[SFDXA] The ARRL Letter for June 1, 2017
Bill
bmarx at bellsouth.net
Thu Jun 1 18:46:34 EDT 2017
Preview
If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at:
http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2017-06-01
The ARRL Letter
June 1, 2017
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=2017-06-01&t=t>
* Buildout of Nationwide First Responder Broadband Network Could Drive
Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Changes <#toc01>
* Amateur Radio Provides Communication Link Following Sri Lanka
Flooding <#toc02>
* The Doctor Will See You Now! <#toc03>
* Support ARRL and Earn 10,000 Bonus Points <#toc04>
* FCC Issues Amateur Radio Licensee a /Notice of Violation/ for Pirate
Broadcasting <#toc05>
* FCC Issues /Notice of Unlicensed Operation/ in Public Safety
Interference Complaint <#toc06>
* Another Successful WX4NHC Annual Station Test in Advance of
Hurricane Season <#toc07>
* QB-50 Constellation Satellites Deployed from International Space
Station <#toc08>
* Our Sun's 11-Year Magnetic Cycle Destined to Disappear <#toc09>
* Ham Radio Aviator Set to Depart on Round-the-World Flight <#toc10>
* The K7RA Solar Update <#toc11>
* Just Ahead in Radiosport <#toc12>
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions <#toc13>
Buildout of Nationwide First Responder Broadband Network Could Drive
Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Changes
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet <https://firstnet.gov/>)
-- a nationwide wireless broadband network for first responders -- could
change the complexion of how the Amateur Radio Emergency Service^®
(ARES^® ) functions to support communication for responders during
disasters and emergencies. As an independent authority within the US
Department of Commerce's National Telecommunication and Information
Administration (NTIA <https://www.ntia.doc.gov/>), FirstNet's mission is
to build out, deploy, and operate an interoperable nationwide broadband
network dedicated to first responders. Ralph Haller, N4RH, the chairman
of the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC
<http://www.npstc.org/>), told ARRL that the advent of FirstNet "will
likely be as significant as when public safety first began using radio."
"The nationwide network will be hardened, so that it will be more likely
that many of today's public safety systems remain operational in
emergencies," Haller said, pointing out that Amateur Radio should not
expect to have access to FirstNet. He cautioned, "The endurance of
Amateur Radio systems in disasters has been a big selling point in the
past for incorporating amateur operators in emergency plans, but perhaps
not so much in the future."/
/
NPSTC is a federation of organizations that work toward improving public
safety communication and interoperability, and ARRL has a seat on
NPSTC's Governing Board. Haller predicted that Amateur Radio's role in
emergencies will not disappear. "There is no substitute for eyes and
ears on the ground in an emergency," he said, adding that radio amateurs
"can and should continue to play an important part" in supporting
emergency communication.
"Amateur operators can continue to provide valuable information to
emergency operations centers in the recovery phase of disasters," he
said. "Whether that intelligence gathering is reporting on storm clouds,
power outages, or road closures, amateurs can help provide critical,
real-time information about conditions over a vast area. While first
responders are treating the injured or protecting life and property, the
amateur community can concentrate on assessing the overall picture."
*Ralph Haller, N4RH, the chairman of the National Public Safety
Telecommunications Council.*
On March 30, FirstNet and the Commerce Department announced a 25-year
partnership with AT&T as the primary contractor to make FirstNet a
reality. "The ability to communicate seamlessly across jurisdictions is
critical for law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services (EMS)
when securing large events or responding to emergencies and disasters,"
a Commerce Department news release said. "In those instances, networks
can become overloaded and inaccessible, limiting responders' use of
vital communication technologies, such as smartphones and applications
dedicated to public safety services."
Public safety agencies already use commercial wireless networks, such as
AT&T and Verizon, to supplement their own radio systems and networks,
although such communication is not point to point. FirstNet is initially
targeted primarily to provide video and data, with mission-critical
voice communication at least a decade away. EMS is likely to become a
heavy user of the network, which will employ voice command functions a
la Siri or Alexa.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Be sure the public safety organizations never forget how valuable the
amateurs are!"/-- NPSTC Chairman Ralph Haller, N4RH/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inevitably there will be coverage gaps, and the development of
"deployables" is critical. These devices can expand the network to areas
it doesn't cover but where it may be needed for a specific incident.
