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   http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2015-03-05   
      
   The ARRL Letter   
      
   March 5, 2015   
   Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME   
      
    *  Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015 Introduced in Congress   
    *  Number of US Amateur Radio Licensees at All-Time High   
    *  Southeast US ARES Teams Rally as Severe Winter Weather Strikes   
    *  ARRL 2015 Field Day Gear, Supplies Now Available!   
    *  ARISS Offering Online Information Sessions for Prospective Contact Hosts   
    *  ARRL Centennial Convention Guest Speaker Presentations DVD Now Available   
    *  Northern California DX Foundation Makes Major Grant to DXpedition Group   
    *  Malawi 7QAA DXpedition Will Help Kick Off New Africa All-Mode   
       International DX Contest   
    *  North Dakota ARRL Member Marks 80th Anniversary as ARRL Member   
    *  Past IARU Region 1 Chairman Louis van de Nadort, PA0LOU, SK   
    *  In Brief...   
    *  Getting It Right!   
    *  The K7RA Solar Update   
    *  Just Ahead in Radiosport   
    *  Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events   
      
   Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015 Introduced in Congress   
      
   "The Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015" -- H.R.1301 -- has been introduced in   
   the US House of Representatives. The measure would direct the FCC to extend   
   its rules relating to reasonable [US%20Capitol.jpg] accommodation of Amateur   
   Service communications to private land use restrictions. US Rep Adam   
   Kinzinger (R-IL) introduced the bill on March 4 with 12 original co-sponsors   
   from both sides of the aisle -- seven Republicans and five Democrats.   
   Kinzinger also sponsored "The Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014, which died   
   at the end of the 113th Congress. H.R. 1301 is an essentially identical   
   piece of legislation.   
      
   "The introduction of H.R. 1301 with so many original co-sponsors, so early   
   in this session of Congress, is very encouraging," said ARRL President Kay   
   Craigie, N3KN. "Several additional members of Congress already have agreed   
   to be co-sponsors. This bill has momentum, but introduction is only the   
   first step. Many of the next steps will be taken as ARRL members contact   
   their US Representatives urging co-sponsorship and thanking them as they   
   sign on to the bill."   
      
   If Congress approves the legislation, and it is signed by the president,   
   H.R. 1301 would require the FCC to amend its Part 97 Amateur Service rules   
   to apply the three-part test of the PRB-1 federal pre-emption policy to   
   include homeowners' association regulations and deed restrictions, often   
   referred to as "covenants, conditions, and restrictions" (CC&Rs). At   
   present, PRB-1 only applies to state and   
   local zoning laws and ordinances. The FCC has been reluctant to extend the   
   same legal protections to include such private land-use agreements without   
   direction from Congress.   
      
   H.R. 1301 has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Rep   
   Greg Walden, W7EQI (R-OR), chairs that panel's Communications and Technology   
   Subcommittee, which will consider the measure. The League had worked with   
   Walden on the 2014 bill during the 113th Congress.   
      
   Among H.R. 1301 initial co-sponsors is Rep Joe Courtney (D-CT), who attended   
   the ARRL National Centennial Convention last summer to speak with League   
   officials and those attending the event about the earlier bill.   
      
   Craigie encouraged ARRL members to urge their US House members to sign on to   
   the bill as a co-sponsor. If the House member is already a co-sponsor, call   
   the member's local office or send an e-mail via the member's official   
   website to express their thanks. She called on League members to encourage   
   other hams to do the same, and to be sure to refer to the bill by its   
   number, H.R. 1301. The ARRL has an H.R. 1301 resources page on its website   
      
   "Remember what those pile-ups on the W1AW portable stations sounded like   
   last year?" Craigie said. "Let's be that avid in calling for even greater   
   support in Congress for this essential legislation."   
      
