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   http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2016-10-20   
      
   The ARRL Letter   
      
   October 20, 2016   
   Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME   
      
      
    *  Regulatory Issues Top ARRL Executive Committee Agenda   
    *  Bidding Kicks off on October 21 in Annual ARRL On-Line Auction   
    *  MARS-Amateur Radio Interoperability Exercise to Test "Very Bad Day"   
       Scenario   
    *  IARU Region 2 Emergency Communications Workshop Covers Wide Range of   
       Topics   
    *  The Doctor Will See You Now!   
    *  National Parks on the Air Update   
    *  IARU Honors Past ARRL President Rod Stafford, W6ROD   
    *  Complete Sweepstakes Records Now Available, Operating Guide Updated   
    *  Time to File Your JOTA Station Report   
    *  ARES/RACES Featured at Joint Tribal Emergency Management Conference   
    *  Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, HS1A, SK   
    *  Getting It Right!   
    *  In Brief...   
    *  The K7RA Solar Update   
    *  Just Ahead in Radiosport   
    *  Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions   
      
      
      
   Regulatory Issues Top ARRL Executive Committee Agenda   
      
   FCC and regulatory matters will fill the lion's share of the agenda when the   
   ARRL Executive Committee (EC) meets on October 22 in Chicago. Topping the list   
   of action items is a review of enforcement strategies -- a follow-on to   
   discussions during the July 2015 meeting of the ARRL Board of Directors. This   
   would include "ongoing consideration of revised plans and strategies for   
   improved Amateur Radio enforcement, and actions to implement these." It also   
   would address revisions to the ARRL Official Observer program.   
      
   The EC also will review the status of -- and comments filed on -- the ARRL   
   Petition for Rule Making (RM 11759) to the FCC, seeking changes in the 80- and   
   75-meter RTTY/data and phone/image subbands and to restore 80-meter privileges   
   for certain license classes, among other changes in those bands. The Petition   
   was filed in January.   
      
   In addition, the Committee will discuss comments filed in response to its   
   request to the FCC to delete restrictions on symbol rates for data   
   communication and the establishment of a 2.8 kHz maximum occupied bandwidth   
   for data emissions below 29.7 MHz.   
      
   The FCC's April 2016 Report and Order, Order, and Notice of Proposed   
   Rulemaking (R&O/NPRM) in ET Docket 15-99 also will be up for discussion. The   
   FCC has yet to approve operational rules for the 2200- and 630-meter bands and   
   finalizing the allocation of the 2200-meter band. The R&O/NPRM raised several   
   questions regarding how Amateur Radio might coexist with PLC systems used to   
   control the power grid.   
      
   The Committee also will hear updates on various regulatory items affecting   
   Amateur Radio. Some of the FCC proceedings date back 3 years or more.   
      
   In legislative matters, among other issues, the EC will hear a report on the   
   status of H.R. 1301 -- the Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015 -- with a focus on   
   strategies to gain approval for the proposed legislation in the US Senate   
   during the so-called "lame duck" session of Congress following the elections   
   in November.   
      
      
      
      
   Bidding Kicks off on October 21 in Annual ARRL On-Line Auction   
      
   Bidding in the 11th annual ARRL On-Line Auction begins on October 21 at 1400   
   UTC, and the auction will continue through October 27. During the past week,   
   prospective participants have been able to view the nearly 300 items up for   
   bid. Those planning to take part must register. Participants in past ARRL   
   On-Line Auction events may use their previous log-in information.   
      
   Items on the block this year include QST "Product Review" gear -- already ARRL   
   Lab-tested -- vintage books and publications, previously owned gear,   
   one-of-a-kind finds, "Last Man Standing" TV series (starring Tim Allen,   
   KK6OTD) items, and five of the ever-popular "mystery boxes" from the ARRL Lab   
   team.   
      
   Some of the premier items up for bid from the QST "Product Review" inventory   
   include the Icom IC-7851 HF+6 meter transceiver, the Elecraft K3S HF+6 meter   
   transceiver, the Yaesu FTM-400DR 144/430 MHz transceiver, and the Ameritron   
   ALS-1306 HF+6 meter 1,200 W solid-state amplifier.   
      
