[SFDXA] The ARRL Letter for September 19, 2013

Thu Sep 19 18:59:37 EDT 2013

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The ARRL Letter

September 19, 2013
Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME <mailto:ww1me at arrl.org>
ARRL Home Page <http://www.arrl.org/> 	
	/ARRL Letter/ Archive <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/> 	
	Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>

Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&i=2013-09-19&t=t>

  * /Public Service/: Colorado ARES Teams Transition to Flood Damage
    Assessment <#toc01>
  * /Public Service/: Hurricane Watch Net Activates for Hurricane Ingrid
    <#toc02>
  * /Silent Keys/: Ham Radio Publications Pioneer, Visionary, Iconoclast
    Wayne Green, W2NSD, SK <#toc03>
  * /Silent Keys/: Palomar Engineers President Jack Althouse, K6NY, SK
    -- Was "Kurt N. Sterba" <#toc04>
  * /Regulatory/: FCC Dismisses "Encryption" Petition <#toc05>
  * /Your League/: ARRL Centennial Convention Website Now Live! <#toc06>
  * /Your League/: /ARRL Audio News/ Wants You! <#toc07>
  * /People/: Ham-Pilot Safe after Transatlantic Cluster Balloon Attempt
    Fails <#toc08>
  * /Amateur Radio in Space/: Radio Amateurs Headed to, Return From ISS
    <#toc09>
  * /DX/: XZ1Z Back on the Air from Myanmar (Burma)! <#toc10>
  * /People/: AMSAT-NA Announces Board of Directors Election Results
    <#toc11>
  * /Technology/: "Ambient Backscatter" Could Power Devices in the
    Future <#toc12>
  * Getting It Right! <#toc13>
  * Solar Update <#toc14>
  * This Week in Radiosport <#toc15>
  * Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events
    <#toc16>

/Public Service/: Colorado ARES Teams Transition to Flood Damage Assessment

As the disaster response changes from rescue to recovery mode, Amateur 
Radio Emergency Service (ARES) volunteers in flood-stricken communities 
in Colorado shifted to damage assessment duty by mid-week. Boulder 
County ARES <http://bouldercountyares.org/> (BCARES) planned to shoot 
video of the devastation as teams move into the field -- a job Boulder 
County ARES Assistant Emergency Coordinator George Weber, KAØBSA, said 
was "something new" for his team. Damage assessment follows on the heels 
of an extended activation to help rescue, evacuate, and shelter flood 
victims.

"Boy, have we been busy!" Weber told BCARES members in announcing the 
callout. "This is even more than anyone ever planned for. I heard the 
term '500-year flood' being used."

Seven BCARES damage assessment volunteers were scheduled to ride along 
in county vehicles, equipped with mobile ham radio gear set up to work 
through several area repeaters. Plans called for using APRS 
<http://www.aprs.org/> as well. Weber expected the activation to last "a 
few days."

Road and property damage in Jamestown, Colorado [Boulder County photo]

Colorado ARES volunteers have been deployed in and around flood-stricken 
counties of Colorado, providing critical communication for Red Cross 
shelters and state and local emergency operation centers. As of 
mid-week, the Red Cross had consolidated some shelters and no longer 
required Amateur Radio assistance. ARRL Colorado Section Manager Jack 
Ciaccia, WMØG, said that with power cut off to affected communities and 
many cell telephone towers down, ham radio has been supporting medical 
and health-and-welfare traffic between evacuation centers and the EOCs, 
In some cases, ham radio provided the only communication link for 
isolated communities.

On September 16, Colorado Section Emergency Coordinator Robert Wareham, 
NØESQ, represented ARES as Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper (D), FEMA 
Administrator Craig Fugate, KK4INZ, US Senators Mark Udall (D-CO) and 
Michael Bennett (D-CO), US Representative Cory Gardner (R-4), Mike 
Coffman (R-6), and Ed Perlmutter (D-7) visited the state emergency 
operations center. Wareham said that he and Emit Hurdelbrink, WØUAW -- a 
regional emergency coordinator -- spoke briefly with Hickenlooper "who 
thanked us for our service," Wareham said. He added that Fugate also 
spoke with him about the ARES post-flood activities. Wareham reported in 
a post to the ARRL Colorado Section Facebook page 
<https://www.facebook.com/groups/coloradoarrl/> that ARES volunteers 
have been working shifts of 12 hours or longer since the flooding started.

