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   http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2016-08-11   
      
   The ARRL Letter   
      
   August 11, 2016   
   Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME   
      
    *  New Hamvention Venue : "You Will Be Very Impressed," Chairman Assures   
    *  Growth in New Amateur Radio Licensees Ahead of Last Year's   
    *  Amateur Radio Sleuthing Pins Down Source of Strange RF Interference   
    *  The Doctor Will See You Now!   
    *  National Parks on the Air Update   
    *  Reminder : Youth in Amateur Radiosport Survey Ends August 31   
    *  HAARP Facility to Reopen in 2017 under New Ownership   
    *  Amateur Radio Plays Critical Role in Mountain Rescue   
    *  ARES(R) Day in Palm Beach County Recruits 15 New Members   
    *  New SO-50 Distance Record Set in Youth DX Adventure Contact   
    *  ARISS US Team to Host ARISS-International Summit   
    *  Tuskegee Airman, Congressional Gold Medal Recipient Julius T. Freeman,   
       KB2OFY, SK   
    *  In Brief...   
    *  The K7RA Solar Update   
    *  Just Ahead in Radiosport   
    *  Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions   
      
      
   New Hamvention Venue: "You Will Be Very Impressed," Chairman Assures   
      
   Dayton Hamvention(R) is moving on after 52 years at Hara Arena, and 2017   
   preparations at the show's new venue in Xenia, Ohio, now are in full swing,   
   two Hamvention officials explained this week on the Amateur Radio Roundtable   
   webcast hosted by Tom Medlin, W5KUB. Hamvention announced on August 1 that it   
   would relocate to the Greene County Fairgounds, after Hara Arena made it known   
   that it would close at month's end. Hamvention 2017 General Chair Ron Cramer,   
   KD8ENJ, and official spokesperson Mike Kalter, W8CI, fielded questions from   
   Medlin and callers during the hour-long August 9 show. Cramer said some   
   members of the Amateur Radio community entertain preconceived notions about   
   the new venue that are "far off base," and he and Kalter wanted to set the   
   record straight.   
      
   "Change is hard for everyone, but I think this is a very good move for us,"   
   Cramer said. "You will be very impressed." Kalter echoed the sentiment. "We   
   want to start out great and get awesome," he said. Kalter said there's been a   
   lot of second-guessing, but that "a lot of overriding factors" and a year-long   
   search led to the selection of Greene County Fairgrounds.   
      
   Kalter assured those planning to attend Hamvention that Fairgrounds buildings   
   -- particularly those used for showing livestock during the county fair -- are   
   "absolutely clean" and well maintained. He and Cramer expressed confidence   
   that everyone will find plenty of available parking and room for all   
   traditional Hamvention activities -- more than may be evident at first glance.   
   Vendors who have already visited the new site to get the lay of the land went   
   away "excited," they said.   
      
   At this point, no hard-and-fast decisions have been made as to how Hamvention   
   will put the available buildings and space to use next spring, but Cramer and   
   Kalter said the Fairgrounds staff has been especially helpful. "We're all   
   working together now to make this happen," Kalter said. He and Cramer made   
   clear that Hamvention officials remain open to questions and suggestions.   
      
   Cramer quashed one misconception about Hara Arena. "Even though they had air   
   conditioning," he said, "air conditioning was never used there. The doors were   
   open, and they did not want to turn on the air conditioning unless the doors   
   were closed. So, I don't think air conditioning was used at all -- at least in   
   the last 10 years."   
      
   Some air conditioned space already available at the new venue may be suitable   
   for such activities as forums, and the Fairgrounds is looking to upgrade   
   existing ventilation systems in non-air conditioned buildings. "We're looking   
   at the possibility of air conditioned 'chalets'" for forums, Kalter said.   
      
   The prime area under consideration for the popular outdoor flea market is   
   inside the racetrack oval, they said, and additional adjacent space is   
   available, if it's needed.   
      
   The venue will have wireless Internet coverage. "We've already moved some of   
   the equipment out of Hara, and we think it will do a good job there," Cramer   
   said. Kalter added that the Fairgrounds staff is working on upgrading the   
   Internet "pipe" to the venue.   
      
   As for the admission price, "We're still working on that," Kalter said. "We   
   have not made a decision. We may leave it at the same price or slightly more   
   than that, but no great increase." Tickets this year were $20 in advance and   
   $25 at the gate for all 3 days.   
      
   Cramer and Kalter said Hamvention anticipates being ready to start selling   
   tickets and vendor spaces by November -- and perhaps earlier.   
      