   Among the book offerings are Radio Stations of the World, a special 1942   
   defense edition of The Radio Amateur's Handbook -- as well as many other   
   vintage Handbook editions, plus In Marconi's Footsteps -- Early Radio, and   
   Maver's Wireless Telegraph: Theory and Practice.   
      
   Proceeds from the yearly On-Line Auction benefit ARRL education initiatives.   
      
   The auction site only accepts Visa and MasterCard. Each auction item has its   
   own closing time.   
      
      
      
      
   MARS-Amateur Radio Interoperability Exercise to Test "Very Bad Day" Scenario   
      
   From October 30 through November 1, members of the Military Auxiliary Radio   
   System (MARS) will conduct a quarterly US Department of Defense (DOD)   
   Contingency Communications Exercise (COMMEX). The quarterly exercise will   
   offer training on the ability to provide communications following a "very bad   
   day" scenario, when traditional forms of communications will likely be   
   unavailable, Army MARS Program Manager Paul English, WD8DBY, said. The   
   exercise will involve interoperability between MARS and Amateur Radio   
   participants and is open to all members of the amateur community.   
      
   "While the simultaneous loss of all communications nationwide is not likely,   
   we are assuming there has been a massive nationwide outage, for training   
   purposes," English said. "One objective of the exercise is to continue the   
   partnership with the Amateur Radio community to help provide information about   
   local conditions." Information gathered will be forwarded to the DOD to   
   provide a better picture of what is happening around the country, he said.   
      
   "During this exercise, we will use 60 meters, local VHF and UHF repeaters, and   
   HF NVIS [near-vertical incidence skywave] Amateur Radio bands," English   
   explained. "Our goal is to have a conversation about the local conditions in   
   and around your county. During the conversation, our operators will be asking   
   basic questions, such as the status of commercial power, public water systems,   
   and road conditions. These will be person-to-person conversations; you don't   
   need to use any digital modes or know any special messaging formats."   
      
   To kick off this exercise, MARS is encouraging the Amateur Radio community to   
   monitor 5,330.5 kHz from 0300-0400 UTC on October 31, when MARS will conduct   
   high-power voice broadcasts, alternating between military stations on the East   
   Coast and West Coast. MARS wants Amateur Radio operators to submit reception   
   reports.   
      
   For the remainder of the exercise, MARS personnel will be calling for Amateur   
   Radio operators on the five 60-meter channels as well as on established   
   Amateur Radio nets on HF and on VHF/UHF repeaters.   
      
   Contact MARS with questions about this exercise. Registration for the October   
   25 webinar, "Overview of Army and Air Force MARS," remains open.   
      
      
      
      
   IARU Region 2 Emergency Communications Workshop Covers Wide Range of Topics   
      
   The second IARU Region 2 (IARU-R2) Emergency Communications Workshop on   
   October 11 focused on international issues facing Amateur Radio in emergencies   
   and disasters. ARRL and IARU Region 2 sponsored the workshop, held in Vi¤a del   
   Mar, Chile, in conjunction with the IARU Region 2 General Assembly. ARRL   
   Emergency Preparedness Manager and IARU Area B Emergency Coordinator Mike   
   Corey, KI1U, and IARU Region 2 Emergency Coordinator Dr. Cesar Pio Santos,   
   HR2P, co-chaired the event. Presentation topics reiterated and expanded upon   
   themes discussed at the first Region 2 Emergency Communications Workshop, held   
   in Mexico in 2013, and raised some new issues. Attendees came from the US and   
   a dozen other countries, some outside Region 2.   
      
   Workshop speakers represented national societies and organizations with an   
   international scope, including the Federaci¢n Mexicana de Radioe   
   perimentadores (FMRE), the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network   
   (SATERN), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Radio Club de   
   Chile (RCC), Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network (AREDN), and the Radio Club   
   Venezolano (RCV).   
      
