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   http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2016-05-18   
      
   The ARRL Letter   
      
   May 18, 2016   
   Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME   
      
    *  ARRL CEO Taking His Open Door to Dayton, League Leadership Available for   
       Input   
    *  Experience Hamvention(R) Remotely -- It's the Next Best Thing to Being   
       There   
    *  New LED Prize Numbers Display to Debut at Hamvention(R) 2016   
    *  Hamvention(R) Offers ARISS Challenge Coins as Door Prizes to Spotlight   
       ARISS Fundraising   
    *  The Doctor Will See You Now!   
    *  National Parks on the Air Update   
    *  Maritime Mobile Service Network Responds to Mayday Call from Stranded   
       Vessel   
    *  Student-Built STMSat-1 May Start Transmitting SSTV Images Soon   
    *  AMSAT's Fox-1B CubeSat Gets January 2017 Launch Date   
    *  IARU Assumes Custody of Ethics and Operating Procedures for the Radio   
       Amateur   
    *  IARU Region 2 Calls for Emergency Communications Workshop Papers,   
       Presentations   
    *  Hollywood Producer, ARRL Patron Dave Bell, W6AQ, SK   
    *  SATERN Founder Pat McPherson, WW9E, SK   
    *  In Brief...   
    *  The K7RA Solar Update   
    *  Just Ahead in Radiosport   
    *  Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions   
      
      
   ARRL CEO Taking His Open Door to Dayton, League Leadership Available for Input   
      
   ARRL CEO Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, said he's looking forward to hearing in person   
   from ARRL members when he makes his inaugural appearance at Hamvention(R), May   
   20-22. Gallagher, who succeeded David Sumner, K1ZZ, as CEO in April, not only   
   will be at Dayton for the first time on behalf of the ARRL, but for his first   
   time ever.   
      
   "My message to members is simple," Gallagher said. "I am listening closely to   
   what our members are saying. Don't be shy. Step up, say hello, and tell me   
   what's on your mind."   
      
   ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, will be attending Hamvention for his   
   initial outing in his new role. Roderick also encouraged ARRL members to visit   
   the ARRL EXPO.   
      
   "A large group of ARRL personnel will be there, representing all Headquarters   
   departments," he pointed out. "See your League in action! Many ARRL Board of   
   Directors members also will be on hand, so please come by and say hello."   
   Roderick succeeded Kay Craigie, N3KN, in the League's top volunteer position   
   in January.   
      
   Gallagher and Roderick will head an ARRL contingent at Hamvention of more than   
   100 people.   
      
   CEO Gallagher and President Roderick will take part in the ARRL Member Forum,   
   Saturday, 1:45-3:00 PM, in Room 5 at Hara Arena. Great Lakes Division Director   
   Dale Williams, WA8EFK, will moderate. The forum is an opportunity to hear from   
   local and national ARRL officials and volunteers on key areas of membership   
   interest.   
      
   About 2 dozen ARRL Headquarters staffers will be on duty at ARRL EXPO, along   
   with ARRL Vice Directors, Section Managers, and other ARRL Field Organization   
   volunteers.   
      
      
   Experience Hamvention(R) Remotely -- It's the Next Best Thing to Being There   
      
   Those not going to Hamvention May 20-22 still can get the flavor of things --   
   if not the smells of whatever's cooking out in the flea market -- by checking   
   out some of the webcasts that will emanate from Hara Arena during the big show.   
      
   The sponsoring Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) will be offering fairly   
   extensive streaming of Hamvention forums and activities. Visit the Hamvention   
   Live Coverage page for the schedule.   
      
   In addition, Amateur Radio Roundtable, with host Tom Medlin, W5KUB, will offer   
   comprehensive Dayton video coverage.   
      
   Certain sessions of 2016 Contest University will be available via streaming,   
   courtesy of Icom.   
      
   Ham Talk Live with host Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, also has scheduled some Dayton   
   Hamvention webcasts.   
      