   Kalter stressed that the sponsoring Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA)   
   puts "an awful lot back into ham radio in donations," all raised entirely   
   through Hamvention.   
      
   "We need your help. We need your support," Kalter said. "Hamvention needs to   
   move on, and we intend to make it happen, with everybody's help."   
      
      
      
   Growth in New Amateur Radio Licensees Ahead of Last Year's   
      
   The ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) reports that 20,447 new US   
   Amateur Radio licenses have been issued since January 1. That's nearly 1500   
   ahead of the number that had been issued by this time last year. At the   
   present pace, the US is on track to exceed 30,000 new radio amateurs for the   
   third straight year by the end of the year.   
      
   "While I am thrilled with this prospect, I'm also keenly aware that without   
   some mentoring, these new hams' initial curiosity and enchantment may fade if   
   they don't get on the air right away," said ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma,   
   AB1FM.   
      
   "Let's show these new hams what the magic is all about," she urged.   
      
   In addition, the ARRL VEC reports that upgrades are on track to reach nearly   
   11,000 by year's end.   
      
      
      
   Amateur Radio Sleuthing Pins Down Source of Strange RF Interference   
      
   Police in Evanston, Illinois, contacted the ARRL Lab, after an apparent   
   interference source began plaguing wireless vehicle key fobs, cell phones, and   
   other wireless electronics. Key fob owners found they could not open or start   
   their vehicles remotely until their vehicles were towed at least a block away,   
   nor were they able to call for help on their cell phones when problems   
   occurred. The police turned to ARRL for help after striking out with the FCC,   
   which told them it considered key fob malfunctions a problem for automakers,   
   although the interference was affecting not just key fobs but cell phones -- a   
   licensed radio service. ARRL Lab EMC Specialist Mike Gruber, W1MG, feels the   
   FCC should have paid more attention.   
      
   "This situation is indicative of what can happen as a result of insufficient   
   FCC enforcement, especially with regard to electrical noise and noncompliant   
   consumer devices," Gruber said.   
      
   Evanston authorities worried that a serious situation could develop if someone   
   were unable to call 911, putting public safety at risk. They also were   
   concerned that the RFI could be intentional and indicate some nefarious or   
   illegal activity. Given the seriousness of this situation, Gruber contacted   
   Central Division Director Kermit Carlson, W9XA, to ask if he could look into   
   the matter.   
      
   On June 2, Carlson met with an Evanston police officer, her sergeant, a local   
   business owner, and the local alderman, and he quickly confirmed that the 600   
   block of Dempster Avenue in Evanston was plagued with an odd RFI problem.   
   Carlson determined that the problem prevailed along a set of eight on-street   
   parallel parking spots in the downtown commercial district of the North   
   Chicago suburb.   
      
   Carlson employed a Radar Engineers 240A Noise Signature Receiver and UHF Yagi   
   antenna to survey the affected block. Since key fobs typically operate at   
   around 315 MHz and 433 MHz, he looked on both frequencies. The survey   
   identified several noise sources in the affected block, but in particular a   
   strong signal in the middle of the block. The interference source turned out   
   to be a recently replaced neon sign switching-mode power supply, which was   
   generating a substantial signal within the on-street parking area just across   
   the sidewalk, between 8 and 40 feet from the sign.   
      
   The problematic power supply interference also disabled Carlson's cell phone   
   when he was within a few feet of the device. Carlson anticipated that further   
   investigation would show that the harmful interference could disrupt licensed   
   radio services in close proximity. The troublesome transformer was not   
   replaced, but the building owner agreed to turn off the sign should problems   
   arise.   
      
   Carlson called the Evanston case "a particularly alarming example of radio   
   interference," especially since local authorities considered it a public   
   safety matter. "This situation demonstrates the electromagnetic compatibility   
   problems that are evolving in an atmosphere of noncompliant, unintentional   
   RF-emitting devices," he said.   
      
   A return visit to the area with calibrated antennas and equipment capable of   
   measuring the radiated signal strength with quasi-peak detection is planned   
   for later this year. Since the initial visit, several other instances of   
   unexplained key fob malfunctions have been reported in the Greater Chicago   
   area. -- Thanks to Kermit Carlson, W9XA, and Mike Gruber, W1MG   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   The Doctor Will See You Now!   
      
   "SWR" is the topic of the current 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.   
   Just ahead: Software Defined Radio.   
      