   Topics covered the use of Winlink, SATERN support for Salvation Army disaster   
   response, the role of ITU, developing operator and communication skills, AREDN   
   mesh networking technology for disaster response, and emergency communication   
   response in Venezuela.   
      
   Among the workshop's conclusions:   
      
    *  There continues to be a need for greater public education on the value   
       of Amateur Radio. Specific ideas discussed included availability of   
       print material and a social media presence for IARU Region 2 emergency   
       activities.   
      
    *  Events such as the Nepal and Ecuador earthquakes and the Philippines   
       typhoon demonstrated the need for cached Amateur Radio equipment that   
       can be deployed to support emergency communication activities.   
      
    *  The availability of platforms such as Google Hangout, Skype, and similar   
       virtual meeting programs make it possible to connect those in IARU   
       Region 2 involved with Amateur Radio emergency communications.   
      
    *  Exercises such as Cascadia Rising and Pacific Endeavor and events such   
       as the Nepal and Ecuador earthquakes and Hurricane Matthew demonstrate   
       the unique ability of radio amateurs to work together across political   
       boundaries.   
      
    *  Traditional modes of Amateur Radio communication, such as voice and CW,   
       are vital to the ability to provide emergency communication in IARU   
       Region 2. The development of operator skills through on-air activity and   
       continued training...and wide use of new technologies and improved   
       health-and-welfare messaging are encouraged.   
      
    *  Work should continue on the IARU Emergency Telecommunications Guide,   
       ensuring that it is relevant and useful to radio amateurs through   
       regular updates and improvements.   
      
   IARU Region 2 Emergency Coordinators will explore the possibility of an online   
   emergency communication resource library, available to IARU Region 2 member   
   societies and Amateur Radio emergency communication participants.   
      
   Direct comments and questions to Mike Corey, KI1U (English) or to Dr. Cesar   
   Pio Santos, HR2P (Espa¤ol).   
      
      
      
      
   The Doctor Will See You Now!   
      
   "HF Mobile Antennas" is the topic of the latest (October 20) 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   
      
   On October 19, the log from the 14,000th National Parks on the Air (NPOTA)   
   activation was uploaded to LoTW. It also put the ARRL program just shy of   
   750,000 contacts made from NPS units in 2016. With a little more than 2 months   
   to go, the NPOTA community is abuzz with the possibility of breaking the 1   
   million QSO mark.   
      
   NPOTA is the biggest operating event on the amateur bands this year. Tens of   
   thousands of participants worldwide have gotten involved in NPOTA, learning a   
   lot about the National Park Service and the country and history it preserves.   
   There's still time to join in on the fun!   
      
   Twenty-four activations are on tap for October 20-26, including the first-ever   
   activation of Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site in Pennsylvania, and   
   Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico.   
      
   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).   
      
      
      
      
   IARU Honors Past ARRL President Rod Stafford, W6ROD   
      
   The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) has honored past ARRL President   
   and outgoing IARU Secretary Rod Stafford, W6ROD (ex-KB6ZV), with the Michael   
   Owen, VK3KI, Memorial Award. Presenting the award plaque on the opening day of   
   the IARU Region 2 General Assembly in Vi¤a del Mar, Chile, was IARU President   
   Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA. The award's namesake served as IARU Region 3 chair and   
   as President of the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA). Although Stafford   
   is stepping down as IARU Secretary, he will continue to represent the IARU to   
   the ITU Development Sector.   
      
   The Owen Award is bestowed upon an individual with "an outstanding trajectory   
   of service to Amateur Radio," IARU Region 2 said, in announcing Stafford as   
   the award's recipient.   
      
   Stafford's service to organized Amateur Radio began as ARRL Santa Clara Valley   
   Section Manager from 1983 until 1986, when he took office as ARRL Pacific   
   Division Director. He served in that post until 1990, when he became an ARRL   
   Vice President. In 1992, the ARRL Board elected him to be First Vice   
   President, and in 1995, he succeeded George Wilson, W4OYI (SK), as the 12th   
   ARRL President, after Wilson suffered a stroke. He was ARRL President until   
   2000. Stafford served in several IARU Region 2 capacities and has been IARU   
   Secretary since 2009.   
      
