The ARRL Letter for February 23, 2017

[ARRL Web site]

********************************************
The ARRL Letter

Published by the American Radio Relay League
********************************************

February 23, 2017

Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME <ww...@arrl.org>

ARRL Home Page <http://www.arrl.org/>ARRL Letter Archive
<http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>Audio News
<http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> IN THIS ISSUE

- Orlando HamCation a Hit, Posts New Attendance Record
- HAARP Goes Classical During New Experimental Campaign
- The Doctor Will See You Now!
- MARS Refocuses Its Mission, Encrypts Data Nets
- Winter Cycle Section Manager Election Results Announced
- Homer V. Thompson, W4CWV, and Annette P. Thompson, W4LKM, Memorial
Scholarship Endowed
- ARISS Opens Window for Proposals to Host Contacts with Space Station
Crew
- In Brief...
- Getting It Right!
- The K7RA Solar Update
- Just Ahead in Radiosport
- Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions

==> ORLANDO HAMCATION A HIT, POSTS NEW ATTENDANCE RECORD

When Orlando HamCation <http://www.hamcation.com/>® hosted the ARRL
Southeastern Division Convention on February 10-12, it posted a new
attendance record. As a result of its growing popularity, the Orlando
show may now be the third largest ham radio gathering in the world --
behind the JARL Tokyo Ham Fair, with an estimated 37,000 attendees in
2016, and Hamvention®, which attracts some 25,000 visitors each May.
This year, HamCation logged a record 19,000 attendees, up by 2,000 from
last year and moving it ahead of Ham Radio in Friedrichshafen, Germany.

This year, HamCation's sponsor, the ARRL-affiliated Orlando Amateur
Radio Club (OARC), announced the retirement of HamCation Chairman Peter
Meijers, AI4KM, who has headed up the show for 10 years. Michael
Cauley, W4MCA, will succeed him. Cauley has served for 7 years as
HamCation's Tailgate Chairman, for 6 years as the IT Chairman, and for
1 year as Finance Chairman. OARC President John Knott, N4JTK, said
Meijers had wanted to retire after last year's show, but he convinced
Meijers to stay on for another year.

"I'm extremely sad to see Peter retire, but totally understand that
after 9 shows he felt it was time for a little rest!" Knott said,
adding that planning for HamCation 2018 "starts now!"

Representing ARRL Headquarters at HamCation 2017 were CEO Tom
Gallagher, NY2RF; ARRL Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, and
ARRL Contest Branch Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ. They were joined by ARRL
Southeastern Director Greg Sarratt, W4OZK; Vice Director Joey
Tiritilli, N4ZUW; Northern Florida Section Manager Steve Szabo, WB4OMM;
ARRL Honorary Vice President Frank Butler, W4RH, and a handful of other
ARRL Field Organization volunteers.

Szabo and Sarratt moderated the standing-room-only ARRL Forum, which
Gallagher and Inderbitzen attended, while Jahnke supported an ARRL
Contesting Forum. Also attending was ARES E-Letter
<http://www.arrl.org/ares-e-letter> Editor Rick Palm, K1CE, who
described the forum as "all positive" and focused on how to gain the
attention and interest of younger people.

"[O]ne comment that struck me came from a member of the Lakeland
Amateur Radio Club <http://lakelandarc.org/>, who said that the club
had faced declining attendance at club meetings and membership until
they eliminated the business portions of the meetings in favor of more
hands-on, show-and-tell demonstrations of equipment, modes and
antennas, which turned into big hits," Palm recounted.

The ARRL College Amateur Radio Initiative (CARI
<https://www.facebook.com/groups/ARRLCARI/>) enjoyed attention
throughout HamCation. Gallagher, wearing a "Penn" sweatshirt for his
University of Pennsylvania alma mater, welcomed attendees to a CARI
Forum, moderated by Andy Milluzzi, KK4LWR.

Volunteer Don Search, W3AZD, headed up DXCC card checking. Membership
sign-ups were brisk, Inderbitzen reported, "and we couldn't have kept
up without the additional help of volunteers Lindy Gallagher and Dr.
Sherry Mahafza, KM4VSW."

