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   http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2015-11-19   
      
   The ARRL Letter   
      
   November 19, 2015   
   Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME   
      
    *  Amateur Radio Parity Act Passes Senate Committee, Gains Cosponsors   
    *  World Radiocommunication Conference Approves Global 60 Meter Allocation!   
    *  FCC Not Processing License and Exam Session Files Again   
    *  ARRL Reiterates Call for FCC to Make Historical Licensee Data Available   
    *  VY1AAA Hopes for Better Conditions in Phone Sweepstakes   
    *  National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) Map Now Available   
    *  AO-85 Commissioned and Turned Over to AMSAT-NA Operations   
    *  New UK/EI DX Contest to Launch in December   
    *  Support ARRL as You Shop this Holiday Season!   
    *  Willis Island VK9WA DXpedition Going Smoothly   
    *  Oregon SM Pledges Continued Cooperation with Office of Emergency   
       Management After Rift   
    *  Ham Radio Accessory Dealer, Publisher Idiom Press Changing Hands   
    *  Past Pacific Division Director Bradley W. "Brad" Wyatt, K6WR, SK   
    *  In Brief...   
    *  The K7RA Solar Update   
    *  Just Ahead in Radiosport   
    *  Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   ARRL Headquarters Will Be Closed on November 26-27: ARRL Headquarters will be   
   closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday and Friday, November 26-27.   
   The ARRL Letter will not be published on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November   
   26, and there will be no edition of ARRL Audio News on Friday, November 27. In   
   addition, there will be no W1AW bulletins or code practice on those days. We   
   wish all our members a safe and enjoyable holiday!   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   Amateur Radio Parity Act Passes Senate Committee, Gains Cosponsors   
      
   The Amateur Radio Parity Act S. 1685 took an essential step forward on   
   November 18, when the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and   
   Transportation voted to report the bill favorably and without amendment. It   
   was one of a half-dozen bills that were approved by the committee in a brief   
   markup session. S. 1685 was approved on a voice vote, with two Senators --   
   Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) -- asked to be recorded as voting   
   "no."   
      
   "Our work is not finished on the Senate side of Capitol Hill, although this is   
   a huge step forward," said ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN. She urged ARRL   
   members to continue to write, call and e-mail their Senators about S. 1685 to   
   build up its support for the future, saying, "We know that members' response   
   to the call for a communications blast last week made all the difference for   
   some Senators on the committee."   
      
   S. 1685 picked up another Senate cosponsor on November 18, when Senator Jerry   
   Moran (R-KS), who sits on the Commerce Committee, signed aboard the bill.   
   "ARRL members in Kansas should contact his office to say thanks," President   
   Craigie said. "Having an additional cosponsor who's on the Committee is   
   especially good news."   
      
   On hand to observe the Committee mark-up session were ARRL Hudson Division   
   Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB; ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, and ARRL General   
   Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD.   
      
   President Craigie encouraged ARRL members in Florida and Hawaii to keep   
   contacting Senators Schatz and Nelson, urging them to change their minds about   
   the legislation. "Don't be harsh or angry," she advised. "Keep it factual and   
   courteous, and don't give up."   
      
   On November 5, US Senator Al Franken (D-MN) signed on as the second cosponsor   
   of S. 1685. That legislation and its US House twin, H.R. 1301, call on the FCC   
   to extend the limited federal pre-emption of PRB-1 to cover private land-use   
   restrictions such as deed covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs).   
      
   H.R. 1301 has 114 cosponsors as of November 18. President Craigie said ARRL   
   members should continue to urge their Representatives to cosponsor H.R. 1301   
   and to thank those who already have signed on.   
      
   The Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015 page on the ARRL website has more   
   information on how you can become involved. Read more.   
      
      
      
   World Radiocommunication Conference Approves Global 60 Meter Allocation!   
      
   The Plenary Meeting of the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15)   
   in Geneva has approved an allocation of 5351.5-5366.5 kHz to the Amateur   
   Service on a secondary basis, with a power limit of 15 W effective isotropic   
   radiated power (EIRP). The November 18 decision on Agenda Item 1.4 was adopted   
   on two back-to-back readings. Some Region 2 countries -- but not the US --   
   will be permitted up to 25 W EIRP. With this action, and despite conditions   
   that are more restrictive than had been hoped at the start of the Conference,   
   the Amateur Service has obtained its first new global HF allocation since   
   1979. While the Final Acts of the conference are expected to take effect on   
   January 1, 2017, the new band will not become available to amateurs until   
   their national telecommunications administration amends its rules and   
   licensing conditions. Those administrations that already permit amateurs to   
   operate in the 5 MHz range under certain conditions and on a not-to-interfere   
   basis, including the FCC, will be considering whether, how, and when to modify   
   those arrangements in light of the international allocation.   
      
