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   http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2016-03-10   
      
   The ARRL Letter   
      
   March 10, 2016   
   Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME   
      
    *  ARRL Executive Committee to Meet in Texas   
    *  ARES Groups, Individual Hams Support Army and Air Force MARS Exercise   
    *  NCVEC Announces Third Public Release of 2016-2020 Amateur Extra Question   
       Pool   
    *  Air Force Pledges Continued Cooperation with Radio Amateurs During Cape   
       Cod Radar Upgrades   
    *  National Parks on the Air Update   
    *  Elementary Schoolers' CubeSat Ready to Deploy from ISS   
    *  Fox-1E (RadFxSat-2) Selected for Participation in NASA's CubeSat Launch   
       Initiative   
    *  Amateur Radio Accompanying "Great Northern Way" Arctic Russia Expedition   
    *  Heil Sound Celebrating 50th Anniversary   
    *  Vessel with Rich Ham History -- the Bowdoin -- Being Refurbished for   
       Further Exploring   
    *  World-Famous Moonbounce Enthusiast Doug McArthur VK3UM, SK   
    *  In Brief...   
    *  The K7RA Solar Update   
    *  Just Ahead in Radiosport   
    *  Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events   
      
      
   ARRL Executive Committee to Meet in Texas   
      
   The ARRL Executive Committee (EC) will hold its first meeting of the year on   
   Saturday, March 12, in Dallas, Texas. The session will mark some other   
   significant milestones. ARRL's new President, Rick Roderick, K5UR, will chair   
   his first Executive Committee meeting since taking office in January, and   
   incoming ARRL Chief Executive Officer Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, will be attending   
   his very first EC meeting, as he prepares to assume his full CEO duties on   
   April 18. And this week's EC gathering will mark the last that current CEO   
   David Sumner, K1ZZ, will attend in that capacity. Elected by the ARRL Board of   
   Directors in January, Gallagher, now designated as CEO-Elect, arrived at ARRL   
   Headquarters on February 29 to begin the transition process. Sumner has   
   directed the Headquarters staff since March 1982 -- initially as General   
   Manager -- and has been a member of the Headquarters staff for some 44 years.   
      
   The EC is expected to hear a report from ARRL Chief Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD,   
   on a variety of regulatory, legal, and legislative matters, including the   
   anticipated authorization by the FCC of new bands at 135.7 kHz and 472 kHz.   
   Also up for discussion is the status of ARRL's Petition for Rule Making   
   (RM-11759) that calls on the FCC to repair what it has called a "shortfall in   
   available RTTY/data spectrum" in the 80 and 75 meter bands.   
      
   Still outstanding is the League's November 2013 Petition (RM-11708) to delete   
   restrictions on symbol rates for data communication and to establish a 2.8 kHz   
   maximum occupied bandwidth for data transmissions below 29.7 MHz. Various   
   Amateur Radio antenna and radio frequency interference cases are other   
   possible discussion topics.   
      
   The panel is also expected to discuss the progress of the Amateur Radio Parity   
   Act legislation now before both houses of Congress.   
      
   The EC will continue its review of standing orders. In addition, it will   
   approve ARRL conventions and club affiliation applications and recognize new   
   ARRL Life Members.   
      
   The Executive Committee is chosen by the ARRL Board of Directors to make   
   decisions on League matters between Board meetings, in accordance with   
   existing Board of Directors' policy. Read more.   
      
      
   ARES Groups, Individual Hams Support Army and Air Force MARS Exercise   
      
   On February 12, more than 300 Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) members   
   and individual radio amateurs participated in the first quarterly Military   
   Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) US Department of Defense (DOD) communications   
   exercise of 2016 (COMEX 16-1). US Army and Air Force MARS operators across the   
   US, Europe, and the Pacific took part in the 12-hour HF exercise, which   
   simulated a widespread loss of telephone and Internet communication across the   
   US. MARS operators reached out to ARES members and individual hams in as many   
   US counties as possible to obtain status reports via radio.   
      
   "The purpose of the exercise was to give MARS operators the opportunity to   
   demonstrate their proficiency in responding to DOD requests for simulated   
   emergency situational awareness reports from counties across the United   
   States," Army MARS Program Manager Paul English, WD8DBY, explained. "DOD and   
   the MARS leadership want to thank the more than 300 Amateur Radio operators   
   who assisted in making this exercise a success by providing local county   
   information using VHF, UHF, and NVIS HF voice communications."   
      
