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ARRL W1AW bulletins, Fri Oct 30, 10:00 AM MDT (1600Z)
ZCZC AP44 QST de W1AW Propagation Forecast Bulletin 44 ARLP044 From ARRL Headquarters Newington, CT October 30, 2026 To all radio amateurs SB PROP ARL ARLP044 ARLP044 The ARRL Solar Report Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels in the coming days, according to NOAAis Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), as one sunspot region (4561) rotated out of view and a second (4562) was quiet and in decay. No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed. The geomagnetic field has been quiet, although an enhancement is expected late on October 30, with a minor geomagnetic storm possible on the 31st, as a result of a recurrent equatorial positive-polarity coronal hole high-speed stream (CH HSS). The Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre predicts normal to fair HF propagation conditions for the middle latitudes, with generally quiet conditions on the Sun. The W3LPL Propagation Forecast from the Daily DX is predicting mostly normal propagation on the 15- through 80-meter bands -- good DX during the day on 15, 17, and 20 meters; and at night on 30, 40, 60, and 80 meters -- with generally poor DX on 12 and 10 meters as the maximum usable frequency (MUF) dips below 24 MHz due to low sunspot activity. Weekly Commentary on the Sun, the Magnetosphere, and the Earth's Ionosphere, October 29, 2026, by F. K. Janda, OK1HH: Solar activity is gradually declining in the second half of October, as expected. The decline will continue into early November, with Class C solar flares still occurring infrequently. Class M flares may continue to occur on rare occasions. The next increase in solar activity is not expected until the second half of November. In the meantime, there will continue to be isolated and generally brief spikes in geomagnetic activity, which will be difficult to predict with precision. The Predicted Planetary A Index for October 30 to November 5 is 5, 30, 20, 10, 5, 5, and 10, with a mean of 12.1. The Predicted Planetary K Index is 2, 5, 4, 3, 2, 2, and 3, with a mean of 3.0. 10.7 centimeter flux is 84, 84, 84, 82, 82, 82, and 82, with a mean of 82.9. For more information concerning shortwave radio propagation, see www.arrl.org/propagation and the ARRL Technical Information Service web page at www.arrl.org/propagation-of-rf-signals. For an explanation of numbers used in this bulletin, see www.arrl.org/the-sun-the-earth-the-ionosphere. Information and tutorials on propagation can be found at http://k9la.us. Also, check this: "Understanding Solar Indices" from September 2002 QST. https://bit.ly/3Rc8Njt NNNN
https://www.arrl.org/w1awbulletinspropagationissue?issue=2026-10-30&code=ARLP044