      
      
   National Parks on the Air Update   
      
   The Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club put on a first-class activation of the   
   White House Ellipse, which counts for President's Park (DZ10) in ARRL's   
   National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) program. After considerable effort to secure   
   a permit from the National Park Service, the club set up two stations on the   
   Ellipse on August 5 and 6 and made more than 1200 HF contacts on SSB and CW.   
   AMSAT-NA Secretary Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, also handed out the unit on several   
   Amateur Radio satellite passes.   
      
   Kudos to the Rogers High School Amateur Radio Club (W1VRC) in Newport, Rhode   
   Island, for a successful activation of the Touro Synagogue National Historic   
   Site (AA24). The high school club teamed up with the Middletown All Saints   
   STEAM Academy's ham radio club (N1ASA) to make the August 7 activation a   
   success.   
      
   For August 11-17, there are 33 Activations on tap, including the first-ever   
   activation of Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska, and Wupatki   
   National Monument in Arizona.   
      
   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).   
      
      
      
   Reminder: Youth in Amateur Radiosport Survey Ends August 31   
      
   Only a couple of weeks remain to add your voice to the Youth in Amateur   
   Radiosport Survey. The deadline to provide your input is August 31. ARRL   
   Contest Advisory Committee Chair George Wagner, K5KG, reports that more than   
   1000 already have responded, but he'd like to see many more by the end of   
   August.   
      
   "Everyone is invited to take the survey, regardless of age, whether or not   
   they are licensed," he said. "Although the purpose of the survey is to gather   
   data about the participation of youth in radiosport (contesting), the   
   questions are structured to collect valuable information from hams and nonhams   
   of all ages. The more responses we have, the better will be the statistical   
   analysis of the final results."   
      
   Wagner said retired statistician Bob Gerzoff, WK2Y, has volunteered his   
   services to assist the CAC's Youth in Contesting team in analyzing the survey   
   results. The Youth in Contesting team consists of Pat Korkowski, NA0N; Glenn   
   Johnson, W0GJ; Stan Stockton, K5GO, and Dennis Egan, W1UE.   
      
   Visit the online survey to participate.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   HAARP Facility to Reopen in 2017 under New Ownership   
      
   Alaska's High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) facility will   
   reopen in 2017. The sprawling facility now is under the ownership of the   
   University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), and the UAF Geophysical Institute is   
   preparing HAARP for a new sponsored research campaign that's set to begin   
   early next year, UAF Researcher Chris Fallen, KL3WX, told ARRL.   
      
   "This involves, for example, reinstalling the vacuum tubes in each of the 10   
   kW amplifiers -- eventually 360 in total -- that were removed by the US Air   
   Force [the facility's former owner] for warm storage in the main facility,"   
   Fallen said. He later clarified that's just one-half of the 720 tubes required   
   to equip all of HAARP's transmitters.   
      
   "For the first campaign we will only be bringing half of the array online, as   
   we will only have half the tubes installed," he explained. "It's a long   
   process and we have limited resources." He noted that the transmitter shelters   
   have been unheated since the previous campaign in the summer of 2014. "The   
   five generators -- approximately 3 MW each -- have recently been tested   
   individually and are verified operational."   
      
   Fallen said the HAARP ionosonde (DPS4D "Digisonde") will be brought back   
   online. "Some instruments on site need to be repaired or replaced," he said.   
   Those would include riometers and a UHF radar. "Optical instruments will be   
   brought back. The flux-gate magnetometer is operational again."   
      
   Fallen said other researchers are planning to install instruments at the   
   science pads. "We are still investigating models for increasing Amateur Radio   
   involvement with HAARP, which, in addition to announcing operating schedules,   
   can potentially include hosting one or more ham stations on or near the   
   science pads," he said.   
      
   UAF describes HAARP as "the world's most capable high-power, high-frequency   
   transmitter for study of the ionosphere." Built in three phases, starting in   
   the early 1990s and continuing through 2007, at a cost of some $300 million,   
   HAARP over the years has inspired a wide range of conspiracy theories that   
   became grist for late-night radio talk shows. Some have claimed that HAARP's   
   transmitters and 30-acre antenna farm -- capable of generating up to 5 GW ERP   
   -- have been used to control the weather, while others have argued that HAARP   
   has caused earthquakes.   
      
   The FCC recently granted two Part 5 Experimental Service licenses for HAARP   
   ionospheric research "across multiple bands." WI2XFX will cover experiments in   
   discrete parts of the HF spectrum, including 2650-2850; 3155-3400; 4438-4650;   
   4750-4995; 5005-5450; 5730-5950, and 7300-8100 kHz. A second Experimental   
   license, WI2XDV, covers ionopheric research between 1 and 40 MHz.   
      