   English said the DOD "was very pleased with the outcome of the exercise, and   
   especially with the number of Amateur Radio stations that participated on a   
   weekday and the number of unique county reports received over the 12-hour   
   period." After eliminating duplicates, English said, MARS received 312 county   
   status reports.   
      
   The exercise aimed to focus on individual MARS operator skills, refine joint   
   operational procedures between Army and Air Force volunteer leaders, and to   
   continue to develop local-level working relationships between MARS operators   
   and ARES groups and individual radio amateurs and clubs, English said.   
      
      
   NCVEC Announces Third Public Release of 2016-2020 Amateur Extra Question Pool   
      
   The National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC) has   
   released the third revision of the Amateur Extra class (Element 4) question   
   pool that goes into effect on July 1. This revision supplants the Element 4   
   question pools released on January 8 and February 5, and includes corrections,   
   modifications, and various editorial changes. The Element 4 question pool   
   diagrams are in a separate document.   
      
   "We would like to remind the public that users of question pool documents are   
   free to correct minor typographical or punctuation errors, including obvious   
   minor omissions of same," the NCVEC Question Pool Committee said in releasing   
   this revision. "Such corrections must not cause a change in the meaning of a   
   question or any of the proposed answers to the questions."   
      
   The QPC notes that FCC Part 97 rule citations are not a part of the exam   
   question itself, but are included for reference purposes, and that errors in   
   or changes to Part 97 are not considered adequate reason to remove a question   
   from the pool.   
      
   The QPC invites comments and questions. -- Thanks to the NCVEC Question Pool   
   Committee   
      
      
   Air Force Pledges Continued Cooperation with Radio Amateurs During Cape Cod   
   Radar Upgrades   
      
   As updating of the Pave PAWS radar installation gets under way at the Cape Cod   
   Air Force Station in Massachusetts, the US Air Force has reached out to the   
   Amateur Radio community to continue the positive working relationship   
   developed between the two parties since March 2007. Pave PAWS radar   
   installations on both coasts have required the modification of some 70   
   centimeter Amateur Radio systems to mitigate interference to the military   
   radars. The Amateur Service is secondary on 70 centimeters. ARRL Regulatory   
   Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, said work now has begun to install   
   the updated early-warning radar standards at Cape Cod.   
      
   "This is the new version of Pave PAWS and it will bring the Cape Cod radar up   
   to the same higher standard already employed at the Beale Air Force Base Pave   
   PAWS facility in California, as well as at others in the Space Early Warning   
   system," Henderson said. "The radar will be a little more sensitive, so some   
   additional mitigation is possible, but nothing like that required when the   
   project started in 2007. This is the last Pave PAWS site to be upgraded."   
      
   Henderson, who has served as the League's point person on this project, and   
   ARRL New England Division Director Tom Frenaye, K1KI, were briefed in late   
   2015 on the changes by officials at the Cape Cod facility. "The fact that the   
   Air Force reached out to inform us of the pending changes speaks volumes about   
   the excellent working relationship we have managed to build with them over the   
   past 9 years," said Henderson. "The Amateur Radio communities in proximity to   
   both the Cape Cod and Beale sites have stepped up to the plate and   
   demonstrated their willingness to be good-faith partners with the Air Force,   
   accepting their responsibility as secondary users of this part of the   
   spectrum, and, in almost all cases, taking the necessary steps to achieve the   
   required mitigation standards while still maintaining Amateur Radio access to   
   this spectrum."   
      
   In a statement, Cape Cod AFS Sixth Space Warning Squadron Crew Commander and   
   Public Affairs Officer Lt Drew S. Dutcher said his facility recognizes and   
   appreciates Amateur Radio's service to the community and its continued   
   cooperation.   
      
