Solar Episode

[Aimless]

Is anyone experiencing problems as aresult of the solar episode??
http://www.cnn.com

My internet connections and cell phones are behaving strangely already.

[Derecho]

Sort of complicated to explain but all the media reports you've seen warning of a massive solar storm are basically bogus; someone at NOAA got excited yesterday, made a mistake in analyzing a solar flare, and then it got into the major media.

Right now there's only a "minor" geomagnetic storm, something that is fairly routine, and there don't appear any near-term prospects for anything more. There's really been no disruption of anything.

[Aimless]

Hmmm, and if I think about it... my internet connection is ALWAYS giving me trouble

[Lindaloo]

My internet connection lost power about 2:30. I shut down my PC and reset the modem and things were fine.

Thanks for your input Derecho. I was a bit worried this morning. Even went to the bank as soon as it opened. Glad it was just over dramatized.

[JCT777]

I have seen no effects, but I am hoping that what I heard about possibly being able to catch a glimpse of the northern lights this evening is true.

[Lindaloo]

Oh me too John. I have never seen "The Northern Lights" and am very anxious to view it.

[Scott_inVA]

Sort of complicated to explain but all the media reports you've seen warning of a massive solar storm are basically bogus; someone at NOAA got excited yesterday, made a mistake in analyzing a solar flare, and then it got into the major media.

Right now there's only a "minor" geomagnetic storm, something that is fairly routine, and there don't appear any near-term prospects for anything more. There's really been no disruption of anything.

I'm in overall agreement with Derecho with a minor exception to the final sentence.

WREL did receive a fax from a major cellular provider indicating they experienced "issues" (God, I hate that expression ) from 11AM through 4:15PM this afternoon. Forgive the WWBB X-post, but I noted some minor irritations today:

I am far from a solar scientist, but do work in broadcasting. Two FWIW observations:

1. Media/NOAA have grossly overhonked this potential event. Judging by calls to the stations and my email.... the Sun is the Confederate artillery at the 3rd day of Gettysburg and we are the Union front line about to be blown to bits. [sigh] The freak out is noticeable.

2. That said, satellite programs we carry (Limbaugh, ABC News, O'Reilly Radio Factor) are frequently clipping off this afternoon; these are not traditional "sunspot" blackouts. We operate several VirteX StarGuide II receivers with LED indicators that (according to our Chief Engineer) show brief periods of geomagnetic interference.

Other broadcasters likewise are experiencing similar anomalies but I don't think we're bacon in the microwave for 45 minutes.

Scott
WREL Radio
Lexington, VA

[Josephine96]

This is completely different but GO FISH not Yankees lol

[abajan]

The impact of these solar events can be quite difficult to predict. Some years ago there was supposed to be major disruptions because a much bigger burst of energy from the sun was heading straight for the earth. Well nothing happened because (luckily) the polarity was the same as the earth's magnetic field and it was repelled harmlessly.