   UAF is hosting an open house at HAARP, located near Gakona, Alaska, on August   
   27. The event will feature facility tours, a mobile planetarium, a permafrost   
   exhibit, science demonstrations and talks, and barbecue.   
      
   Fallen will deliver a free science lecture on Friday, August 26, at the   
   Wrangell-St Elias National Park Visitor Center Auditorium, "Radio Modification   
   of the Ionosphere, and Who Uses This HAARP Thing Anyway?" in partnership with   
   the Wrangell Institute for Science and the Environment (WISE)   
      
   HAARP is aimed at studying the properties and behavior of the ionosphere.   
   Operation of the research facility was transferred from the US Air Force to   
   the University of Alaska Fairbanks last August, allowing HAARP to continue   
   exploring ionospheric phenomena via a land-use cooperative research and   
   development agreement. -- Thanks to Chris Fallen, KL3WX, Steve Floyd, W4YHD,   
   and UAF   
      
      
      
   Amateur Radio Plays Critical Role in Mountain Rescue   
      
   Glenn Fowler, N5TDJ, of Allen, Texas, reported via Facebook that Amateur Radio   
   served him well on August 4.   
      
   "We were on a treacherous Jeep trip up at about 13,000 feet with several other   
   Jeeps in Colorado," he said in his post. "One person there from Texas had a   
   heart attack. There was no cell phone service. I tried a few repeaters and the   
   National Simplex Frequency and was amazed that no one was monitoring any of   
   them. I kept trying and finally reached an ARES station on a Breckenridge   
   linked repeater that took our GPS coordinates and dispatched an ambulance to   
   meet us at the first place they could intercept the trail."   
      
   Fowler reports the individual who suffered the heart attack was hospitalized,   
   "and, thankfully, he received lifesaving help from paramedics a lot sooner,   
   due to ham radio."   
      
   An ARRL member, Fowler also belongs to the Plano Amateur Radio Club (K5PRK).   
      
      
      
   ARES(R) Day in Palm Beach County Recruits 15 New Members   
      
   It was ARES(R) Day on July 30 in Palm Beach County, Florida. Sponsored by Palm   
   Beach County ARES, the event at the Palm Beach/Martin County Red Cross Chapter   
   in West Palm Beach attracted 50 radio amateurs, and 15 joined ARES. The Red   
   Cross provided lunch.   
      
   "Thanks to the Red Cross and all who attended," said Central County Emergency   
   Coordinator Barry Porter, KB1PA. "Palm Beach County ARES is now more prepared   
   if we are needed by any of our served agencies. It was a positive event that   
   energized all who attended."   
      
   Local ham radio clubs were represented at the event and offered assistance,   
   along with District Emergency Coordinator Charlie Benn, WB2SNN; South County   
   Emergency Coordinator Bob Vastola, KK4ATI; North County Emergency Coordinator   
   Chris Anderson, KK4ENJ, and Porter. Section Manager Jeff Beals, WA4AW, and   
   Section Emergency Coordinator Larry Zimmer, W4LWZ, attended.   
      
   Activities included demonstrations of emergency power equipment, digital   
   communications using packet and Winlink, National Traffic System(TM) and   
   NTS(TM) digital communication, how to build an effective UHF/VHF antenna,   
   portable VHF and UHF antennas, and what's inside a Red Cross Emergency   
   Response Vehicle. -- Thanks to Barry Porter, KB1PA.   
      
      
      
   New SO-50 Distance Record Set in Youth DX Adventure Contact   
      
   When Patrick Stoddard, WD9EWK, in Phoenix, Arizona, worked Faith Hannah Lea,   
   AE4FH -- on Saba and operating as PJ6Y -- the contact broke the distance   
   record on the SO-50 (SaudiSat) satellite.   
      
   The August 7 Arizona-to-Saba contact came in at 5168.753 kilometers   
   (approximately 3205 miles)! Faith Hannah was among the young radio amateurs   
   who took part in the 2016 Dave Kalter Memorial Youth DX Adventure (YDXA), at   
   the station of Jeff Jolie, PJ6/NM1Y.   
      
   In addition to Faith Hannah, this year's youth team included Morgan Croucher,   
   KD8ZLK and Ruth Willet, KM4LAO. Escorting them were Joe Binkley, KD8YPY;   
   Sharon Willet, KM4TVU, and James Lea, WX4TV, who is Faith Hannah's father. The   
   budding DXers/DXpeditioners were on the air from Saba from August 2 until   
   August 9.   
      