A Mountain Emergency Radio Network (MERN 
<http://bouldercountyares.org/mountain-emergency-radio-network-mern/>) 
repeater in Allenspark was instrumental in a medical rescue that 
involved a recently licensed ham. A ham in Nebraska, via an EchoLink 
<http://www.echolink.org/> repeater in Colorado, advised Robert 
McDonald, KDØSCC, of Allenspark, who drove 3 miles to alert fire 
dispatch. Estes Park ARES had set up in the fire station's emergency 
communications site.

Ciaccia said ham radio received kudos from the Allenspark Fire Chief, 
who attributed lives saved directly to ARES efforts. "The ability to get 
fast, accurate info to their residents as it was being disseminated was 
critical to their rescue and evacuation efforts," Ciaccia said.

A road washout in Left Hand Valley [Boulder County photo]

The flash flooding in Colorado has claimed at least eight lives, 
hundreds remain unaccounted for, untold numbers of homes and highways 
have been destroyed, and many residents still await evacuation, 
according to media accounts.

"Hams continue to staff evacuation shelters throughout the region and 
emergency operations centers (EOCs) for the state and multiple counties 
and municipalities," Wareham said over the weekend. The National Guard 
has been mobilized to help with evacuations and rescue operations. 
Wareham said that hams not directly involved in the disaster response 
served as storm spotters for the National Weather Service, providing 
reports on rainfall, creek and river levels.

/Public Service/: Hurricane Watch Net Activates for Hurricane Ingrid

Hurricane Watch Net (HWN <http://www.hwn.org/>) manager Bobby Graves, 
KB5HAV, reports the net activated Sunday, September 15, at 1500 UTC on 
14.325 MHz in response to the approach of Hurricane Ingrid -- only the 
second hurricane of the 2013 season. Hurricane and tropical storm 
warnings had been issued along parts of Mexico's Gulf Coast for the 
Category 1 storm. After making landfall, Ingrid combined with another 
tropical storm coming in from the west. The result was significant 
rainfall over parts of Mexico that caused extensive flooding and 
mudslides, washing away homes in eastern Mexico. The HWN had been hoping 
to receive condition reports from stations in the affected areas, but 
Graves said none were forthcoming.

"Our net activation went well even though we didn't have the first 
station from Mexico check in with us on the air," Graves told ARRL. "I 
did get an e-mail from a former member who lives near Veracruz... to let 
me know that all our net controllers were being heard very well in his 
area." Graves said that during the 6 hour net, net controllers read 
advisories in both English and Spanish.

It was not all for naught, however. "Since things were slow, this gave 
us the opportunity to have some on-air training and test out some new 
systems and operational plans," Graves said. "Although we hope there are 
no more land-falling storms this season, HWN is well prepared for what 
may come."

/Silent Keys/: Ham Radio Publications Pioneer, Visionary, Iconoclast 
Wayne Green, W2NSD, SK

Wayne Green, W2NSD

Wayne S. Green II, W2NSD ("Never Say Die"), of Hancock, New Hampshire, 
died September 13. He was 91. A well-known and often outspoken figure 
during what some consider Amateur Radio's golden years in the 1950s and 
1960s, Green helmed /CQ Magazine/ for 5 years before becoming the 
self-proclaimed "El Supremo and Founder" in 1960 of /73/ magazine, which 
he published until 2003.

"The purpose of [/73/] at that time was to get more hams building 
equipment," Green recounted in a radio interview 
<http://www.tedrandall.com/media/podcat/qso-08-27-09.mp3> several years 
ago. A hallmark of /73/ was Green's iconic, rambling and wide-ranging 
"Never Say Die" editorials, in which he rarely missed an opportunity to 
tweak the ARRL and his magazine competitors for their perceived 
shortcomings. ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, said Green maintained his 
membership in the ARRL despite being a persistent critic.

"Wayne will be remembered in many different ways by many different 
people, but he will be long remembered," Sumner added. "In the early 
days of packet radio he gave me some good advice as to how the ARRL 
should promote the new technology: 'Talk about it as if everybody's 
doing it, and eventually they will be.'"