   "In the coming months we will be undergoing upgrades to our facility which   
   will help us improve our capabilities to locate and track satellites for   
   entities such as NASA and SpaceX," Dutcher said. "The improvements will also   
   ensure utilization of cutting-edge technology to protect our eastern sea   
   border from incoming Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles and Sea Launched   
   Ballistic Missiles. As always, we ask that you be mindful and courteous of our   
   frequency range. We do not anticipate any interference or spurious emissions   
   to any [Amateur Radio] frequencies." Henderson asked amateurs with questions   
   about the project to contact him.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   National Parks on the Air Update   
      
   ARRL's National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) event will take center stage at   
   Dayton Hamvention(R) May 20-22. NPOTA co-managers Sean Kutzko, KX9X, and Norm   
   Fusaro, W3IZ, will be on hand to answer your NPOTA questions, host a forum on   
   the event, and help guide you through your activation plans. As part of the   
   NPOTA presence at Dayton, ARRL is looking for high-quality videos or   
   photographs of your NPOTA activities. Video should be no more than 3 minutes   
   in length and highlight both ham radio and the NPS unit itself. You should   
   also have the rights to any background music included in a submitted video.   
   Help us tell the NPOTA story by sharing yours. E-mail npota@arrl.org for more   
   information.   
      
   The weather must be getting warmer, as the number of weekly scheduled   
   activations is going up. No fewer than 46 are on tap for March 10-16,   
   including the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail in Alabama, and the   
   first-ever activation of Chamizal National Memorial in Texas, which has   
   extremely limited access for hams.   
      
   Details about these and other upcoming activations can be found on the NPOTA   
   Activations calendar.   
      
   Keep up with the latest NPOTA news on Facebook. Follow NPOTA onTwitter   
   (@ARRL_NPOTA).   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   Elementary Schoolers' CubeSat Ready to Deploy from ISS   
      
   The 400 youngsters attending a suburban Washington, DC, parochial school are   
   eagerly awaiting the day the CubeSat they constructed will be deployed from   
   the International Space Station. The little STMSat-1 spacecraft -- an   
   educational project of pupils attending St Thomas More (STM) Cathedral School   
   in Arlington, Virginia -- is equipped with a slow-scan TV (SSTV) payload that   
   will transmit on 70 centimeters (437.800 MHz). The school won a NASA   
   competition for the launch. The satellite is the first to be designed and   
   built by grade-schoolers, who have been supported by NASA technical   
   advisors. Transported to the ISS in December by an Orbital ATK Cygnus   
   spacecraft, the kit-built 1U satellite had been scheduled for release in   
   mid-February, but deployment was postponed.   
      
   "The STM Sat-1 mission is to perform Earth observation and engage grade-school   
   students around the world as remote Mission Operation Centers," the STMSat-1   
   website explains. The satellite project is part of the school's STEM (science,   
   technology, engineering, and mathematics) education initiatives. St Thomas   
   More includes students from pre-kindergarten through grade 8. School Principal   
   Eleanor McCormack is the project manager.   
      
   NASA's Technology Demonstration Office is the space agency's sponsoring   
   organization. The school has been working with Joseph Pellegrino at Goddard   
   Space Flight Center in Maryland, and with the Arlington Amateur Radio Club.   
   NASA provided the school with a mobile "cleanroom" to ensure that the   
   construction phase met with strict guidelines and standards for launch and   
   deployment from the ISS. NASA also provided the school with an antenna, so the   
   school can receive the SSTV images and temperature readings the satellite   
   sends back. The students already have tested their CubeSat by sending it aloft   
   on a tethered balloon. The school has been working with the Arlington Amateur   
   Radio Club.   
      
   The SSTV camera on board STMSat-1 will transmit a Martin-2 image every 30   
   seconds, but no beacon. The youngsters are hoping it will send back images of   
   Earth as seen from space. The transmitter runs 3 W, and there is no onboard   
   data storage capability.   
      
   The little satellite also carries a medal blessed by Pope Francis, a capsule   
   filled with personal items from St Thomas More's annual auction winners, and a   
   metal plate etched with the signatures of all STM students, faculty, and staff.   
      
   The project aims to engage other schools around the world as "Remote Mission   
   Operation Centers" (RMOCs). STMSat-1 has an estimated lifetime of at least 9   
   months.   
      
      
   Fox-1E (RadFxSat-2) Selected for Participation in NASA's CubeSat Launch   
   Initiative   
      
   RadFxSat-2, the Space Radiation Effects CubeSat -- also known as Fox-1E -- has   
   been selected to participate in NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI).   
   RadFxSat-2 (Fox-1E) is a partnership opportunity between Vanderbilt   
   University's Institute for Space and Defense Electronics (ISDE) and AMSAT. The   
   Fox-1E spacecraft bus will be built as part of the Fox-1 series but will   
   feature a linear V/U (Mode J) transponder "upgrade" instead of the standard FM   
   repeater that Fox-1A through D have carried.   
      