   Number of US Amateur Radio Licensees at All-Time High   
      
   The US Amateur Radio population continues to soar. At the end of 2014, the   
   total number of US Amateurs in the FCC's Universal Licensing System (ULS)   
   database reached an all-time high of 726,275 -- and the trend has continued   
   in the first 2 months of 2015, which saw the total rise to slightly more   
   than 727,000. The figures exclude expired licenses that are within the   
   2-year grace period, and club   
   station licenses. Outside of a little dithering last fall, growth in the   
   Amateur Radio Service in 2014 was steady, according to figures compiled by   
   Joe Speroni, AH0A, on his FCC Amateur Radio Statistics web pages. Over the   
   past decade, the number of Amateur Radio licenses in the ULS database grew   
   by some 8.1 percent. But 2014 was also a banner year for the ARRL Volunteer   
   Examiner Coordinator (VEC).   
      
   "For the first time in the ARRL VEC program's history, we have conducted   
   more than 7000 Amateur Radio exam sessions in a year, an important   
   milestone," said ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM. "A total of 7216   
   ARRL-sponsored exam sessions were administered in 2014, compared to 6823 in   
   2013."   
      
   Somma said the number of new licensees spiked to more than 33,000 in 2014,   
   up by about 15 percent from the previous year. Successful license upgrades   
   rose last year by an unprecedented 13 percent over a year earlier.   
      
   At the end of 2014, there were 136,405 Amateur Extra, 169,524 General, and   
   357,236 Technician class licensees -- all record numbers, Somma pointed out.   
   While the number of Amateur Extra licensees grew in each month of 2014, the   
   number of Technicians and Generals -- and of licensees overall -- faltered a   
   bit last July and September. Last year's overall upward trend quickly   
   recovered, however, during the final quarter of 2014. The General population   
   also dipped briefly in May 2014, before rebounding.   
      
   Somma believes the July and September dips may have been a result of   
   applicants adjusting to the new Technician question pool that went into   
   effect last July 1. "We always expect an adjustment period when a new   
   question pool is introduced to the public, as VEs, teachers, and candidates   
   must prepare new study and exam materials," she said. Somma called the dips   
   "a normal part of the question pool cycle."   
      
   Technician licensees comprise slightly less than one-half of the US Amateur   
   Radio population. As of December 31, some 51,000 Advanced and 12,000 Novice   
   licensees remained in the FCC database. The FCC no longer issues Advanced   
   and Novice licenses, and their numbers continue to decline.   
      
   Once again, California far and away was home to the   
   largest number of licensees among the 50 states, with 102,806 at the end of   
   February. Texas was a distant second, with 51,022, Florida came in third,   
   with 40,743, Washington was fourth, with 30,511, and Ohio was fifth at   
   28,256. With the exception of Ohio, the licensing trend in these states has   
   been through the roof. In Ohio, ham radio numbers began to flag a bit in   
   2014, after holding steady for about the past 4 years.   
      
   The state with the fewest Amateur Radio licensees in 2014 was North Dakota,   
   with 1477, but in an overall upward trajectory since around 2009. Others   
   with small ham populations included Delaware (1715 and growing), Rhode   
   Island (1926 and dropping), Wyoming (1868 and headed up), and Vermont (2101   
   and slipping, after a bump in 2013 and 2014). These numbers may go a long   
   way toward explaining why these are rare multipliers in the ARRL November   
   Sweepstakes and other events.   
      
   Club station licenses in the US numbered 11,501, according to Speroni's   
   statistics. -- Thanks to Joe Speroni, AH0A; FCC ULS licensing statistics;   
   ARRL VEC   
      
   Southeast US ARES Teams Rally as Severe Winter Weather Strikes   
      
   Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) volunteers in the US Southeast went   
   on alert in late February, as the region was faced with an unaccustomed   
   ration of severe winter weather. Tennessee, which saw at least 30 winter   
   storm-related fatalities, was placed on a Level II state emergency   
   operations center activation level, indicating a major [ares%281%29.jpg]   
   disaster.   
      
   On February 26 Tennessee Section Emergency Coordinator Daniel O'Donovan,   
   W4DOD, reported that Tennessee ARES volunteers in several counties were on   
   standby, monitoring established nets, or actively staffing shelters and   
   other locations. O'Donovan said the American Red Cross had opened six   
   shelters in five counties, with 224 occupants, and that nearly 20,000 had   
   lost power across five counties.   
      
