Solar Flares and their Effects

Channel Hopper

Channel Hopper

Suffering fools, so you don't have to.
Staff member
My Satellite Setup
A little less analogue, and a lot more crap.
My Location
UK
As I have been chatting with others on the present activity, I thgought it polite to give out these links that are relevant and up to date for the way the Sun is toying with the Earth

For the history and some spectacular graph plots , have a look at

http://www.dxlc.com/solar/ - updated whenever the two observatory satellites give new data

This present Sun-cycle is quickly becoming the most violent in recorded history, with the speed of the solar winds approaching earth at their fastest ever (the one way trip is now down to 17 hours)

One Japanese satellite has already been damaged and SOHO - parked in the gravitational equal orbit between the two masses, is sending corrupted data, approxiklately 30 minutes before the actual solar wind arrives here

Aviation authorities are posting warnings about increased radiation during commecial flights, and some are now being rescheduled.

Aurorae are also being observed where they have never been seen before, so it the sky is clear in the early evening as it gets dark, you may witness a truly wonderful set of effects.
 
How in God's name did someone work out where this orbit for SOHO was, how far it needs to be from earth and how far it needs to be from the sun. Did they have to take in to account it's weight? How did they work out what speed it should moving at.

Or am I the only guy around here with half a brain.

Don't answer that CH.
 
Luckily the point at which SOHO is placed (one of the Langrangian points ) is mathematically easy to pick , as there is plenty of data that exists from orbits and Keplarian elements. Keeping the craft on station once there requires small bursts of fuel, just like geostationary orbits.

http://www-spof.gsfc.nasa.gov/Education/wlagran.html
 
Will the two inner planets pull at soho when they come around near it?

True.....have been trying to spelll them for the last 5min. M+V and gave up.
 
Milli and Vanilli were last seen near Earth in the mid nineties

Not much chance of them playing with the satellite
 
I believe the same set of spots will give this planet another roasting when they reappear later this month on the other side of the Sun.

Propgation of radio signals is my next project, time to dust off the old shortwave Eddystone 740

Keep tuned

Eddystone Model 740 Receiver.

General Description:Eight tube( valve ),four band communications receiver,released 1950.Power supplies:A.C. 110 and 200-250 volts.I.F.450kc’s.Coverage 550-1200kc’s,1.5-3.2 Mc’s,4-9 Mc’s,and 12 –28Mc’s.
 
As predicted, the activity of late last month has reappeared from the far side of the sun and is about to baste us once again. The next twelve or so days are going to be rather interesting for propogation experts
 
Hi CH

Reference valves, you used to call them tubes, my lot called them "bottles". All that heat from the set up helped to keep the "shack" warm.

73's GMBP:)
 
I have had a bit of a run lately on valve radios

Our local refuse collection point (OK the dump) has received a number of them. Most are scrap, but a couple yield working circuits and panels that a woodworm has just started on.

Looking forward to some better weather so that the restoration can go ahead in the garden.
 
Suns getting a bit lively again, after quite a long rest.
 
Channel Hopper said:
I believe the same set of spots will give this planet another roasting when they reappear later this month on the other side of the Sun.

Propgation of radio signals is my next project, time to dust off the old shortwave Eddystone 740

Keep tuned

Eddystone Model 740 Receiver.

General Description:Eight tube( valve ),four band communications receiver,released 1950.Power supplies:A.C. 110 and 200-250 volts.I.F.450kc’s.Coverage 550-1200kc’s,1.5-3.2 Mc’s,4-9 Mc’s,and 12 –28Mc’s.
Click to expand...
An Eddystone 740 !!???
Happy times..!!!
I currently have an 1155n (n= Navel version.. (RAF Airsea rescue and all that,) hence its made of aluminium, I bought in 1954, the type "n" version was a rare beast then and must be even more so now)

John
 
This link appears to have a reference to both receivers

http://freespace.virgin.net/mark.roper/receivers.htm

Interesting that the 1155 was used in the Avro Lancaster among others.

(Price of all machines in the US seems a bit high as well)

Now to dust off the old Lafayette 80 and see if she works.
 
This web site has some info about satellites that have been zapped by solar flares over the years:

http://www.sat-index.com/failures/

plus all the others that have died suddenly for assorted reasons
Telstars with a "4" in their number seem to be exceptionally accident prone..:)
 
I used to wear Solar Flares.... until my ankles were burnt off.



I'll get my coat....
 
Channel Hopper said:
This link appears to have a reference to both receivers

http://freespace.virgin.net/mark.roper/receivers.htm

Interesting that the 1155 was used in the Avro Lancaster among others.

(Price of all machines in the US seems a bit high as well)

Now to dust off the old Lafayette 80 and see if she works.
Click to expand...

I used to have an old Army R208 RX (10 - 60 MHz) which I bought as a schoolkid, when you could buy loads of Army surplus stuff from Wireless World magazine for a few quid. My first attempt at satellite reception (Sputnik 1, 19.999 MHz)!
I then bought a nice new Eddystone 840C, a cut down version of the 940, and a bit deaf owing to lack of a first RF stage, but adding a homebrew preselector sharpened it up nicely. Still have it, recently treated it to a new set of valves and the usual interstage capacitor refit and IF retrim.
Best of all, it has that superb tuning dial found on its big brother.

Llew
 
Well the 8th Novewmber is the day of reckoning. The Earth is in direct line of a number of coronal mass ejections, and the Russian news agency is putting out a number of warnings for the areas nearer the North pole.

Some believe the damage that comes as a result of these flares striking the earth is already happening. Anyone had problems with internet access, car starting or satellie reception in the past 12 hours ?
 
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