Jahnke and Inderbitzen also attended the Florida Contest Group dinner,
which included a keynote presentation by elite contester Tim Duffy,
K3LR.

"I'm extremely grateful for Peter Meijers' long and dedicated service
to Orlando HamCation," Inderbitzen said. "He's done an incredible job
-- a true and good leader in our Amateur Radio Service." Inderbitzen
has posted a photo album
<https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10154532734372408.1073741901.20069212407&type=1&l=0608badabb>

on ARRL's Facebook page. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/orlando-hamcation-a-hit-posts-new-attendance-record>.


==> HAARP GOES CLASSICAL DURING NEW EXPERIMENTAL CAMPAIGN

The just-concluded run of ionospheric investigations conducted from
Alaska's High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP
<http://gi.alaska.edu/haarp-0>) observatory -- quite likely the most
powerful HF transmission facility in the world -- revived the latent
shortwave listener (SWL) lurking within most radio amateurs. Operating
under Part 5 Experimental license WI2XFX, HAARP this month even aired
some classical music as it conducted its first scientific research
campaign since being taken over 18 months ago from the military by the
University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Geophysical Institute.

UAF Space Physics Group Assistant Research Professor Chris Fallen,
KL3WX, focused on two experiments -- one called "airglow" that
literally aimed to light up the ionosphere, and another to demonstrate
the so-called "Luxembourg effect," first noticed on a 1930s Radio
Luxembourg broadcast. Public engagement was part of his plan, and
Fallen this week said the Twitter <https://twitter.com/ctfallen> and
e-mail feedback from his transmissions had been "fantastic," and that
his science campaign had become "quite an event."

"Thank you for making a difference and advancing Amateur Radio as
well," Doug Howard, VE6CID, tweeted. Another Twitter follower enthused,
"You're running the coolest DX station in the world." Fallen said he
also received "a lot of great waterfalls," as well as video and audio
recordings from hams and SWLs.

Fallen started and stopped each experiment block with DTMF tones,
transmitted in AM on or about 2.8 and 3.3 MHz, each channel fed with
audio tones of different frequencies or, in the case of music, as a
separate stereo channel. If the Luxembourg effect is present,
skywave-signal listeners would hear both channels combined on a single
frequency; Fallen said the effect is easier to detect with tones. In
addition to tones, he transmitted "a 'dance track,' a Pachelbel Canon
arrangement, and a variation of 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat.'" Jeff Dumps,
KL4IU, composed some of the music, and he arranged and performed all of
it.

The CW "airglow" artificial aurora experiment followed the
Luxembourg effect transmissions. All week, Fallen despaired that the
"ratty" ionosphere and cloud cover were diminishing his hopes for
success with the artificial aurora experiments. But on the last night,
he tweeted, "Seeing artificial airglow with the spectrometer. Film at
11."

Fallen is now evaluating the results of his HAARP efforts. He said one
listener posted "a most excellent" YouTube clip. He was not specific;
several have been posted that document this week's experiments,
including this one <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IR5VLCj69w&t=75s>
from Stephen Oleson, VE6SLP. Laurence Howell, KL7L, in Wasilla, Alaska,
posted an audio file <http://kl7l.com/haarp3.mp3>.

"The miracle of crowd sourcing!" Fallen said. "If only the Luxembourg
effect was more pronounced, but it is in the 3,300 kHz recording."

Fallen has been working under a $60,000 National Science Foundation
grant
<https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1702328&HistoricalAwards=false>.

"During campaigns, significant expenditures for fuel and personnel are
required," the grant abstract said. "Large start-up costs make HAARP
experiments largely inaccessible to individual researchers unless
multiple experiments and funding sources can be bundled together during
a campaign of up to 2-week duration." According to the abstract, public
participation would maximize "the broader impacts of the
investigations."

Fallen posted additional information on his "Gakona HAARPoon 2017" blog
<https://sites.google.com/alaska.edu/gakonahaarpoon/tune-in>.

==> THE DOCTOR WILL SEE YOU NOW!