      
   New LED Prize Numbers Display to Debut at Hamvention(R) 2016   
      
   The Sunday afternoon Grand Prize drawing at Hamvention 2016 will feature a   
   bright new LED display that will present winning ticket numbers as they are   
   drawn. It will be visible throughout the main arena, where the prize drawing   
   takes place. Hamvention 2016 Assistant Prize Chair Bill Serra, N8NRT, said a   
   lot of work went into crafting the innovative device, which was the brainchild   
   of the sponsoring Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) "Thursday Night   
   Group." Serra said more than a dozen DARA members participated in the project,   
   which took 8 months from concept development to final assembly and delivery --   
   just in time for this week's show.   
      
   The project "followed hard on the heels of complaints from our Sunday   
   afternoon Hamvention audience," Serra wrote in the May 2016 edition of DARA's   
   RF Carrier newsletter. "Many had difficulty hearing ticket numbers as they   
   were called over the facility sound system."   
      
   The Thursday Night Group hit on the idea of a dazzling, seven-segment,   
   Arduino-driven LED display. The system includes ticket barcode-scanning   
   capability to automate the process of delivering accurate information to an   
   expectant audience. From that point, planning progressed to figuring out how   
   to get numbers from the scanner in the Prize Booth to the display, which   
   involves more than might meet the eye.   
      
   "Everything from power requirements to the number of wires needed, not to   
   mention consideration for assembling the system easily and storing it from one   
   year to the next," Serra explained. "The folks at Hara Arena were especially   
   cooperative, especially Rue Wampler, who helped us with several ideas and   
   tests that proved critical to the success of the project."   
      
   Project lead Tom Holmes, N8ZM, noted that some members even took on   
   "homework," including Programmer Keith Yarger, KD8UYT, who accomplished some   
   of his coding chores on the road during business trips, in order to help speed   
   the project to completion.   
      
   "This was truly a collaborative effort and would have been difficult to   
   achieve without the entire group's mental and physical efforts," Serra said in   
   his article. Some research on the Internet determined that a comparable system   
   could have cost as much as $10,000, but the DARA team did it for about 10   
   percent of that amount. Hamvention General Chairman, Jim Tiderman, N8IDS,   
   expressed his appreciation and said that having the LED display to announce   
   ticket numbers during Hamvention's Sunday drawing would ease his mind, as well   
   as the minds of the Prize Committee chair and assistants. -- Thanks to Bill   
   Serra, N8NRT   
      
      
   Hamvention(R) Offers ARISS Challenge Coins as Door Prizes to Spotlight ARISS   
   Fundraising   
      
   Hamvention(R) is teaming up with the Amateur Radio on the International Space   
   Station (ARISS) program and will offer a set of ARISS Challenge Coins as a   
   door prize this year, Prize Committee Chair Tom Holmes, N8ZM, said. The two   
   keepsake coins are positioned side by side in a display box, with each side of   
   the coin visible. Commemorative ARISS Challenge Coin sets are a premium for   
   anyone contributing $100 or more to ARISS, which will kick off its 2016   
   fundraising campaign at Hamvention, May 20-22. ARISS International Chair Frank   
   Bauer, KA3HDO, said the funds raised will go toward critical upgrades of its   
   aging ISS ham radio gear.   
      
   "The radio system in the Columbus module is over 17 years old and   
   underpowered," Bauer said. "We need a 21st-century, next-generation solution.   
   This fundraising campaign will enable these upgrades and, as a result,   
   significantly improve ARISS operations and provide the funding necessary to   
   better support our stakeholders and the Amateur Radio community."   
   Contributions to the ARISS campaign also will help to defray ongoing   
   operational costs for educational outreach.   
      
   Dayton Hamvention General Chairman Jim Tiderman, N8IDS, agreed to feature the   
   ARISS keepsake with a special prize drawing right after the introduction of   
   2016 Dayton Hamvention award winners, which gets under way at 1 PM on Sunday.   
      
   The ARISS team also will have Challenge Coins available for $100 donors at   
   AMSAT's Hamvention booth. Contributions to ARISS also are welcome via the   
   ARISS website (click the "Donate to the ARISS Annual Fund" button) or via the   
   AMSAT website (click the "ARISS Donate" button).   
      