   The members of the 2016 Dave Kalter Memorial Youth DX Adventure group logged   
   more than 3000 contacts during their stay on Saba, operating as PJ6Y.   
      
      
      
   ARISS US Team to Host ARISS-International Summit   
      
   The US Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) team will host   
   the ARISS-International "face-to-face" summit in the Houston, Texas, area this   
   fall. A highlight of the November 15-18 gathering will be a tour of NASA   
   Johnson Space Center (JSC) -- across the street from the meeting site at the   
   ISS Conference Facility, 1800 Space Park Drive, Nassau Bay, Texas. Members of   
   the public may attend as observers.   
      
   The ARISS-International meeting will follow on the heels of the AMSAT Space   
   Symposium, and ARISS has encouraged Symposium participants to stay for the   
   ARISS-International meeting. The ARISS-International summit coincides with the   
   20th anniversary of the ARISS program; the first international ARISS meeting   
   took place at NASA JSC in November 1996, and ARISS will commemorate its 2   
   decades of success at this year's summit.   
      
   This year's meeting will focus on the ARISS hardware development project and   
   future initiatives, sustaining the ARISS program through strategic   
   partnerships and fundraising, and improving educational outcomes. Anyone   
   interested in attending the ARISS-International meeting November 15-18 may   
   contact Rosalie White, K1STO, or ARISS-International Chair Frank Bauer,   
   KA3HDO. -- Thanks to ARISS   
      
      
      
   Tuskegee Airman, Congressional Gold Medal Recipient Julius T. Freeman, KB2OFY,   
   SK   
      
   Tuskegee Airman and Congressional Gold Medal recipient Julius T. Freeman,   
   KB2OFY, of Spring Garden, New York, died on July 22 after suffering a heart   
   attack. He was 89. Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, Freeman served during   
   World War II as a medic with the famed 332nd Tuskegee Airmen. He was a   
   frequent speaker at schools and civic organizations.   
      
   When Freeman returned home after his wartime service, he was dismayed to find   
   that widespread segregation and the Jim Crow Era persisted. As a personal   
   protest, he discarded his Army uniform and military memorabilia, not   
   acknowledging his military service again until many years later.   
      
   A flamboyant and highly successful car salesman, Freeman began his career at a   
   Columbus, Ohio, Hudson Motorcar dealership; during the war, Freeman had saved   
   the grateful owner's son's life. So successful was Freeman in this venture   
   that he became the first African-American spokesperson to appear in TV   
   commercials in Ohio. In 1954, he was lured to New York with hopes of greater   
   success, but he found no jobs for African-American car salesmen. So, he went   
   to work emptying trash cans on the graveyard shift at the Empire State   
   Building.   
      
   A few years later, though, he broke back into auto sales, again achieving   
   success. In 1977 he sold more than $1 million worth of Lincolns. Freeman also   
   became the car salesman to such African-American celebrities as Sammy Davis   
   Jr, James Brown, Dick Gregory, Joe Louis, and Wilson Pickett. He retired in   
   2008, although he appeared in a 2015 commercial for a Long Island Honda   
   dealership.   
      
   In 2007 President George W. Bush awarded Freeman and the other "Red Tails" the   
   Congressional Gold Medal, although Freeman was too ill to attend the ceremony,   
   which honored the estimated 16,000 or more Tuskegee Airmen. Freeman once again   
   embraced his military past, visiting schools and educating youth about the   
   role that the Tuskegee Airmen had played.   
      
   A Technician licensee, Freeman had been an ARRL member in the 1990s. -- Thanks   
   to John Bigley, N7UR/Nevada Amateur Radio Newswire   
      
      
      
   In Brief...   
      
   ARRL Field Day 2016 List of Logs Received Now Available: The list of Logs   
   Received for ARRL Field Day 2016 now is available. It includes all logs --   
   paper and electronic -- as well as all entries classified as check logs,   
   typically due to incomplete information. Participants have until Tuesday,   
   August 23, to contact ARRL if they believe there are problems with their   
   entries. If your listing contains errors, contact Kathy Allison, KA1RWY. ARRL   
   received more than 2700 ARRL Field Day logs for 2016, including check logs.   
      