   The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) team is doing what it can to   
   influence the agenda for WRC-19. The agenda could include addressing amateur   
   spectrum requirements in the 50-54 MHz band in Region 1, which could lead to   
   at least partial harmonization of the 6 meter band worldwide. A proposed   
   agenda item to align the 160 meter allocation in Region 1 with the rest of the   
   world is no longer under active consideration.   
      
   The WRC-19 agenda will also likely pose spectrum defense challenges, including   
   possible consideration of the 420-450 MHz band to accommodate a new allocation   
   to the space operations service for satellites in non-geostationary orbit that   
   are described as "small satellites" or "satellites with short duration   
   missions." One or more bands above 10 GHz may be up for consideration for 5G   
   smartphone use. The bounds of these potential defensive items, however, are   
   still under discussion by the conference and will not be settled until its   
   final week.   
      
   The IARU team continues to monitor several other WRC-15 items that appear to   
   be headed toward acceptable conclusions. WRC-15 continues through the signing   
   of the Final Acts on November 27.   
      
      
      
   FCC Not Processing License and Exam Session Files Again   
      
   The FCC Universal Licensing System (ULS) electronic batch filing (EBF) system   
   was working for a brief window of time yesterday after being down since Friday   
   November 13. Some files were processed through the system Wednesday, but the   
   FCC is having a problem processing all VEC license and examination session   
   files today. ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, said her office again had to   
   alert the FCC IT staff, which are said to be looking into the issue but did   
   not estimate how long the system would be down. Somma said it was the third   
   time the EBF system has gone down since late   
   September, when the FCC said a process had stopped running on an FCC server.   
      
   The FCC doesn't have a long term fix in place yet and it appears the same   
   issue is happening again with more frequency. The amateur community should   
   expect delays in exam license processing until the FCC can get this resolved.   
   The FCC apologies for the continued inconvenience this is causing the   
   community. "We transmit the exam sessions to FCC as soon as possible, which is   
   usually 24 to 48 hours from the day received in our office," Somma said. "We   
   make every effort to process each session quickly and efficiently while   
   following FCC rules. Unless there is missing candidate information or   
   paperwork, we normally aim to send the session to the FCC within a few days,   
   because most of the VEC staff understands what it feels like to wait for your   
   call sign to be issued." Somma expressed the hope that applicants and VEs will   
   be understanding and patient while the FCC resolves the problem.   
      
      
      
   ARRL Reiterates Call for FCC to Make Historical Licensee Data Available   
      
   At the request of the FCC, the ARRL on November 13 filed supplemental comments   
   urging the Commission to continue to make available via the Universal   
   Licensing System (ULS) historical Amateur Radio license information not   
   associated with a current licensee or a pending application. The League filed   
   its initial comments in the proceeding, WT Docket 15-81, last June. In its   
   earlier comments, the ARRL argued that historical license data not associated   
   with a current license is a primary means for volunteer examiner coordinators   
   (VECs) to research the validity of exam credit on the basis of a license once   
   held by the candidate. ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, who filed the   
   supplemental comments on November 13, said the Commission now wanted to know   
   how many applicants were taking advantage of lifetime examination credit,   
   which went into effect in the summer of 2014.   
      
   ARRL told the FCC that its VEC currently transmits an average of five   
   applications with expired license credits each week, and has handled some 300   
   such applications since July 2014. The W5YI VEC told ARRL that it relies   
   heavily on historical license information too. ARRL argued that the number   
   could grow, as word of the expanded opportunity for exam element credit   
   continues to spread.   
      
   "The Commission, having obligated VECs to validate claims of former licensee   
   status and the data associated therewith cannot fairly take away a key   
   resource for objectively evaluating the validity of applicants' claims and   
   documentation," the League said in its supplemental comments. "To do so   
   decreases substantially the ability of VECs to maintain the historically high   
   degree of integrity of the Amateur Radio licensing process. Since the   
   Commission clearly has no intention of assuming any of the burden of the   
   validation process -- and is ill equipped to do so in any case -- the proposal   
   is both unfair and illogical."   
      