   Holmes said the value of prizes to be awarded at the 2016 Dayton Hamvention   
   already has exceeded $51,000, and additional donations were still arriving   
   this week. Major prizes alone total more than $30,600.   
      
   Prize drawings are held hourly during Hamvention.   
      
      
   The Doctor Will See You Now!   
      
   "Hunting Down Interference" is the topic of the new (May 19) episode of the   
   "ARRL The Doctor is In" podcast. Listen...and learn!   
      
   Sponsored by DX Engineering, "ARRL The Doctor is In" is an informative   
   discussion of all things technical. Listen on your computer, tablet, or   
   smartphone -- whenever and wherever you like!   
      
   Every 2 weeks, your host, QST Editor in Chief Steve Ford, WB8IMY, and the   
   Doctor himself, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, will discuss a broad range of technical   
   topics. You can also e-mail your questions to doctor@arrl.org, and the Doctor   
   may answer them in a future podcast.   
      
   Enjoy "ARRL The Doctor is In" on Apple iTunes, or by using your iPhone or iPad   
   podcast app (just search for "ARRL The Doctor is In"). You can also listen   
   online at Blubrry, or at Stitcher (free registration required, or browse the   
   site as a guest) and through the free Stitcher app for iOS, Kindle, or Android   
   devices.   
      
   If you've never listened to a podcast before, download our beginner's guide.   
      
      
   National Parks on the Air Update   
      
   The ARRL National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) program is only possible because of   
   dedicated Activators. Activators are the ones who take their gear and transmit   
   from NPS units around the country. More than 800 Activators have made nearly   
   5500 Activations around the country.   
      
   Many NPOTA units are in the wilds of Alaska. National Parks, preserves, and   
   Wild and Scenic Rivers await the more adventurous Activator who wants to put   
   these units on the air for the first time. Are you up to the challenge?   
      
   There are 42 Activations on the calendar for May 19-26, including the Gulf   
   Islands National Seashore (NS08) in Florida, and the Scotts Bluff National   
   Monument (MN66) in Nebraska. Remember to keep your ears peeled for the many   
   activations from Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Site over Dayton   
   Hamvention(R) weekend. Many operators will be trying to make their first   
   Activations with equipment provided by ARRL, Vibroplex, and DX Engineering, so   
   help all those new Activators earn their 10 QSOs.   
      
   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 on Twitter   
   (@ARRL_NPOTA).   
      
      
   Maritime Mobile Service Network Responds to Mayday Call from Stranded Vessel   
      
   The crew of a sailing vessel that foundered on a reef in the South Pacific in   
   early May was rescued in good shape, thanks in part to the alert ear of   
   Maritime Mobile Service Network (MMSN) member Russell Taylor, AI6GV, of San   
   Marcos, California. On May 3, Taylor monitored a "Mayday" call on 14.300 MHz   
   from the Alaska-based Morning Dove, at the time some 200 miles northeast of   
   French Polynesia. The vessel's captain, Bruce Moroney, KL3RK, reported that   
   his 46-foot ketch had become stuck on a reef and was unable to move. The crew   
   transmitted the Mayday distress call after the vessel began taking on water.   
      
   "I tried to reverse with no effect," Moroney explained afterward to Latitude   
   38. "Within 10 minutes, conditions became extreme." Moroney said that after   
   the ketch's hull and diesel fuel tank breached, an emergency pos   
   tion-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) was activated, and a Mayday put out.   
   "Within 15 minutes, the radios were underwater," Moroney said.   
      
   Taylor apprised the US Coast Guard of the situation and of the vessel's   
   position. The French Navy subsequently dispatched a helicopter to the area   
   within about 6 hours of the incident, airlifting the four unharmed crew   
   members to safety. Efforts were reported under way to retrieve the grounded   
   vessel.   
      
   The Coast Guard later called Taylor, to tell him that had he not monitored the   
   Mayday, the consequences could have been devastating for the crew.   
      
   Assisting in the event were longtime net member William Sturridge, KI4MMZ, in   
   Florida, and his friend Peter Mott, ZL1PWM, in New Zealand, who relayed   
   information.   
      
