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    Value Significance

A  Index	K  Index	Condition
0 -  7	0-2	Quiet
8 - 15	3	Unsettled
16 - 29	4	Active
30 - 49	5	Minor Storm
50 - 99	6	Major Storm
>100	7-9	Severe Storm

SFI	A  Index	K  Index	Propagation   Opening
>180	< 8	< 3	E-W Open
>180	< 8	> 3	N-S Open
>250	>30	> 3	Aurora

Glossary of Banner Terms:

1. SFI - Solar Flux Index (62.5 < value < 300; updated 3 times per day)
2. SN - Sunspot Number (0 < value < 250; updated daily)
3. A - Planetary A Index (0 < value < 400; updated daily)
4. K - Planetary K Index (0 < value < 9; updated 8 times per day)
5. X-Ray - Hard X-Rays (order of magnitude: A<B<C<M<X; 0.0 < value < 9.9;
    updated 8 times per day)
6. 304A - Relative strength of total solar radiation at wavelength of 304 Angstroms
    (0 < value < unknown; updated hourly)
7. Ptn Flx - Proton Flux (0 < value < unknown; updated hourly)
8. Elc Flx - Electron Flux (0 < value < unknown; updated hourly)
9. Aurora - F-layer ionization in polar regions
    (0 < value < 10++; updated every 15 minutes)
10. n - Always 1.99, being removed in next banner update
11. Bz - Bz Component (-50 < value < +50; updated hourly)
12. SW - Solar Wind (0 < value < 1000; updated hourly)
13. HF Conditions
    • Day and Night Conditions (value Poor, Fair, or Good)
14. VHF Conditions
    • Aur Lat - Aurora Latitude (<45 < value < 67.5; updated every 15 minutes)
    • Aurora (value Band Closed, High LAT AUR, or MID LAT AUR;
       updated every 30 minutes)
    • 6m/4m/2m
       EsEU [Sporadic E Europe] (value Band Closed, High MUF when only
        2M open, 50/70/144MHz ES when respective band is open;
         updated every 30 minutes)
       EsNA [Sporadic E North America] (value Band Closed, High MUF,
        144MHz ES; updated every 30 minutes)
    • EME Deg - Earth-Moon-Earth Degradation - EME path attenuation
       (value Very Poor [>5.5dB], Poor [4dB], Moderate [2.5dB], Good [1.5dB],
        Very Good [1dB], Excellent [<1dB]; updated every 30 minutes)
    • Solar Flare Prb - Solar Flare Probability (0% < value < 100%;
       updated every hour)
    • MUF - Maximum Usable Frequency bar (value Gray=No Sporadic E,
       Blue=ES reported @6M, Green=ES reported @4M,
       Yellow=conditions support 2M ES, Red=ES reported @2M;
        updated every 30 minutes)
    • MS - Meteor Scatter Activity bar (value Gray=no activity,
       scale shows minimum to maximum color code; updated every 15 minutes)
15. Geomag Field - Geomagnetic Field (value Inactive, Very Quiet, Quiet, Unsettled,
     Active, Minor Storm, Major Storm, Severe Storm, Extreme Storm;
      updated every 3 hours)
16. Sig Noise Lvl - Signal Noise Level (value in S-units; updated every 30 minutes)
17. MUF US Boulder - Maximum Usable Frequency at Boulder, Colorado
     (0 < value < 100 MHz; updated every 15 minutes)

Addition information:

1. https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation
2. https://www.hamqsl.com/FAQ.html#Solar - Scroll down to "Where can I find
    information on the data provided in the banner?"
3. https://www.hamqsl.com/solar2.html#glossary - Glossary of solar banner terms
4. https://qrparci.org/resource/FDIM81.pdf - Solar Activity & HF Propagation

 Updated 06/06/2024  │  Email webmaster  │