   ARRL said that researching expired license credit is just one of several   
   instances in which VECs might need to access historical license data. Other   
   possibilities, the League said, could include using historical data to   
   validate a candidate's identification, and to research exam credit for   
   pre-1987 Technician licenses.   
      
   The League concluded by again asking the FCC to continue to make available   
   historical license data at least to VECs, if not the general public.   
      
      
   VY1AAA Hopes for Better Conditions in Phone Sweepstakes   
      
   If you missed working one of the two stations handing out the super-rare   
   Northern Territories multiplier in the CW weekend of the 2015 ARRL November   
   Sweepstakes, you may have better luck during the phone event, November 21-23.   
   VY1AAA logged 335 contacts in 73 ARRL/RAC sections during the CW event. Hal   
   Offutt, W1NN, and J Allen, VY1JA, operated VY1AAA from VY1JA, near Whitehorse,   
   Yukon Territory. Offutt operated remotely from within the US, while Allen   
   operated locally. VY1AAA spent 18 hours battling rough conditions during the   
   CW weekend in the multioperator, high-power category, logging the lion's share   
   of its contacts on 20 meters.   
      
   "Knowing how popular and needed the NT mult is, I hoped to put at least 1000   
   contacts in the log and enjoy some fun pileups all weekend," Offutt said in a   
   post on 3830scores.com. "I was not counting on something called a coronal mass   
   ejection (CME)." The CME threw the proverbial monkey wrench into the plans of   
   many operators in the US and Canada, although a lot of other stations reported   
   favorable conditions.   
      
   "Friday night J sent some pictures of the aurora that was visible from his QTH   
   in Whitehorse, and it began to sink in that I might not have those pileups I   
   had been hoping for," Offutt said. He reported missing the NH, RI, SFL, PR,   
   QC, ONE, GTA, MB, AB, and NL multipliers.   
      
   VY1AAA is the call sign of the Yukon CanAm Contest Club (YCACC), established   
   by Allen and Gerry Hull, W1VE. Its primary purpose is to support Allen in   
   making the Yukon Territory multiplier available in major contests. Hull will   
   helm VY1AAA for the SSB event, hanging out near band edges and following the   
   MUF during the day. At his gray line, he'll shift to 40 meters, and will be on   
   40 early in the morning for the US East Coast too.   
      
   John Boudreau, VE8EV, in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, was planning an   
   all-out effort this year, but yielded to poor conditions and to the VY1AAA   
   operation, and only spent an hour on the air. "When conditions picked up a bit   
   Sunday afternoon, I ran for an hour just to prove I could do it," he said in a   
   3830 post. "I'm expecting much better conditions...for SS Phone. See you then!"   
      
   At the other end of Canada, Gus Samuelson, VO1MP, in the also-rare NL   
   multiplier, said, "Conditions [were] about as poor as I have ever heard for   
   Sweeps." He missed NNY, ID, NE, WY, NT, and PAC. Roughly one-half of his   
   contacts were on 15 meters.   
      
   The phone weekend of the 2015 ARRL November Sweepstakes gets under way at 2100   
   UTC on Saturday, November 21, and runs through 0259 UTC on Monday, November   
   23. The 2015 ARRL November Sweepstakes operating guide is available on the   
   ARRL website.   
      
      
      
   National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) Map Now Available   
      
   In cooperation with ARRL, CQmaps has introduced a 2016 National Parks on the   
   Air (NPOTA) map. The full-color map includes all NPOTA [NPOTA%20   
   QMap%20thumb.jpg] units within the US, including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico,   
   US Virgin Islands, Guam, Saipan, and American Samoa. All sites are clearly   
   labeled and include the park name along with the ARRL park designator.   
      
   Each 24 x 36 inch map is offered in either a laminated heavyweight paper or   
   DuPont Tyvek.   
      
   The NPOTA laminated map is well suited for using a dry-erase marker to check   
   off your progress in chasing the parks. The map is personalized with your   
   Amateur Radio call sign. The price is $25, including US shipping. Add $10 for   
   international orders.   
      
      
      
   AO-85 Commissioned and Turned Over to AMSAT-NA Operations   
      
   Fox-1A (AO-85) has been formally commissioned and turned over to AMSAT   
   Operations, which is now responsible for the scheduling and modes. Fox-1A is   
   AMSAT-NA's first CubeSat.   
      