   The Maritime Mobile Service Network monitors 14.300 MHz with operators on   
   scheduled shifts from 1700 to 0300 UTC.   
      
   "This incident occurred well after scheduled net operations, when propagation   
   on 20 meters usually is minimal at best," Assistant Net Manager Jeff Savasta,   
   KB4JKL, said. He pointed out that MMSN members often continue to monitor the   
   frequency outside of the net's regular schedule, keeping an ear open for just   
   such events. Read more. -- Thanks to Jeff Savasta, KB4JKL, and MMSN Manager   
   Rene Stiegler, K4EDX, and to Latitude 38   
      
      
   Student-Built STMSat-1 May Start Transmitting SSTV Images Soon   
      
   The STMSat-1 CubeSat built by students at St Thomas More (STM) Cathedral   
   School in Arlington, Virginia, silent since it was deployed from the   
   International Space Station, will start transmitting when its orbit is stable,   
   the transmitter has power, and its antennas are deployed, according to a tweet   
   from the school this week. Satellite enthusiasts around the globe have been   
   listening for the little spacecraft to come to life since its deployment.   
      
   "STMSat-1 is set to turn itself on once it is fully charged and the antennae   
   deploy," Emily Laura at St Thomas More told ARRL on May 19. "That can happen   
   as early as 45 minutes after deployment, but as we have learned from our space   
   exploration, these sorts of things have their own timeline. Stay updated by   
   following our Twitter handle @STMSat11."   
      
   Youngsters at the elementary school erupted in a frenzy of celebration on May   
   16, as the CubeSat finally was deployed from the International Space Station   
   at 1440 UTC. The CubeSat's a slow-scan TV (SSTV) payload will transmit on   
   437.800 MHz FM. The satellite is the first to be designed and built by grade   
   schoolers, who were supported by NASA technical advisors and by local radio   
   amateurs. STMSat-1 was transported to the ISS in December by an Orbital ATK   
   Cygnus spacecraft.   
      
   The kit-built satellite initially had been set for release in mid-February.   
   That deployment was postponed until early March, however, before being put on   
   hold again. The satellite project is part of the school's STEM (science,   
   technology, engineering, and mathematics) education initiatives.   
      
   NASA's Technology Demonstration Office provided the school with a mobile   
   "clean room" to ensure that the construction phase met strict guidelines and   
   standards for launch and deployment from the ISS. The space agency also   
   provided the school with a ground station antenna to receive the SSTV images   
   and temperature readings.   
      
   Also deployed from the ISS on May 16 were other school-built satellites   
   carrying payloads operating on Amateur Radio frequencies. These included   
   MinXSS-1 (437.345 MHz); CADRE (437.485 MHz and 3.404 GHz), and NODES (437.100   
   MHz 1200 bps AX.25 and 2401.2-2431.2 MHz 115.2 kbps spread-spectrum FSK).   
   MinXSS-1 and NODES both have been heard, but no signals had been reported from   
   the CADRE spacecraft by May 19.   
      
      
   AMSAT's Fox-1B CubeSat Gets January 2017 Launch Date   
      
   AMSAT has announced that its Fox-1B (RadFxSat -- Radiation Effects Satellite)   
   CubeSat is set for a January 20, 2017, launch. Fox-1B will carry a Vanderbilt   
   University Institute for Space and Defense Electronics radiation experiment,   
   AMSAT Vice-President Engineering, Jerry Buxton, N0JY, said. It also includes   
   an Amateur Radio FM transponder (435.250 MHz, 67.0 Hz CTCSS tone, up; 145.960   
   MHz down). The latest version of the Fox-1 Operating Guide is available from   
   AMSAT's Station and Operating Hints page.   
      
   Fox-1B will ride on a Delta II launcher along with a NOAA spacecraft. The   
   satellite will go aloft as part of the NASA Educational Launch of   
   Nanosatellites (ELaNa) program, which offers free launches to educational   
   entities and encourages science missions. AMSAT has been developing a family   
   of CubeSats with Amateur Radio payloads that can support advanced science   
   experiments, and it has been working with universities on scientific and   
   educational missions that fit the ELaNa mold.   
      
