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   http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2017-02-09   
      
   The ARRL Letter   
   February 9, 2017   
   Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME   
      
    *  ARRL Board of Directors Adopts Legislative Objectives for 115th Congress   
    *  ARRL Board Names Award Winners   
    *  ARRL Contributing Editor Ward Silver, N0AX, Wins 2016 Bill Orr Technical   
       Writing Award   
    *  ARRL Announces 2017 Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology   
    *  The Doctor Will See You Now!   
    *  QST Antenna Design Competition is Under Way!   
    *  That Light at the End of the Tunnel: The ARRL International DX CW   
       Contest is Just Ahead   
    *  Radio Australia HF Station Signs Off in CW   
    *  Oldest, Longest-Licensed US Ham, Educator Charles Hellman, W2RP, SK   
    *  Communication Satellite Pioneer Harold A. Rosen, ex-W5JKW, SK   
    *  In Brief...   
    *  Getting It Right!   
    *  The K7RA Solar Update   
    *  Just Ahead in Radiosport   
    *  Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions   
      
      
   ARRL Board of Directors Adopts Legislative Objectives for 115th Congress   
      
   The ARRL Board of Directors unanimously adopted five legislative objectives   
   for the 115th US Congress when it met in Connecticut January 20-21. ARRL   
   President Rick Roderick, K5UR, chaired the session.   
      
   The first objective is to seek early congressional passage of the Amateur   
   Radio Parity Act of 2017, H.R. 555 and of any Senate companion bill that might   
   be introduced. H.R. 555 cleared the House on January 23. The Board was told   
   that specific instructions to the FCC on implementation of the bill would be   
   included in the report language from Congress.   
      
   In addition to the new Parity Act initiative, the ARRL Board agreed that the   
   League would oppose any legislation that would lead to the reallocation of   
   Amateur Radio spectrum or to sharing arrangements that reduce the utility of   
   existing allocations. ARRL also will oppose legislation "that diminishes the   
   rights of federal licensees in favor of unlicensed emitters or encourages the   
   deployment of spectrum-polluting technologies."   
      
   Further, the League will seek recognition of the unique resources,   
   capabilities, and expertise of the Amateur Radio Service in any legislation   
   addressing communication issues related to emergencies, disasters, or national   
   security. Finally, ARRL will support the complementary legislative objectives   
   of other radiocommunication services.   
      
      
   Entry-Level Licensing   
      
   New England Division Director Tom Frenaye, K1KI, presented the report of the   
   Entry Level Licensing Committee and entertained questions. It has been more   
   than 10 years since ARRL asked the FCC to consider a proposal for   
   restructuring licensing requirements and creating a more appropriate   
   entry-level license. After a comprehensive study, the committee is still   
   discussing possible recommendations to bring before the Board for   
   consideration.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   > ARRL Seeks Opinions on Possible New Entry-Level License <   
      
   An Entry-Level License Committee was established by the ARRL Board of   
   Directors and appointed in September 2016. As part of its ongoing work, the   
   committee is gathering member input and will make recommendations to the Board   
   for possible rules changes to submit to the FCC.   
      
   The result could mean changes to the Technician license, but it could also be   
   an additional, but simpler, license with privileges that would give a newcomer   
   a taste of most facets of ham radio, from HF to VHF and UHF.   
      
   The committee has created an online member survey. Please complete and submit   
   the survey no later than April 7, 2017. Survey results will be published.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   The Board received the Entry-Level Licensing Committee's interim report and   
   endorsed its recommendation to work toward improvements in the current license   
   question pools and seek aggregate demographic data from the FCC's Amateur   
   Radio database. The Committee also recommended continuing the effort to   
   examine public attitudes toward Amateur Radio, with a goal of better   
   understanding how to reach out and attract new licensees.   
      
   The Board asked the Committee to work with ARRL Headquarters staff to gather   
   ARRL member input regarding potential changes to the entry-level license,   
   develop several different proposals for change to the entry-level license, and   
   work toward bringing a final recommendation before the Board at its July   
   meeting.   
      
