Author Stephen King To Shutter Three Maine Radio Stations

Acclaimed author Stephen King has announced his decision to sell his three Maine radio stations. King, who first entered the industry in 1983, is stepping away from the business after four decades as part of an effort to “get his business affairs in better order” at age 77.

King and his wife, Tabitha, have owned and operated three Bangor-area stations under The ZONE Corporation name: WZON-AM, WKIT, and WZLO. The flagship station, WZON, first began broadcasting in 1926 as WLBZ. The Kings purchased the station in 1983, changed its call letters to WZON as a nod to King’s bestseller The Dead Zone, and introduced a Rock format.

The station never turned a profit and briefly became a donor-supported station before returning to a commercial model after the Kings reacquired it in 1993. King says the trio have consistently struggled financially and he has personally covered these losses throughout the years to keep the stations on the air.

Broadcasting operations for WZON, WKIT, and WZLO are set to cease on December 31.

King commented, “While radio across the country has been overtaken by giant corporate broadcasting groups, I’ve loved being a local, independent owner all these years. I’ve loved the people who’ve gone to these stations every day and entertained folks, kept the equipment running, and given local advertisers a way to connect with their customers. Tabby and I are proud to have been a part of that for more than four decades.”

WZON General Manager Ken Wood said, “Independent, locally owned radio stations used to be the norm. There’re only a few left in Maine, and we’re lucky we had these three as long as we did.”

(Radio Ink) 

Weekly Propagation Forecast Bulletins

 

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts

:Issued: 2024 Dec 02 0252 UTC

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Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 25 November - 01 December 2024

Solar activity ranged from low to high levels this period. R1 (Minor) and R2 (Moderate) radio blackouts were observed on 25 Nov, with an isolated R1 (Minor) event observed on 27 Nov. The largest event of the period was the M9.4 (R2) flare at 25/0742 UTC, produced

by Region 3910 (N16, L=111, class/area Dko/250 on 28 Nov) when it was still just beyond the NE limb. This event had an associated 10cm radio burst (210 sfu) at 25/0734 UTC. Region 3910 also produced an M1.5 flare at 25/1707 UTC. Region 3906 (S16, L=158, class/area

Dai/240 on 23 Nov) was responsible for three of the R1 events: an M1.1 at 25/0159 UTC, an M1.8 at 25/0453 UTC, and an M1.0 at 25/1636 UTC. Region 3901 (S08, L=218, class/area Dao/200) produced two R1 events: an M1.9/Sf flare at 25/2054 UTC and an M1.0 flare at 27/1246

UTC respectively. The M1.9/Sf had an associated Type II radio sweep with an estimated speed of 591 km/s. Region 3905 (S09, L=164, class/area Eso/120 on 23 Nov) produced an isolated M2.0 flare on 25 Nov at 1212 UTC. During the period, a total of 53 C-class and 7

M-flares were observed. 

No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal to moderate levels. 

Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to an isolated G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm period. Unsettled levels were observed on 25, 26, 29 Nov and 01 Dec. On 25-26 Nov, the field was influenced by waning negative coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) effects. The

unsettled periods on 29 Nov and the isolated period of G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storming on 30 Nov, were likely associated with arrival of the CME that left the Sun on 25 Nov. The isolated unsettled period on 01 Dec was likely associated with the possible interaction

with the heliospheric current sheet. The solar wind environment saw a few minor enhancements during the highlight period. Total field mainly averaged between 5-7 nT, with isolated peaks near 14-16 nT, likely the result of the arrival of the aforementioned CME. The Bz

component varied between +/-6 nT with a couple of southward deviations to -10 nT. The solar wind field was fairly consistent between 330-485 km/s. The phi angle was in a negative sector through early 29 Nov before oscillating between positive and negative

orientations late on 29 Nov and again on 30 Nov before remaining in a positive sector through the rest of the highlight period. 

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 02 December - 28 December 2024

Solar activity is expected to be at low levels (R1- Minor), with a chance for moderate levels (R2 - Moderate) from 02 Dec - 15 Dec, then be at low to moderate levels (R1/R2 - Minor/Moderate), with a chance for high levels (R3 - Strong) from 16 Dec - 28 Dec as several

magnetically complex regions are due to return. 

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. However, there is a chance for proton activity following significant solar flare activity during the outlook period. 

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at normal to moderate levels. 

Geomagnetic field activity is likely to be at unsettled periods on 02 Dec (residual CME activity). Unsettled to active periods are likely on 10-14 Dec due to influence from recurrent positive coronal hole effects, and 16-20 Dec due to a recurrent negative coronal

hole. Mostly quiet periods are likely on 03-09 Dec, 15 Dec, and 21-28 Dec. 

:Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt

:Issued: 2024 Dec 02 0252 UTC

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# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/subscription-services

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#      27-day Space Weather Outlook Table

#                Issued 2024-12-02

#

#   UTC      Radio Flux   Planetary   Largest

#  Date       10.7 cm      A Index    Kp Index

2024 Dec 02     185           8          3

2024 Dec 03     185           5          2

2024 Dec 04     170           5          2

2024 Dec 05     170           5          2

2024 Dec 06     170           5          2

2024 Dec 07     175           5          2

2024 Dec 08     175           5          2

2024 Dec 09     185           5          2

2024 Dec 10     195          10          4

2024 Dec 11     200          10          4

2024 Dec 12     200          15          4

2024 Dec 13     205          10          4

2024 Dec 14     205           8          3

2024 Dec 15     205           5          2

2024 Dec 16     205           8          3

2024 Dec 17     205           8          3

2024 Dec 18     210           8          3

2024 Dec 19     205          12          4

2024 Dec 20     200           8          3

2024 Dec 21     200           5          2

2024 Dec 22     205           5          2

2024 Dec 23     205           5          2

2024 Dec 24     210           5          2

2024 Dec 25     205           5          2

2024 Dec 26     210           5          2

2024 Dec 27     205           5          2

2024 Dec 28     190           5          2

(NOAA)

Predictions for 2025 radio propagation

 

The period of peak solar activity in 2025 has been named

Astronomer Bogachev Allows Maximum Solar Activity in Summer 2025

Head of the Solar Astronomy Laboratory at the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences Sergei Bogachev admitted that the maximum activity of the Sun in the current cycle will be observed in the summer of 2025. At the same time, he told RIA Novosti that it will not be possible to predict the exact dates of record flares and magnetic storms.

"The year 2025, according to model calculations, is the most likely year of maximum solar activity. There are different scenarios, but most of them point to spring-summer of next year as the time of the expected peak," the expert noted.

Bogachev added that it is impossible to predict the "schedule" of flares and storms. This is due to the fact that active centers on the Sun usually live no more than 2-4 weeks. Thus, those groups of spots that will determine the activity of the next year have not even been born yet, the specialist explained.

Earlier, scientists registered the highest class X flare on the Sun. It occurred on the night of Friday, November 1, at 00:17 Moscow time, in the sunspot group 3878 (N17E29). The flare lasted 27 minutes.

(lentu.ru)