"HF Loop Antennas" is the topic of the just-released episode of the
"ARRL The Doctor is In <http://www.arrl.org/doctor>" podcast.
Listen...and learn!

Sponsored by DX Engineering <http://www.dxengineering.com/>, "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
doc...@arrl.org, and the Doctor may answer them in a future podcast.

Enjoy "ARRL The Doctor is In" on Apple iTunes
<https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/arrl-the-doctor-is-in/id1096749595?mt=2>,

or by using your iPhone or iPad podcast app (just search for "ARRL The
Doctor is In"). You can also listen online at Blubrry
<https://www.blubrry.com/arrl_the_doctor_is_in/>, or at Stitcher
<https://www.stitcher.com/> (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 <http://www.arrl.org/doctor>. Just ahead on March 2: "CTCSS and
DTMF."

==> MARS REFOCUSES ITS MISSION, ENCRYPTS DATA NETS

Today's Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) program has changed
markedly from what it was just a few years ago. So says US Army MARS
Program Manager Paul English, WD8DBY, who contends that MARS must adapt
in order to remain relevant and useful to its sponsor, the US
Department of Defense (DOD).

"Probably the most significant changes were the Navy's decision to
'sunset' the Navy Marine Corps MARS program and our move to refocus
Army and Air Force MARS on providing contingency HF Radio
communications support to the DOD and the services," English said. "In
order to focus our support on the Department of Defense, MARS
leadership had to rethink, essentially from the ground up, what it
means to be a MARS member." MARS relies on volunteers from within the
Amateur Radio ranks. Among other things, recruits receive specialized
training in military messaging formats and digital messaging protocols.

While the priority MARS mission is to provide contingency HF
communication to support the DOD and the military, MARS also supports
communication for combat commands providing humanitarian assistance and
disaster relief, provides contingency communication for Defense Support
to Civil Authorities (DSCA), and provides "morale and welfare
communications" in support of the DOD.

MARS still provides support for civil authorities, but it must follow
DOD procedures for how that support is provided, English explained.
"MARS leadership used to actively encourage our members to support
civil authorities," he said, "and that put us in direct competition
with the Amateur Radio community as well as with other federal
agencies."

English said that in today's MARS program, the primary digital protocol
is software that emulates Military Standard (MilStd) 188-110A (M110A)
serial phase-shift keying, which is compatible with what is used by the
military. MARS members may still use Amateur Radio digital modes on
working channels, but M110A is the principal mode. There are no plans
to transition to digital voice modes.

This year, MARS introduced an online encryption program that allows all
digital radio traffic to be encrypted as it is being transmitted. MARS
has also expanded its use of automatic link establishment (ALE),
although members are not required to use it.

"Our bread and butter remains single-channel HF communication,"
English said. "The majority of our members who do use ALE are using the
MARS ALE software program. Some of our members who support our national
nets are moving to hardware ALE radios."

The MARS program supports quarterly contingency communication exercises
supporting the DOD. These are based on "very bad day" scenarios, where
traditional forms of communication are no longer available. "Through
these exercises, the DOD -- via the MARS community -- reaches out to
the Amateur Radio community to provide situational awareness
information at the county/local level," English said.

That makes sense to MARS member Bill Sexton, N1IN, who was Army MARS
public affairs officer from 2001 until 2014. "At least in theory, the
blanketing omnipresence of hams across all 50 states offers a backup
for blacked-out regions in the event of a catastrophic attack or
natural disaster," Sexton allowed. "The challenge is mobilizing back-up
operations in the total absence of internet, telephone, cell phone, or
texting resources."

==> WINTER CYCLE SECTION MANAGER ELECTION RESULTS ANNOUNCED

Four candidates for Section Manager (SM), including one incumbent,
outpolled challengers to win 2-year terms beginning on April 1, while a
second incumbent was defeated in a run for a new term, and one
candidate ran unopposed to succeed an incumbent who did not run again.
Ballots in contested races in the winter election cycle were counted
and verified on February 21 at ARRL Headquarters.