   States of emergency also were declared in Alabama and Georgia, as they and   
   other states in the region that typically receive far milder winter weather   
   confronted what the National Weather Service called "a historic winter   
   storm." North Alabama reported snow accumulations of 6 inches or more, and   
   vehicle traffic was brought to a standstill on some major highways. Alabama   
   ARES volunteers were on alert throughout the day on February 25, and the   
   American Red Cross had established shelter sites for displaced residents.   
      
   On February 25 Alabama Section Emergency Coordinator Mike Watkins, WX4AL,   
   elevated the section's ARES status to orange, invoking formal nets on the   
   local and district levels, due to heavy icing of roads in North Alabama and   
   requests for Amateur Radio operators to staff shelters and to assist   
   emergency managers and the National Weather Service.   
      
   On March 5, the FCC closed along with the rest of the federal government   
   after a few more inches of snow contributed to the US capital's most   
   significant cumulative snowfall since the so-called "Snowmageddon" of 2010.   
      
   ARRL 2015 Field Day Gear, Supplies Now Available!   
      
   ARRL Field Day -- the most popular ham radio operating event on the calendar   
   -- is June 27-28, and official gear and supplies are now available from   
   ARRL. Shirts, hats, pins, patches, and coffee mugs are a great way to   
   [ARRL%20Field%20Day%202015%20supplies.jpg] acknowledge -- and commemorate --   
   your participation in this annual event. New for 2015 are two T-shirt color   
   options -- cardinal red and ice gray. Order one or both!   
      
   Encourage family, friends, and fellow hams to take part in ARRL Field Day   
   with recruitment posters and attractive "Get on the Air" (GOTA) pins for   
   newcomers. All items are available for order now while supplies last and   
   will begin shipping in early April.   
      
   Clubs are encouraged to order early. Place a group order and pay just $12.50   
   shipping for all orders over $50 (while supplies last).   
      
   Get your 2015 ARRL Field Day supplies from the ARRL online store or by   
   calling 888-277-5289 in the US, Monday through Friday, from 8 AM to 5 PM   
   Eastern Time (outside the US, call 860-594-0355).   
      
   The complete 2015 ARRL Field Day   
   packet is online, and there are no rule changes for 2015. On the fourth   
   weekend of June, more than 35,000 radio amateurs are expected to gather with   
   their clubs, in groups, or simply with friends to operate from remote   
   locations.   
      
   ARRL encourages participants to register their Field Day operations using   
   the FD Site Locator. E-mail your Field Day questions or call 860-594-0232.   
      
   ARISS Offering Online Information Sessions for Prospective Contact Hosts   
      
   The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program   
   coordinator will offer three online information sessions during [ARISS.jpg]   
   March for schools and organizations that are interested in hosting an ARISS   
   Amateur Radio contact with a member of the International Space Station crew.   
   These hour-long sessions are aimed at providing more information regarding   
   US ARISS contacts and the proposal process. There will be an opportunity to   
   ask questions. Prospective ARISS contact sponsors are not required to attend   
   an online information session, but they are strongly encouraged to do so.   
      
   Information sessions will be offered on Wednesday, March 11, at 2000 UTC, on   
   Monday, March 16 at 2300 UTC, and on Thursday, March 26, at 2000 UTC.   
   Advance registration is required. Contact ARISS to sign up for a session.   
      
   The US ARISS contact proposal window will remain open until April 15. ARISS   
   is seeking formal and informal educational institutions and organizations,   
   individually or working together, to host an Amateur Radio contact with an   
   ISS crew member between January 1 and June 30, 2016. ARISS is looking for   
   organizations that have the potential to draw large numbers of participants   
   and can integrate the contact into a well-developed educational plan.   
      
   Details on expectations, audience, proposal guidelines, and proposal form,   
   and dates and times of information sessions are on the ARRL website. E-mail   
   ARISS with any questions.   
      
   ARRL Centennial Convention Guest Speaker Presentations DVD Now Available   
      
   The ARRL is making available a   
   DVD of ARRL Centennial Convention Guest Speaker Presentations. The ARRL   
   National Centennial Convention last July in Hartford, Connecticut, was a   
   once-in-a-lifetime celebration of Amateur Radio's past and promising future.   
      