   Vanderbilt University, with cooperation from AMSAT, submitted the RadFxSat-2   
   CSLI proposal in November 2015. Out of 21 proposals, NASA has recommended 20   
   for participation in the CSLI opportunity. RadFxSat-2 is prioritized as number   
   1 out of the 20 selected and has been offered an opportunity for a launch   
   date. AMSAT and Vanderbilt University are evaluating the opportunity to see if   
   it meets their mission and orbital parameters.   
      
   RadFxSat-2 (Fox-1E) will carry a radiation effects experiment similar to the   
   one aboard RadFxSat (Fox-1B), which is set to launch in January.   
      
   The downlink will feature a 1200 bps BPSK telemetry channel to carry the   
   Vanderbilt science data, in addition to a 30 kHz-wide transponder for Amateur   
   Radio use. Additional mission and timeline details are forthcoming. -- Thanks   
   to AMSAT News Service   
      
      
   Amateur Radio Accompanying "Great Northern Way" Arctic Russia Expedition   
      
   Amateur Radio is traveling with the "Great Northern Way" Arctic expedition in   
   Russia. Listen for R3CA/8/9/0 along the route. The historical-geographical   
   expedition commemorates the 400th anniversary of the Northern Sea Route and   
   will be part of a research program, "Mysteries of the Russian Arctic."   
      
   Two all-terrain vehicles will carry participants along a 10,000 kilometer   
   (approximately 6200 miles) route on frozen Siberian rivers, the open spaces of   
   the Arctic tundra, and the land-fast and drifting ice of Russia's Arctic seas.   
   The expedition plans to make stops of about 1 day each on some Arctic islands,   
   which would be of interest to Islands on the Air (IOTA) enthusiasts.   
      
   Heading the expedition is the president of the Russian Geographical Society's   
   Arktika Center and polar explorer Vladimir Chukov, R3CA. Call sign designators   
   will indicate the location -- R3CA/8 (Yamal), R3CA/9 (Taimyr), and R3CA/0   
   (Yakutia, Chukotka). Operation has been on SSB in the vicinity of 14.120 and   
   14.130 MHz.   
      
   The radio operator is Valery Nesterov, RA9J. In Tiksi, Yuri Zaruba, UA9OBA,   
   the president of the Russian Robinson Club, plans to join the expedition,   
   which is carrying an Icom IC-7000 transceiver. An Icom AH2B mobile antenna   
   will be used while under way, but when the expedition is parked, inverted Vs   
   will be deployed.   
      
   The expedition plans to visit sites associated with research and development   
   of the Russian Arctic, historical monuments, and places of interest related to   
   natural history and cultural heritage. Expedition members will conduct   
   environmental monitoring along the Arctic coast. A series of documentaries   
   about the history and current state of the Russian Arctic and its people is   
   planned. Read more. -- Thanks to The Daily DX, Great Northern Way expedition   
   website   
      
      
   Heil Sound Celebrating 50th Anniversary   
      
   Heil Sound, a name that's probably synonymous within the Amateur Radio   
   community for its microphones and "boom set" microphone/headset combinations,   
   is marking its 50th anniversary this year. Heil Sound came into being in 1966   
   as Ye Olde Music Shoppe -- a music store in Marissa, Illinois, the hometown of   
   its founder, Bob Heil, K9EID. The celebration -- called "50 Years of Maximum   
   Rock N' Roll" -- kicked off at the winter NAMM show. A commemorative series of   
   interviews, packaged as podcasts, also debuted with the new year. The series   
   highlights the history of Heil Sound.   
      
   Bob Heil initially made a name for himself working with music performers to   
   provide sound reinforcement for their live gigs, initially supplying full   
   sound system packages for venues and festivals throughout the Midwest and   
   later working with world-class acts, such as Humble Pie, The Who, The Grateful   
   Dead, and Joe Walsh, WB6ACU. Heil said it was the Dead's Jerry Garcia who   
   suggested changing the name of his enterprise to Heil Sound. Among other   
   innovations, Heil created the quadraphonic sound system for The Who's   
   "Quadrophenia" tour as well as the Heil Talk Box made famous by Joe Walsh and   
   Peter Frampton.   
      
