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The ARRL Letter for August 24, 2017

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

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

August 24, 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

- Solar Eclipse QSO Party a Hit, Science Conclusions Await Additional
Analysis
- Harvey Gains Hurricane Strength, Hurricane Watch and VoIP Hurricane
Nets Activate
- The Doctor Will See You Now!
- Revised NCVEC Form 605 Must Now Be Used at Exam Sessions
- ARRL Simulated Emergency Test (SET) Fall Classic Set for First
Weekend in October
- ARRL Radiosport Department Debuts New Honor Roll, Top of Honor Roll
Plaques
- Canada Proposes Implementing a 60-Meter Band While Retaining Discrete
Channels
- ARRL VEC Conducts Another Antarctic Test Session
- Successful YOTA 2017 UK Will Pass Along the "YOTA KEY" to a New Team
- In Brief...
- The K7RA Solar Update
- Just Ahead in Radiosport
- Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions

==> SOLAR ECLIPSE QSO PARTY A HIT, SCIENCE CONCLUSIONS AWAIT ADDITIONAL
ANALYSIS

The 2017 Solar Eclipse QSO Party (SEQP) is history, and, while logs are
still coming in, the preliminary participation numbers look good,
according to Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF, of HamSCI
<http://www.hamsci.org>.

"Although the final numbers are not yet in, preliminary reports show
that over 670,000 spots were detected by the Reverse Beacon Network
(RBN), and over 542,000 spots were reported to PSKReporter
<https://pskreporter.info/> [PSK Automatic Propagation Reporter] during
the SEQP," Frissell told ARRL on August 22. "These numbers will
increase as data is processed."

Frissell said overall, the event went well, and he heard a lot of
on-the-air activity during the 8 hours the SEQP was running.

"It will take some time to get a more scientific analysis of this, but
we should have some results by the middle of this semester," said
Frissell, who is an associate research professor at the New Jersey
Institute of Technology. Frissell and others are investigating whether
the sudden absence of sunlight during the eclipse -- and especially of
solar ultra-violet and x-rays -- would briefly change the properties of
the upper atmosphere.

Despite more than 60 years of research, "open questions remain
regarding eclipse-induced ionospheric impacts," Frissell explained in a
paper, "HamSCI and the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse," that he'll deliver
this year at the ARRL-TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC).

He is encouraging anyone who took part in the SEQP to submit a log
<http://hamsci.org/seqp> by September 30. Once their logs are
submitted, SEQP participants will get a PDF Certificate of
Participation. Frissell, who was in Gilbertsville, Kentucky, to observe
the eclipse, said, "Totality was beautiful."

At Maxim Memorial Station W1AW, the focus was more on keeping on top of
any emergency situations that could arise from the thousands of
visitors converging along the narrow strip of totality. ARRL Emergency
Preparedness Manager Mike Corey, KI1U, and his assistant Ken Bailey,
K1FUG, checked into and monitored the SATERN Net on 20 meters. They
also monitored the interoperability channel 1 on 60 meters for
coordination with federal partners. W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia,
NJ1Q, checked into WL2K nodes on 40 meters for any possible traffic.
"Also, during this time, we went outside to look at the eclipse!"
Carcia added.

Many Amateur Radio special event stations were also on the air along
the path of totality on August 21.

Veteran Broadcast Listener (BCL) Bill Feidt, NG3K, in Maryland,
conducted an informal propagation experiment on the AM broadcast band,
listening on 1,070 kHz, which, he reported, "came alive with many
signals" at about 1830 UTC. "It was pretty much a jumble," he told
ARRL. "But just before 1900 UTC, I was able to identify WNCT in
Greenville, North Carolina, which became quite strong and dominant for
a few minutes." WNCT's 50 kW daytime signal is aimed away from
Maryland.

Elsewhere, using the S-meter on his Panasonic RF-4900 receiver,
88-year-old John S. Erickson of Schenectady, New York, the father of
ionospheric researcher Phil Erickson, W1PJE, recorded the signal
strength of WWV time signals on 10 and 15 MHz every 10 minutes. His
results show that nighttime conditions, where WWV got stronger on 10
MHz and weaker at 15 MHz, occurred before local eclipse passage on long
paths. His data is being passed on to HamSCI for analysis.

"RF Seismograph" Sees Little Effect

Elsewhere, an initial analysis of solar eclipse RF Seismograph
<http://www.nsarc.ca/hf/rf_seismo/main.html> measurements by Alex
Schwarz, VE7DXW, and his Modulation-Demodulation Software Radio (MDSR)
group has suggested that the effect of the brief interruption in solar
radiation within an approximately 70-mile-wide strip had minimal
overall effect on radio propagation. The Scanning RF Seismograph is a
real-time HF propagation monitoring tool.