   More than 3300 members and friends attended. Many convention visitors were   
   entertained and informed by primary guest speakers at the event, and the   
   ARRL now has compiled these presentations onto a DVD -- more than 110   
   minutes in all.   
      
   The DVD includes these convention presentations.   
      
    *  ARRL First Vice President Rick Roderick, K5UR, with introduction by ARRL   
       Rocky Mountain Division Director Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT (41:09).   
       Luncheon speaker, Thursday, July 17, 2014.   
    *  FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, KK4INZ, with introduction by ARRL   
       Hudson Division Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB (22:49). ARRL Centennial   
       Banquet keynote speaker, Friday, July 18, 2014.   
    *  Nobel Laureate Joe Taylor, K1JT, "Gazing into the Future -- DXing with   
       Weak Signals and Beyond," with introduction by ARRL Treasurer Rick   
       Niswander, K7GM (46:45). Saturday, July 19, 2014.   
      
   The Guest Speakers Presentation DVD is $12.95 (plus $2.75 shipping &   
   handling). Order Item No 1241.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
   Find ARRL on Facebook. Follow Us on Twitter!   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
   Northern California DX Foundation Makes Major Grant to DXpedition Group   
      
   The Northern California DX Foundation (NCDXF) has donated $50,000 to the   
   Intrepid-DX Group to support its planned activation of two Top 10 DXCC   
   entities early next year -- South Sandwich Island (VP8S) and South Georgia   
   Island (VP8G).   
      
   "It is only through the generosity of amateur   
   organizations such as the NCDXF that we can make this DXpedition possible,"   
   the Intrepid-DX Group said in accepting the grant. "Our destination is very   
   remote and costly to reach. This grant by the NCDXF gives us the foundation   
   with which we can solidify our plans and move forward with successful   
   activations of these rare islands." The Intrepid-DX Group anticipates a   
   total budget of approximately $425,000.   
      
   The team plans to be on each island for 10 days, with 8 full days on the   
   air.   
      
   Without grants of this type, it would not be possible to activate many of   
   the most-wanted DXCC entities, NCDXF Vice President Glenn Johnson, W0GJ,   
   said in announcing the grant. Johnson himself was part of the recent K1N   
   Navassa Island DXpedition team. "Individual contributions to NCDXF have   
   enabled us to make this grant possible," he noted.   
      
   Located in the South Atlantic, the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands   
   are a British overseas territory. The only inhabitants are British   
   government officials and staff. South Georgia currently is number 4 on   
   ClubLog's DXCC Most Wanted List. South Sandwich is number 9.   
      
   Malawi 7QAA DXpedition Will Help Kick Off New Africa All-Mode International   
   DX Contest   
      
   The 7QAA Multinational DXpedition to Malawi will take part in the inaugural   
   Africa All-Mode International DX Contest over the March 14-15 weekend,   
   operating SSB, CW, and digital modes. The DXpedition is scheduled begin on   
   March 11.   
      
   Unusual call signs such as 7QAA have been issued for at least one prior   
   Malawi operation.   
      
   The 7QAA Multinational DXpedition will employ two   
   teams -- one for CW and RTTY -- which will operate from March 11 until March   
   21, and a second for SSB and RTTY, which will be on the air from March 22   
   until April 1. Both will operate on 160 through 10 meters.   
      
   The DXpedition will upload logs to Logbook of The World (LoTW) following the   
   DXpedition and to ClubLog daily. The second team will take part in the CQ   
   World Wide WPX Contest (Digital) on RTTY and PSK. The team will listen on   
   50.110 MHz CW and SSB for any possible openings.   
      
   The DXpedition is dedicated to Charles "Frosty" Frost, K5LBU (SK), who often   
   operated from Africa. -- Thanks to The Daily DX   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
   North Dakota ARRL Member Marks 80th Anniversary as ARRL Member   
      
   North Dakota radio amateur Alex Muggli, W0ZTL, was recently honored on the   
   80th anniversary of his ARRL membership -- a rare milestone. At the Bismarck   
   Hamfest, Muggli, who still lives in his home town of Glen Ullin, received an   
   80-year membership plaque and a framed commemorative cover of QST from 1935,   
   the year Muggli joined the ARRL.   
      