Deployables could include satellites -- Inmarsat is a member of the AT&T
team. Network security and encryption is a high priority. The Military
Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) now uses encryption on its data nets.
While images in the form of digital Amateur Radio television (DATV) and
a plethora of digital modes are available to ARES, FirstNet could nudge
ARES to more quickly adopt a similar approach. A new generation of radio
amateurs steeped in data, image, and video technology is likely to drive
ARES to think beyond analog.
Haller advised that the Amateur Radio community should continue to work
closely with public safety organizations at all levels to assure that
they remain a part of emergency plans.
"The hype about broadband should not result in amateurs inadvertently
being swept under the rug," Haller stressed. "Be sure the public safety
organizations never forget how valuable the amateurs are!"
FirstNet will use spectrum at 700 MHz -- no immediate threat to Amateur
Radio allocations, although there is no guarantee that this won't change
as the network approaches the shift to 5th generation (5G) technology.
Amateur Radio has access to significant spectrum above 700 MHz.
The expectation is that within a couple of years, a nationwide "core"
network will be ready to roll out, and the first public safety users
will be on board. Some regional networks have been set up for
proof-of-concept purposes and to work out wrinkles. /-- Thanks to Mike
Corey, KI1U, and Ralph Haller, N4RH/
Amateur Radio Provides Communication Link Following Sri Lanka Flooding
Members of the Radio Society of Sri Lanka (RSSL <http://www.rssl.lk/>)
responded to an urgent call for help in the wake of torrential monsoon
rainfall in southwestern Sri Lanka on May 28 that caused flooding and
landslides. The Road Development Authority (RDA) contacted RSSL
President Jaliya Lokeshwara, 4S7JL, seeking communication help from
radio amateurs. The RSSL reports that emergency communication was needed
to link remote Kalawana, one of the worst hit areas, and Ratnapura. All
communication had failed due to heavy flooding, landslides, and damage
to the telecommunications infrastructure.
The RDA declared roads were impassable. Only air rescue by the Sri Lanka
Air Force helicopters was possible, and the lack of communication
support made that task even more difficult. A plan was quickly put into
place to airlift four radio amateurs from the capital, Colombo, to both
affected locations to form a communications link.
Jaliya Lokeshwara, 4S7JL, and Nadika Hapuarachchi, 4S6NCH, were the
first ready to go. A second team consisted of Victor Goonetilleke,
4S7VK, and Dimuthu Wickramasinghe, 4S7DZ.
*Radio amateurs get ready to roll out en route to flood-stricken areas
in Sri Lanka. [Photo courtesy of RSSL]*
"We knew we could do it. We were self-sufficient and willing to rough it
out," Goonetilleke said. "It was a hard task, but within 30 minutes of
landing, the high frequency link was established." They used 40 and 75
meters, as well as 2 meters. He said they spent 2 days coordinating
rescue flights, the movement of patients from Kalawana hospital to
Ratnapura, and food drops.
The emergency link remained in place until mobile phone service was
restored and roadways cleared. "We are happy we could win the day for
simple high-frequency radio," Goonetilleke said.
The disaster recovery continues. Nearly 180 people died, and thousands
were displaced by the weather disaster. /-- Thanks to Jim Linton, VK3PC,
Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee, with Jayant S.
Bhide, VU2JAU, National Coordinator for Disaster Communication in India
(ARSI), and Victor Goonetilleke, 4S7VK/
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The Doctor Will See You Now!
"Flea Market Tips" is the topic of the current episode of the "ARRL The
Doctor is In <http://www.arrl.org/doctor>" podcast. Listen...and learn!
Sponsored by DX Engineering <http://www.dxengineering.com/>, "ARRL The
Doctor is In" is an informative discussion of all things technical.
Listen on your computer, tablet, or smartphone -- whenever and wherever
you like!