   The Fox series 1-Unit CubeSats allow simple ground stations using hand-held   
   transceiver and simple dual-band antennas to make contacts. -- Thanks to AMSAT   
   News Service via AMSAT Vice President-Engineering Jerry Buxton, N0JY   
      
      
   IARU Assumes Custody of Ethics and Operating Procedures for the Radio Amateur   
      
   The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) has become the custodian of the   
   operating standards guide Ethics and Operating Procedures for the Radio   
   Amateur. The IARU Administrative Council recently accepted an offer "with   
   gratitude" from authors John Devoldere, ON4UN, and Mark Demeuleneere, ON4WW,   
   to take over maintenance and updating of the document.   
      
   "Over the last 8 years, the booklet Ethics and Operating Procedures for the   
   Radio Amateur has become a respected work describing the best standards of   
   operating on the amateur bands," the IARU said in a news release. "Translated   
   into most major languages, the booklet is a valuable reference work for all   
   radio amateurs."   
      
   Devoldere and Demeuleneere met with IARU Region 1 President Don Beattie, G3BJ,   
   on May 5 in Brussels to officially hand over the document. IARU will now carry   
   the work forward in future years to ensure its continued relevance and   
   currency.   
      
   Ethics and Operating Procedures for the Radio Amateur is available as a PDF   
   document in more than 25 languages. A PowerPoint presentation appropriate for   
   club presentations is available in English, Dutch, and French.   
      
   The authors' stated goal is, "to improve, where necessary, the behavior on the   
   bands in matters of ethics and operating procedures, and make available to the   
   newcomers in the hobby a document covering these subjects in detail." The   
   guide was accepted by the IARU Administrative Council in 2008 as the   
   recommended manual covering the subject of ethics and operational procedures.   
      
   Visit the Ham Radio Ethics and Operating Procedures website for more   
   information.   
      
      
   IARU Region 2 Calls for Emergency Communications Workshop Papers, Presentations   
      
   International Amateur Radio Union Region 2 (IARU-R2) will hold an Emergency   
   Communications Workshop in Chile this fall, in conjunction with the 19th IARU   
   Region 2 General Assembly. The conference committee is inviting papers and   
   presentations for the event. The workshop on October 11 in Vi¤a del Mar,   
   Chile, will offer an opportunity for Region 2 emergency coordinators and other   
   national-level Amateur Radio emergency communication experts to network and to   
   share information on Amateur Radio emergency response as well as to augment   
   the capabilities of the region's amateurs to react to large-scale,   
   multinational communication emergencies. The event is open to radio amateurs   
   in IARU Region 2 with high-level expertise in providing disaster and emergency   
   communication. Register online.   
      
      
   Call for Papers   
      
   Delegates representing IARU Region 2 member societies, national or   
   international Amateur Radio emergency communication organizations, or   
   national/international-level subject matter experts in Amateur Radio emergency   
   communication are invited to submit proposals and informational papers. Topics   
   must be related to Amateur Radio emergency communication, disaster response,   
   technology, or operating standards.   
      
   Documents must be in electronic form (MS Word or PowerPoint). When laying out   
   the document format, use A4 paper with at least 3-centimeter margins on all   
   sides. The title page should have a top margin of at least 6 centimeters. Do   
   not insert page headers or footers.   
      
   The deadline to submit is July 1. The IARU Region 2 Emergency Communications   
   Workshop Committee will select the most appropriate papers for presentation.   
   All other submitted materials will be compiled for distribution to all   
   delegates and will be posted on the Region 2 website for downloading.   
      
   Direct submissions in English to ecw@iaru-r2.org; direct submissions in   
   Spanish to tce@iaru-r2.org.   
      
      
   Hollywood Producer, ARRL Patron Dave Bell, W6AQ, SK   
      
   Award-winning Hollywood producer and ARRL benefactor Dave Bell, W6AQ, of   
   Encinitas, California, died on May 13. He was 84 and had been a radio amateur   
   for 65 years. An ARRL Life Member and a former chair of the ARRL Public   
   Relations Committee, Bell directed Amateur Radio Today and produced several   
   other ham radio-related promotional videos and films, starting with The Ham's   
   Wide World, a TV documentary filmed in black and white.   
      