      
   Regulatory   
      
   In his report to the Board, ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, noted that   
   there are few threats to Amateur Radio spectrum at this time. He also pointed   
   up the importance of a comprehensive review of the Amateur Auxiliary -- the   
   Official Observer (OO) Program.   
      
   ARRL Second Vice President Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, provided an oral report to   
   the Board regarding an OO program study now under way. Requested by the ARRL   
   Executive Committee last spring, the study is focused on identifying   
   recommendations to improve the mechanics of the OO program as well as the   
   program's interface with today's FCC. In addition to Mileshosky and Imlay, the   
   core study team includes ARRL Headquarters staffers Steve Ewald, WV1X; Dan   
   Henderson, N1ND, and Dave Patton, NN1N.   
      
   Additional resources from within the ARRL Field Organization as well as the   
   FCC will be consulted as needed during the course of the study, Mileshosky   
   said, adding that his team's deliverable will be a set of recommendations to   
   the ARRL Board and management for their consideration. Mileshosky also told   
   the Board that, despite rumors, no changes to the OO program are planned in   
   the interim.   
      
   "The study is a parallel effort that should pose no impact to the current   
   activities that our nation's Official Observer community has under way,"   
   Mileshosky said. "We greatly appreciate the value that our OOs provide to the   
   Amateur Radio community and are excited to help strengthen their role in the   
   future."   
      
      
      
   ARRL Board Names Award Winners   
      
   The ARRL Board named the winners of several awards when it met in Connecticut   
   January 20-21.   
      
      
   Barry Goldwater, K7UGA, Achievement Award   
      
   The Board voted to grant the Barry Goldwater, K7UGA, Achievement Award to   
   Amateur Radio Parity Act sponsor US Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), in recognition   
   of his outstanding support of Amateur Radio as an elected official. Kinzinger   
   has sponsored Amateur Radio Parity Act legislation in the 113th, 114th, and   
   115th Congresses.   
      
   Calling Kinzinger "a great friend to Amateur Radio over the past 4 years and a   
   patriotic American," the Board said his understanding of the value of Amateur   
   Radio to the public interest and the pursuit of scientific and technical   
   knowledge has led him to act in the spirit of the award's namesake, Sen. Barry   
   Goldwater, K7UGA, whose exemplary support for Amateur Radio in Washington   
   inspired the award.   
      
      
   ARRL International Humanitarian Award   
      
   Richard Darling, AH7G, and Barbara Darling, NH7FY, are the recipients of the   
   2016 International Humanitarian Award. The Board cited the couple's support of   
   past International Humanitarian Award winner John Bush, KH6DLK/V63JB, and   
   their "significant material support" to his efforts in the Federated States of   
   Micronesia. "[T]hey have supported these ongoing efforts over many years with   
   on-the-air activities including communication during weather events, including   
   several typhoons, as well as other emergency activities, including assistance   
   to boaters in trouble," the Board's resolution said.   
      
      
   Doug DeMaw Technical Excellence Award   
      
   The Board bestowed the 2016 Doug DeMaw Technical Excellence Award upon Steven   
   J. Franke, K9AN, and Joseph H. Taylor, K1JT, for their article, "Source   
   Soft-Decision Decoder for the JT65 (63, 12) Reed-Solomon Code," which appeared   
   in the May/June 2016 issue of QEX.   
      
      
   Bill Leonard, W2SKE, Professional Media Award   
      
   Recipients of the 2016 Bill Leonard, W2SKE, Professional Media awards were   
   Wayne Rash, N4HCR (print); Jamala Henderson (audio), and Derek Felton (video)   
   for their individual excellence in covering Amateur Radio topics in the media.   
      