Every 2 weeks, your host, /QST/ Editor-in-Chief Steve Ford, WB8IMY, and
the Doctor himself, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, will discuss a broad range of
technical topics. You can also e-mail your questions to doctor at arrl.org
<mailto:doctor at arrl.org>, and the Doctor may answer them in a future
podcast.
Enjoy "ARRL The Doctor is In" on Apple iTunes
<https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/arrl-the-doctor-is-in/id1096749595?mt=2>,
or by using your iPhone or iPad podcast app (just search for "ARRL The
Doctor is In"). You can also listen online at Blubrry
<https://www.blubrry.com/arrl_the_doctor_is_in/>, or at Stitcher
<https://www.stitcher.com/> (free registration required, or browse the
site as a guest) and through the free Stitcher app for iOS, Kindle, or
Android devices. If you've never listened to a podcast before, download
our beginner's guide <http://www.arrl.org/doctor>.
Just ahead: "The Mystery of Sporadic E Propagation."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Support ARRL and Earn 10,000 Bonus Points
You get more with the ARRL Visa Signature^® Card. For starters, spend
just $2,000 in the first 90 days and you'll earn 10,000 BONUS POINTS^1
-- plus you'll enjoy a long list of great everyday benefits, including:
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In addition, part of every card purchase will */be donated automatically
to ARRL/*. So you can make a difference with every purchase, every day.
Don't wait. Special offer ends on June 30, 2017. Apply today
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Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2017-06-01&p=1>
FCC Issues Amateur Radio Licensee a /Notice of Violation/ for Pirate
Broadcasting
The FCC Enforcement Bureau has sent a California Amateur Radio licensee
a /Notice of Violation/ (/NoV
<https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-345096A1.pdf>/)
alleging that he engaged in unlicensed -- or "pirate" -- radio
broadcasting -- on the FM band. The /NoV/ to Lyle E. Hilden, KD6LUL, of
Vista, was released on May 26. Depending on Hilden's responses, the
/NoV/ could be a precursor to a /Notice of Apparent Liability for
Forfeiture/ (fine).
According to the FCC's Los Angeles Office, the Enforcement Bureau in
March received a complaint of an apparently unlicensed FM broadcasting
station on 93.7 MHz in Vista. The /NoV/ does not indicate the origin of
the complaint, but these sometimes come from legitimate broadcasters in
the listening area. The /NoV/ also does not recount the nature of the
alleged pirate broadcasts nor indicate how long they had continued. The
following month, FCC agents monitored the apparent unlicensed signal
93.7 MHz and used direction-finding techniques "to positively locate"
its source as Hilden's residence.
"Field strength measurements revealed that the signal transmitted by the
station greatly exceeded 250 μV per meter at 3 meters -- the maximum
permitted on 93.7 [under Part 15 rules] without a Broadcast license,"
the FCC said in the /NoV///. Agents inspected Hilden's station and
pointed out in the /NoV/ that his Amateur Radio license does not entitle
him to transmit on the FM broadcast band.
The FCC called on Hilden to provide additional information in writing
within 20 days of the /NoV/, fully explaining any violations and
providing "all relevant surrounding facts and circumstances." Hilden
also must spell out and provide a timeline for the actions he has taken
to correct any violations and preclude their recurrence.
FCC Issues /Notice of Unlicensed Operation/ in Public Safety
Interference Complaint
The FCC has issued a /Notice of Unlicensed Operation/ (/NUO/
<https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-344978A1.pdf>) to a
Texas man for causing interference to a VHF public safety communications
system in Dallas County. The FCC Enforcement Bureau issued the /Notice/
to Bradley C. Pike of Dallas on May 17.**
On April 3, agents from the FCC's Dallas Enforcement Bureau Office
responded to a complaint from Dallas County Consolidated Services
regarding interference to their VHF public safety communications system.
Agents confirmed by direction-finding techniques that VHF emissions
coming from Pike's residence were causing the interference. Pike
surrendered a radio signal jammer after admitting to agents that he had
used the device, the FCC said. The Communications Act not only prohibits
intentional interference, but the manufacture, importation, marketing,
sale, or operation of devices designed to jam or disrupt wireless
communications deliberately.
