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   http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2015-12-03   
      
   The ARRL Letter   
      
   December 3, 2015   
   Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME   
      
    *  US Rep Greg Walden, W7EQI, Among Latest Amateur Radio Parity Act   
       Cosponsors   
    *  It's a Wrap: WRC-15 Concludes in Geneva   
    *  There's a New Ham in the House!   
    *  Revamped FCC Website Set to Debut   
    *  ARRL Lab Acquires Keysight Digital Signal Generators   
    *  ARRL Northwestern Division Leadership Team Elected to New Terms   
    *  The Radio Amateur's Workshop Explains Workshop Essentials   
    *  December ARRL Operating Events Offer the Lows and the Highs   
    *  Special Event W1Q to be Active in ARRL 160 Meter Contest   
    *  WX4NHC Will Be On the Air for SKYWARN Recognition Day on Saturday,   
       December 5   
    *  Amateur Radio Provides Communication for Oklahoma Veterans Day Parade   
    *  Richard A. Strand, KL7RA, SK   
    *  UK Antenna Columnist and Author Peter Dodd, G3LDO, SK   
    *  In Brief...   
    *  The K7RA Solar Update   
    *  Just Ahead in Radiosport   
    *  Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events   
      
      
   US Rep Greg Walden, W7EQI, Among Latest Amateur Radio Parity Act Cosponsors   
      
   US Rep Greg Walden, W7EQI (R-OR), is among the latest House members to sign on   
   as an Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015 cosponsor. One of three radio amateurs   
   in Congress, Walden chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee's   
   Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, tr H.R. 1301, the House version   
   of the legislation. As of December 2, there were 117 cosponsors in the US   
   House and three cosponsors for S. 1685, the US Senate bill, which cleared the   
   Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on November 18. ARRL   
   President Kay Craigie, N3KN, said cosponsorship by Walden, the subcommittee   
   chair, is a highlight of the bill's progress in the House.   
      
   "Rep Walden and his subcommittee staff have been very helpful all along the   
   way," she added. President Craigie also said it's important that ARRL members   
   continue to write, call, or e-mail their members of Congress, including those   
   who already have become cosponsors.   
      
   "We want the members of Congress who signed on months ago to be reminded   
   periodically that their help is important and appreciated by constituents,"   
   President Craigie said. "Keeping Capitol Hill's attention is not a   
   one-and-done thing. Thanking our supporters is both good manners and good   
   strategy."   
      
   Other US House members who became H.R. 1301 cosponsors in November include   
   three from Texas and two from Wisconsin: Reps Ron Kind (D-WI), Gwen Moore   
   (D-WI), Gene Green (D-TX), Sam Johnson (R-TX), and Vela Filemon (D-TX)   
      
   The bill calls on the FCC to apply its "reasonable accommodation" standard to   
   private land-use restrictions. It would offer Amateur Radio operators an   
   opportunity to negotiate with homeowners associations in subdivisions that now   
   preclude the installation outdoor ham antennas.   
      
   More information on the Amateur Radio Parity Act is available on the ARRL   
   website.   
      
      
   It's a Wrap: WRC-15 Concludes in Geneva   
      
   World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15) concluded its deliberations   
   on November 27 in Geneva, as heads of delegations signed the Final Acts   
   revising the Radio Regulations -- the international treaty governing the use   
   of radio frequency spectrum and satellite orbits. Some 3300 participants,   
   representing 162 out of the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) 193   
   member states, attended the 4-week conference. Another 500 or so participants,   
   representing 130 other entities, including industry, also attended as   
   observers. Festus Daudu of Nigeria chaired WRC-15.   
      
   Nearly 4000 people attended WRC-15 at ITU Headquarters in Geneva.   
      
   "A great deal has been achieved in the last 4 weeks, and the results will have   
   a major impact on the future of the telecommunication sector in general and   
   radiocommunications in particular," ITU Radiocommunication Bureau (ITU-R)   
   Director Fran‡ois Rancy said in a closing news release. WRC-15 addressed more   
   than 40 topics related to frequency allocation and sharing.   
      