   Rash, senior columnist for eWEEK and a freelance writer and editor who has   
   written about technology topics for 35 years, was recognized for his Yahooo   
   Tech article, "Why Modern Makers are Bringing Back Ham Radio." Henderson, a   
   reporter/producer for National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate KUOW-FM in   
   Seattle, was honored for showcasing the efforts of the Seattle Auxiliary   
   Communications Services group in conjunction with FEMA's Cascadia Rising   
   exercise last June in her piece, "Ham Radio Operators Could Be Superheroes   
   When the Earthquake Hits." The Board recognized Felton, a videographer and   
   editor for WGNO-TV in Metairie, Louisiana, for highlighting the participation   
   of 12-year-old Bryant Rascoll, KG5HVO, as part of the Jefferson Amateur Radio   
   Club's 2016 Field Day effort.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   ARRL Contributing Editor Ward Silver, N0AX, Wins 2016 Bill Orr Technical   
   Writing Award   
      
   ARRL Contributing Editor Ward Silver, N0AX, of St. Charles, Missouri, is the   
   2016 Bill Orr Technical Writing Award winner, sponsored by the ARRL   
   Foundation. It marks the second time Silver has been named to receive the   
   prestigious award -- the first came in 2003. The QST editorial staff reviewed   
   articles for the past year and nominated Silver on the basis of his January   
   2016 article, "About SSB." Written in a clear, conversational style, the   
   prize-winning article offers a straightforward explanation of the technical   
   nature of single sideband and how to effectively receive SSB.   
      
   "Along with the award being a terrific honor, generally, and especially a   
   second, the most gratifying thing is to know that I am helping hams learn,"   
   Silver said. "The goal is for them to be more successful and effective on the   
   air, leading to a lifetime of ham radio. I can attest that the efforts of Bill   
   Orr, W6SAI; Doug DeMaw, W1FB; George Grammer, W1DF, and many others who   
   patiently explained the most fundamental things to all of us, led to bigger   
   and better things in our lives, in and out of ham radio. That's an Amateur   
   Radio tradition that I'm proud to carry forward."   
      
   The award's namesake, engineer, educator, and communicator extraordinaire   
   William I. "Bill" Orr, W6SAI, wrote and edited scores of technical books and   
   articles of interest to Amateur Radio enthusiasts. The Orr Award is bestowed   
   each year to the QST author who writes an outstanding QST article or series on   
   new or existing technologies or on methods or means of amateur communication.   
      
   "Ward Silver has a unique talent for explaining complicated concepts at a   
   level anyone can understand," QST Editor-in-Chief and ARRL Publications   
   Manager Steve Ford, WB8IMY, said. "He has been one of the most prolific   
   authors in ARRL history, in large part due to this ability."   
      
   The QST editorial staff serves as the selection panel and recommends the   
   winner from a review of the year's QST articles to the ARRL Foundation Board   
   for final approval at its annual meeting. The award comprises an engraved   
   plaque and $250, to be presented at an ARRL convention.   
      
      
      
   ARRL Announces 2017 Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology   
      
   ARRL has announced its 2017 Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology   
   schedule. This summer's sessions will be held in Dayton, Ohio -- hosted by the   
   Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) -- and at ARRL Headquarters in   
   Newington, Connecticut. (DARA also helps to sustain the program as a generous   
   [ARRL%20ETP%20logo.jpg] contributor.) The deadline to apply is May 1. Past   
   participants who have completed the introductory (TI-1) course may want to   
   consider signing up for the advanced (TI-2) session on Remote Sensing and Data   
   Gathering. These expenses-paid, intensive professional development   
   opportunities offer educators training and resources to explore wireless   
   technology in the classroom using Amateur Radio.   
      
   Topics covered in the TI-1 Introduction to Wireless Technology include basic   
   electronics, radio science, microcontroller programming, and basic robotics.   
   Among other activities, participants will learn how to solder and practice by   
   building a digital clock. They'll also learn basic circuit concepts and learn   
   how to use basic test equipment.   
      
   Educators in the TI-1 class will also learn about Amateur Radio, take part in   
   a hidden transmitter hunt, and see demonstrations of Amateur Radio satellite   
   communication. Students will build and program their own simple robots. An   
   Amateur Radio license is not required to take the TI-1 class.   
      