Pike could face a substantial fine, seizure of radio equipment, and
criminal sanctions, including imprisonment, the FCC said. Pike was given
30 days to respond to the /Notice/.
Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2017-06-01&p=2>
Another Successful WX4NHC Annual Station Test in Advance of Hurricane Season
Over the holiday weekend, WX4NHC <http://www.wx4nhc.org> at the National
Hurricane Center (NHC <http://www.nhc.noaa.gov>) in Miami logged nearly
200 contacts throughout the US, Canada, the Caribbean, and even Europe,
during its annual station test, conducted ahead of the 2017 hurricane
season, which begins on June 1 and continues through November 30. The
annual exercise on May 27 served to check out Amateur Radio Station
equipment, antennas, and computer systems.
"We had a very successful WX4NHC Radio Station Test," said Assistant
WX4NHC Amateur Radio Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R. "All of our radio
and computer equipment and new main HF dipole antenna worked well. We
feel that our equipment will perform well if needed during this
hurricane season."
WX4NHC was on the air for about 8 hours, Ripoll said, and utilized all
communication modes available at the station on HF, VHF, and UHF,
including EchoLink, IRLP, DMR, D-STAR, D-RATS, and digital HF messaging
via Winlink.
WX4NHC also tested the Florida statewide SARNet, which links more than
26 VHF/UHF repeaters and emergency operating centers. "Our UHF repeater
on the Florida International University campus is part of SARNet,
sponsored by the State of Florida Department of Transportation. Several
stations throughout Florida, including the EOC in the state capital of
Tallahassee went into the WX4NHC log.
>From the Canadian Hurricane Center in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Bob
Robichaud, VE1MBR, reported that it was 50° F (and 93° F in Miami at the
time). Robichaud expressed appreciation for the cooperation between the
Canadian and US hurricane centers and WX4NHC during the storm season,
Ripoll said.
Rob Macedo, KD1CY, served as net control station for the VoIP Hurricane
Net from WA1EMA at the Acushnet, Massachusetts, Emergency Management
Agency. The Assistant Director of the Acushnet EMA, Ed Caron, KA1RSY,
"also took time to make a contact and send his cool regards," Ripoll said.
*Alan Wolfe, WB4L, and Susan Blank, WX2L, operate at WX4NHC during the
2017 station test. [Photo courtesy of Julio Ripoll, WD4R]*
WX4NHC also contacted the Lafayette, Louisians EOC, the Slidell National
Weather Service Office, the San Juan, Puerto Rico EOC, and stations in
Germany and in Israel.
"Many of our contacts were with individual Amateur Radio operators who
volunteer as SKYWARN spotters for their local NWS offices and also
participate in the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) on HF during hurricanes,"
Ripoll said. "One of them -- Debbie Gray, WX9VOR, from Aurora, Illinois
-- was very active relaying surface reports during Hurricane Matthew
last year."
Ripoll thanked all who participated in the annual test. "We hope our
services are not needed during this hurricane season," he added, "but if
needed, we are ready to provide NHC backup communications and ready to
receive those important surface reports from stations inside the
hurricane. Your surface report or your relay can make a big difference."
Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/another-successful-wx4nhc-annual-station-test>.
QB-50 Constellation Satellites Deployed from International Space Station
More than 2 dozen QB50 <https://upload.qb50.eu/listCubeSat/>
constellation CubeSats have been deployed from the International Space
Station (ISS), including three carrying Amateur Radio transponders.
Built by student groups from 23 countries, the "string-of-pearls" QB50
constellation aims to study the lower thermosphere 200-380 kilometers
above Earth. The satellites were launched to the ISS in March aboard an
Atlas V rocket.
