THE HANDIMAN'S GUIDE TO SOLAR/GEOMAGNETIC CONDITIONS
                       from Paul Harden, NA5N

    GEOMAGNETIC INDICES AND CONDITIONS
    ===============================================================
    |  Kp   |    Ap     | GEOMAGNETIC      |    HF    |           |
    |Index= |  Index=   | FIELD CONDITIONS |   NOISE  |  AURORA   |
    |------ |-----------|------------------|----------|-----------|
    |   0   |   0 -  2  | Very Quiet       |   S1-S2  |   None    |
    |   1   |   3 -  5  | Quiet            |   S1-S2  | Very Low  |
    |   2   |   6 -  9  | Quiet            |   S1-S2  | Very Low  |
    |   3   |  12 - 18  | Unsettled        |   S2-S3  |   Low     |
    |   4   |  22 - 32  | Active           |   S3-S4  | Moderate  |
    |.......|...........|..................|..........|...........|
    |   5   |  39 - 56  | MINOR Storm      |   S4-S6  |   High    |
    |   6   |  67 - 94  | MAJOR Storm      |   S6-S9  | Very High |
    |   7   | 111 -154  | SEVERE Storm     |   S9+    | Very High |
    |   8   | 179 -236  | SEVERE Storm     | Blackout |  Extreme  |
    |   9   | 300 -400  | EXTREMELY SEVERE | Blackout |  Extreme  |
    ===============================================================

    Kp= Planetary K-index, averaged over past 3 hours and tends
        to be a measure of current conditions
    Ap= Planetary A-index, 24-hour average and represents overall
        geomagnetic field conditions for the UTC day
    HF Noise= approximate "S-meter" noise level <10 MHz.
    Aurora - Approximate level of auroral activity
        High conditions usually extends to:      Latitude 45 deg.
        Very High conditions extends to about:   Latitude 35 deg.
        Extreme conditions can extend to below:  Latitude 35 deg.

    SOLAR WIND averages 350-450 km/sec and density <10 p/cm^3
        >500 km/sec or high density can trigger geomagnetic activity
    SHOCK WAVE from a solar flare or Coronal Mass Ejection (CME)
        arrives at the Earth about 55 hours after the solar event.


    SOLAR FLARE CLASSIFICATIONS
    ===============================================================
    |  FLARE  |  TYPE OF   |     HF RADIO     |    RESULTING      |
    |  CLASS  |   FLARE    |     EFFECTS      | GEOMAGNETIC STORM |
    |---------|------------|------------------|-------------------|
    |    A    | Very small |       None       |       None        |
    |    B    | Small      |       None       |       None        |
    |    C    | Moderate   | *Low  absorption | *Active to Minor  |
    |    M    | Large      | *High absorption | *Minor to Major   |
    |    X    | Extreme    | *Poss. blackout  | *Major to Severe  |
    ===============================================================
    *Conditions cited if Earth is in trajectory of flare emissions

    Flare class further rated from 1-9, ex. M1, M2, M3 ... M9
      The larger the number, the larger the flare within that class
    An X7-X9 is considered a "Grand daddy" flare.  Only a few have
      occured over the past 30 years and causes total dispruptions
      to communications, huge aurora's, power grid failures, etc.
    Radio and x-ray emissions from a flare effect the Earth for the
      duration of the solar event, usually 30 minutes or less.
    The Earth is 8 light minutes from the Sun.

    SUNSPOT/ACTIVE REGION CLASSIFICATIONS
    ===============================================================
    | SUNSPOT|    DESCRIPTION OF       |      POTENTIAL FOR       |
    | CLASS  |  THE ACTIVE REGION      |      FLARE ACTIVITY      |
    |--------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
    | Alpha  | Unorganized, unipolar   | Little threat, but       |
    |        |  magnetic fields        |  watched for growth      |
    | Beta   | Bipolar magnetic fields | C class flares and       |
    |        |   between sun spots     |  possible large M class  |
    | Delta  | Strong, compact bipolar | High potential for a M   |
    |        |  fields between spots   |  or X class major flare  |
    |        |                         | Major Flare Alert issued |
    ===============================================================