   Applicants to the advanced Teachers Institute (TI-2) on Remote Sensing and   
   Data Gathering must hold an Amateur Radio license and have competed TI-1. The   
   class will concentrate on analog-to-digital conversion and data sampling, and   
   participants will receive telemetry from Amateur Radio satellites and apply it   
   to math and science topics. TI-2 participants will also construct a marine   
   research buoy equipped with environmental sensors, build a microcontroller to   
   sample the data, configure it for Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS)   
   transmission, and receive and upload data to a spreadsheet for analysis.   
      
   Introductory (TI-1) ARRL Teachers Institute sessions will take place July   
   17-21 in Dayton, Ohio, and July 24-28 at ARRL Headquarters in Connecticut. One   
   advanced (TI-2) ARRL Teachers Institute class will be held July 10-13 at ARRL   
   Headquarters.   
      
   More information is available on the ARRL website. An article about the   
   Teachers Institute will appear in the March issue of QST. Contributions from   
   individuals and from corporate and institutional supporters make the annual   
   ARRL Teachers Institutes possible.   
      
      
      
   The Doctor Will See You Now!   
      
   "AM and SSB" is the topic of the latest (February 9) 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.   
      
      
      
   QST Antenna Design Competition is Under Way!   
      
   ARRL members are invited to submit entries for the 2017 QST Antenna Design   
   Competition. You can enter in one of three categories.   
      
    *  160 meters, LF, or VLF[QST%20Antenna%20Competition%20Thumb.jpg]   
    *  80 through 10 meters   
    *  6 meters and higher bands   
      
   We can accept only one entry per person or team, so choose your category   
   wisely. Don't wait too long, though. The deadline is June 1, 2017!   
      
   First-place winners (individuals or teams) in each category will receive $500   
   each. Second and third-place winners in each category will receive $250 and   
   $100, respectively. Winning designs will also be eligible for publication in   
   QST.   
      
   Entries must include:   
      
    *  Drawings with dimensions (hand drawings are acceptable).   
    *  A list of materials required to build the antenna.   
    *  A description and summary of any measurements taken (including SWR   
       data).   
    *  Photographs of the installed antenna.   
    *  The entry category you've chosen for your design.   
    *  Your name, mailing address, and e-mail address.   
      
   Only one entry per individual or team will be accepted. Entrants must be ARRL   
   members. ARRL Headquarters staff and QST advertisers are not eligible.   
      
   Send your entry to QST, Attn: Antenna Design Competition, 225 Main St.,   
   Newington, CT 06111. Or e-mail your entry to qst@arrl.org. The subject line   
   should include your call sign and the words "Antenna Design Competition"   
   (without quotes).   
      
   Complete rules are on the ARRL website.   
      
      
      
   That Light at the End of the Tunnel: The ARRL International DX CW Contest is   
   Just Ahead   
      
   Come mid-February, it's time to warm up to the ARRL International DX CW   
   Contest, February 18-19! It's the US (except Alaska and Hawaii) and Canada   
   (except St. Paul and Sable islands) against the rest of the world on the third   
   weekend of February. W/VE stations send signal report and state/province   
   abbreviation. DX stations send a signal report and output power. Expect a busy   
   time on the bands as CW radiosport enthusiasts dive into the big event at 0000   
   UTC on February 18 (the evening of February 17 in US time zones.   
      
   With stations from around the globe active on 160 through 10 meters (except   
   60, 30, 17, or 12 meters), the contest is a terrific opportunity to fill in   
   some band slots or work a few new ones. Begun in 1929 as the ARRL   
   International Relay Party, today's ARRL International DX CW contest lays claim   
   to the crown as the longest-running contest in Amateur Radio. The SSB event is   
   March 4-5.   
      
      
      
   Radio Australia HF Station Signs Off in CW   
      
   In an apparent nod to radio amateurs who may have tuned in, Radio Australia's   
   VL8A transmitter in Alice Springs signed off on January 31 in CW. The station   
   sent "73 de VL8A QRT," before pulling the big switch. Radio Australia   
   announced last fall that it planned to cease shortwave transmissions. Although   
   the broadcaster shut down its Katherine, Tennant Creek, and Roe Creek (Alice   
   Springs) transmitters at the end of January, it will continue to broadcast on   
   the FM and AM bands, via satellite, and via online streaming and mobile   
   applications.   
      