In all 28 QB50 2U and 3U CubeSats were released into orbit between May
16 and May 25. These included LilacSat-1
<http://lilacsat.hit.edu.cn/?page_id=594> (ON02CN), which includes an
Amateur Radio VHF/UHF FM to Codec2-BPSK digital voice transponder, APRS
digipeater, and a camera; X-CubeSat
<https://upload.qb50.eu/detail/FR01/> (ON01FR) and SpaceCube
<https://upload.qb50.eu/detail/FR05/> (ON05FR). LilacSat-1 now is
operational. Its transponder's FM uplink is 145.985 MHz (67 Hz CTCSS
tone); the Codec2 9600 bps BPSK downlink is 436.510 MHz. The uplink
frequency for both X-CubeSat and SpaceCube is 145.860 MHz (210.7 Hz
CTCSS tone). Downlinks are 437.020 MHz for X-CubeSat and 436.880 MHz for
SpaceCube.
LilacSat-1 was developed at the Harbin Institute of Technology. Its
primary payload is an ion and neutral particle mass spectrometer,
developed by the University of London, to measure the mass and
distribution of charged and neutral atoms. Shortly after its deployment,
LilacSat-1 took a picture of the ISS solar panels, and the image was
received by students on 70 centimeters, using 9,600 bps BPSK.
Eight other QB50 CubeSats will be placed into orbit from India onboard
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLVs). No launch campaign has been
announced for another four QB50 CubeSats. All of the QB50 CubeSats have
downlinks between 435.8 and 438 MHz, and reports
<https://upload.qb50.eu/upload/> from radio amateurs are welcome.
In 2014, two precursor QB50 CubeSats were launched -- QB50p1
(EO-79/FunCube-3) and QB50p2 (EO-80). Both carried Amateur Radio
transponders.
Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2017-06-01&p=3>
Our Sun's 11-Year Magnetic Cycle Destined to Disappear
The Sun's 11-year magnetic cycle appears to be ending, but that won't
happen anytime soon. In a paper <https://arxiv.org/pdf/1705.09668.pdf>
submitted on May 26 to the journal /Solar Physics/, two solar scientists
are reinterpreting earlier evidence to hypothesize that the Sun's
rotation rate and magnetic field are in a transitional phase that could
lead to lengthening solar cycles, with the cycle ultimately disappearing
altogether between 800 million and 2.4 billion years from now. Travis S.
Metcalfe and Jennifer van Saders propose the scenario in their paper
"Magnetic Evolution and the Disappearance of Sun-like Activity Cycles."
"After decades of effort, the solar activity cycle is exceptionally well
characterized, but it remains poorly understood," the authors say in the
paper's abstract. "Pioneering work at the Mount Wilson Observatory
demonstrated that other Sun-like stars also show regular activity cycles
and suggested two possible relationships between the rotation rate and
the length of the cycle. Neither of these relationships correctly
describe the properties of the Sun, a peculiarity that demands explanation."
The authors cite stellar evidence for the shutdown of "magnetic braking"
in stars similar to our Sun. "The new picture of rotational and magnetic
evolution provides a framework for understanding some observational
features of stellar activity cycles that have until now been
mysterious," they said.
*Solar researcher Travis Metcalfe.*
Metcalfe explained their observations through a recent Forbes magazine
article
<http://www.forbes.com/sites/brucedorminey/2017/05/27/the-suns-magnetic-dynamo-is-weakening/#3dcdc2df4fee>.
"Our previous discoveries identified an unexpected transition in the
rotation and magnetism of middle-aged stars," Metcalfe is quoted in the
article, "The Sun's Magnetic Dynamo Is Weakening" by Bruce Dorminey. "We
now have direct evidence that the stellar dynamo -- the mechanism inside
stars that sustains their magnetic fields -- actually shuts down during
this transition."
In their paper, the authors said that future observations with the Las
Cumbres Observatory global telescope network "promise to probe the onset
and duration of the magnetic transition that drives the evolution and
eventual disappearance of Sun-like activity cycles."
*Jennifer van Saders at a Carnegie Observatories seminar earlier this year.*
A 2016 paper Travis co-authored -- "Stellar Evidence that the Solar
Dynamo May Be in Transition," published in /The Astrophysical Journal
Letters/, concluded, "The Sun still exhibits a dipole component to its
global field, particularly near magnetic minimum, but the solar analogs
also suggest a gradual concentration of the field into smaller spatial
scales, leading to weakened magnetic braking,"
Metcalfe is listed on the paper as being associated with the Space
Science Institute and the White Dwarf Research Corp, both in Boulder,
Colorado. Van Saders is listed as being associated with the
Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science in Pasadena,
California, and the Department of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton
University in New Jersey.