   The ARRL Board has appointed former ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, to succeed   
   Stafford as IARU Secretary, a post he has held previously.   
      
      
      
      
   Complete Sweepstakes Records Now Available, Operating Guide Updated   
      
   Complete sets of ARRL November Sweepstakes (SS) records for both modes are now   
   available, thanks to the efforts of Trey Garlough, N5KO, and SS Manager Larry   
   Hammel, K5OT. Records are sortable by category, ARRL Division, and ARRL   
   Section. A complete list of winners by category -- extending back to the first   
   Sweepstakes in 1930 -- also is provided. For statistics fans, the number of   
   logs submitted each year and a cross-reference of call signs are also   
   available.   
      
   "This is some nice work!" said ARRL Contest Branch Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ.   
   "Is there a record in your location or favorite category that might be within   
   reach this year?"   
      
   The SS CW event takes place over the first full weekend in November -- this   
   year, November 5-7. The SS phone takes place over the third full weekend in   
   November -- this year, November 19-21. Sweepstakes begins at 2100 UTC on   
   Saturday and continues through 0259 UTC on Monday.   
      
   In addition, Hammel has updated the Operating Guide package that explains how   
   to participate in Sweepstakes, including all rules and examples of log   
   formatting, The Operating Guide is available for download. Jahnke said clubs   
   or public service teams thinking about giving Sweepstakes a try this fall will   
   find the guide a useful information source.   
      
   A new system for submitting club eligibility lists has been under test and is   
   available online. The deadline to submit an eligibility list is now the start   
   of each contest -- November 5 at 2100 UTC, in the case of the CW Sweepstakes.   
      
   Direct questions to ARRL Contest Branch Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ.   
      
      
      
      
   Time to File Your JOTA Station Report   
      
   Now that Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) 2016 is history, the Boy Scouts are urging   
   participants to file a JOTA Station Report in order to determine how things   
   went.   
      
   "It's your perfect opportunity to share your stories, photos, and some   
   numbers," JOTA Coordinator Jim Wilson, K5ND, said. "The reports I've seen so   
   far show some good turnout, particularly from Cub Scouts. We feel this is due   
   to the new requirement for the Arrow of Light Award that asks Scouts to   
   participate in JOTA-JOTI [Jamboree On The Internet]. This is also no doubt   
   responsible for the big increase in JOTI registrations in the US, from roughly   
   100 last year to what looks like close to 500 this year."   
      
   Reports are due by November 1. Every station that files a report will be   
   entered into a drawing for an Icom ID-51A Plus dual-band handheld transceiver   
   and will receive a 2016 Jamboree On The Air certificate. Only Boy Scouts of   
   America stations are eligible.   
      
   "Worldwide we had 11,534 register for the event," Wilson said, adding that a   
   rough estimate indicated 800 US registrations and nearly 300 of those   
   indicating Amateur Radio call signs. If that number holds, he said, it would   
   indicate a dip in JOTA participation from 2015, when 346 turned out. "Some of   
   that [in 2015] could have been due to the complexity of the registration   
   system," he allowed. "I assure you that the reporting system now is much   
   simpler.   
      
   Wilson said the US JOTA 2016 Report should be out in early December.   
      
      
      
      
   ARES/RACES Featured at Joint Tribal Emergency Management Conference   
      
   For the third year in a row, the Amateur Radio Emergency Service and the Radio   
   Amateur Civil Emergency Service (ARES/RACES) were a featured component of the   
   largest gathering of tribal disaster preparedness, recovery, hazard   
   mitigation, and homeland security professionals in the US. The annual   
   conference, held in mid-September, was organized by the National Tribal   
   Emergency Management Council and hosted by the Tachi-Yokut Tribe at their   
   Santa Rosa Rancheria in Lemoore, California. Radio amateurs were prominent   
   among the conference presenters. Two ARRL San Joaquin Valley (SJV) Section   
   groups, Fresno ARES/RACES and Tulare County ARES, pooled resources and set up   
   special event station N8V, with multiple operating positions, on the lawn   
   adjacent to the conference hotel.   
      