   The move was not popular with those who live and work in the vast area the   
   shortwave broadcasts reached, with some saying it was the only reliable   
   broadcast outlet, and that its demise could deprive Northern Australian   
   listeners of emergency and critical weather information. Northern Territory   
   Cattlemen's Association President Tom Stockwell, who lives on Sunday Creek   
   Station with no access to AM or FM radio or mobile phone service, isn't buying   
   the Australian Broadcasting Commission's explanation. He said the decision to   
   focus on digital transmission ignored people in the bush. "It affects a big   
   area of Australia, and it affects those people that are remote from other   
   forms of communication that rely on radio network," he said.   
      
   Mark Crocombe of the indigenous Thamarrurr Rangers in the remote community of   
   Wadeye said his group members spend days and sometimes weeks at a time away in   
   the bush and out on sea patrols and had relied on the ABC's shortwave radio   
   for weather reports and emergency information, including cyclone warnings. "It   
   could be life threatening, if you are out and you don't know a cyclone is   
   coming," he said.   
      
   Radio Australia has said the move was in line with its commitment to dispense   
   with outdated technology and to expand its digital content offerings and FM   
   services.   
      
      
      
   Oldest, Longest-Licensed US Ham, Educator Charles Hellman, W2RP, SK   
      
   Charles "Charlie" Hellman, W2RP, of Hastings on Hudson, New York, died on   
   January 25. He was 106 and may have not only been the oldest surviving radio   
   amateur in the US but, at 92 years, also may have been the longest licensed.   
   Hellman outlived by 8 days Harry Wolf, W6NKT, of Morro Bay, California, who   
   had been considered the oldest US ham when he died on January 17, just a   
   couple of weeks shy of his 108th birthday.   
      
   In 2015, the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA) honored Hellman with   
   a "90 Year Continuous Licensed Certificate Award" (No 1). No formal records   
   are kept regarding the oldest or youngest US hams. Hellman had been regularly   
   active on the air until a few years before his death, when his backyard tower   
   fell victim to Hurricane Sandy.   
      
   Licensed as W2AMK in 1925 when he was 15, Hellman, who had been an ARRL   
   member, went on to become an educator. After working his way through the City   
   College of New York by repairing radios, he taught high school physics. During   
   World War II, Hellman was tapped by the Department of War to write a textbook   
   for training radio operators, Elements of Radio. Two of Hellman's siblings   
   also held ham tickets. His brother Robert, now deceased, was W2JAN. His   
   brother Benjamin, 96, is W2VB. -- Thanks to Pete Varounis, NL7XM   
      
      
      
   Communication Satellite Pioneer Harold A. Rosen, ex-W5JKW, SK   
      
   Communication satellite pioneer Harold Rosen, ex-W5JKW, of Pacific Palisades,   
   California, died on January 30. He was 90. Inspired by the USSR's launch of   
   Sputnik I in 1957 that kicked off the space race in earnest, Rosen -- an   
   alumnus of Tulane and Caltech -- foresaw the potential for such spacecraft to   
   do more than transmit a beacon signal. An engineer with Hughes Aircraft (later   
   Boeing), he, Thomas Hudspeth, and Don Williams developed a prototype   
   geosynchronous communication satellite called Syncom.   
      
   NASA launched the first successful spacecraft, Syncom II, in 1963, and   
   President John F. Kennedy spoke through the spacecraft with Nigeria's prime   
   minister, marking the first conversation between two heads of state via   
   satellite. Syncom III carried images from the summer Olympics in Tokyo in 1964.   
      
   Rosen became interested in electronics while in high school, and he built his   
   own radio as a ham radio club project. At some point prior to World War II,   
   Rosen obtained his Amateur Radio license and, according to a close friend,   
   Stanley Pulitzer, W5JYK, was once regularly active on 40-meter CW. He let his   
   license lapse as his post-war activities accelerated. Pulitzer said Rosen was   
   his Elmer.   
      
