SOLAR BURSTS !

[+ADKSherpa]

Check This Out !!!!!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17950932/

Edited April 15, 2007 by EagleO-10

[+EraSeek]

The newer generation sats (of which two or three are currently in place) have increased shielding and stronger signal strength. More are on the way.

[Neo_Geo]

Anybody know what time the storm hit (Eastern Standard Time), and how long the effects lasted?

[+N8OFP - Del]

There is no specific time or day that these storms will take place. The solar cycle is an 11 year cycle of solar activity. This is nothing new, it has been going on forever.

 

There are always solar storms taking place and causing issues with radio communications, the past couple years have been at the lowest point for solar activity. The activity will be increasing over the next few years until it hit a peak. At it's peak the solar storms can and do interfer with Radio, TV, GPS, Satelite Radio, almost anything that relies on radio transmitter. If the storm is strong enough it can even cause power outages. According to this article the upcoming storms during this next peak maybe stronger that storms in the last previous peaks. Stronger Solar Storms Predicted; Blackouts May Result

 

Do a Google search for Solar Cycle, or Solar Storms to find more information.

[+Timpat]

Anybody know what time the storm hit (Eastern Standard Time), and how long the effects lasted?

In the last few days the solar activity has been very low. I always refer to this Space Weather site when planning any GPS survey sessions.

[+TrailGators]

Anybody know what time the storm hit (Eastern Standard Time), and how long the effects lasted?

In the last few days the solar activity has been very low. I always refer to this Space Weather site when planning any GPS survey sessions.

Intereresting. I'll take my GPS out during the next storm to see the effect firsthand.

[Neo_Geo]

There is no specific time or day that these storms will take place. The solar cycle is an 11 year cycle of solar activity. This is nothing new, it has been going on forever.

I wasn't asking for a prediction of the next one, I was asking when this particular storm hit.

[+EScout]

The original referenced article did not predict an upcoming storm. It talked about one in December and general info on the current cycle. We are near the bottom of cycle 23. This has relevance for my Ham Radio club in our meeting today planning what stations to run in the 2007 Field Day event in June. Casual GPS users like us do not have to be concerned with occasional solar storms.

eHam's site is good because it gives many links for further info. As yyou can see, A an K are very low and no storms are predicted. The Solar Terrestrial Activity Report is a good link.

 

eHam Propagation Page

[WR8Y]

More stupidity from pMSNBC.

 

The GPS system dates back to before the 91 Gulf war.

 

The solar cycle has been going on for billions of years; the last solar peaks were in 1990 and 1999, yet the GPS system - and the rest of our technology survived.

 

All of science knows about the solar cycle, and our space-based communications systems have ALWAYS been designed with "solar weather" in mind.

 

More sensational journalism - relax, everyone.

[+EraSeek]

If you ever want to know if something is going on, go here: http://www.sec.noaa.gov/rt_plots/kp_3d.html and if its up in the red, it is.

[SandyGarrity]

I would say heavy rain, we have a lot of that in the West Coast of Scotland, is more of a threat.

[John E Cache]

Up here in the north. We can see a side benefit of solar wind.

 

Another way of showing solar wind activity is talked about on the Google Earth Blog

Edited April 17, 2007 by John E Cache

[Neo_Geo]

I would say heavy rain, we have a lot of that in the West Coast of Scotland, is more of a threat.

How would heavy rain be a threat to a satellite???

[+whitecrow]

I would say heavy rain, we have a lot of that in the West Coast of Scotland, is more of a threat.

How would heavy rain be a threat to a satellite???

 

Up, down links maybe?

[GeoidPS]

I would say heavy rain, we have a lot of that in the West Coast of Scotland, is more of a threat.

How would heavy rain be a threat to a satellite???

 

Up, down links maybe?

duh........Cloud cover, tree cover included

[John E Cache]

I would say heavy rain, we have a lot of that in the West Coast of Scotland, is more of a threat.

How would heavy rain be a threat to a satellite???

 

Up, down links maybe?

duh........Cloud cover, tree cover included

Call your duh and raise you another. How do clouds and trees harm a sat like solar wind does?