   "If I have a claim to fame in Amateur Radio, it's probably that I produced the   
   first television documentary about ham radio that got worldwide distribution,   
   and then I made several others before I 'retired' from the ham radio   
   film/video hobby-within-a-hobby and got busy making a living producing TV   
   movies, specials, and documentaries for all of the networks including HBO and   
   Showtime, and made a couple of theatrical feature films -- Nadia and The Long   
   Walk Home," Bell recounted on his QRZ.com profile. He started TV's Unsolved   
   Mysteries, and he received an Emmy Award in 1985 for Outstanding Drama/Comedy   
   Special, Do You Remember Love. Bell chronicled his filmmaking and his Amateur   
   Radio and professional lives in a memoir, World's Best Hobby.   
      
   Last year, Bell and his wife Sam, W6QLT (she's a quilter), donated a signed   
   Andy Warhol print to the ARRL. The artwork -- "Myths: Superman 1981" --sold at   
   auction last fall for $150,000. The proceeds are being used to create "The   
   Dave Bell, W6AQ, Endowment Fund" to benefit the League.   
      
   Bell was the 1984 Ham of the Year at Dayton Hamvention(R). In 2003, the ARRL   
   presented Bell with its first Lifetime Achievement Award for his work on films   
   and videos about Amateur Radio. In 2011, he was named to the CQ Amateur Radio   
   Hall of Fame.   
      
   Heil Sound Ltd's Bob Heil, K9EID, called Bell "one of the great ones." Heil   
   said Bell's "great smile and laughter" and his "generosity to the hobby" would   
   be missed, "but most of all, we will miss his spirit." -- Thanks to The Daily   
   DX for some information   
      
      
   SATERN Founder Pat McPherson, WW9E, SK   
      
   Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) Founder and past National   
   Director Maj Patrick E. "Pat" McPherson, WW9E, of Coloma, Michigan, died May   
   14. He was 70. After serving as SATERN Director for more than 23 years,   
   McPherson stepped down 5 years ago, although he reassumed the role in   
   2014-2015 on an interim basis. An ARRL member and a second-generation   
   Salvationist, McPherson founded the disaster response and relief arm in June   
   1988 with one other US and two Canadian radio amateurs. Just 2 months after   
   its founding, SATERN responded to provide communication between the US and   
   Jamaica following Hurricane Gilbert.   
      
   SATERN became an official Salvation Army program 10 years later, in 1998, and   
   Maj McPherson was formally appointed as its national director. Now an   
   international organization with 4000 members in North America alone, SATERN is   
   dedicated to providing emergency communication and other assistance following   
   disasters and emergencies, and has responded to natural disasters, fires, and   
   air crashes, including the September 11, 2001 attacks.   
      
   At the time of his death, McPherson was to be presented with The Salvation   
   Army Certificate in Recognition of Exceptional Service -- a national-level   
   award acknowledging outstanding, distinguished, and significant achievement in   
   or for The Salvation Army. It will be awarded posthumously.   
      
   Memorials in Maj McPherson's honor may be made to The Salvation Army. --   
   Thanks to Bill Feist, WB8BZH, for some information   
      
      
   In Brief...   
      
   New Date for "ARRL Understanding Local MOUs" Webinar: The date has changed for   
   an ARRL Headquarters webinar training session on local, section, and state   
   level Memorandums of Understanding for ARES. The training webinar, aimed at   
   for ARES Emergency Coordinators, District Emergency Coordinators and Section   
   Emergency Coordinators, now will take place on Wednesday, May 25, at 2400 UTC.   
   Register for the webinar here. The webinar will be recorded and made available   
   online afterward. All ECs, DECs, and SECs are encouraged to participate. --   
   Thanks to Mike Corey, KI1U, ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager   
      
      
   New Jersey Club Marks Centennial with 10-Day QSO Party: As part of its   
   Centennial activities, the South Jersey Radio Association (SJRA) will host a   
   10-day QSO party, June 10-19. Founded on June 12, 1916, in the home of William   
   G. Phillips in Collingswood, New Jersey, the SJRA dates back to the very early   
   years of wireless. The association became an ARRL-affiliated club in 1920. A   
   timeline on the SJRA website offers more information about the club's rich   
   history. The QSO party will offer other radio amateurs a chance to join the   
   celebration and become centennial members of SJRA. The club will offer various   
   awards. Participants can use just about any mode and operate from QRP to high   
   power. Bonus points are awarded for logging an SJRA member station, identified   
   by "/100" appended to the call sign, or by working the club's K2AA station.   
   Complete rules and logging details are on the SJRA website.   
      