   "Many conference attendees stopped by to view the display," SJV Section   
   Emergency Coordinator Hal Clover, AD9HC, recounted. "Radiograms home were   
   offered with several being sent via operators at the event."   
      
   Throughout the week, many tribe members visited the special event station,   
   picked up ARRL literature, and discussed building a stronger Amateur Radio   
   presence within their tribes -- both as a way to support their emergency and   
   disaster preparedness and to bring their communities together.   
      
   NTEMC Chairman Richard Broncheau, KG7NRJ, welcomed attendees on opening day,   
   September 21, and NTEMC Executive Director Lynda Zambrano, KE7RWG, provided a   
   NTEMC "Year in Review." Later in the day, Adam Geisler, KJ6YHN, of the La   
   Jolla Band of Luise¤o Indians, was a panelist at an open forum, "FirstNet   
   Unscripted," about the First Responder Network Authority.   
      
   Breakout sessions on September 21 and 22 included a presentation on the   
   National Tribal Amateur Radio Association by Nathan Nixon, N7NAN, Public   
   Safety Programs Director with the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona; "FirstNet's   
   Second Steps: Real world applications for tribal emergency response," with   
   Geisler and Rita Mooney, KG5JAT, Texas Department of Public Safety among the   
   panelists; "Introduction to CAMEO," a free suite of applications for planning   
   and responding to chemical emergencies, with Elisa Roper, KM4BUG, Tribal   
   Liaison with FEMA Region IV, and Al Finkelstein; and "Administration for   
   Children and Family Services -- IDCM," with Wendi Ellis, KK6WQO, Regional   
   Emergency Management Specialist in FEMA Region IX, and Stephen Miller as   
   presenters.   
      
   Nixon co-hosted a presentation, "Join us for our First Tribal Coast to Coast   
   Exercise." Simulated emergency messages for an earthquake scenario were sent   
   via Amateur Radio from the conference special event station to FEMA Region II   
   in New York.   
      
   Another breakout session, "A Conversation: Increasing Tribal Human Services   
   Preparedness," was hosted by Suzanne Everson, KI7EGE, Regional Emergency   
   Management Specialist, Administration for Children and Families. Read more. --   
   Thanks to Steve Aberle, WA7PTM, Washington Assistant State RACES Officer   
   (Tribal Liaison) via the ARRL ARES E-Letter   
      
      
      
      
   Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, HS1A, SK   
      
   Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), HS1A, died on October 13, after a long   
   period of declining health. Born in Massachusetts while his physician father   
   was at Harvard University, the king, whose name translates as "strength of the   
   land, incomparable power," was 88. Noted DXer Fred Laun, K3ZO/HS?ZAR, said the   
   king was never very active on the air, and mostly operated using a handheld on   
   2-meter FM. The king also enjoyed photography and jazz, and played the   
   saxophone.   
      
   The king was the patron of the Radio Amateur Society of Thailand (RAST), the   
   country's IARU member society. According to RAST, the king was "presented the   
   call sign HS1A by the Ministry of Communications" in a 1989 ceremony. He was   
   the world's longest-reigning monarch. -- Thanks to The Daily DX and other   
   media outlets   
      
      
      
      
   Getting It Right!   
      
   The first sentence of the article "Current Rules Holding Hams Back from   
   Adopting State-of-the-Art Technology, ARRL Says," in the October 13, 2016,   
   edition of The ARRL Letter, should have said: "In comments filed on October 12   
   with the FCC, ARRL reiterated its case that the FCC should change the Part 97   
   rules both to delete the symbol rate limits in Section 97.307(f) and replace   
   them with a maximum bandwidth for data emissions of 2.8 kHz on amateur   
   frequencies below 29.7 MHz." We apologize for the error.   
      