   Rosen went on to oversee the development of some 150 communication satellites   
   that revolutionized communication worldwide.   
      
      
      
   In Brief...   
      
   School Club Roundup is February 13-17! The winter-spring term of the School   
   Club Roundup (SCR) gets under way on February 13 at 1300 UTC and continues   
   through Friday, February 17, at 2359 UTC. This twice-yearly event is an   
   opportunity for school club stations -- from elementary school to college --   
   to get on the air for a friendly, low-pressure radio competition. Non-school   
   clubs and stations are encouraged to participate too. Stations may operate no   
   more than 6 hours in any 24-hour period, up to a maximum of 24 hours. Results   
   of previous SCRs are available.   
      
      
   Russia's Oldest Radio Amateur Oleg S. Klyucharev, U1AU, SK: Russia's oldest   
   Amateur Radio operator, Oleg S. Klyucharev, U1AU, of St. Petersburg, died on   
   January 31. He was 102. His death followed by a few days the passing of the   
   oldest US radio amateur, Charlie Hellman, W2RP. Klyucharev was licensed as   
   EU3GM in 1933, and as U1AU the following year. Born in Strelna in 1915 in   
   czarist Russia, he graduated in 1937 from the Maritime College and spent some   
   time in the Arctic and on Antarctica. He served in World War II in the defense   
   and liberation of Sevastopol. During his working years, Klyucharev was the   
   head of communications for the Baltic Shipping Company. He was a member of the   
   Amateur Radio Association of St. Petersburg and was active on the air until   
   his death.   
      
      
   Slow-Scan TV Transmissions from International Space Station Planned: Slow-scan   
   television (SSTV) transmissions are planned from the International Space   
   Station (ISS) on February 13-14. The SSTV images will be transmitted on   
   145.800 MHz FM as part of the MAI-75 Experiment, using the Kenwood TM-D710   
   transceiver located in the ISS Russian Service Module. It's anticipated the   
   transmissions will be in PD-180 SSTV format. The MAI-75 activities have been   
   scheduled for the Russian crew on February 13 from 0925 until 1800 UTC and on   
   February 14 from 1125 until 1630 UTC. Transmissions on 145.800 MHz FM use   
   5-kHz deviation. The ISS Fan Club website will show when the space station is   
   in range. More information on ISS SSTV is on the AMSAT-UK website. Visit the   
   gallery of ARISS SSTV images.   
      
      
      
   Getting It Right!   
      
   The story "Transcontinental Relay Recreated for 100th Anniversary   
   Commemoration" in the February 2 edition of The ARRL Letter contained an error   
   in the first photo caption. It should have read, "David Hodge, N6AN,   
   originates the commemorative transcontinental message at W6UE."   
      
      
      
   The K7RA Solar Update   
      
   Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: The average daily sunspot number dropped   
   from 31.6 to 21.3 last week, and the average daily solar flux declined from   
   78.2 to 73.5. The average planetary A index dipped from 15.6 to 12.9, and the   
   average mid-latitude A index from 11.4 to 9.9.   
      
   Predicted solar flux is 73, 72, and 73 on February 9-11; 74 on February 12-15;   
   77 and 78 on February 16-17; 80 on February 18-19; 82 on February 20-21; 81   
   and 79 on February 22-23; 77 on February 24-25; 75 on February 26-March 1; 74   
   on March 2-3; 73 on March 4; 72 on March 5-9, 75 on March 10-13; 76, 77, and   
   78 on March 14-16; 80 on March 17-18, and 82 on March 19-20.   
      
   Predicted planetary A index is 7 on February 9; 5 on February 10-13; 16, 12,   
   and 10 on February 14-16; 8 on February 17-18; 5 on February 19-21; 10, 15,   
   10, and 10 on February 22-25; 5, 25, and 30 on February 26-28; 25, 20, 15, and   
   12 on March 1-4; 10 on March 5-7; 8 on March 8, and 5 on March 9-12.   
      