      
   The K7RA Solar Update   
      
   Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Average daily solar flux and sunspot numbers   
   rose over the past week. The average daily sunspot number rose by 5 points to   
   64.1, while the average daily solar flux was up by 11.6 points to 100.4.   
   Geomagnetic indices were quieter, with the average planetary A index   
   decreasing from 22.6 to 9.9, and the average mid-latitude A index dropping   
   from 14.6 to 10.9.   
      
   USAF and NOAA predict solar flux at 103 on May 19; 105 on May 20-21; 100 on   
   May 22-25; 95 on May 26; 90 on May 27-28; 95 on May 29; 100 on May 30-June 1;   
   95 on June 2-7; 100 on June 8-9; 95, 100, and 105 on June 10-12; 100 on June   
   13-16; 95 on June 17-21; 90 on June 22-24; 95 on June 25, and 100 on June   
   26-28.   
      
   Predicted planetary A index is 16, 22, 16, 12, and 6 on May 19-23; 5 on May   
   24-27; 15, 25, and 10 on May 28-30; 5 on May 31 and June 1; 12 on June 2-3;   
   35, 30, and 15 on June 4-6; 5 on June 7-9; 8, 15, 25, and 12 on June 10-13; 8,   
   18, 25, and 12 on June 14-17; 8, 5, and 10 on June 18-20, and 5 on June 21-23.   
      
   Sunspot numbers for May 12 through 18 were 67, 76, 88, 78, 76, 36, and 28,   
   with a mean of 64.1. The 10.7 centimeter flux was 92, 93.4, 101.2, 108.4, 102,   
   103.2, and 102.3, with a mean of 100.4. Estimated planetary A indices were 4,   
   8, 10, 13, 13, 13, and 8, with a mean of 9.9. Estimated mid-latitude A indices   
   were 4, 9, 10, 12, 15, 14, and 12, with a mean of 10.9.   
      
   In Friday's bulletin look for an updated forecast as well as comments and   
   questions from readers, plus a report from N8II about operating in a QSO party   
   while a geomagnetic storm was raging.   
      
   Send me your reports and observations.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   Just Ahead in Radiosport   
      
    *  May 20 -- Slobozhansky Sprint Contest (CW, phone)   
    *  May 21 -- UN DX Contest (CW, phone)   
    *  May 21 -- Feld Hell Sprint   
    *  May 21-22 -- NZART Sangster Shield Contest (CW)   
    *  May 21-22 -- Aegean RTTY Contest   
    *  May 21-22 -- EU PSK DX Contest   
    *  May 21-22 -- His Majesty King of Spain Contest (CW)   
    *  May 21-22 -- Baltic Contest (CW, phone)   
    *  May 25 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)   
    *  May 28-29 -- CQ World Wide WPX Contest (CW)   
    *  May 28 -- Portuguese Navy Day Contest (Digital)   
    *  May 29 -- SARL Digital Contest   
      
   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   
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   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions   
      
    *  May 20-22 -- Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, Ohio   
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       Pennsylvania   
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    *  August 19-21 -- West Virginia State Convention, Weston, West Virginia   
    *  August 20-21 -- Southeastern Division Convention, Huntsville, Alabama   
    *  August 21 -- Kansas State Convention, Salina, Kansas   
      
   Find conventions and hamfests in your area.   
      
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   )\/(ark   
      
   Always Mount a Scratch Monkey   
      
   ... Timing error.  Please wait.  And wait.  And wait.   
   ---   
    * Origin:  (1:3634/12.73)