"The Solar Eclipse RF Seismograph exclusively showed that
propagation changes, but not to the extent that folktales report,"
Schwarz and the MDSR team said in a news release. "During the eclipse,
we measured in three locations, and two did not show any changes in the
way propagation behaves. On the third station, at an elevation of 900
meters, the 40-meter band came up, but that is not any different from
regular 40-meter behavior."

The team believes that increased absorption on the low bands from high
solar activity may have been a factor in the measurement's not yielding
expected results. "The small band of darkness could not compensate for
the thicker D Layer," the MDSR news release said.

Frissell told Schwarz that he'd be "very hesitant to make these
conclusions so quickly and based on observations from a single point of
reference."

"We know from past experiments that there are significant ionospheric
changes resulting from the eclipse. Even from a citizen-science
standpoint, many of these changes have been documented. We are hoping
to see these effects on a larger scale." Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/solar-eclipse-qso-party-a-hit-science-conclusions-await-additional-analysis>.


==> HARVEY GAINS HURRICANE STRENGTH, HURRICANE WATCH AND VOIP HURRICANE
NETS ACTIVATE

Tropical Depression Harvey regained strength in the Gulf of Mexico on
August 24 and was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane. The Hurricane
Watch Net (HWN <http://www.hwn.org>) activated at 1500 UTC on 14.325
MHz, and planned remain there until 0100 UTC. The HWN will activate on
its nighttime frequency of 7.268 MHz at 0000 UTC.

"This will allow us a 1-hour overlap between bands," said HWN Net
Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV. "Should propagation dictate, we will
operate on both frequencies simultaneously. Once activated, we will
remain active until further notice."

In its August 24 1800 UTC update <http://www.hwn.org/data/tcpat4.html>,
the National Hurricane Center (NHC <http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/>) said
Harvey was "rapidly intensifying." It advised that preparations along
the middle-Texas coast be rushed to completion." The storm was packing
maximum sustained winds of 85 MPH. It was located about 335 miles
southeast of Corpus Christi, Texas, moving north-northwest at 10 MPH.

On that forecast track (see NOAA graphic below), Harvey was predicted
to approach the middle-Texas coast on August 25, making landfall that
night or early on August 26 and stalling near the middle-Texas coast
through the weekend.

ARRL South Texas Section ARES posted communication plans
<http://www.arrlstx.org/index.php> for ARES volunteers. South Texas
Section Manager Jay Miller, W5WHN, said the section was preparing for
the storm's arrival along the South Texas coast. "Monitor the
frequencies in the ICS-205 document
<http://www.arrlstx.org/index.php/34-harvey.html>, when able," he
advised volunteers.

Harvey would be the first hurricane to make landfall in Texas in 9
years. In addition to high winds along the Texas coast and further
inland, the main concern with this storm is heavy rain and flooding.

The NHC said Harvey is expected to produce total rain accumulations of
12 to 20 inches with isolated maximums of 30 inches over the Texas
coast through next Wednesday. "Rainfall from Harvey may cause
life-threatening flooding," the NHC advised.

NHC also warned that a combination of a dangerous storm surge and tides
"will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising
waters moving inland from the shoreline."

The VoIP Hurricane Net <http://voipwx.net> announced activation plans,
starting Friday afternoon and continuing through early Saturday
afternoon.

"Any Amateur Radio operators in the affected area of Harvey or with
relays into the affected area of Harvey are asked to provide surface
and damage reports into the VoIP Hurricane Net," said the net's
Director of Operations Rob Macedo, KD1CY. "Any SKYWARN Nets active in
the local area that can pass reports to the VoIP Hurricane Net for
relay into WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center are welcome to send
a net liaison or connect directly at their discretion."

Visit <http://www.arrl.org> the ARRL or HWN websites for further
updates.

==> THE DOCTOR WILL SEE YOU NOW!

"S-Units" is the topic of the current (August 17) 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: "Antenna Analyzers."

==> REVISED NCVEC FORM 605 MUST NOW BE USED AT EXAM SESSIONS

With a revised FCC Form 605 -- Quick-Form Application for Authorization
in the Ship, Aircraft, Amateur, Restricted and Commercial Operator, and
General Mobile Radio Services -- soon going into effect, the National
Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC
<http://www.ncvec.org/>) has updated its unofficial NCVEC Form 605
that's used at volunteer examination sessions.

