Here is an article from NASA on the solar minimum.
This page has a movie of the recent big X-class flare.
The article speaks about the space weather effects on radio propagation
that we have been experiencing.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/15sep_solarminexplodes.htm

The 17 MHz and 21 MHz bands have been very good so far this morning.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California