In Arizona, Rick Paquette, W7RAP, of Tucson, topped the field in a
three-way race, receiving 638 votes to 375 for Steven Wood, W1SR, of
Tucson, and 353 for Virgil Silhanek, K7VZ, of Phoenix. Paquette has
served as an Assistant Section Manager and has been a volunteer
instructor, mentor, and volunteer examiner for many years. Robert
Spencer, KE8DM, of Yuma, who has served as SM since 2013, decided not
to run for another term.

In North Texas, Jay Urish, W5GM, of McKinney will become the new
Section Manager after defeating Brent Boydston, KF5THB, of Henrietta
829 to 490. Urish will be returning as SM, having served previously
from 2009 to 2011. He will succeed Nancy McCain, K5NLM, of Fort Worth,
who has been North Texas SM for the last 2 years and did not run for
another term.

In Kentucky, Steve Morgan, W4NHO, of Owensboro, unseated incumbent SM
Alan Morgan, KY1O, of Paris, 323 to 146. Steve Morgan served previously
as the Kentucky SM from 1991 until 1997. Alan Morgan has served in the
office since 2015. The two Morgans are unrelated.

In Iowa, incumbent Section Manager Bob McCaffrey, K0CY, of Boone
overcame a challenge to win a new term, polling 306 votes to 218 for
Paul Cowley, KB7VML, of Ames. This will mark McCaffrey's third term in
office.

In Arkansas, James Ferguson, N5LKE, of Searcy, will become the new
Section Manager when he succeeds incumbent SM Dale Temple, W5RXU, of
North Little Rock, on April 1. Temple, who is completing his third
term, decided not to run for re-election.

These incumbent Section Managers did not face opposition during the
nomination period and have been declared elected to new terms beginning
on April 1: Malcolm Keown, W5XX (Mississippi); George Forsyth, AA7GS
(Montana); Carl Gardenias, WU6D (Orange), and Jack Mitchell, N7MJ
(Wyoming).

These incumbent Section Managers began new 2-year terms on January 1:
Tom Walsh, K1TW (Eastern Massachusetts); Cecil Higgins, AC0HA
(Missouri); Matt Anderson, KA0BOJ (Nebraska); Jim Mezey, W2KFV (New
York City/Long Island); Tom Dick, KF2GC (Northern New York); Marc
Tarplee, N4UFP (South Carolina); Skip Arey, N2EI (Southern New Jersey),
and Darrell Davis, KT4WX (West Central Florida).

In Western Pennsylvania, Joe Shupienis, W3BC, of Falls Creek, on
January 1 succeeded Tim Duffy, K3LR, who decided not to run for a
second term. Shupienis had been the Affiliated Club Coordinator and a
Public Information Officer.

==> HOMER V. THOMPSON, W4CWV, AND ANNETTE P. THOMPSON, W4LKM, MEMORIAL
SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWED

A new scholarship has been endowed, honoring the memory of Homer V.
Thompson, W4CWV, and Annette P. Thompson, W4LKM, the ARRL Foundation
has announced. The scholarship will be funded through an initial
$50,000 gift from an anonymous donor.

The Thompsons, who married in 1939, were both from eastern Polk County,
Florida. Homer Thompson's family was among the pioneers of the citrus
industry in the Haines City area, while Annette Thompson's grandfather,
Ephriam Baynard, was a notable early real estate developer in
Auburndale. A graduate of the University of Florida, Homer Thompson saw
service during World War II and the Korean Conflict. Upon retiring from
military service as a lieutenant colonel, Thompson was awarded the
Legion of Merit for his service with the Army Security Agency. He was
employed by the FCC for 30 years. The Thompsons also oversaw citrus
grove properties they owned jointly.

Both Thompsons were avid radio amateurs. They spent their retirement
years in Winter Haven, Florida. At the time Annette Thompson died in
2010, the couple had been married for 70 years; Homer Thompson died in
2013.

Applicants for this scholarship must be US citizens and Amateur Radio
licensees, enrolled at an accredited 2- or 4-year college or
university, and performing at a high academic level, pursuing a degree
in an agriculture, business, science, math, engineering, or
technology-related field.