<http://www.ncvec.org/downloads/2017NCVEC605.pdf>The revised NCVEC
Form 605 <http://www.ncvec.org/downloads/2017NCVEC605.pdf> must now be
used at exam sessions, effective August 21. In the "FCC Basic
Qualification Question," both the new FCC and NCVEC forms ask
applicants if they have been convicted of a felony in any state or
federal court. This conforms with FCC requirements to evaluate an
applicant's qualifications to hold any FCC-issued license. The FCC has
been asking "the felony question" on other forms, and its omission on
Form 605 was an apparent oversight.

An applicant's response and explanation to the felony question -- now
included on NCVEC Form 605 -- will be used to determine eligibility to
be a Commission licensee. If the answer to the felony question is
"yes," the applicant must submit to FCC -- separately from NCVEC Form
605 -- a statement (the FCC calls it an "exhibit") explaining the
circumstances. Such applications will be held for a basic qualification
review, something the FCC already does for other licensed radio
services. The FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau has said that an
affirmative answer to the felony question does not mean that an
application will be denied automatically. An applicant's answer to the
felony question will be available via the Universal Licensing System
(ULS), unless the applicant requests separately that it be kept
confidential.

VECs will not handle exhibits and confidentiality requests; these must
be filed with the FCC by the applicant.

Applicants must answer the felony question only when filing NCVEC Form
605 or FCC Form 605 for a New, Amendment, Modification (upgrade or call
sign change), or Renewal/Modification (changes at renewal time). The
question does not have to be answered if the applicant is filing a
renewal or an administrative update (change of address, name, e-mail
address, etc).

New NCVEC 605 Forms
<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/VEs/NCVEC%20605%20Form%202017%20Sept.pdf>
and an Applicant information sheet
<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/VEs/Applicant%20Info%20Qualification%20Question%202017.pdf>

have been published. VEC teams should discard all existing versions of
the NCVEC Form 605; they are no longer valid. The FCC has indicated
that all VECs must begin submitting this additional data starting on
September 7. NCVEC decided to make August 21 the effective date to
accommodate mail schedules and the Labor Day holiday.

==> ARRL SIMULATED EMERGENCY TEST (SET) FALL CLASSIC SET FOR FIRST
WEEKEND IN OCTOBER

The main weekend for the 2017 ARRL Simulated Emergency Test (SET) is
only a little more than a month away -- Saturday and Sunday, October 7
and 8. This primary League-sponsored national emergency exercise is
designed to assess the skills and preparedness of ARES® and other
organizations involved with emergency and disaster response.

"Every local ARES team and/or ARRL Section will come up with their own
scenarios and work with served agencies and partner organizations
<http://www.arrl.org/served-agencies-and-partners> during the SET,"
said ARRL Field Organization Team Supervisor Steve Ewald, WV1X, who
pointed out that not all SETs will take place on the first full weekend
of October.

"SETs can be scheduled at the local and Section levels and conducted
throughout the fall season to help maximize participation," Ewald said,
"and ARRL Field Organization leaders have the option of conducting
their SETs on another weekend if October 7 and 8 are not convenient."

ARRL Field Organization Leaders -- Section Managers, Section Emergency
Coordinators, Section Traffic Managers, District Emergency
Coordinators, Emergency Coordinators, and all of their Assistants and
Net Managers -- are among those tasked with developing plans and
scenarios for this year's SET, Ewald explained.

"The SET invites all radio amateurs to become aware of emergency
preparedness and available training," Ewald said. "ARES, Radio Amateur
Civil Emergency Service (RACES), National Traffic Systemâ(tm)¢, SKYWARN,
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Salvation Army Team Emergency
Radio Network (SATERN), and other allied groups and public
service-oriented radio amateurs are encouraged to participate."

The object of the annual nationwide exercise is to test training and
skills and to try out new methods. "It's a time to work with partner
organizations and served agencies to get to know them better and to
determine their needs before an emergency or disaster strikes," Ewald
said. "Knowing who to contact within partner groups with the planned
procedures will help everyone accomplish their goals and succeed in
their missions."

To get involved, contact your local ARRL Emergency Coordinator or Net
Manager. See the ARRL Sections <http://www.arrl.org/groups/sections>
pages or get in touch with your ARRL Section Manager (see page 16 of
QST for contact information). Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/get-with-the-set-arrl-simulated-emergency-test-set-fall-classic-just-ahead>.


==> ARRL RADIOSPORT DEPARTMENT DEBUTS NEW HONOR ROLL, TOP OF HONOR ROLL
PLAQUES

The ARRL Radiosport department has unveiled two newly designed plaques
for the coveted DXCC Honor Roll and Top of Honor Roll awards.