   The conference reached consensus on a new worldwide secondary Amateur Radio   
   allocation at 5351.5-5366.5 kHz, with a power limit of 15 W effective   
   isotropic radiated power (EIRP). 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.   
      
   The 15 kHz band at 60 meters "will maintain stable communications over various   
   distances, especially for use when providing communications in disaster   
   situations and for relief operations," an ITU news release said. The new band   
   will not become available for use until the FCC addresses the WRC-15 Final   
   Acts in a rule making proceeding and establishes operating parameters.   
      
   Threats by the mobile telephone/broadband industry in the vicinity of 10 GHz   
   and 24 GHz have been averted for the time being, but are expected to be raised   
   again at WRC-19 and/or WRC-23. The 144 and 420 MHz bands were excluded from   
   the WRC-19 agenda item addressing short-duration (3 years) small satellites.   
      
   Agenda Item 1.12, addressing the Earth Exploration Satellite Service (10 GHz   
   EESS), was approved at plenary with footnotes relevant to certain Middle East   
   countries. The EESS allocation was tailored to avoid the Amateur-Satellite   
   segment and poses no threat to terrestrial ham radio use of the band.   
      
   The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) team at WRC-15 also focused its   
   efforts on tweaking the agenda for WRC-19. Agenda Item 1.1 will consider 50-54   
   MHz harmonization in Region 1. A proposed agenda item to align the 160 meter   
   allocation in Region 1 with the rest of the world did not make the cut. Read   
   more. -- Thanks to ITU and RSGB   
      
      
   There's a New Ham in the House!   
      
   US Rep Steve Pearce (R-NM) has become the third Amateur Radio licensee in the   
   Congress. Pearce recently became KG5KIQ. He joins his House colleague, Rep   
   Daniel Benishek, KB8TOW (R-MI), and Rep Greg Walden, W7EQI (R-OR). Pearce had   
   reached out earlier this year to ARRL Rocky Mountain Division Director Brian   
   Mileshosky, N5ZGT, and New Mexico Section Manager Ed James, KA8JMW, to find   
   out more about ham radio.   
      
   "He said he had learned of ham radio and was interested in its utility for   
   communicating with others wirelessly, especially at long distances on HF,"   
   Mileshosky recounted.   
      
   More recently the congressman alerted Mileshosky and James that he would be   
   passing through Albuquerque and wanted to meet with them to chat further about   
   Amateur Radio. The get-together over coffee with Pearce, an aide, James, and   
   Mileshosky lasted for "a very productive hour," Mileshosky said. On November   
   12, Pearce's aide contacted James to say that the Congressman has just arrived   
   in Albuquerque and wanted to take the Technician license examination, if   
   possible.   
      
   "We notified Frank Warren, AB5WJ, whose VE team regularly conducts on-demand   
   licensing exams," Mileshosky said. Three hours after our first indication that   
   he was in town, the Congressman was taking his Technician license exam."   
      
   The FCC granted Pearce's license on November 18.   
      
      
   Revamped FCC Website Set to Debut   
      
   The FCC's large-scale website redesign will roll out this month. The switch to   
   the new site is set to happen on December 10 at 0100 UTC.   
      
   "While the transition to the revamped site is expected to be completed almost   
   instantaneously, there will be an ongoing process following this transition   
   that will continue to involve user feedback, fixes by the FCC's Information   
   Technology team, and content updates by policy bureaus and offices," the FCC   
   said in a November 24 Public Notice.   
      
   The FCC said the new website has been designed to provide "better   
   functionality, an improved design, and better searchability and navigability."   
   Earlier this year the Commission's IT Department opened a beta-test version of   
   the site to gather user comments.   
      
   "Extensive user research revealed how the FCC could improve the website's   
   information architecture to make content easier to find," the Public Notice   
   said. The FCC said its new website has been designed to operate on tablet and   
   mobile device browsers with the display optimization based upon the device.   
      
   When the new site comes online, the current FCC website will disappear. The   
   FCC said web pages and files that have not already migrated to the new site   
   will remain available, however, and existing bookmarks will be redirected to   
   the appropriate content on the new site. Read more.   
      