Ham Radio Aviator Set to Depart on Round-the-World Flight
Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN, took off from Miami, Florida, on June 1 on a solo,
round-the-world flight <http://projectameliaearhart.org/> to commemorate
Amelia Earhart's attempt to circumnavigate the globe 80 years ago.
"Airborne!," he posted to his Facebook page
<https://www.facebook.com/Brian.WB6RQN>, once aloft. "En route to St
Thomas!"
Lloyd will be on the air from /Spirit/, his single-engine Mooney 231
aircraft, during the course of his journey, expected to take 2 months.
He will follow Earhart's historic route to fly around the globe at the
equator, starting in Miami, skirting the Caribbean islands, then passing
along the coast of South America before heading across the Atlantic.
"I am driven by the spirit of historic flights," Lloyd said before
leaving his Texas airstrip for Miami. "It is important to remember the
aviation pioneers like Amelia Earhart and their contributions to
aviation. Their bold actions made today's air travel possible for all of
us."
In late May, severe weather on the Atlantic route and aircraft equipment
problems forced Lloyd to call off his New York-to-Paris speed flight.
"There was only a short window of time that the flight could have
happened, and the window has now closed," a May 22 announcement said.
Lloyd will be on the air <http://projectameliaearhart.org/ham-radio>
using HF SSB on or about 14,210.0 kHz, 14,346.0 kHz, 18,117.5 kHz, or
7,130.0 kHz. On board, he has a Mobat Micom-3 transceiver, which puts
out about 125 W. His antenna is under the fuselage. He also will utilize
ALE (automatic link establishment) on the Amateur Radio HFLINK
<http://hflink.com/> frequencies.
*Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN, during a test flight over Texas earlier this year.
[Josh Flowers, photo]
*
"The flight route has some very long legs, so I will have plenty of
opportunities during June and July to talk with ham operators while
flying over the world's oceans," said Lloyd, 62, who has been licensed
since 1976 but has been flying since 1968.
To give his 1979 Mooney aircraft additional range, he modified it to
carry 150 gallons more fuel. He's also equipped it with modern
navigation equipment, long-range radio, and satellite communication
gear. Because the flight involves some risk, special safety gear is part
of his equipment ensemble.
In addition to being a pilot, Lloyd is a flight instructor and educator.
He lives near San Antonio. His commemorative flight is co-sponsored by
The Classic Aircraft Aviation Museum, a non-profit in Texas, and by
individual contributions.
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: The average daily sunspot number for
the reporting week of May 25-31 dropped from 31.7 to 15.6, compared to
the previous 7 days. There were no sunspots on May 30, but on May 31
sunspot region 2661 appeared, and the sunspot number was 11, which is
the lowest non-zero sunspot number possible, due to the arcane method
for counting sunspots. The average daily solar flux increased from 74.1
to 77.2.
The average planetary A index increased from 11 to 13.3, and the average
mid-latitude A index went from 11.7 to 10.6.
Predicted solar flux is 75, 76, and 77 on June 1-3; 78 on June 4-6; 75
on June 7-10; 78 on June 11; 80 on June 12-21; 75 on June 22-23; 72, 78,
and 72 on June 24-26; 70 on June 27-July 5; 75 on July 6-7; 78 on July
8, and 80 on July 9-15.
Predicted planetary A index is 5, 10, 14, 8, and 6 on June 1-5; 5 on
June 6-9; 10 and 12 on June 10-11; 8 on June 12-13; 10, 12, 25, and 10
on June 14-17; 8 on June 18-19; 5 on June 20-24; 12 on June 25; 5 on
June 26-July 6; 10 and 12 on July 7-8; 8 on July 9-10, and 10, 12, 25,
10, and 8 on July 11-15.