Indeed, Green often was ahead of the curve in promoting such 
technologies as single-sideband phone, solid-state, FM, and the marriage 
of computers and ham radio, and he went on to found and publish /Byte/ 
and other computer-oriented publications. "I live mostly in the future," 
Green was quoted as saying.

ARRL Publications Manager and /QST/ Editor Steve Ford, WB8IMY, got his 
start writing for Green. "Wayne published my first article way back in 
1975," he said. "I still have a photocopy of the check he sent."

Green maintained a larger-than-life presence, even in the years after he 
faded from the Amateur Radio spotlight, and he never did really retire. 
"Hey old buddy, I will miss you," radio talk show host Art Bell, W6OBB, 
posted to Wayne Green's blog 
<http://www.waynegreen.com/wayne/news.html>. "NEVER SAY DIE is a phrase 
that will be with me till it's my time." Green was an occasional guest 
on Bell's "Coast to Coast AM" overnight talk program. There hardly was 
an issue that Green would not confront, and he expounded a variety of 
unconventional science, health, and medical theories -- from cold fusion 
and the moon landing to AIDS and cancer cures. He continued to write 
<http://www.waynegreen.com/> and speak frequently on these topics and 
others, as well as on public policy, even at hamfests where he was a guest.

The "final" in his blog sums up Green's overarching philosophy. "Wayne 
Green passed away September 13, 2013 in a peaceful, painless transition 
from this life on Earth. An eternal optimist, and one who loved to share 
his never-ending zest for life, he was a friend to many and will be 
missed greatly. Wayne was not afraid of dying and was very much ready to 
embark on his next great adventure to the afterlife."

/Silent Keys/: Palomar Engineers President Jack Althouse, K6NY, SK -- 
Was "Kurt N. Sterba"

As "Kurt N. Sterba," Althouse wrote a regular WorldRadio "Aerials" 
column and several articles and books.

Palomar Engineers President John E. "Jack" Althouse, K6NY, of San Diego, 
California, died September 15 after suffering a massive stroke. He was 
90. With his death, his alter ego "Kurt N. Sterba," who penned the 
"Aerials" columns from 1999 until 2012 and authored books on antennas 
for /WorldRadio <http://www.worldradiomagazine.com/>/, also passes into 
Amateur Radio history.

Althouse graduated from the University of Nebraska with a BS in 
electrical engineering. He held an MS in electrical engineering from the 
University of Iowa. Last summer Althouse announced that he had disposed 
of most of his product line, since he would be "semi-retired" and 
entering an independent living facility. He remained active on the air 
until earlier this year.

Palomar Engineers, the Escondido company he operated, may become a thing 
of the past as well. A message on the company's website says Palomar 
Engineers is "temporarily closed" and "not taking orders at this time." 
A regular /QST/ advertiser, Palomar marketed balun kits, RFI kits, 
toroids and ferrite cores and beads. It once offered antennas and other 
accessories.

Althouse's family has not yet decided the future of Palomar Engineers 
but directed questions to an e-mail address 
<mailto:palomareng at gmail.com>. The family said outstanding orders either 
would be canceled and any funds refunded or fulfilled if the item could 
be located.

Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2013-09-19&p=0>
/Regulatory/: FCC Dismisses "Encryption" Petition

The FCC has dismissed a /Petition for Rulemaking/ 
<http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7022424684> (RM-11699) from a 
Massachusetts ham, that sought to amend the Part 97 Amateur Service 
rules to permit the encryption of certain amateur communications during 
emergency operations or related training exercises. The FCC put the 
petition filed by Don Rolph, AB1PH, of East Walpole on public notice in 
June. Rolph requested an additional exception to §97.113, which 
currently prohibits "messages encoded for the purpose of obscuring their 
meaning," but the FCC said in a September 18 /Order 
<http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2013/db0918/DA-13-1918A1.pdf>/ 
that it's not persuaded his petition provides sufficient reasons to 
support the change.

"[W]e conclude that the record does not support Mr Rolph's assertion 
that the prohibition on encrypted amateur communications is impairing 
the ability of the Amateur Radio community to provide effective support 
to public safety agencies during emergencies," the FCC said.