      
   ARRL Lab Acquires Keysight Digital Signal Generators   
      
   The ARRL Laboratory has acquired two new Keysight N5182B MXG signal   
   generators, which will replace two of the Lab's aging Marconi 2041 analog   
   signal generators. ARRL Senior Test Engineer Bob Allison, WB1GCM, said the new   
   equipment will expand the Lab's testing capabilities.   
      
   "Operating in a range from 9 kHz to 6 GHz, the MXG can generate both vector   
   and analog RF signals at high performance levels, which will allow the ARRL   
   Laboratory to develop new tests for measuring the performance of digital   
   receivers and transmitters," Allison said. "The MXG can also function as a   
   waveform generator and has the ability to download complex RF signals captured   
   by the Lab's Keysight spectrum analyzer. This allows the Lab to capture both   
   digital and analog signals and play them back as a signal source for test   
   purposes."   
      
   Keysight Engineer Tom Holmes, N8ZM, recently visited the ARRL Lab to discuss   
   ideas regarding new tests with Allison. "Once Tom hooked the cables from the   
   MXA to the MXG, I realized the potential the ARRL Lab now has," Allison said.   
   "While our Marconi signal generators have been faithful to us for many, many   
   years, they lacked the ability to generate digital signals needed for today's   
   Amateur Radio equipment."   
      
   The ARRL has expressed its thanks to Keysight for its assistance, and   
   especially to Tom Holmes and Keysight's Field Territory Engineer Joe Carr. --   
   Thanks to Bob Allison, WB1GCM   
      
      
   ARRL Northwestern Division Leadership Team Elected to New Terms   
      
   ARRL Northwestern Division Director Jim Pace, K7CEX, and Vice Director Bonnie   
   Altus, AB7ZQ, overcame challengers for their respective positions in the   
   2016-2018 election cycle. Ballots counted on November 20 at ARRL Headquarters   
   showed that Pace defeated challenger William Balzarini, KL7BB, 2190 to 654   
   votes, while Altus outpolled challenger Delvin Bunton, N7QMT, 2061 to 776   
   votes. Pace and Altus have been declared elected. The count took place under   
   the supervision of a representative of CohnReznick LLP, the League's   
   independent auditor. Three tellers, appointed by the Ethics &   
   Elections Committee, were New England Director Tom Frenaye, K1KI; ARRL Chief   
   Financial Officer Barry Shelley, N1VXY, and ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ.   
      
   Pace, who had been elected Northwestern Division Vice Director in 2012, moved   
   into the Director's chair in 2014, after former Director Jim Fenstermaker,   
   K9JF, became ARRL Second Vice President. ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN,   
   tapped Altus, then Oregon Section Manager, as Vice Director to succeed Pace,   
   who previously had served as Western Washington SM.   
      
   Incumbents in four other ARRL Divisions faced no challengers in the current   
   election cycle and have been declared re-elected. They are Central Division   
   Director Dick Isely, W9GIG, and Vice Director Kermit Carlson, W9XA; Hudson   
   Division Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, and Vice Director Bill Hudzik, W2UDT;   
   New England Division Director Tom Frenaye, K1KI, and Vice Director Mike   
   Raisbeck, K1TWF, and Roanoke Division Director Dr Jim Boehner, N2ZZ, and Vice   
   Director Bill Morine, N2COP.   
      
      
   New terms of office for all successful candidates begin at noon on January 1,   
   2016.   
      
   This election cycle marked a return to paper ballots. The ARRL Ethics and   
   Elections Committee decided in January to return to using solely paper   
   ballots, after instituting a hybrid paper and electronic balloting process in   
   the fall of 2012. Online balloting proved popular among those who took   
   advantage of it, but overall voter participation declined significantly. See   
   the August 2015 issue of QST, p 78, for more information.   
      
      
   The Radio Amateur's Workshop Explains Workshop Essentials   
      
   A new ARRL book, The Radio Amateur's Workshop, by Joel R. Hallas, W1ZR, is now   
   available from the ARRL Store, ARRL publication dealers, and as an e-book for   
   the Amazon Kindle.   
      