   By 1982, Heil Sound had curtailed the touring side of the business and began   
   concentrating on developing products for the Amateur Radio market. Heil also   
   launched a home theater division. Amateur Radio and professional audio came   
   together in 2006, when Walsh suggested that Heil Sound develop microphones for   
   concert use. Heil Sound designed and manufactured high-quality microphones,   
   and has gained a reputation among music performers for its professional   
   microphone products, such as the PR30 and PR40.   
      
   Bob Heil and his wife and business partner Sarah -- who is the president of   
   Heil Sound -- are frequent visitors at major Amateur Radio conventions and   
   gatherings.   
      
      
   Vessel with Rich Ham History -- the Bowdoin -- Being Refurbished for Further   
   Exploring   
      
   The schooner Bowdoin, which has a prominent place in early Amateur Radio   
   history, will be relaunched this spring. The vessel relied on Amateur Radio   
   operators for communication during explorer Donald B. MacMillan's Arctic   
   Expedition of 1923, and on the MacMillan-McDonald-Byrd Expedition of 1925. Now   
   it's undergoing extensive renovation and refitting in Maine. Named after   
   MacMillan's alma mater, Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin today is the official   
   vessel of the State of Maine and the flagship of Maine Maritime Academy's   
   Vessel Operations and Technology Program, which readied the vessel for   
   refitting last year.   
      
   According to an article in the February 25 edition of The Ellsworth American   
   newspaper, work is under way at a Camden, Maine, shipyard on the deck and hull   
   of the 95-year-old schooner, built in East Boothbay, Maine, in 1921. The   
   vessel's diesel engine -- a later amenity -- is being rebuilt by Maine   
   Maritime Academy students. The Bowdoin is set to relaunch around June 1.   
      
   In 1923, MacMillan had turned to the ARRL for help in outfitting his   
   expedition with better wireless gear, and, as Michael Marinaro, WN1M,   
   explained in his June 2014 QST article, "Polar Exploration," that help "was   
   enthusiastically provided. Hiram Percy Maxim and the Board agreed to furnish   
   support as well as recruit an expert operator to accompany the expedition.   
   Donald H. Mix, 1TS, of Bristol, Connecticut was chosen for the task."   
      
   League Board member M.B. West custom-designed the equipment, which was built   
   by radio amateurs at his firm, Zenith Electronics. The transmitter operated on   
   medium-wave frequencies with a power of 100 W and used the call sign WNP --   
   for "Wireless North Pole." As Marinaro explained in his article, with Mix as   
   the ship's radio operator, "WNP transmitted weekly 500-word press releases and   
   listings of stations worked and heard. Once received by amateur stations,   
   these reports were delivered to local affiliated newspapers of the North   
   American Newspaper Alliance; from there, they were distributed syndicate-wide   
   by telegraph."   
      
   In 1925, the Bowdoin headed to Greenland. "The outstanding accomplishment of   
   the expedition was in the sphere of radio," Marinaro wrote. "Utilizing short   
   waves, the expedition was in consistent contact with the outside world   
   throughout the journey, to the delight of the amateurs who were able to work   
   them. The phenomenal success proved to the Navy that short waves were   
   definitely superior to the long and ultra long waves on which the fleets had   
   been relying."   
      
      
   World-Famous Moonbounce Enthusiast Doug McArthur VK3UM, SK   
      
   Renowned Earth-Moon-Earth (EME, moonbounce) enthusiast Doug McArthur, VK3UM,   
   of Glenburn, Victoria, Australia, died on February 21, following a stroke. He   
   was 74. Within the EME community, McArthur -- a radio amateur for nearly 60   
   years -- enjoyed a worldwide reputation for his expertise, exploits, and   
   accomplishments.   
      
   He was well known for his 8.6 meter dish, which he used on 1296 MHz in 2006 to   
   set a moonbounce DX record by working CT3/DL1YMK in Portugal, a distance of   
   18,342.3 kilometers (11,372.2 miles).   
      
   His early interest in Amateur Radio guided his choice of career in radio   
   communication and broadcasting. VK3UM became a stalwart of the VHF bands,   
   pursuing contacts via various scatter modes, aircraft reflection, and --   
   inevitably -- moonbounce on 2 meters and 70 centimeters.   
      