   Sunspot numbers for February 2 through 8, 2017 were 40, 39, 22, 22, 15, 11,   
   and 0, with a mean of 21.3. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 75.3, 75.1, 74, 72.6,   
   72.5, 72.1, and 73.1, with a mean of 73.5. Estimated planetary A indices were   
   21, 18, 11, 15, 13, 7, and 5, with a mean of 12.9. Estimated mid-latitude A   
   indices were 18, 14, 8, 11, 10, 5, and 3, with a mean of 9.9.   
      
   The weekly Solar Update in The ARRL Letter is a preview of the Propagation   
   Bulletin issued each Friday. Send me your reports or observations.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   Just Ahead in Radiosport   
      
    *  February 11 -- FISTS Winter Unlimited Sprint (CW)   
    *  February 11 -- Asia-Pacific Spring Sprint (CW)   
    *  February 11-12 -- CQ WW RTTY WPX Contest   
    *  February 11-12 -- SARL Field Day (CW, phone, digital)   
    *  February 11-12 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW)   
    *  February 11-12 -- KCJ Topband Contest (CW)   
    *  February 11-12 -- Dutch PACC Contest (CW, phone)   
    *  February 11-12 -- OMISS QSO Party (Phone)   
    *  February 11-12 -- AWA AM QSO Party (Phone)   
    *  February 12 -- Balkan HF Contest (CW, phone)   
    *  February 13 -- CQC Winter QSO Party (CW)   
    *  February 13-17 -- ARRL School Club Roundup (CW, phone, digital)   
    *  February 14 -- PODXS 070 Club Valentine Sprint (Digital)   
    *  February 15 -- AGCW Semi-Automatic Key Evening (CW)   
      
   See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. For in-depth reporting on   
   Amateur Radio contesting, subscribe to The ARRL Contest Update via your ARRL   
   member profile e-mail preferences.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions   
      
    *  February 10-12 -- Southeastern Division Convention (HamCation), Orlando,   
       Florida   
    *  February 17-18 -- Arizona Section Convention, Yuma, Arizona   
    *  February 18 -- Arkansas Section Convention, Hoxie, Arkansas   
    *  February 25 -- West Central Florida Section Technical Conference,   
       Sarasota, Florida   
    *  February 25 -- New Mexico Tech Fest, Albuquerque, New Mexico   
    *  February 25 -- Vermont State Convention, South Burlington, Vermont   
    *  March 3-4 -- Alabama Section Convention, Birmingham, Alabama   
    *  March 4 -- Arkansas State Convention, Russellville, Arkansas   
    *  March 10-11 -- Louisiana State Convention, Rayne, Louisiana   
    *  March 11 -- Nebraska State Convention, Lincoln, Nebraska   
    *  March 18 -- West Texas Section Convention, Midland, Texas   
    *  March 18 -- MicroHAMS Digital Conference 2017, Redmond, Washington   
    *  March 24-25 -- Texas State Convention, Rosenberg, Texas   
    *  March 31-April 1 -- Maine State Convention, Lewiston, Maine   
    *  March 31-April 2 -- Nevada State Convention, Las Vegas, Nevada   
    *  April 7-8 -- OzarkCon QRP Conference, Branson, Missouri   
    *  April 15 -- Roanoke Division Convention, Raleigh, North Carolina   
    *  Apr 21-23 -- International DX Convention, Visalia, California   
    *  April 21-23 -- Idaho State Convention, Boise, Idaho   
    *  April 22 -- Delaware State Convention, Georgetown, Delaware   
    *  April 22 -- Aurora '17 Convention, White Bear Lake, Minnesota   
    *  Apr 22-23 -- Communications Academy XIX, Seattle, Washington   
    *  April 28-29 -- Southeastern VHF Society Conference, Charlotte, North   
       Carolinia   
      
   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...   
   ... I always wanted to be somebody but I should have been more specific!   
   ---   
    * Origin:  (1:3634/12.73)