   The Radio Amateur's Workshop is your guide to setting up and maintaining an   
   efficient at-home laboratory and work station. It describes the tools you'll   
   need for projects ranging from assembling electronic kits, to building and   
   testing antennas. Subsequent chapters look at a wide variety of workshop test   
   equipment, including an explanation of how various instruments can be used to   
   develop, fabricate, and evaluate projects. Become part of the do-it-yourself   
   movement. Discover fun and creative ways to use radio technology at your   
   workshop today.   
      
   The Radio Amateur's Workshop (ARRL Item No. 0482, ISBN: 978-1-62595-016-1)   
   retails for $22.95, special ARRL Member Price $19.95. To order online, visit   
   the ARRL Store or order by phone, toll free in the US, (888) 277-5289.   
      
      
   December ARRL Operating Events Offer the Lows and the Highs   
      
   For veteran contesters and newcomers alike, December offers two of the most   
   popular operating events of the fall "contest season" -- The ARRL 160 Meter   
   Contest, December 4-6, and the ARRL 10 Meter Contest the following weekend,   
   December 12-13. Both contests offer an opportunity to appreciate the diversity   
   and range of the HF bands available.   
      
   Often called "Top Band," 160 meters -- actually a medium-wave band -- is the   
   lowest frequency band currently available for contest use. While some Top Band   
   stalwarts will operate day and night on   
   contest weekend, operation for this event typically takes place starting at   
   dusk and into the nighttime hours, and it's an all-CW event. This is mainly a   
   contest where US and Canadian stations work one another and the rest of the   
   world, because the rules do not permit DX-to-DX contacts.   
      
   On this challenging band, it's all about your antenna and teasing desired   
   signals out of the noise. Running 100 W into a compromise antenna of a   
   shortened dipole or an inverted L or vertical with just a few radials, you can   
   expect to work a number of states, if you put in some effort. High power is   
   also an option. In times of scant sunspots, 160 can come alive with signals   
   from other continents. From a low-noise location, it's possible to work the   
   world with a wire vertical antenna, such as an inverted L, coupled with   
   radials -- the more the merrier. Separate low-noise receiving antennas such as   
   Beverages are popular on this band. Top Band operation can be addicting for   
   its combination of challenges, rewards, and variability.   
      
   At the other end of the HF spectrum 10 meters can be a "counterpoise" to 160.   
   Most activity will be during the daylight hours. The object is for amateurs   
   worldwide to exchange contact information with as many stations as possible on   
   10 meters.   
      
   The band is more likely to be open in high-sunspot years, but 10 meters can be   
   surprising. Gain antennas for 10 can be built fairly easily, since they're   
   relatively small (a 10 meter dipole is on the order of 16.5 feet). Building a   
   small Yagi for 10 meters is not difficult. If 10 meters is open, signals from   
   around the world can be quite strong, and contest contacts are fast and   
   exciting.   
      
   The ARRL 10 Meter Contest encompasses CW and SSB operation -- you can operate   
   either one or operate both, which can be a wonderful way to avoid mode   
   burnout. Effective use of one good 10 meter opening during an otherwise   
   closed-band weekend could place you among the regional score leaders.   
      
   Both of these events offer a variety of entry categories and power levels,   
   from QRP to legal limit. -- Thanks to The ARRL Contest Update/Brian Moran,   
   N9ADG   
      
      
   Special Event W1Q to be Active in ARRL 160 Meter Contest   
      
   Special Event station W1Q is now on the air until December 15, to celebrate   
   QST's 100th anniversary. The first issue of QST was published in December   
   1915. W1Q will be active in the ARRL 160 Meter Contest over the December 5-6   
   weekend, with Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, as the operator.   
      
   ARRL COO Harold Kramer, WJ1B, and volunteer operators will be on the air on   
   various bands and modes throughout the month. 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 QRZ.com page under WJ1B. -- Thanks to   
   Harold Kramer, WJ1B   
      
      
   WX4NHC Will Be On the Air for SKYWARN Recognition Day on Saturday, December 5   
      
   WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center in Miami,   
   will take part in SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) on Saturday, December 5. The   
   annual on-the-air event gets under way at 0000 UTC (Friday, December 4 in US   
   time zones) and concludes at 2400 UTC. WX4NHC will be active from 1400 UTC   
   until 2300 UTC. The Hurricane Center ham station has participated in every   
   SKYWARN Recognition Day since its inauguration 16 years ago. WX4NHC will take   
   advantage of the event for operator training.   
      
