SB PROP @ ARL $ARLP038   
   ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA   
      
   ZCZC AP39   
   QST de W1AW     
   Propagation Forecast Bulletin 38  ARLP038   
   From Tad Cook, K7RA   
   Seattle, WA  September 21, 2012   
   To all radio amateurs    
      
   SB PROP ARL ARLP038   
   ARLP038 Propagation de K7RA   
      
   Average daily sunspot numbers dropped this week, from 83.1 in the   
   September 6-12 week, to 56 in the recent September 13-19 period.   
   Average daily solar flux declined from 118.9 to 101.4.   
      
   The latest forecast shows predicted solar flux at 115 on September   
   21-22, 120 on September 23-25, then 125 on September 26-27, 130 on   
   September 28, and 140 on September 29 to October 1. On October 2 it   
   drops to 135, 130 on October 3-5, 125 on October 6-7, 120 on October   
   8, and 115 on October 8-9.  Flux values then dip below 100 on   
   October 14-16, and peak again around 140 on October 25-28.   
      
   The predicted planetary A index is 12 on September 21-22, 10 on   
   September 23 and 5 on September 24-28, 10 again on September 29, 5   
   on September 30 through October 2, 10 on October 3, 8 on October   
   4-5, and 5 on October 6-11.   
      
   The Czech Propagation Interest Group geomagnetic forecast this week   
   comes to us from Petr Kolman, OK1MGW. They see quiet to unsettled   
   geomagnetic activity September 21-22, mostly quiet September 23,   
   quiet September 24-26, mostly quiet September 27, quiet to unsettled   
   September 28-29, quiet to active September 30 through October 1,   
   active to disturbed October 2, quiet to active October 3, quiet to   
   unsettled October 4-5, quiet October 6-8, and quiet to unsettled   
   October 9-11.   
      
   Carol Milazzo, KP4MD/W6 in Citrus Heights, California wrote in about   
   WSPR mode for weak signal work on 2 meters.  She says, "California 2   
   meter WSPR study group stations on 144.4905 MHz can be heard   
   throughout the state of California from Redding at the north end of   
   the central valley down to San Diego. Joe Taylor K1JT's WSPR mode   
   allows stations with modest power and antennas to participate in   
   weak signal VHF propagation experiments.  Some of our data is posted   
   on http://www.qsl.net/kp4md/144_mhz_wspr.htm."   
      
   Scott Avery, WA6LIE of Salinas, California writes: "I was very   
   disappointed in last week's ARRL VHF/UHF contest. We got skunked on   
   6 meters to local only, but worked all the locals on 2 meters on up.   
      
   "A few weeks ago I started experimenting with WSPR. Interesting to   
   see what your station hears, and who hears you. Anyway, most of my   
   WSPR work has been on 2 meters. Though WSPR is not too popular yet,   
   I have had some pretty amazing results. Running 20 watts to a 13   
   element horizontally polarized beam up 40', I usually select Norcal   
   or Socal to aim.   
      
   "Most of the stations are in the SF bay area, but a few new ones   
   popped up in LA and San Diego area.   
      
   "Beaming south, I still hear a few stations 100 miles plus to the   
   north. To the south N3IZN in Fallbrook is working me at 340 miles   
   away, and N6KOG at 387 miles several times a day (via tropo?). More   
   stations and experiments are needed. It would be nice to see more   
   WSPR stations up on VHF/UHF."   
      
   For more info on WSPR, visit http://wsprnet.org/ and   
   http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/.   
      
   Rich Zwirko, K1HTV wrote on September 14, about what happened in   
   September 6: "I got up early and called CQ on CW on 144.330 MHz. An   
   announce message was made of the DX Cluster. I logged into the   
   ON4KST.ORG 144/432 website and notified the guys of my   
   transmissions. A suggestion was made that I transmit on JT65A, which   
   I started to do on 144.325 MHz. Three EI stations and G4LOH   
   participated on the European end of the path. Eventually, when I had   
   to QRT at 1200Z, VE1SKY in NS and K1TEO in CT joined in the test.   
   But as far as I know, no Trans-Atlantic QSO was made. An additional   
   attempt may be made early UTC Saturday by stations in W1 and   
   VE1/9/VO. FYI, G4LOH was the holder of the IARU Region I 2 Meter   
   distance record 4041 km record for 4 years with a QSO with D44TD.   
   M0VRL added 75 miles to the record working D44TD in August of 2011.   
   Some day, with an assist from Hepburn maps, ON4KST chat rooms and DX   
   Cluster, two Hams will win the Brendan trophies for completing a 2   
   Meter QSO between Europe and the Americas (North or South)."   
      
   Rich included this article from the August 2002 issue of QST:   
      
   http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/tis/info/pdf/0208036.pdf.   
      
   Dave Clemons, K1VUT of Middleboro, Massachusetts wrote: "In the ARRL   
   VHF Contest on 6 meters, on September 8, I worked both LU9EHJ and   
   PY1RO from EMA FN41. I believe these might have been a combination   
   of TEP and Es since it appears that the QSOs might not have been   
   equal distance from the equator on both ends.  (Or I could be   
   geographically challenged!  Either way it was very nice to get that   
   far south on 6 meters.)"   
      
   If you would like to make a comment or have a tip for our readers,   
   email the author at, k7ra@arrl.net.   
      
   For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL   
   Technical Information Service web page at   
   http://arrl.org/propagation-of-rf-signals. For an explanation of the   
   numbers used in this bulletin, see   
   http://arrl.org/the-sun-the-earth-the-ionosphere. An archive of past   
   propagation bulletins is at   
   http://arrl.org/w1aw-bulletins-archive-propagation. Find more good   
   information and tutorials on propagation at   
   http://myplace.frontier.com/~k9la/.   
      
   Monthly propagation charts between four USA regions and twelve   
   overseas locations are at http://arrl.org/propagation.   
      
   Instructions for starting or ending email distribution of ARRL   
   bulletins are at http://arrl.org/bulletins.   
      
   Sunspot numbers for September 13 through 19 were 44, 44, 53, 77, 51,   
   61, and 62, with a mean of 56. 10.7 cm flux was 99.1, 100.5, 97.5,   
   97.3, 101.5, 104.3, and 109.8, with a mean of 101.4. Estimated   
   planetary A indices were 6, 5, 6, 7, 6, 8, and 14, with a mean of   
   7.4. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 6, 5, 5, 7, 6, 7, and 13,   
   with a mean of 7.   
   NNNN   
   /EX   
      
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