   Many new techniques are incorporated, and lessons will be learned, as with any   
   new 'product,'" said AMSAT Vice President-Engineering Jerry Buxton, N0JY. "We   
   will incorporate changes from what we learn in each launch, to the extent   
   possible, in subsequent Fox-1 CubeSats. To our members, we want to say that   
   the Fox Team is very proud and pleased that our first CubeSat is very   
   successful and hopefully will be for some time."   
      
   The Fox-1 Project is a series of CubeSats. A total of five will be built and   
   flown. Launches already have been scheduled for three more, and a new NASA   
   CubeSat Launch Initiative proposal will be submitted for the fifth launch.   
      
   The Fox Team noted that an apparent lack of receiver sensitivity and   
   difficulty in turning or holding on the repeater with the 67 Hz CTCSS tone are   
   probably the most notable observations about AO-85.   
      
   "We have determined a probable cause for the sensitivity issue, and while that   
   can't be fixed on AO-85, we are taking steps to prevent similar issues on the   
   rest of the Fox-1 CubeSats," Buxton assured. The November/December edition of   
   AMSAT Journal will include full details on these technical issues. Read more.   
   -- Thanks to AMSAT News Service via Jerry Buxton, N0JY   
      
      
      
   New UK/EI DX Contest to Launch in December   
      
   A new contest to promote activity between stations in the UK and in Ireland   
   (UK/EI) and the rest of the world debuts with an SSB event in December 5-6 and   
   a CW event January 23-24. Both get under way at 1200 on Saturday and end 24   
   hours later. The United Kingdom and Ireland Contest Club (UKEICC) is   
   sponsoring the new contest.   
      
   "All UK and EI contesters, including those with modest stations and antennas,   
   will experience the fun of being a multiplier in a worldwide contest," the   
   announcement said. While the eventual goal is to have UK/EI stations work the   
   rest of the world, all entrants may work all other entrants for points and   
   multipliers.   
      
   "For the first year or two we have to take into account that UK/EI   
   participation may take time to build up and that there are long periods when   
   DX stations cannot work UK/EI stations, because there is no propagation," the   
   announcement pointed out. "Accordingly, we are initially allowing DX-to-DX   
   contacts, which will make the contest more interesting for DX stations." Full   
   information is on the UK/EI DX Contest web page.   
      
      
      
   Support ARRL as You Shop this Holiday Season!   
      
   As you browse for great deals online this Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we   
   invite you to shop at AmazonSmile, choosing the ARRL as your charity of   
   choice. With every qualifying purchase you make through AmazonSmile, Amazon   
   will make a contribution to ARRL. When you shop at AmazonSmile, you will be   
   helping the League to extend its reach in public service, advocacy, education,   
   technology, and membership. Bookmark the link and support ARRL every time you   
   shop. ARRL wishes you a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and hopes you'll   
   remember us when you shop on Amazon this season.   
      
   AmazonSmile allows shoppers to enjoy the same wide selection of products, low   
   prices, and convenient shopping features as on Amazon.com. When customers shop   
   on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5 percent of the   
   price of eligible purchases to the charitable organizations selected by   
   customers. As a 501(c)(3) organization, ARRL -- the national association for   
   Amateur Radio(R) is a registered charity of AmazonSmile.   
      
      
      
   Willis Island VK9WA DXpedition Going Smoothly   
      
   The eight-member international team now activating VK9WA from Willis Island   
   November 14-23 reports the DXpedition is going smoothly for the most part.   
   VK9WA has generated substantial pileups over the past week and had logged some   
   24,000 contacts as of November 18. The 160 meter receiving antenna has been   
   repaired, and the team said that its new frequency on that band will be 1827   
   kHz. The team is operating from the 4-acre Middle Cay, some 280 miles off the   
   eastern coast of Australia. Operation is on all bands, 160-10 meters, SSB, CW,   
   and RTTY. The team has begun running RTTY on 10.142 MHz.   
      
   "Our primary focus will be providing new contacts with this highly demanded,   
   rarely activated entity with an emphasis on difficult paths -- primarily US   
   East Coast, Europe, and Africa," the DXpedition website states.   
      
   The DXpedition team will be on the island until November 22 and plans to tear   
   down all but two stations the afternoon prior to leaving. Two stations will   
   run overnight before departure. VK9WA has been arriving via long path to the   
   US on 17 and 20 and via short path on 15, 12, and 10. They are using verticals   
   plus one two-element Yagi. Signals into South America and southern Africa   
   "have not been good," the team reported this week.   
      