The FCC said it received more than 300 comments on Rolph's petition, and 
those opposing the change outnumbered supporters two to one.

In denying the petition, the FCC concluded, "Thus, while the proposal 
could advance one purpose of the Amateur Radio Service -- value to the 
public as a voluntary noncommercial communication service, particularly 
with respect to providing emergency communications -- it would undermine 
other characteristics and purposes of the service." Read more 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-dismisses-encryption-petition>.

/Your League/: ARRL Centennial Convention Website Now Live!

The ARRL Centennial Convention website <http://www.arrl2014.org/> 
<*www.arrl2014.org/*> is now live! Online registration is coming soon. 
The League will celebrate 100 years of "Advancing the Art and Science of 
Radio" next year from Thursday, July 17, to Saturday, July 19, 2014. 
Most Centennial Convention activities will take place at the Connecticut 
Convention Center in Hartford, where thousands of League members and 
friends are anticipated. Hartford was ARRL's birthplace.

The Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford will be the hub of ARRL 
Centennial activity.

Online convention registration will become available in January. A 
two-day ticket is $25 in advance, $30 on-site (free of charge for 
attendees age 21 and younger). It includes Friday and Saturday Exhibit 
Hall admission and access to all forums and general sessions. Additional 
events include free bus trips all three days to ARRL Headquarters and W1AW.

Stay tuned for the ARRL National Centennial Convention program and 
registration, starting January 2014. We look forward to seeing you join 
us in celebrating 100 years!

/Your League/: /ARRL Audio News/ Wants You!

/ARRL Audio News/ <http://www.arrl.org/arrl-audio-news> returns to the 
League website Friday, September 20, and producer and newscaster Sean 
Kutzko <mailto:kx9x at arrl.org>, KX9X, has invited ARRL members to become 
a part of the weekly news report by submitting "station identifications" 
in MP3 format. "They need to follow this script exactly: 'I'm ARRL 
Member </your name and call sign/> of </your location/>, and you're 
listening to /ARRL Audio News/.'" Audio should be as clear and distinct 
as possible. "IDs that are clear and well-recorded will be considered 
for use in /ARRL Audio News/," he adds.

Sean Kutzko, KX9X, will host ARRL Audio News each week. [ARRL photo]

Kutzko, who is ARRL Public and Media Relations Manager, holds a 
bachelor's degree in communications from the University of Illinois at 
Springfield, where he focused on mass media. He worked at several 
National Public Radio affiliates in the Midwest for nearly 15 years as 
an on-air host, production manager and operations manager. Kutzko has 
been a radio amateur since age 14 and remains active as an HF and VHF 
contester and DXer. Most recently he's embraced backpack QRP operating 
while hiking and camping. He's been on the ARRL Headquarters staff since 
October 2007, serving initially as Contest Branch manager.

Kutzko says the webcast <http://www.arrl.org/arrl-audio-news> will be 
available by 5 PM ET every Friday.

/People/: Ham-Pilot Safe after Transatlantic Cluster Balloon Attempt Fails

Friday the 13th came early for cluster balloonist and radio amateur 
Jonathan Trappe, KJ4GQV, of Raleigh, North Carolina. Trappe's attempt to 
cross the Atlantic in a cluster balloon ended when he "Landed safe, at 
an alternate location," as he put it in a Facebook post. That "alternate 
location" was in Newfoundland, where he remained for the night.

Trappe crossing the Alps in his cluster balloon.

His lighter-than-air craft hoisted aloft by some 365 individual and 
colorful helium balloons took off September 12 at 1200 UTC from a ball 
field in Caribou, Maine. Trappe carried Amateur Radio beacons on 14.0956 
MHz (110 baud RTTY) and 144.390 MHz APRS.

According to a report 
<http://bangordailynews.com/2013/09/12/news/aroostook/cluster-balloonists-dream-of-trans-atlantic-flight-ends-in-newfoundland/> 
in the September 13 edition of Maine's /Bangor Daily News/ 
<http://www.bangordailynews.com>, Trappe went down about a mile from the 
coast and about 5 miles from the nearest road. Trappe had spent 2 years 
preparing for what he hoped would be an epic journey.

