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<H1>Solar Cycle 24 where are you?</H1>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>The false start announced last year for the new Solar
Cycle 24 has been followed up with speculation of things like ‘double dip’
minima and even a new ice age for sunspots.<BR><BR>But let’s try to stay
positive and not subscribe to thoughts of another minimum of 70 years, as
occurred from 1645 to 1715, the only flat-lining in sunspot cycles since
records.<BR><BR>Looking back at the onset of previous cycles that followed
prolonged periods without sunspots, gives indication that Cycle 24 may have a
much greater start-up intensity.<BR><BR>Should it behave like Cycles 11 to 14 in
the 19th century there will be more years rising and a shorter period in
decline.<BR><BR>The latest prediction is that Cycle 24 will be begin in mid
2009. Stay tuned.<BR><BR>The prolonged solar minimum is also occurring at a time
of reports in the northern hemisphere of continued sporadic-E enhancement on
both the ten and six metre bands.<BR><BR>Greyline propagation on HF also is
experiencing a lack of geomagnetic disturbance which is a good thing.</FONT></P>
<P><BR><BR><FONT face=Verdana><EM><STRONG>Jim Linton VK3PC</STRONG></EM><BR><A
href="http://www.wia.org.au/" target=_blank>Wireless Institute of
Australia</A></FONT></P></FONT></BODY></HTML>