   "Alex has been a ham since he was 17, and now is 97 years old," said ARRL   
   Dakota Division Vice Director Kent Olson, KA0LDG, who joined North Dakota   
   Section Manager Lynn Nelson, W0ND, in honoring Muggli. "His wife had him   
   quit climbing his tower a couple of years ago, but he seems like he could   
   still do it today."   
      
   Nelson said the presentation was a surprise to Alex and his wife, Alice.   
   Their son Dave, N0JLY, and his wife Karen were on hand for the recognition.   
      
   Born in 1917, Muggli got interested in radio as a youngster and built a   
   cat's whisker "crystal set" as his first radio. He learned Morse code in the   
   Boy Scouts -- he became an Eagle Scout -- and was first licensed as W9ZTL in   
   1937, a couple of years after he joined the League. He subsequently became   
   W0ZTL, when the FCC reshuffled US call districts. Muggli served in the US   
   Navy during World War II and was a radio and radar instructor. He later   
   worked in his family's business, managing a grain elevator until he retired.   
      
   Muggli remains active on the daily ARRL North Dakota traffic nets and still   
   drives a car. "Many old hams and even the new ones remember Alex on 160   
   meters," said Nelson. "He is always active on 160 meters in the winter   
   months and sends out many QSLs. Although Alex is pretty reserved, he is in   
   good health, has lots of stories to tell, and is a special person to visit   
   with at hamfests or on the air," he added.   
      
   Past IARU Region 1 Chairman Louis van de Nadort, PA0LOU, SK   
      
   Past International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 (IARU-R1) Chairman Louis van   
   de Nadort, PA0LOU, of Zundert, Netherlands, died February 28 after a brief   
   illness. Van de Nadort served as the   
      
   IARU Region 1 Chair from 1975 until 2002. He was a founding member of the   
   IARU Administrative Council.   
      
   "He will be sorely missed by his many colleagues and friends in IARU and   
   around the world," said IARU Region 1 President Don Beattie, G3BJ. "On   
   behalf of myself and the entire Executive Committee, I express our sincere   
   condolences to his wife An and family."   
      
   A member of VERON, the Dutch IARU member society, van de Nadort was licensed   
   in 1955 after discovering ham radio during a stint in the Dutch Signal Corp,   
   where he trained soldiers in telegraphy. He was a member of the First Class   
   Operators Club (FOC) and active in CWops.   
      
   Van de Nadort enjoyed DXing and CW and was a regular presence on the HF   
   bands. He was on the DXCC Honor Roll and lacked only North Korea (P5) on CW.   
   He was well known within the international Amateur Radio community and held   
   honorary memberships in several other Amateur Radio societies.   
      
   In Brief...   
      
   A Reminder: The ARRL International DX Phone   
   Contest is March 7-8! The SSB weekend of the ARRL International DX Contest   
   is Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8 (UTC), and the DX will be looking for   
   stations in the US and Canada. W/VE amateurs work as many DX stations in as   
   many DXCC entities as possible on the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meter   
   bands. Participating DX stations work as many stations as possible in the 48   
   contiguous US states and Canadian provinces. US and Canadian stations send a   
   signal report and their state or province abbreviation. DX stations send a   
   signal report and their output power. The contest gets under way March 7 at   
   0000 UTC (Friday, March 6, in US time zones) and continues until March 8 at   
   2359 UTC. Complete rules and forms are on the ARRL website.   
      
   Arkansas ARRL Member Aids Accident Victim: According to   
   a report in the Ozark County Times, Arkansas radio amateur and ARRL member   
   Jim Long, N5CXP, of Mountain Home, extracted a woman from her wrecked car in   
   late February after she had skidded off the road and overturned. After   
   getting the woman out of her car, Long called for assistance on ham radio,   
   since no cell telephone signal was available on that part of Arkansas   
   Highway 201. N9JSM in Mountain Home came back to him and called 911. First   
   responders soon showed up, and the 25-year-old mother of two was taken to   
   the hospital, treated, and released. Long is a member of the Ozark Amateur   
   Radio Club.   
      