"Hmmm, this doesn't look like France," is how Trappe put it on his 
Facebook page, moments before announcing that he was on the ground.

A real-time track <http://spacenear.us/tracker/?filter=NG0X> of NGØX on 
14.0956 showed Trappe as still airborne at about 7 PM on September 13, 
although the site does not indicate the time zone. An APRS track 
<http://aprs.fi/#%21mt=roadmap&z=13&call=a%2FKJ4GQV&timerange=86400&tail=86400> 
-- only good within 150 miles or so of land -- ends over the Gulf of 
Saint Lawrence.

After lifting off September 12 and with things still going well, Trappe 
posted this optimistic status report to Facebook: "In the quiet sky, 
above the great Gulf of St. Lawrence, traveling over 50 MPH -- in my 
little yellow rowboat, at 18,000 feet."

Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2013-09-19&p=1>
/Amateur Radio in Space/: Radio Amateurs Headed to, Return From ISS

Mike Hopkins, KF5LJG [NASA photo]

NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins, KF5LJG, and Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kotov 
and Sergey Ryzanskiy are scheduled to launch aboard a /Soyuz/ spacecraft 
September 25 to join their Expedition 37 crewmates aboard the 
International Space Station. Hopkins will be the first member of the 
2009 NASA astronaut class to fly into space. While he's aboard the ISS, 
Hopkins will install the Amateur Radio on the International Space 
Station (ARISS <http://ariss.rac.ca>) Ham Video 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/ham-video-transmitter-is-now-aboard-the-iss> 
gear, although that is considered a low-priority assignment.

Hopkins will join Expedition 37 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin, RN3FI, and 
Flight Engineers Karen Nyberg, and Luca Parmitano, KF5KDP. Yurchikhin, 
Nyberg, and Parmitano arrived in May and will return to Earth in November.

Expedition 36 trio returns to Earth in Kazakhstan. [NASA TV image]

Meanwhile, US Astronaut Chris Cassidy, KF5KDR, and Russian Cosmonaut and 
Expedition 36 Commander Pavel Vinogradov, RV3BS, came safely back to 
Earth from the ISS September 11 aboard a /Soyuz/ capsule. Cosmonaut and 
Flight Engineer Alexander Misurkin rounded out the trio that landed in 
Kazakhstan after 166 days in space.

A day earlier, Vinogradov handed over command of the ISS to another 
radio amateur, Cosmonaut and Flight Engineer Fyodor Yurchikhin, RN3FI, 
in a traditional change-of-command ceremony in the /Zvezda/ service module.

/DX/: XZ1Z Back on the Air from Myanmar (Burma)!

Jay Oka, JA1TRC, reports that XZ1Z returned to the air a day earlier 
than expected from Naypyidaw, Myanmar (Burma), the nation's capital. Two 
stations are on the air, with Zorro, JH1AJT; Champ, E21EIC; and Ted, 
JJ1LIB, as operators.

Operation is primarily on CW and focused to the Americas. Wire antennas 
are in place for 160, 80, 40, 30 and 17, as well as a triband Yagi. By 
September 19, XZ1Z had been spotted on 80, 40, 20, and 17 meter CW and 
on 15 meter phone.

Oka says he plans to update the logs on ClubLog 
<http://www.clublog.org/> and upload to LoTW 
<http://www.arrl.org/logbook-of-the-world>. He points out that local 
time in Myanmar is UTC + 6:30. The earlier XZ1Z operation has been 
approved for DXCC credit.

Myanmar is the 24th most wanted DXCC entity, according to ClubLog 
<http://www.clublog.org/mostwanted.php>. QSL to JH1AJT, PO Box 8, Oiso, 
Naka-gun, Kanagawa 259-0111, Japan. -- /Thanks to The Daily DX 
<http://www.dailydx.com/> via Jay S. OKA, JA1TRC /

/People/: AMSAT-NA Announces Board of Directors Election Results

The votes have been tallied, and Barry Baines, WD4ASW; Tony Monteiro, 
AA2TX; Alan Biddle, WA4SCA, and Mark Hammond, N8MH, have been elected to 
the AMSAT-NA <http://www.amsat.org> Board of Directors. The first 
alternate is JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM, and the second alternate is Steve 
Coy, K8UD. Frank Griffin, K4FEG, and Bryan Klofas, KF6ZEO, did not 
attract sufficient votes to become a Board member or alternate.