Preference will be given to Florida residents. If no qualified Florida
applicant is identified, the scholarship may be awarded to an applicant
from the ARRL Southeastern Division (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Puerto
Rico, and US Virgin Islands).

The scholarship award will be $1,500 annually, with the first
scholarship expected to be awarded in 2018. One scholarship will be
awarded each year. The ARRL Foundation shall determine award
recipients.

==> ARISS OPENS WINDOW FOR PROPOSALS TO HOST CONTACTS WITH SPACE
STATION CREW

The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS
<http://www.ariss.org/>) program is seeking proposals from schools and
formal or informal educational institutions and organizations --
individually or working in concert -- to host Amateur Radio contacts
next year with ISS crew members. The window
<http://www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact> to submit a proposal is
open through April 15. ARISS anticipates that contacts will take place
between January 1 and June 30, 2018. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits
will determine the exact contact dates. Proposal information and
documents <http://www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact> are on the
ARRL website.

To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS seeks proposals
from schools and organizations that can draw large numbers of
participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education
plan. Each FM-voice contact lasts about 10 minutes -- the length of a
typical overhead ISS pass from horizon to horizon.

Scheduled ham radio contacts with ISS crew members allow students to
interact with an astronaut or cosmonaut through a question-and-answer
format. Participants and audiences alike can learn firsthand from the
astronaut or cosmonaut what it's like to live and work in space and to
learn about space research on the ISS. Students will be able to observe
and learn about satellite communication, wireless technology, and radio
science.

Because of the nature of human spaceflight and the complexity of
scheduling activities aboard the ISS, organizations must demonstrate
flexibility to accommodate changes in contact dates and times.

To help organizations prepare proposals, ARISS offers 1-hour online
information sessions, designed to provide more information regarding US
ARISS contacts and the proposal process, as well as provide an avenue
for interested organizations to ask questions. Attending an online
Information Session is not required but is strongly encouraged.

Information Sessions

Information sessions for the current application window will take place
on Monday, March 6, at 7 PM EST (0000 UTC on March 7) and Tuesday,
March 16, at 4 PM EDT (2000 UTC). Contact <ar...@ariss.org> ARISS to
sign up and take part or for more information. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/ariss-opens-window-for-proposals-to-host-contacts-with-space-station-crew>.


==> IN BRIEF...

Summits on the Air Activation the Hard Way: A radio amateur in the UK,
Colin Evans, M1BUU, attained Summits on the Air (SOTA
<http://www.sota.org.uk/>) Mountain Goat status on January 28 on the
summit of Whernside, the highest peak in Yorkshire, but he took an
unusual approach by waiting until after he reached the summit to
construct his station equipment. He had taken along a 20-meter QRPme
RockMite kit, a homebrewed key kit, a vertical antenna kit, and a
gas-powered soldering iron. Conditions were not exactly ideal.
Sheltering from wind, rain, and snow in a small tent, Evans was able to
constructed the RockMite, key, and antenna in less than 4 hours. Better
yet, his first contact with the 250 mW RockMite was with N1EU near
Albany, New York, more than 3,000 miles away. "There's a good chance
that if you work me, I'll be using a rig that I've built myself," Evans
said on his QRZ.com profile. He typically operates QRP and has been
involved in the SOTA program since 2004.

Winter 2017 Edition of Radio Waves is Now Available. The winter 2017
issue
<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Radio%20Waves%20Newsletter/Winter_2017_%20Radio_Waves.pdf>

of Radio Waves -- news you can use for license instruction and radio
science education -- is now available. In this issue: How to Start a
High School Amateur Radio Club in Six Easy Steps; Rhode Island School
ARISS Contact Takes Off with the Public; Citizen Scientist
Opportunities for Radio Amateurs, and Science Lessons for Solar Week.
Plus the Instructor Corner, Update on the Instructor Reporting and
Recognition Program, Licensing Updates, Education & Technology Program
News, and more. The current issue and all past issues
<http://www.arrl.org/radio-waves> are available on the ARRL website.