   It was after he retired to rural Glenburn, northeast of Melbourne, that he   
   purchased his 8.6 meter Kennedy dish, although a stroke in late 1999   
   interrupted work on that project. Eventually he rigged the dish with a dual   
   feed, to work on 70 and 23 centimeters. Along the way, he developed some key   
   software applications now used by moonbounce operators around the world,   
   including his EME Calc package, for assessing and simulating every aspect of   
   an EME station's operation. His EMR Calc software, for assessing any amateur   
   station's compliance with electromagnetic radiation safety standards, is known   
   and used around the globe. -- Thanks to the Wireless Institute of Australia   
      
      
   In Brief...   
      
   Northern California DX Foundation Announces Scholarship Grant to Falklands   
   Schools: The Northern California DX Foundation (NCDXF) has announced a   
   scholarship grant to the Falkland Island Elementary and Middle schools for the   
   acquisition of Amateur Radio equipment, antennas, electronics kits, and   
   science curriculum materials. NCDXF said David Collingham, K3LP, has been   
   instrumental in getting the project off the ground during the recent   
   Intrepid-DX Group DXpedition travels through the Falklands for the recent   
   South Sandwich and South Georgia operations. Collingham met with government   
   and school officials and teachers. In addition to providing grants to rare and   
   expensive DXpeditions, the NCDXF charter provides for certain scholarship   
   opportunities from a separate and established scholarship fund. For example,   
   NCDXF currently provides tuition to Contest University for hams 25 years of   
   age or under. Contributions to the NCDXF general and scholarship funds are   
   welcome. -- Thanks to NCDXF Vice President Glenn Johnson, W0GJ   
      
      
   MFJ Founder, President Martin Jue, K5FLU, Will Keynote Dayton DX Dinner "The   
   Early Days of MFJ" will be the topic as MFJ Founder and President Martin Jue,   
   K5FLU, keynotes the 31st annual Dayton DX   
   Dinner, sponsored by the SouthWest Ohio DX Association (SWODXA). Held in   
   conjunction with the 2016 Dayton Hamvention(R), the dinner will be on Friday,   
   May 20, at the Marriott Hotel, 1414 S Patterson Boulevard, Dayton. MFJ's first   
   product was an audio filter, which Jue began manufacturing in a small hotel   
   room in downtown Starkville, Mississippi. Today, MFJ manufactures more Amateur   
   Radio products than any other company in the world under the Ameritron,   
   Hy-Gain, Cushcraft, Mirage, and Vectronics brands. For more information, visit   
   the SWODXA events page.   
      
      
   Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society Seeks New Leadership: The Amateur Radio   
   Lighthouse Society (ARLHS), sponsor of Intercontinental Lightship-Lighthouse   
   Week, is looking for a new leader. Jim Weidner, K2JXW, who founded the ARLHS   
   in 2000, has resigned as owner and president, due to serious illness. The   
   organization's stated purpose is to promote public awareness of both ham radio   
   and lighthouses, "preserving lights that are in danger of extinction, and   
   paying tribute to the role that hams and lighthouse keepers have played in   
   contributing to maritime safety." Headquartered in New Jersey, the ARLHS has   
   about 2000 dues-paying members. "Anyone wishing to take over the membership   
   list and trusteeship of club station W7QF is welcome to do so and is   
   guaranteed our full cooperation in the transition," said a solicitation   
   distributed by Weidner on February 29. "We intend to keep the ARLHS active   
   until June 30, 2016, after which time we will terminate the web page,   
   BeaconBot, and all club activities, if no one is willing to assume ownership   
   and leadership." For more information, contact Weidner via e-mail or   
   telephone, (856) 486-1755.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   The K7RA Solar Update   
      
   Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Average daily sunspot numbers and solar flux   
   both increased over the past week. The average daily solar flux went from 92.9   
   to 96.8, and the average daily sunspot number jumped from 41.4 to 64.4.   
   Geomagnetic indicators increased as well, with activity peaking on March 6 and   
   7.   
      
   Predicted solar flux is 100 on March 10-12, 95 on March 13-16; 90 on March 17;   
   95 on March 18-20; 90 on March 21-23, and 95 on March 24-30. The solar flux   
   will continue to meander between 90 and 95 for the foreseeable future.   
      