Baines is now serving as AMSAT's president. Eight candidates ran for 
Board seats, and the four candidates who received the highest number of 
votes were seated for two year terms. The two candidates receiving the 
next highest number of votes are non-voting alternate Board members, 
with terms of one year. AMSAT members cast 688 ballots in this year's 
election. There are approximately 3000 AMSAT members /-- AMSAT via 
Martha Saragovitz, manager/

/Technology/: "Ambient Backscatter" Could Power Devices in the Future

University of Washington <http://www.washington.edu/%E2%80%8E> 
researchers believe we may be one step closer to an "Internet-of-things" 
reality. UW engineers have created a new wireless communication system 
that allows devices to interact with each other /without/ relying on 
batteries or wires for power. Using something they call "ambient 
backscatter <http://abc.cs.washington.edu/>," these devices can interact 
with users and communicate with each other without using batteries. They 
exchange information by reflecting or absorbing existing radio signals. 
Two devices communicate by reflecting the existing signals to exchange 
information. The researchers built small, battery-free devices with 
antennas that can detect, harness and reflect a television signal, which 
then is picked up by other similar devices. The technology could enable 
a network of devices and sensors to communicate with no power source or 
human attention needed.

Using ambient backscatter, these devices can interact with users and 
communicate with each other without using batteries. They exchange 
information by reflecting or absorbing existing radio signals. 
[University of Washington photo]

"We can repurpose wireless signals that are already around us into both 
a source of power and a communication medium," said lead researcher 
Shyam Gollakota <http://homes.cs.washington.edu/%7Egshyam/>, a UW 
assistant professor of computer science and engineering. "It's hopefully 
going to have applications in a number of areas including wearable 
computing, smart homes and self-sustaining sensor networks."

The researchers published their results at the Association for Computing 
Machinery's Special Interest Group on Data Communication 
<http://www.sigcomm.org/> August 2013 conference 
<http://conferences.sigcomm.org/sigcomm/2013/index.php> in Hong Kong. 
Their research received the conference's "Best Paper" award. "Our 
devices form a network out of thin air," said co-author Joshua Smith 
<http://sensor.cs.washington.edu/jrs.html>, a UW associate professor of 
computer science and engineering and of electrical engineering. "You can 
reflect these signals slightly to create a Morse code of communication 
between battery-free devices."

The original article and video 
<http://dbaseserver.mistermail.nl/t/1362160/36554732/338450/0/> are on 
the UW website. For more information, contact Gollakota and Smith at 
abc at cs.washington.edu <mailto:abc at cs.washington.edu>. /-- The University 
of Washington/

Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2013-09-19&p=2>
Getting It Right!

The item "Vanity HQ Website Pulls the Plug," which appeared in /The ARRL 
Letter/, August 29, 2013, suggested that RadioQTH 
<http://www.radioqth.net> is the only remaining site to provide vanity 
call sign information. The site <http://www.ae7q.com/> begun in 2003 by 
Dean Gibson, AE7Q, offers similar information, including call sign 
histories and applications, available Amateur Extra call signs, and 
vanity call sign predictions via the FCC Amateur Radio license and 
application databases, automatically updated from FCC data several times 
a day.

Solar Update

T/ad "Sol Man" Cook, K7RA, in Seattle, reports:/ Solar activity 
continues to be weak, although there was an uptick on Wednesday, 
September 18, when the solar flux rose to 104.1, the first day it topped 
100 since September 6. Average daily sunspot number for the reporting 
week (September 12-18) rose to 42.3, up from 37.7 for the previous 7 days.

Average daily solar flux dipped slightly, from 98.2 to 95.3. Average 
daily planetary A index and mid-latitude A index were both 6.3.

For the near term, the solar flux is predicted to be:

  *

    105 on September 19-20

  *

    110 on September 21-22

  *

    105 on September 23

  *

    100 on September 24-30

  *

    95 on October 1-13

  *

    100 on October 14-27.

Over the past few days all of the short term predictions for solar flux 
have been adjusted downward.