   International DX Convention (Visalia) Advance   
   Registration Available Until April 8: Advance registration for those   
   planning to attend the International DX Convention in Visalia, California,   
   April 16-19, ends April 8. The Visalia program includes DX University and   
   Contest Academy sessions, ARRL, DX, and Contest forums, and a long list of   
   DX and technical presentations, as well as an entire exhibition hall of   
   displays and vendors. Jeanne Socrates, KC2IOV, will keynote the Saturday   
   banquet. Socrates holds the Guinness World Record as the oldest woman to   
   sail solo and nonstop around the world. The Sunday DX Convention Breakfast   
   speaker will be Bob Allphin, K4UEE, who will talk on the recent K1N   
   DXpedition to Navassa Island. (Allphin is also scheduled to speak at the   
   Friday Top Band Dinner about the team's 160 meter experiences). More   
   information is available on the convention website. This year's event will   
   mark the 66th annual IDXC, sponsored by the Northern California DX Club   
   (NCDXC).   
      
   FT5ZM DXpedition Wins DxCoffee's Best   
   Communication Award 2014: DxCoffee has awarded its "Best Communication Award   
   2014" to the FT5ZM DXpedition to Amsterdam Island in January-February 2014.   
   DxCoffee said it especially appreciated the FT5ZM website, which provided   
   information about the island and included frequently asked questions and   
   links to Facebook and Twitter, as well as many photos. DxCoffee cited for   
   "special mention" the A35V/A35X DXpediton to Tonga, "for fascinating us with   
   their diary and the final account;" the YW5D Tortuga Island DXpedition, "for   
   the great use of social networks and for spreading information through   
   several web magazines," and the VK9MT, VK9DLX, and FT4TA DXpeditions, for   
   their "comprehensive and updated websites."   
      
   K1N DXpedition to Navassa Island Okayed for DXCC Credit: The ARRL   
   DXCC Desk has approved the January/February 2015 K1N DXpedition to Navassa   
   Island for DXCC credit. DXCC is Amateur Radio's premier award that hams can   
   earn by confirming on-the-air contacts with 100 DXCC "entities," most of   
   which are countries in the traditional sense. You can begin with the basic   
   DXCC award and work your way up to the DXCC Honor Roll.   
      
   NASA Soundbites Suitable for Ringtones Include Juno "HI" CW   
   Message: NASA is offering a collection of sounds from historic spaceflights   
   and current missions that are suitable for cell phone ringtones or other   
   purposes. "You can hear the roar of a space shuttle launch or Neil   
   Armstrong's 'One small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind,' every   
   time you get a phone call," NASA said. The files are available for download   
   in MP3 and M4R (iPhone) sound file formats (M4R files must be imported via   
   iTunes). One of the sounds is the Morse code "HI" message transmitted by the   
   Juno spacecraft (photo) during its 2013 Earth flyby. -- Thanks to Don   
   Kirchner, KD0L; QRZ.com   
      
   Central States VHF Society Issues Call for Conference   
   Papers: The Central States VHF Society (CSVHFS) has issued a call for   
   papers, presentations, and posters for its 49th annual conference July 23-26   
   in Denver. Suggested topics include, but are not limited to, antennas,   
   propagation, satellites, test equipment, digital modes, and contesting. For   
   more information, contact Proceedings Chair John Maxwell, W0VG. Those   
   planning to attend the conference may register online.   
      
   Getting It Right!   
      
   The correct dates for the ARRL International DX Contest (Phone) are March   
   7-8. The announcement, "There's a Place for You in the ARRL International DX   
   Phone Contest!" in The ARRL Letter, February 26, 2015, listed the wrong   
   days!   
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
   The K7RA Solar Update   
      
   Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Sunspot activity continues to weaken.   
   Average daily sunspot numbers dropped from 59 in the previous 7 days to 54.1   
   during the February 26 through March 4 period. Average daily solar flux   
   actually rose a little, with values increasing from 116.3 to 122.9 over the   
   same 2 weeks.   
      
   The vernal equinox is only 2 weeks away on   
   March 20, and around this time the Northern and Southern hemispheres are   
   bathed in an equal measure of solar radiation. We should enjoy enhanced HF   
   radio propagation as a result. This weekend the ARRL International DX   
   Contest phone event takes place.   
      
