Solar activity
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 619
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From: Dorset, UK
On the TV this morning, some expert said that the solar flares could cause errors on aircraft compasses, of between 5 and 10 degrees.
Given my usual gash VRF navigation, would I even notice the difference???
Given my usual gash VRF navigation, would I even notice the difference???
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,068
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From: Brighton. UK. (Via Liverpool).
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,650
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From: Chichester, UK
It certainly could - the charged particles in a CME compress the Earth's magnetic field - but any effect would be fairly small, few degrees sounds about the maximum. Not enough for me to notice anyway.
<puts on tinfoil hat and heads down to the bunker>
<puts on tinfoil hat and heads down to the bunker>
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 616
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From: Essex, UK
LOL at you guys 
I had to go out and collect some parts so used the 196 in the car. All seems to be working fine, although signal strengths were a bit lower than normal.
A mate is in charge of the comms for the World Rally Champs. The flare wiped out all VHF communication on this weekend's Catalunya Rally and knocked Inmarsat's satelite out of alignment, meaning they couldn't track the competitors. The Inmarsat guy told him 1/1000th of a degree is a enough to lose all signal from it.
Shame its cloudy, I was looking forward to seeing the Basildon Borealis.
I had to go out and collect some parts so used the 196 in the car. All seems to be working fine, although signal strengths were a bit lower than normal.
A mate is in charge of the comms for the World Rally Champs. The flare wiped out all VHF communication on this weekend's Catalunya Rally and knocked Inmarsat's satelite out of alignment, meaning they couldn't track the competitors. The Inmarsat guy told him 1/1000th of a degree is a enough to lose all signal from it.
Shame its cloudy, I was looking forward to seeing the Basildon Borealis.
PPRuNe Handmaiden
Joined: Feb 1997
Posts: 4,913
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From: Duit On Mon Dei
I didn't notice any thing unusual this morning at 3am flying back from Germany. GPS was fine and the compass read normally too. Unfortunately we didn't see any "northern lights" either.
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 1,274
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From: Glen Prosen, Scotland
Well I spent a very pleasant spell in the back garden last night with the wife and a tinny of chilled Scrumpy Jack staring open-mouthed (when it wasn't full of cider you understand) at the Aurora Borealis. Very nice. No idea about radios and all that stuff though. I think I'll crack another couple tonight, or maybe a nice bottle of red. Oh, the agony of choice.....