Predicted planetary A index:

  *

    8 on September 19-20

  *

    5 on September 21-22

  *

    8 on September 23-24

  *

    5 and 10 on September 25-26

  *

    12 on September 27-28

  *

    5 on September 29 through October 9

  *

    10, 8, 5, 15, 10 and 8 on October 10-15.

Note that the autumnal equinox is just a few days away. Fall officially 
begins in the Northern Hemisphere on Sunday, September 22, at 2044 UTC.

In Friday's bulletin look for some 10 and 12 meter reports from readers, 
plus more solar activity news.

This Week in Radiosport

  *

    Sep 19 -- NAQCC Monthly QRP Sprint (CW)

  *

    Sep 21 -- Feld-Hell Hell on Wheels Sprint

  *

    Sep 21-22 -- Washington State Salmon Run

  *

    Sep 21-22 -- ARRL 10 GHz Cumulative Contest

  *

    Sep 21-22 -- Scandinavian Activity Contest

  *

    Sep 21-22 -- South Carolina QSO Party

  *

    Sep 22 -- BARTG Sprint 75

  *

    Sep 22-23 -- Classic Exchange

  *

    Sep 23 -- 144 MHz Fall VHF Sprint

  *

    Sep 25 -- SKCC Straight Key Sprint

  *

    Sep 28 -- Texas QSO Party

  *

    Sep 28-29 -- ARRL EME Contest

  *

    Sep 28-29 -- CQ WW RTTY Contest

  *

    Sep 29 -- Maine QSO Party

Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events

  * September 20-21 -- W9DXCC Convention <http://www.w9dxcc.com/>, Elk
    Grove Village, Illinois

  *

    September 20-22 -- ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference
    <http://www.tapr.org/dcc>, Seattle, Washington

  *

    September 27-28 -- SEDCO/W4DXCC Convention <http://w4dxcc.com/>,
    Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

  *

    September 27-29 -- Mid-Atlantic States VHF Conference
    <http://www.packratvhf.com/>, Bensalem, Pennsylvania

  *

    September 28 -- North Dakota State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/north-dakota-state-convention>, West
    Fargo, North Dakota

  *

    September 28 -- Washington State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/washington-state-convention-spokane-hamfest>,
    Spokane Valley, Washington

  *

    September 29 -- EmComm East Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/emcomm-east-convention-2>, Rochester,
    New York

  *

    October 6 -- Maryland State Convention <http://carafest.org/>, West
    Friendship, Maryland

  *

    October 12 -- Pacific Northwest VHF Conference
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/pnwvhfs-conference>, Moses Lake,
    Washington

  *

    October 11-13 -- Pacific Division Convention
    <http://www.PACIFICON.org> Pacificon 2013, Santa Clara, California

  *

    October 12-13 -- Florida State Convention <http://www.pcars.org/>,
    Melbourne, Florida

  *

    October 13 -- Connecticut State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/connecticut-state-convention-nutmeg-hamfest-1>,
    Meriden, Connecticut

  *

    October 13 -- Iowa State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/iowa-state-convention-sioux-city-ham-convention>,
    Sergeant Bluff, Iowa

  *

    October 18-19 -- Microwave Update Conference
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/microwave-update-2013-conference>,
    Morehead, Kentucky

  *

    October 26 -- Delaware State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/delaware-state-convention-delmarva-radio-electronics-expo>,
    Georgetown, Delaware**

  *

    November 2 -- Fall TechFest
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/2013-fall-techfest>, Lakewood, Colorado

  *

    November 2-3 -- Georgia Section Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/georgia-section-convention-stone-mountain-hamfest-computer-expo-2013>,
    Lawrenceville, Georgia

  *

    November 8-9 -- Midwest Division Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/midwest-division-convention-1>,
    Lebanon, Missouri

  *

    November 9 -- All-Ohio ARES Conference
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/all-ohio-ares-conference>,
    Reynoldsburg, Ohio

  *

    November 16-17 -- Indiana State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/indiana-state-convention-fort-wayne-hamfest-and-computer-expo-1>,
    Fort Wayne, Indiana

  *

    December 6-7 -- West Central Florida Section Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/west-central-florida-section-convention-tampa-bay-hamfest-3>,
    Plant City, Florida

Find conventions and hamfests in your area <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests>.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

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