many
measuring points are used because the value changes frequently and varies widely
with location and time of day. These measured values are called
ionograms. Comments about ionograms and maps displaying values
obtained are frequently found throughout the Web Site.
f=observed
frequency
o=using
the "ordinary" wave (radio waves traveling through the
ionosphere
are split by the geomagnetic force into two
parts. The
components are known as "ordinary" (o)
and
"extraordinary" (x).
(x=refers to extraordinary waves and
but for this comment is ignored here)
F=height
of F2 layer
How well is the height of the F2 reflection known and how well is the maximum
frequency that will be returned back to Earth known (MFU - maximum usable
frequency)? Quiet well is the answer to both questions. Ionosonde instruments
are wide spread and operate using standard methods. Their common mode of
operation allows a ham to bootleg off of a signal. Signals from ionosondes at
known locations can be used to determine the MUF near the ham's ionosonde receiving
station.
The
ionosonde data that IPS used to produce the above map of the European region
come from:
-
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica in Rome
-
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (Ionosondes Group) in England
-
Institute of Space Applications and Remote Sensing, National Observatory of Athens in Greece.
"The highest (see note) frequency which the ionosphere will reflect vertically is called foF2. These foF2 measurements from various sites can be used to create a map of foF2."
"The above map can be used as a guide to NVIS ionospheric frequency support." IPS
Ionospheric Maps:
Additional Data for Europe is on these following pages
Go to Global Geophysical Conditions and Forecast Page 1
Go to Global Geophysical Conditions and Forecast Page 2
Go to Satellite page