   The predicted planetary A index is 5, 10, 8, 10, and 8 on March 10-14; 5 on   
   March 15-16; 25 on March 17-19; 12 on March 20; 5 on March 21 through April 2,   
   and 22 on April 3.   
      
   Sunspot numbers for March 3 through 9 were 50, 95, 68, 68, 61, 48, and 61,   
   with a mean of 64.4. The 10.7 centimeter flux was 98.7, 100.5, 96.2, 95.5,   
   94.1, 95.5, and 97.4, with a mean of 96.8. Estimated planetary A indices were   
   8, 4, 4, 35, 24, 8, and 7, with a mean of 12.9. Estimated mid-latitude A   
   indices were 7, 2, 3, 19, 17, 6, and 6, with a mean of 8.6.   
      
   This week's bulletin will include an updated forecast and reports on 10 meter   
   conditions from N0JK and WB5AGZ.   
      
   Send me your reports and observations.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   Just Ahead in Radiosport   
      
    *  March 12 -- Nauryz DX Contest (CW, phone)   
    *  March 12 -- AGCW QRP Contest (CW)   
    *  March 12-13 -- RSGB Commonwealth Contest (CW)   
    *  March 12-13 -- South America 10 Meter Contest (CW, phone)   
    *  March 12-13 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW)   
    *  March 12-13 -- Oklahoma QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)   
    *  March 12-13 -- Stew Perry Topband Challenge (CW)   
    *  March 12-13 -- EA PSK63 Contest   
    *  March 12-13 --Tesla Memorial HF CW Contest   
    *  March 12-13 -- QCWA QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)   
    *  March 12-13 -- Idaho QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)   
    *  March 13 -- North American Sprint (RTTY)   
    *  March 13 -- North American SSB Sprint Contest   
    *  March 13 -- UBA Spring Contest -- 2 Meters (CW, phone)   
    *  March 13 -- NSARA Contest (CW, phone, digital)   
    *  March 13 -- WAB 3.5 MHz Phone   
    *  March 13-14 -- Wisconsin QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)   
    *  March 14 -- Bucharest Contest (CW, phone, digital)   
    *  March 15-20 -- CLARA Chatter Party (CW, phone)   
    *  March 16 -- RSGB 80 Meter Club Championship (CW)   
    *  March 17 -- NAQCC CW Sprint   
      
   See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. For in-depth reporting on   
   Amateur Radio contesting, subscribe to The ARRL Contest Update via your ARRL   
   member profile e-mail preferences.   
      
      
   Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events   
      
    *  March 11-12 -- Louisiana State Convention, Rayne, Louisiana   
    *  March 18-19 -- South Texas Section Convention, Rosenburg, Texas   
    *  March 19 -- West Texas Section Convention, Midland, Texas   
    *  March 19 -- MicroHAMS Digital Conference, Redmond, Washington   
    *  March 25-26 -- Maine State Convention, Lewiston, Maine   
    *  April 2 -- Delta Division Convention, Fort Smith, Arkansas   
    *  April 2 -- North Carolina Section Convention, Raleigh, North Carolina   
    *  April 8-9 -- Oklahoma State Convention, Claremore, Oklahoma   
    *  April 9-10 -- Communications Academy, Seattle, Washington   
    *  April 15-17 -- International DX Convention, Visalia, California   
    *  April 15-17 -- VHF Super Conference, Sterling, Virginia   
    *  April 16 -- Delaware State Convention, Georgetown, Delaware   
    *  April 22-24 -- Idaho State Convention, Boise, Idaho   
    *  April 23 -- Aurora '16 Conference, White Bear Lake, Minnesota   
    *  April 23 -- Nebraska State Convention, Lincoln, Nebraska   
    *  April 29-May 1 -- Nevada State Convention, Las Vegas, Nevada   
    *  May 13-15 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention, Keystone, Colorado   
    *  May 14 -- Iowa State Convention, Boone, Iowa   
    *  May 20-22 -- Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, Ohio   
      
   Find conventions and hamfests in your area.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
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   )\/(ark   
      
   Always Mount a Scratch Monkey   
      
   ... Cats polished while you wait.  Hot wax costs extra.   
   ---   
    * Origin:  (1:3634/12.73)