   "We will try to stay on the recognized Hurricane Watch Net frequency of 14.325   
   MHz most of the time and announce when we QSY," said Assistant WX4NHC   
   Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R, at the NHC. WX4NHC will also be active on a   
   wide variety of bands and modes, from HF through UHF.   
      
   Cosponsored by ARRL and the National Weather Service (NWS), SKYWARN   
   Recognition Day pays tribute to Amateur Radio operators for the vital public   
   service they perform. Registration is still open for stations planning to   
   participate from a NWS Forecast Office; a list of NWS participating offices is   
   on the NWS SKYWARN Recognition Day web page.   
      
   During SKYWARN Recognition Day amateur stations exchange contact information   
   with as many National Weather Service-based stations as possible on SSB, FM,   
   CW, RTTY, and AM on the 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6, and 2 meter bands, as well as   
   70 centimeters. Repeater contacts are permitted.   
      
   Stations exchange call signs, signal reports, location, and a one- or two-word   
   description of the weather (eg, sunny, partly cloudy, windy, rainy).   
   Procedures are detailed on the NOAA SRD web page.   
      
   The volunteer SKYWARN program comprises nearly 290,000 trained severe weather   
   spotters -- many of them radio amateurs -- who identify severe storms and   
   provide NWS forecasters with reports of local weather conditions during severe   
   weather events.   
      
   To learn more, visit the SKYWARN Recognition Day website.   
      
      
   Amateur Radio Provides Communication for Oklahoma Veterans Day Parade   
      
   Midwest City, Oklahoma's fourth annual Veterans Day Parade was a success, due   
   in part to the communication support that Mid-Del Amateur Radio Club (MDARC)   
   volunteers provided. Amateur Radio met communication needs at multiple staging   
   areas, along the parade route, at the incident command post, and for the   
   reviewing stand. Working closely with the City of Midwest City Emergency   
   Management Office Communications Coordinator and the Midwest City police and   
   fire departments, the ham volunteers were able to cover the large area and a   
   parade route of about 2 miles. The Midwest City Communications Coordinator is   
   Scott Walsh, N5NYS. The event featured a flyover by the Warbirds, a vintage   
   World War II aircraft group from Tulsa. Heading up the team of 17 ham   
   volunteers was Donald Ohse, W5DRO, whose experience includes working with the   
   city and the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office as a volunteer.   
      
   "By using Amateur Radio, we were able to provide communications and resources   
   that could commit to many areas that normally would not have been covered due   
   to manpower constraints," Ohse said. "For the past 3 years, we have been   
   providing a radio amateur at the reviewing stand, where the emcee for the   
   event is located, and we also place a spotter about 200 yards from the   
   reviewing stand to communicate back to the reviewing stand, if a parade   
   participant is out of order," he noted. "This was very helpful, so the emcee   
   would not announce the wrong entry."   
      
   Ohse said the parade's multiple staging areas presented another challenge.   
   Using several simplex frequencies, the ham volunteers were able to reduce   
   radio traffic on the main public safety net frequency, leaving it available   
   for more important uses. Read more.   
      
      
   Richard A. Strand, KL7RA, SK   
      
   Well-known contester and station builder Richard Strand, KL7RA, of Kenai,   
   Alaska, died on November 20 after suffering a heart attack a couple of weeks   
   earlier. He was 69.   
      
   A radio astronomer, Strand was an ARRL Life Member. KL7RA was a regular in the   
   ARRL November Sweepstakes, handing out the relatively rare Alaska Section   
   multiplier, and he had hoped to recover in time for the 2015 ARRL November   
   Sweepstakes events. He also was active in DX contests.   
      
   Strand was a Volunteer Examiner with the Anchorage Amateur Radio Club VEC, and   
   he had been a contributor to The ARRL Handbook.   
      