Texas Club Distributes Copies of Ham Radio for Dummies to Schools,
Libraries: The Cedar Creek Amateur Radio Club
<https://k5ccl.wordpress.com/> in Athens, Texas, has purchased and
distributed copies of Ham Radio for Dummies
<http://www.arrl.org/shop/Ham-Radio-for-Dummies-2nd-Edition-Wiley> by
ARRL Contributing Editor Ward Silver, N0AX, to area schools and
libraries. The book now is in its second edition. Financed in part with
a grant from LDG Electronics, the club determined to place a copy of
the book in nearly every school and public library in the tri-county
area around Athens. Club member and former teacher Glenn Hughes,
KF5CTG, took on the task of distributing the copies, visiting with
librarians and school administrators as he made the rounds. The
activity caught the attention of The Athens Review, which published an
article
<http://www.athensreview.com/news/ham-radio-for-dummies-books-available/article_07b3b438-f3c7-11e6-9b12-47ab5e933902.html>

about it on February 15.

Nebraska Sesquicentennial Celebration QSO Party Set: Radio amateurs in
Nebraska will celebrate the state's 150th anniversary during the
Sesquicentennial Anniversary Celebration Week QSO Party
<http://NE150hams.org>, February 25 through March 6, which includes the
actual anniversary date, March 1. Nebraska amateurs may operate from
their own stations or as part of Nebraska historical site activations,
appending "/NE150" to their call signs. Nebraska stations transmit
name, signal report, and Nebraska county (plus historical site, if
appropriate). Non-Nebraska stations transmit name, signal report, and
state, Canadian province, or DXCC entity. A special QSL card will be
available with a self-addressed, stamped envelope and QSL to the
Nebraska station contacted. Contact ARRL Midwest Division Vice Director
Art Zygielbaum <k0...@arrl.org>, K0AIZ, or ARRL Nebraska Section
Manager Matt Anderson <kb0...@arrl.org>, KA0BOJ, for additional
information. The Nebraska Sesquicentennial Amateur Radio Commemorative
QSO Party is an official Nebraska Sesquicentennial event sanctioned by
the Nebraska Sesquicentennial Commission <https://ne150.org/>.

==> GETTING IT RIGHT!

The article, "Oldest, Longest-Licensed US Ham, Educator Charles
Hellman, W2RP, SK," in the February 9 edition of The ARRL Letter
contained an incorrect call sign for Mr. Hellman's late brother. Robert
Hellman was W2IIU. The February 16 "In Brief" item, "Field Day 2017
Packet is Now Available," inadvertently omitted the link to the Field
Day packet
<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Field-Day/2017/2017%20Field%20Day%20Packet%20-%20Complete%20with%20LOGO.pdf>.


==> THE K7RA SOLAR UPDATE

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: On February 22 at 0124 UTC,
Australian Space Weather Services issued a geomagnetic disturbance
warning: "The effect of a high-speed solar wind stream from a recurrent
coronal hole is expected to raise geomagnetic activity to active levels
from 22 to 24 February with the possibility of minor storm periods on
23 and 24 February.

Spaceweather.com <http://www.spaceweather.com> on February 22 reported
that NOAA forecasters were estimating a 60% chance of polar geomagnetic
storms on February 23. It could be a good time to watch for aurora.

Over the February 16-22 reporting week, the average daily sunspot
number increased from 17.6 to 19.1, compared to the previous 7 days,
while average solar flux increased from 75.1 to 78.5.

Geomagnetic indicators were slightly higher, with average planetary A
index increasing from 4.7 to 11.3, and average mid-latitude A index
changing from 2.9 to 9.

Predicted solar flux is 84 on February 23-24; 83 on February 25; 82 on
February 26-March 1; 78 on March 2; 73 on March 3-4; 72 on March 5-7;
73 and 74 on March 8-9; 75 on March 10-14; then 74, 75, 77 and 79 on
March 15-18, 82 on March 19-24, then 80, 78 and 76 on March 25-27, 75
on March 28-29; 73 on March 30-31, and 72 on April 1-3.