Looking ahead: The latest forecast for ARRL Field Day weekend, June
24-25, has solar flux on June 23-25 at 75, 72, and 78, and predicted
planetary A index at 5, 5, and 12.
On Sunday during the CQ World Wide WPX CW contest, a large geomagnetic
disturbance occurred. Planetary A index was 51, and the High-Latitude
College A index (Fairbanks, Alaska) was 84. I received two reports of
enhanced 10-meter propagation on Sunday. N6GP in California sent a link
to a video <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8Q4iJRfGT4>.
Sunspot numbers for May 25-31 were 19, 22, 21, 20, 16, 0, and 11, with a
mean of 15.6. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 76.1, 80.2, 81.9, 78.8, 75.8,
73.7, and 74.1, with a mean of 77.2. Estimated planetary A indices were
4, 3, 14, 51, 10, 7, and 4, with a mean of 13.3. Estimated mid-latitude
A indices were 4, 3, 14, 32, 10, 6, and 5, with a mean of 10.6.
In Friday's bulletin, look for an updated forecast, reports from
readers, and more on the May 28 disturbance and enhancement. Send
<mailto:k7ra at arrl.net> me your reports and observations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just Ahead in Radiosport
*
June 3 -- Wake-Up! QRP Sprint
*
June 3-4 -- PVRC Reunion (CW, phone)
*
June 3-4 -- 10-10 International Open Season PSK Contest
*
June 3-4 -- DigiFest
*
June 3-4 -- SEANET Contest (CW, phone)
*
June 3-4 -- UKSMG Summer Contest (CW, phone, digital)
*
June 3-4 -- IARU Region 1 Field Day (CW)
*
June 3-4 -- Dutch Kingdom Contest (CW, phone)
*
June 3-4 -- RSGB National Field Day (CW)
*
June 3-4 -- Alabama QSO Party (CW, phone)
*
June 5 -- RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship (Digital)
*
June 6 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)
See the ARRL Contest Calendar <http://www.arrl.org/contest-calendar> for
more information. For in-depth reporting on Amateur Radio contesting,
subscribe to /The ARRL Contest Update/
<http://www.arrl.org/contest-update-issues> via your ARRL member profile
e-mail preferences.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
*
June 2-4 -- Northwestern Division Convention
<http://www.seapac.org/>, Seaside, Oregon
*
June 3 -- Georgia Section Convention <http://atlantahamfest.com/>,
Marietta, Georgia
*
June 4 -- Western Pennsylvania Section Convention
<http://www.breezeshooters.org/>, Prospect, Pennsylvania
*
June 9-10 -- West Gulf Division Convention <http://www.hamcom.org/>,
Irving, Texas
*
June 16-18 -- Utah State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/utah-state-convention-1>, Garden City,
Utah
*
June 17 -- Tennessee State Convention <http://www.w4bbb.org/>,
Knoxville, Tennessee
*
Jul 7-8 -- Northern Florida Section Convention
<http://miltonarc.org/>, Milton, Florida
*
July 14-16 -- Montana State Convention <http://www.gwhamfest.org/>,
Essex, Montana
*
July 21-22 -- Oklahoma State Convention <http://hamholiday.com/>,
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
*
July 27-30 -- Central States VHF Society Conference
<http://2017.csvhfs.org/>, Albuquerque, New Mexico
*
August 4-5 -- South Texas Section Convention
<http://www.austinsummerfest.org/>, Austin, Texas
*
August 4-6 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention
<http://pacificnwdxconvention.com/>, Spokane, Washington
*
Aug 11-13 -- New Mexico State Convention
<https://dukecityhamfest.org/>, Albuquerque, New Mexico
*
August 12 -- Delta Division Convention
<http://www.shreveporthamfest.com/>, Shreveport, Louisiana
*
August 18-20 -- West Virginia State Convention
<http://qsl.net/wvsarc/>, Weston, West Virginia
*
August 19-20 -- Alabama State Convention <http://www.hamfest.org/>,
Huntsville, Alabama
*
August 20 -- Kansas State Convention <http://www.w0cy.org/>, Salina,
Kansas
Find conventions and hamfests in your area <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests>.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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