   Predicted solar flux from NOAA and USAF is 120 for March 5-6, 115 for March   
   7-8, then 120, 125, 130, and 125 for March 9-12, 130 for March 13-15, 135   
   for March 16-17, then 130 and 125 for March 18-19, and 120 for March 20-21.   
   Flux values then hit a minimum for the short term at 110 for March 24-25,   
   then rising to 135 for April 12-13, according to the forecast.   
      
   Predicted planetary A index is 8 for March 5-7, then 12, 15, 12, and 10 for   
   March 8-11, 5 for March 12-13, then 8 and 5 for March 14-15, then 15 for   
   March 16-17, 8 on March 18, 5 for March 19-21, then 15, 20, and 8 for March   
   22-24, 5 for March 25-26, then 15, 30, 25, 15, and 10 for March 27-31, and 8   
   for April 1-4. The predicted planetary A index at 30 on March 26 is quite   
   high -- perhaps an echo of March 1-2, when the A index was 28.   
      
   This weekly "Solar Update" in The ARRL Letter is a preview of the   
   "Propagation Bulletin" issued each Friday. The latest bulletin and an   
   archive of past propagation bulletins is on the ARRL website.   
      
   In Friday's bulletin look for an updated forecast and an update on our   
   3-month moving average of daily sunspot numbers. Send me your reports and   
   observations. -- Tad Cook, K7RA   
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
   Just Ahead in Radiosport   
      
    *   
      
       March 6 -- NS Weekly RTTY Sprint   
    *   
      
       March 6 -- NS Weekly Sprint (CW)   
    *   
      
       March 7-8 -- ARRL International DX Contest (SSB)   
    *   
      
       March 7-8 -- Africa All-Mode International DX Contest   
    *   
      
       March 7 -- Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon   
    *   
      
       March 7 -- Open Ukraine RTTY Championship   
      
   See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information.   
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
   Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events   
      
    *   
      
       March 7 -- Santa Clara Valley Section Convention, Del Rey Oaks,   
       California   
    *   
      
       March 7-8 -- Alabama Section Convention, Irondale, Alabama   
    *   
      
       March 13-14 -- North Carolina Section Convention, Concord, North   
       Carolina   
    *   
      
       March 14 -- West Texas Section Convention, Midland, Texas   
    *   
      
       March 20-21 -- Louisiana State Convention, Rayne, Louisiana   
    *   
      
       March 21 -- MicroHAMS Digital Conference, Redmond, Washington   
    *   
      
       March 21 -- Nebraska State Convention, Lincoln, Nebraska   
    *   
      
       March 21 -- Southern Florida Section Convention, Stuart, Florida   
    *   
      
       March 21 -- Wisconsin State Convention, Milwaukee, Wisconsin   
    *   
      
       March 27-28 -- Maine State Convention, Lewiston, Maine   
    *   
      
       March 28 -- Texas State Convention, Rosenberg, Texas   
    *   
      
       April 4 -- West Central Florida Technical Conference, Sebring, Florida   
    *   
      
       April 4 -- North Carolina State Convention, Raleigh, North Carolina   
    *   
      
       April 4 -- Arkansas State Convention, Fort Smith, Arkansas   
    *   
      
       April 11 -- Delta Division Convention, Bartlett, Tennessee   
    *   
      
       April 11-12 -- Communications Academy, Seattle, Washington   
    *   
      
       April 17-19 -- International DX Convention, Visalia, California   
    *   
      
       April 17-19 -- Eastern VHF-UHF-Microwave Conference, Manchester,   
       Connecticut   
    *   
      
       April 25 -- Aurora Conference, White Bear Lake, Minnesota   
    *   
      
       May 1-3 -- Nevada State Convention, Verdi, Nevada   
    *   
      
       May 2 -- South Carolina Section Convention, Spartanburg, South Carolina   
    *   
      
       May 15-17 -- Dayton Hamventionr, Dayton, Ohio   
      
   Find conventions and hamfests in your area.   
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
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   )\/(ark   
      
   If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until   
   you hire an amateur.   
      
   --- FMail/Win32 1.60   
    * Origin:  (1:3634/12.71)