Predicted planetary A index is 18 and 12 on February 23-24; 8 on
February 25-26; 16, 24, and 20 on February 27-March 1; 15 on March 2-5;
8 on March 6; 5 on March 7-14; 10, 20, 15, 10, and 12 on March 15-19;
10 on March 20-21; 12, 15, 20, and 18 on March 22-25; 8, 30, 25, and 20
on March 26-29.

Sunspot numbers for February 16-22 were 23, 14, 13, 23, 25, 19, and 17,
with a mean of 19.1. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 74, 74.6, 76.6, 78.1,
80.7, 82.5, and 83.2, with a mean of 78.5. Estimated planetary A
indices were 9, 20, 16, 10, 10, 4, and 10, with a mean of 11.3.
Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 7, 16, 11, 9, 8, 4, and 8, with a
mean of 9.

Send <k7...@arrl.net> me your reports or observations.

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==> JUST AHEAD IN RADIOSPORT

- February 24-26 -- CQ 160-Meter Contest (SSB)

- February 25-26 -- REF Contest (SSB)

- February 25-26 -- UBA DX Contest (CW)

- February 25-26 -- South Carolina QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)

- February 25-26 -- North American QSO Party (RTTY)

- February 26 -- High-Speed Club CW Contest

- February 26 -- SARL Digital Contest

- February 26-27 -- North Carolina QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)

- March 1 -- UKEICC 80-Meter Contest (Phone)

- March 2 -- NRAU 10-Meter Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital)

See the ARRL Contest Calendar <http://www.arrl.org/contest-calendar>
for more information. For in-depth reporting on Amateur Radio
contesting, subscribe to The ARRL Contest Update
<http://www.arrl.org/contest-update-issues> via your ARRL member
profile e-mail preferences.

==> UPCOMING ARRL SECTION, STATE, AND DIVISION CONVENTIONS

- February 25 -- West Central Florida Section Technical Conference
<http://www.arrlwcf.org/>, Sarasota, Florida

- February 25 -- New Mexico Tech Fest
<http://www.rmham.org/wordpress/new-mexico-techfest>, Albuquerque, New
Mexico

- February 25 -- Vermont State Convention <http://www.ranv.org/>, South
Burlington, Vermont

- March 3-4 -- Alabama Section Convention <http://www.w4cue.com>,
Birmingham, Alabama

- March 4 -- Arkansas State Convention <http://www.arvarf.com>,
Russellville, Arkansas

- March 10-11 -- Louisiana State Convention
<http://www.w5ddl.org/hamfest/index.htm>, Rayne, Louisiana

- March 11 -- Nebraska State Convention <http://www.k0kkv.org>,
Lincoln, Nebraska

- March 18 -- West Texas Section Convention <http://www.w5qgg.org>,
Midland, Texas

- March 18 -- MicroHAMS Digital Conference
<http://www.microhams.com/mhdc>, Redmond, Washington

- March 24-25 -- Texas State Convention <http://houstonhamfest.org/>,
Rosenberg, Texas

- March 31-April 1 -- Maine State Convention
<http://w1npp.org/pages/meconvention2017.html>, Lewiston, Maine

- March 31-April 2 -- Nevada State Convention <http://www.nvcon.org>,
Las Vegas, Nevada

- April 7-8 -- OzarkCon QRP Conference <http://www.ozarkcon.com>,
Branson, Missouri

- April 15 -- Roanoke Division Convention <http://rars.org/rarsfest>,
Raleigh, North Carolina

- Apr 21-23 -- International DX Convention
<http://www.dxconvention.com/>, Visalia, California

- April 21-23 -- Idaho State Convention <http://www.voiceofidaho.org/>,
Boise, Idaho

- April 22 -- Delaware State Convention
<http://www.radioelectronicsexpo.com>, Georgetown, Delaware

- April 22 -- Aurora '17 Convention <http://www.NLRS.org>, White Bear
Lake, Minnesota

- Apr 22-23 -- Communications Academy XIX
<http://www.commacademy.org/>, Seattle, Washington

- April 28-29 -- Southeastern VHF Society Conference
<http://svhfs.org>, Charlotte, North Carolina

Find conventions and hamfests in your area
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests>.

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