      
   UK Antenna Columnist and Author Peter Dodd, G3LDO, SK   
      
   Antenna columnist and author Peter Dodd, G3LDO, of East Preston,   
   Littlehampton, England, died on November 17. He was 83. Dodd was well known   
   for his antenna expertise and was a long-time contributor to the Radio Society   
   of Great Britain's journal, RadCom, for which he edited the "Antennas" column.   
   He also wrote several articles for QST and QEX. In addition he was the author   
   of several books on antennas and on low-frequency operating.   
      
   According to Mike Dennison, G3XDV, Dodd was very active in the early days of   
   low-frequency experimentation and made the first two-way contact on 73 kHz and   
   was part of a very early transatlantic contact on 136 kHz. "He compiled   
   several early collections of articles on low-frequency operating, including   
   The LF Experimenter's Handbook, which was published by the RSGB in 2000,"   
   Dennison said.   
      
   Other titles by Dodd include Building Successful HF Antennas and Backyard   
   Antennas, which remain in print.   
      
      
   In Brief...   
      
   December is "Youngsters on the Air Month" in IARU Region 1: IARU Region 1   
   Youth Working Group Chair Lisa Leenders, PA2LS, has announced that December is   
   "Youngsters On The Air Month" in IARU Region 1. Nearly 40 YOTA-suffix call   
   signs are expected to be active, with young operators at the helm. Leenders   
   stressed that the activity is not a contest but an effort to demonstrate   
   Amateur Radio to youth and to encourage youngsters to get on the air. "We are   
   trying to spread the word! Talk to people about what we do, not only quick   
   5-9s," she said. Awards are available at four award levels: Bronze = worked   
   five YOTA stations; Silver = worked 10 YOTA stations; Gold = worked 15 YOTA   
   stations, and Platinum = worked 25 YOTA stations. All stations must be worked   
   during December 2015. Some rare DXCC entities will be on the air for the   
   activity, including A2YOTA in Botswana, and A43YOTA in Oman. Visit the YOTA   
   Facebook page for more details. -- Thanks to IARU Region 1   
      
   "Year of Pluto" Special Event Set for December: Pluto and the City of   
   Flagstaff, Arizona, are forever linked in history. On February 18, 1930,   
   astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff,   
   using a blink comparator and photographic plates. The New Horizons probe   
   reached the Pluto system 85 years later last July, imaging Pluto, its largest   
   moon Charon, and the other small moons. Pluto has since been downgraded to   
   "dwarf planet" status. Nonetheless, 2015 was designated the "Year of Pluto."   
   To celebrate, the members of the Northern Arizona DX Association (NADXA) will   
   mount special event station W7P, December 5-13, from Lowell Observatory.   
   Operation will be on SSB and CW. Doug Tombaugh, N3PDT, the nephew of Clyde   
   Tombaugh, will operate for a few days during the early part of the special   
   event period. QSLs and a certificate are available. Visit the NADXA website   
   for more information.   
      
   Intrepid-DX Group Seeks Nominations for "Intrepid Spirit" Award: The   
   Intrepid-DX Group is seeking nominations for its annual Intrepid Spirit Award,   
   presented to the individual or group best displaying "Intrepid Spirit" over   
   the past year. "An Intrepid Spirit is bold, courageous, dedicated, innovative,   
   fearless, generous, resolute and visionary in their approach to Amateur   
   Radio," the announcement explains. "We are seeking to make this award to the   
   group or individual that most displayed their intrepid spirit in 2015, by   
   expressing an unshakable commitment to the Amateur Radio DX community." The   
   award honors the memory of James McLaughlin WA2EWE/T6AF. Submit nominations   
   via e-mail by December 15, 2015. The award will be presented at the   
   International DX Convention in Visalia, California on April 16, 2016. --   
   Thanks to Intrepid-DX Group President Paul Ewing, N6PSE   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   The K7RA Solar Update   
      
   Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Solar indicators dropped this week, with   
   average daily sunspot numbers at 41.6 from November 26 through December 2,   
   down from 62.7 in the previous 7 days. Average daily solar flux dipped 18   
   points, from 115.2 to 97.2. A week ago the predicted average daily solar flux   
   for the same period was 111.4, more than 14 points above the actual outcome.   
      