      
      
      
   In Brief...   
      
   Report -- Radio Amateurs in India Monitoring "Highly Suspicious" VHF   
   Communications: Authorities in India have asked radio amateurs along the   
   Bengal-Bangladesh border to monitor strange VHF radio transmissions that one   
   of them has called "highly suspicious." According to an article in the   
   Hindustan Times, the signals were being heard in the dead of night, with   
   participants said to be in motion and speaking in some sort of code. "After we   
   wrote a letter highlighting the strange signals to the Ministry of   
   Communication and Information Technology, we were called in for a meeting by   
   officials of the international monitoring station in Kolkata on September 22,"   
   recounted Ambarish Nag "Raju" Biswas, VU2JFA, the secretary of the West Bengal   
   Amateur Radio Club, in the report. The newspaper account said that when the   
   Bengal hams attempted to contact the suspicious stations, the operators   
   briefly quit transmitting. "We were asked to continue the monitoring," the   
   report quoted Biswas as saying. "It is a cause for concern for us all, since   
   the location is close to the Bangladesh border, and the callers were taking in   
   codes and words with Bangladeshi pronunciation." The operators, who were   
   speaking in Bengali and Urdu, also used numerical codes, according to the   
   report.   
      
      
   ARRL Members with AOL Accounts Report Problems Receiving ARRL E-Mailings:   
   Since late September, ARRL has experienced intermittent problems delivering   
   bulk e-mail products, such as The ARRL Letter and Section Updates, to member   
   subscribers with AOL e-mail addresses. The problem is that AOL is not   
   accepting all messages ARRL is sending; some make it through to the   
   subscriber, and some do not. The League has open trouble tickets with AOL   
   regarding this issue, but has not yet received any substantive responses. As a   
   result, there is no estimated time frame to resolve this problem. Delivery to   
   all other major Internet Service Providers continues to operate normally. If   
   you have an AOL.com e-mail address and have been affected by this, ARRL   
   suggests that you set up a new e-mail account with another provider and change   
   the e-mail address in your member profile to the new account (click on "Edit   
   your Profile" on the ARRL home page, after logging in). This problem is not   
   specific to ARRL, as many other organizations are reporting the same problems   
   with their AOL subscribers.   
      
      
   Antenna Fire Puts SAQ Alexanderson Alternator Station Off the Air: An early   
   October fire in the SAQ Alexanderson alternator long-wave antenna is under   
   investigation by the Grimeton World Heritage Foundation, which owns and   
   manages the station in Grimeton, Sweden. The fire, attributed to arcing, was   
   quickly extinguished, and no injuries occurred. The Foundation said that   
   determining the extent of damage and completing repairs could take a while.   
   "There is a risk that the incident will affect the planned transmissions with   
   the long-wave transmitter SAQ for some time to come," a Foundation   
   announcement said. The fire will keep SAQ off the air for a scheduled UN Day   
   transmission on October 24. SAQ, which operates on 17.2 kHz, also typically   
   schedules transmissions on Christmas Eve and other occasions. Built in the   
   1920s, the Alexanderson alternator -- essentially an ac generator run at   
   extremely high speed -- can put out 200 kW but typically is operated at less   
   than one-half that power level. Once providing reliable transatlantic   
   communication, it is now a museum piece and only put on the air on special   
   occasions.   
      
      
      
      
   The K7RA Solar Update   
      
   Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Over the past week, October 13-19 average   
   daily sunspot numbers declined from 55 to 31, while average daily solar flux   
   dropped from 101.9 to 83.4, compared to the 7 days previous.   
      
   The planetary A index increased from 6.6 to 19.1, and the average mid-latitude   
   A index jumped from 5 to 14.   
      
   Compared to the previous reporting period, this is just the opposite of what   
   happened 2 weeks ago, when A indices decreased, but solar flux and sunspot   
   numbers rose.   
      