      
   Updated Android Digital QST App Now Available: A completely rebuilt digital   
   QST app for the Android platform now is available from publisher Nxtbook   
   Media, which responded to readers' frustrations about getting the app to work   
   properly. The fix took longer than expected, but it is finally here! Members   
   who have enabled automatic updates on their devices will not have to do   
   anything; the application will update automatically. Readers who have   
   automatic updates turned off can obtain the new version by visiting the Google   
   Play Store. Functionality in the new app remains the same, although the layout   
   is slightly different -- displaying the most recent magazine at the top and   
   two or three books per row instead of in a single column. Download times   
   should be faster as well. For optimal performance, it is recommended that   
   Android users have the latest Android operating system, Marshmallow 6.0.   
      
      
   Slow-Scan Television Transmissions from ISS Set for August 15-16: Slow-scan   
   television (SSTV) transmissions will be made from the International Space   
   Station (ISS) on August 15 and 16. The MAI-75   
   Experiment will transmit SSTV images on 145.80 MHz over the course of a few   
   orbits as the space station passes over Moscow. Operators in Europe and South   
   America will have the best chances to receive images. Operators along the US   
   East Coast may have one chance on August 16. -- Thanks to ISS Ham Project   
   Coordinator Kenneth Ransom, N5VHO   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   The K7RA Solar Update   
      
   Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: After 2 days (August 3-4) of no sunspots,   
   solar activity resumed with both the sunspot number and the solar flux rising   
   into the 90s. Average daily sunspot numbers rose from 10.7 during the last   
   reporting week to 52 the next reporting week (August 4-10).   
      
   Average daily solar flux rose from 72.1 to 87.9. Average planetary A index   
   went from 13 to 14.6, and average mid-latitude A index from 11.9 to 13.7.   
      
   The latest solar flux prediction from USAF/NOAA shows 95 on August 11-12; 90   
   on August 13-15; 95 on August 16-18; 90 and 85 on August 19-20; 75 on August   
   21-26; 80 on August 27-September 1; 85, 95, 100, and 105 on September 2-5; 100   
   on September 6-9, and 95 on September 10-13. Flux values are predicted to drop   
   to 75 over September 17-22 before rising again.   
      
   Predicted planetary A index is 12 and 10 on August 11-12; 5 on August 13-14;   
   8, 12, and 10 on August 15-17; 8 on August 18-19; 5 on August 20-23; 15 on   
   August 24-25; 5 on August 26-28; 15, 25, and 18 on August 29-31; 15 on   
   September 1-2; 12, 8, and 5 on September 3-5; 12 on September 6-7; 8 on   
   September 8; 5 on September 9-10, and 12 on September 11-12.   
      
   Sunspot numbers for August 4 through 10 were 0, 36, 33, 63, 91, 72, and 69,   
   with a mean of 52. The 10.7 centimeter flux was 76.3, 79.8, 83.1, 92.7, 96.4,   
   92.3, and 95, with a mean of 87.9. Estimated planetary A indices were 18, 16,   
   14, 12, 12, 14, and 16, with a mean of 14.6. Estimated mid-latitude A indices   
   were 17, 16, 13, 12, 9, 15, and 14 with a mean of 13.7.   
      
   Send me your reports and observations.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   Just Ahead in Radiosport   
      
    *  August 13-14 -- WAE DX Contest (CW)   
    *  August 13-14 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW)   
    *  August 13-14 -- Maryland-DC QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)   
    *  August 13-14 -- 50 MHz Fall Sprint (CW, phone)   
      
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   Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions   
      
    *  August 12-14 -- New Mexico State Convention, Albuquerque, New Mexico   
    *  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   
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    *  September 9-11 -- New England Division Convention, Boxborough,   
       Massachusetts   
    *  September 10 -- Kentucky State Convention, Shepherdsville, Kentucky   
    *  September 10 -- Virginia Section Convention, Virginia Beach, Virginia   
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       Petersburg, Florida   
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    *  September 24 -- San Joaquin Valley Section Convention, Modesto,   
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    *  September 24 -- North Dakota State Convention, West Fargo, North Dakota   
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    *  October 16 -- Connecticut State Convention, Meriden, Connecticut   
    *  October 21-22 -- Arizona State Convention, Maricopa, Arizona   
    *  October 22 -- Wisconsin ARES/RACES Conference, Wisconsin Rapids,   
       Wisconsin   
      
   Find conventions and hamfests in your area.   
      
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   )\/(ark   
      
   Always Mount a Scratch Monkey   
      
   ... An apple never falls far from the tree.   
   ---   
    * Origin:  (1:3634/12.73)