   Average daily planetary A index was 9.9, while average daily mid-latitude A   
   index was 6.6, more than double the two figures for the previous week, 4.1 and   
   3.1, respectively. But there were no days   
   with high geomagnetic activity. The most was on Monday and Tuesday, with   
   planetary A index at 19 and 14 indicating moderately unsettled conditions.   
      
   Predicted solar flux is 100 on December 3-4; 95 and 90 on December 5-6; 85 on   
   December 7-9; 100 on December 10; 115 on December 11-13; then 110, 105, and   
   100 on December 14-16; 105 on December 17-18; 110 on December 19-20; 105 on   
   December 21, and 100 on December 22-26. The lowest predicted solar flux is 95   
   for December 27.   
      
   Predicted planetary A index is 5, 8, and 6 on December 3-5; 18, 24, and 22 on   
   December 6-8; 16, 22, and 10 on December 9-11; 8 on December 12-15; then 10   
   and 8 on December 16-17; 5 on December 18-23, and 8 on December 24-26. The   
   next period of unsettled to active geomagnetic conditions is December 28, with   
   a predicted planetary A index of 25.   
      
   Sunspot numbers for November 26 through December 2 were 56, 48, 36, 47, 51,   
   27, and 26, with a mean of 41.6. The 10.7 centimeter flux was 103.9, 98.9,   
   96.6, 95.5, 95.7, 94.6, and 95.3, with a mean of 97.2. Estimated planetary A   
   indices were 3, 7, 8, 9, 19, 14, and 9, with a mean of 9.9. Estimated   
   mid-latitude A indices were 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, and 7, with a mean of 6.6.   
      
   In this Friday's bulletin look for an updated forecast and reports from last   
   weekend's CQ World Wide CW DX Contest.   
      
   Send me your reports and observations.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   Just Ahead in Radiosport   
      
    *  December 4-6 -- ARRL 160 Meter Contest (CW)   
    *  December 5 -- TARA RTTY Melee (digital)   
    *  December 5-6 -- TOPS Activity Contest (CW)   
    *  December 5-7 --Wake-Up! QRP Sprint (CW)   
    *  December 5-13 -- AWA Bruce Kelley 1929 QSO Party (CW)   
    *  December 6 -- Ten-Meter RTTY Contest (digital)   
    *  December 6 -- SARL Digital Contest   
    *  December 6 -- CQC Great CO Snowshoe Run (CW)   
    *  December 8 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)   
    *  December 9 -- NAQCC CW Sprint (CW)   
      
   See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events   
      
    *  December 11-12 -- West Central Florida Section Convention, Plant City,   
       Florida   
    *  January 9 -- TECHFEST, Lawrenceville, Georgia   
    *  January 10 -- New York City-Long Island Section Convention, Bethpage,   
       New York   
    *  January 15-16 -- Southern Florida Section Convention, Fort Myers,   
       Florida   
    *  January 15-16 -- North Texas Section Convention, Forest Hill, Texas   
    *  January 17-23 -- Quartzfest, Quartzsite, Arizona   
    *  January 29-30 -- Mississippi State Convention, Jackson, Mississippi   
    *  January 29-31 -- Puerto Rico State Convention, Hatillo, Puerto Rico   
    *  February 6 -- South Carolina State Convention, N. Charleston, South   
       Carolina   
    *  February 12-14 -- ARRL National Convention, Orlando, Florida   
    *  February 19-20 -- Southwestern Division Convention, Yuma, Arizona   
    *  February 27 -- WCF Section Technical Conference, Tampa, Florida   
    *  February 27 -- New Mexico TechFest, Albuquerque, New Mexico   
    *  February 27 -- Vermont State Convention, S. Burlington, Vermont   
      
   Find conventions and hamfests in your area.   
      
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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   
      
   ... We all learn by experience but some of us have to go to summer school.   
   ---   
    * Origin:  (1:3634/12.73)