   The October 19 prediction for solar flux shows these values: 78 on October   
   20-21; 80, 78, and 75 on October 22-24; 80 on October 25-26; 75 on October   
   27-29; 80 on October 30; 85 on October 31-November 5; 90 on November 6-8; 85   
   on October 9-11; 80 on November 12-14; 75 on November 15-19; 70 on November   
   20-22; 75 on November 23-25, and 80 on November 26.   
      
   Predicted planetary A index is 5 on October 20-21; 20 on October 22-23; 36,   
   44, 38, and 20 on October 24-27; 15 on October 28-30; 25 on October 31; 12 on   
   November 1; 5 on November 2-5; 8 on November 6; 5 on November 7-10; 10, 24,   
   26, 12, and 8 on November 11-15; 5 on November 16-17; 12 and 22 on November   
   18-19; 35 on November 20-22; 20 on November 23; 15 on November 24-26; 25 on   
   November 27; 12 on November 28, and 5 for November 29 and beyond.   
      
   Here is an article about a nearby star that seems to exhibit sunspot activity.   
   https://cosmosmagazine.com/space/proxima-centauri-surprises-with-sunspot-cycle   
      
   Sunspot numbers for October 13 through 19 were 41, 38, 35, 25, 23, 24, and 31,   
   with a mean of 31. The 10.7 centimeter flux was 95.3, 92.8, 84.9, 80.9, 76.2,   
   77.4, and 76.5, with a mean of 83.4. Estimated planetary A indices were 43,   
   24, 11, 18, 20, 11, and 7, with a mean of 19.1. Estimated mid-latitude A   
   indices were 30, 20, 8, 13, 12, 10, and 5, with a mean of 14.   
      
   This weekly Solar Update in The ARRL Letter is a preview of the Propagation   
   Bulletin issued each Friday. The latest bulletin and an archive of past   
   propagation bulletins is on the ARRL website.   
      
   Send me your reports and observations.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   Just Ahead in Radiosport   
      
    *  October 22-23 -- ARRL EME Contest (CW, phone, digital)   
    *  October 22-23 -- UK/EI DX Contest (SSB)   
    *  October 22-23 -- Stew Perry Topband Challenge (CW)   
    *  October 26 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)   
    *  October 26 -- UKEICC 80 Meter Contest (CW)   
    *  October 27 -- RSGB 80 Meter Club Sprint (SSB)   
    *  October 29-30 -- CQ World Wide DX Contest (SSB)   
      
   See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. For in-depth reporting on   
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   Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions   
      
    *  October 21-22 -- Arizona State Convention, Maricopa, Arizona   
    *  October 21-22 -- Florida State Convention, Melbourne, Florida   
    *  October 22 -- Wisconsin ARES/RACES Conference, Wisconsin Rapids,   
       Wisconsin   
    *  November 5 -- TechFest Convention, Lakewood, Colorado   
    *  November 5-6 -- Georgia State Convention, Lawrenceville, Georgia   
    *  November 12-13 -- Indiana State Convention, Fort Wayne, Indiana   
    *  November 19 -- Alabama State Convention, Montgomery, Alabama   
    *  December 9-10 -- West Central Florida Section Convention, Plant City,   
       Florida   
    *  January 8 -- New York City/Long Island Section Convention, Bethpage, New   
       York   
    *  January 14 -- TechFest 2017 Convention, Lawrenceville, Georgia   
    *  January 20-21 -- North Texas Section Convention, Forest Hill, Texas   
    *  January 21 -- Georgia ARES Convention, Forsyth, Georgia   
    *  January 22-28 -- QuartzFest Convention, Quartzsite, Arizona   
    *  January 27-28 -- Mississippi State Convention, Jackson, Mississippi   
    *  January 27-29 -- Puerto Rico State Convention, Hatillo, Puerto Rico   
      
   Find conventions and hamfests in your area.   
      
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   )\/(ark   
      
   Always Mount a Scratch Monkey   
   Do you manage your own servers? If you are not running an IDS/IPS yer doin' it   
   wrong...   
   ... Want 20/20 hindsight? Go read History .............   
   ---   
    * Origin:  (1:3634/12.73)