   Willis Island, which has not had a significant activation since 2008, is   
   number #32 on the ClubLog Most Wanted DXCC list. The weather there, where it   
   is spring, is reported to be "extremely hot." ClubLog statistics show fairly   
   even contact percentages for Asia, Europe, and North America.   
      
   A reminder to those hoping to work VK9WA (or any other major DXpedition): Do   
   not call the DX station on its frequency; you must operate split. Pay   
   attention to the operator's instructions.   
      
      
      
   Oregon SM Pledges Continued Cooperation with Office of Emergency Management   
   After Rift   
      
   ARRL Oregon Section Manager Everett Curry, W6ABM, has told the Section's   
   Amateur Radio Emergency Service Emergency Coordinators that Oregon ARES/RACES   
   will continue to work with the Oregon Office of Emergency Management (OOEM).   
   Curry's statement comes nearly a week after the OOEM severed its working   
   relationship with Oregon Section Emergency Coordinator Vince Van Der Hyde,   
   K7VV. Van Der Hyde remains as SEC.   
      
   "Nothing that OOEM has done alters your commitment to your served agency -- in   
   most cases your county -- and the commitments of Oregon ARES/RACES to work   
   with you in meeting the commitments made to your county," Curry told the ECs.   
   "I will work with OOEM for the present."   
      
   State Communications officer and Oregon RACES Officer Terry Pietras, W7JOC,   
   wrote Van Der Hyde on November 9, informing him that OOEM had decided to sever   
   the relationship between Van Der Hyde and the OEM Amateur Radio (ARES) Unit.   
   Pietras cited Van Der Hyde's decision not to participate in a November 12 OOEM   
   drill to test RACES emergency communications capabilities and operations.   
      
   In a November 16 joint OOEM/ARRL Oregon Section statement, the OOEM stressed   
   that its relationship with Oregon ARES/RACES continues. "We...are committed to   
   work with and develop this relationship to enhance emergency communications   
   capabilities throughout Oregon," said the statement, signed by Curry and OOEM   
   Manager, Operations and Preparedness Section Matthew T. Marheine.   
      
   Curry was scheduled to meet with Marheine this week. "It is my expectation   
   that we will achieve the mutual and respectful working relationship that we   
   desire," he said. He said he hopes to appoint an Emergency Coordinator for the   
   OOEM Amateur Radio Unit soon.   
      
      
      
   Ham Radio Accessory Dealer, Publisher Idiom Press Changing Hands   
      
   Idiom Press of Merlin, Oregon, has announced the sale of its assets to Ham   
   Supply of Elizabeth, Colorado. Owned by Wayne Ordakowski, N0UN, Ham Supply is   
   a new business formed to manufacture and distribute the products previously   
   offered by Idiom Press, as well as other new Amateur Radio products.   
      
   Ham Supply will honor warranties for existing Idiom Press products, and once   
   production is resumed, Ham Supply will honor all existing orders placed with   
   Idiom Press after reconfirming them with the customer. Ordakowski has said he   
   intends to have the new business in full operation by the first week of   
   January 2016, although some previously placed orders may ship earlier.   
      
   Idiom Press published The Complete DXer by Bob Locher, W9KNI, who started the   
   business before turning it over to his son Rob, W7GH, who is returning to the   
   computer programming field.   
      
      
      
   Past Pacific Division Director Bradley W. "Brad" Wyatt, K6WR, SK   
      
   Past ARRL Pacific Division Director Brad Wyatt, K6WR, of Los Gatos,   
   California, died on November 10 after an illness. He was 86. An ARRL Life   
   Member, Wyatt served as the Pacific Division Director from 1994 until 2000,   
   when he decided not to run for another term. He previously served as Vice   
   Director of the Pacific Division from 1992 until 1994.   
      
   Wyatt retired from IBM in 1984. He received bachelor's and master's (MBA)   
   degrees from Stanford University. Wyatt was a past president of the Los Gatos   
   Kiwanis Club.   
      
   In November 2001, Wyatt's article, "Remote Controlled HF Operation over the   
   Internet," appeared in QST. A year later, Wyatt and co-authors Stan Schretter,   
   W4MQ, and Keith Lamonica, W7DXX, won the QST Cover Plaque Award for their   
   collaboration on the article, "A Ham Radio Public Utility HF Station."   
      
      
      
   In Brief...   
      
   Special Event W1Q will Mark QST Centennial: Special Event station W1Q will be   
   on the air December 1-15 to celebrate QST's 100th anniversary. The first issue   
   of QST was published in December 1915. ARRL COO Harold Kramer, WJ1B, and   
   volunteer operators will be on the air. This is not an official ARRL   
   operation, and Kramer will handle all details, QSL cards, and LoTW entries. He   
   will post additional information on his WJ1B QRZ.com page. -- Thanks to Harold   
   Kramer, WJ1B   
      
      
   Astronaut Kjell Lindgren, KO5MOS, Tweets Anniversary Greetings to ARISS:   
   Astronaut Kjell Lindgren, KO5MOS, has tweeted greetings to the Amateur Radio   
   on the International Space Station (ARISS) program on the 15th anniversary of   
   the first Amateur Radio contacts between the ISS and Earth. "First QSOs   
   conducted from the ISS ham radio station 15 years this weekend. Happy   
   Anniversary ARISS! 73!" Lindgren tweeted on November 15. ARISS International   
   Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, noted the auspicious occasion on November 13, in a   
   post to the AMSAT-BB. "15 years ago today the ARISS team inaugurated the ham   
   station on ISS with the first set of QSOs with the crew," Bauer recounted.   
   "These contacts were conducted on this date in Moscow, Russia; Greenbelt,   
   Maryland, and Houston, Texas. Lou McFadin, W5DID, and I were on the mic at the   
   Greenbelt, Maryland location." That occasion marked the first use of the NA1SS   
   call sign from space. Lindgren, who arrived at the ISS in July, will return to   
   Earth in late December. During his duty tour, he has participated in several   
   ARISS school contacts.   
      
      
   Fall 2015 Issue of Radio Waves is Now Available: The fall 2015 edition of   
   Radio Waves is now available via the ARRL website. This issue includes such   
   articles as "Using Sensors to Explore Terraforming," "STEM School and Academy   
   ARC Builds Repeater," and "Community College's DIY Spirit Shines for ARISS   
   Contact." Published quarterly by ARRL Education Services, the fall 2015   
   edition also looks at how ham radio can help Boy Scouts to earn the Radio   
   merit badge; news, ideas, and support for instructors; ham radio instruction   
   for people with disabilities, and the evolution of a licensing class. Current   
   and back issues of Radio Waves are available on the ARRL website. Radio Waves   
   is available free as a PDF.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   The K7RA Solar Update   
      
   Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports:   
      
   Solar activity declined again this week, with average daily sunspot numbers   
   for the November 12-18 reporting week at 43.3, down from 72.3 during the   
   previous seven days. Average daily solar flux was 105.5, down from 109.4.   
      
   Geomagnetic A indices were down, which is generally a good thing for HF   
   propagation. The average daily planetary A index slipped from 25 to 11 and   
   average daily mid-latitude A index from 19 to 9. All four of these average A   
   indexes being whole integers is an odd occurrence.   
      
   Predicted solar flux is 108, 106, 104, and 105 on November 19-22, 103 on   
   November 23-24, then 100, 105, and 110 on November 25-27, 115 on November   
   28-29, 120 on November 30 and December 1, 115 on December 2, 110 on December   
   3-4, and 105 on December 5-14. Flux values then drop to a low of 95 on   
   December 17-18, then rise back to 120 on December 27-28.   
      
   Predicted planetary A index is 18 and 10 on November 19-20, 8 on November   
   21-22, 5 on November 23-25, 8 and 5 on November 26-27, 8 on November 28-29, 25   
   in November 30 and December 1, then 15, 8, 5, 12, 20, and 25 on December 2-7.   
      
   Sunspot numbers for November 12 through 18 were 29, 50, 48, 63, 44, 33, and   
   36, with a mean of 43.3. 10.7 cm flux was 103.5, 102.9, 106.3, 105.8, 105.6,   
   107.1, and 107.6, with a mean of 105.5. Estimated planetary A indices were 5,   
   14, 10, 9, 14, 8, and 17, with a mean of 11. Estimated mid-latitude A indices   
   were 4, 12, 10, 7, 9, 7, and 14, with a mean of 9.   
      
   Please send your reports and observations to k7ra@arrl.net.   
      
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   )\/(ark   
      
   "So let me ask you a question about this brave new world of yours. When you've   
   killed all the bad guys, and when it's all perfect, and just and fair, and   
   when you have finally got it exactly the way you want it, what are you going   
   to do with the people like you? The trouble makers. How are you going to   
   protect your glorious revolution from the next one?"   
   - The twelfth Doctor   
      
   ... A snail can sleep for 3 years.   
   ---   
    * Origin:  (1:3634/12.73)