"These plaques feature a stunning graphic of the Earth transitioning
toward sunset as viewed from space. After explaining grayline
propagation to our graphic artist, Sue Fagan, KB1OKW, we think she
really captured the concept with her design," said ARRL Radiosport
Manager Norm Fusaro, W3IZ.

To qualify for Honor Roll status, you must have a total confirmed DXCC
entity count that places you among the numerical top 10 of current DXCC
entities on the DXCC List
<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/DXCC/2016%20DXCC%20Current.pdf>. For
example, if there are 339 current DXCC entities, you must have at least
330 confirmed. Deleted entities do not count toward the DXCC Honor
Roll. To qualify for Top of Honor Roll (No. 1 Honor Roll), you must
have confirmed two-way contacts with all 339 current entities on the
DXCC List.

With the upcoming DXpedition to Bouvet Island in February 2018, the
Radiosport Department anticipates that many DXers will cross that
threshold to attain Honor Roll or Top of Honor Roll status.

The new-design plaque may be ordered online
<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/DXCC/DXCC%20Item%20Order%20Form%202017.pdf>
by new DXCC Honor Roll members or by current Honor Roll members who
would like to update their awards. ARRL still has some legacy plaques
in stock. These will be made available while the supply lasts. Because
these are custom-engraved awards, please allow up to 6 weeks for
delivery.

==> CANADA PROPOSES IMPLEMENTING A 60-METER BAND WHILE RETAINING
DISCRETE CHANNELS

An Industry Canada (IC) regulatory consultation
<http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/h_sf10780.html>
(proceeding) aimed at implementing the changes from the 2015 World
Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15) could lead to the allocation of
a 60-meter band in Canada in addition to the five discrete channels
that are congruent with those in the US. IC is seeking comments on this
and other revisions that take WRC-15 into account.

"The consultation is the first step in the process for regulatory
changes," International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 2 Area A
Director George Gorsline, VE3YV, explained. "After the 60-day period,
responses are tabulated, made public, and the regulator then determines
how to proceed." Gorsline said there is no fixed schedule, and it could
be "months or much longer" before any allocation changes are made. Even
then, he added, Canada's Amateur Radio regulations would have to be
updated to incorporate them before the new allocation would became
available for amateur use.

As the Consultation notes, a number of countries have authorized,
subject to various restrictions, operation by Amateur Radio licensees
within the 5,250-5,450 kHz frequency range. "To date, no interference
has been reported," IC said in the consultation. "Ultimately, a
worldwide, secondary allocation of 15 kHz in the frequency band
5,351.5-5,366.5 kHz was made to the Amateur Service with an effective
isotropic radiated power (EIRP) limit of 15 W" in most of Region 2.
"The proposed changes to the Canadian Table [of Allocations] will allow
Canadian Amateur Radio operators to assist in domestic and
international emergency or disaster relief situations," IC said.

The regulator proposed retaining the five discrete channels already
available to radio amateurs -- 5,332, 5,348, 5,358.5, 5,373, and 5,405
kHz.

In January, ARRL petitioned
<https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/101122964205072/Petition%20for%20Rule%20Making%205%20MHz%20FINAL%20January%2012%2C%202017.pdf>

the FCC to allocate the same contiguous band -- 5,351.5-5,366.5 kHz --
to US radio amateurs with a 100 W PEP power limit, while also retaining
the five discrete 60-meter channels that have been available for
several years. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/canada-proposes-implementing-a-60-meter-band-while-retaining-discrete-channels>.


==> ARRL VEC CONDUCTS ANOTHER ANTARCTIC TEST SESSION

The ARRL VEC conducted its seventh Amateur Radio exam session in
Antarctica earlier this month, with everything monitored remotely from
ARRL Headquarters via Skype and a satellite connection. The session on
August 3 at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station -- home to KC4AAA -- was
the largest of its type that ARRL VEC has conducted, ARRL VEC Manager
Maria Somma, AB1FM, said. Twelve examinees took 32 exams.

"The station's winter population is 46 people," Somma said. "Since
11 people passed the exam(s) and obtained licenses, this means that we
have 12 people on station -- including the VE -- that will have
licenses. That's more than a quarter of the South Pole station's
population!"

Somma reported that two examinees earned Amateur Extra class licenses,
while three got their General licenses, and six passed the Technician
exam. James Casey, AI4LX, served as the volunteer examiner (VE) at the
South Pole, while Somma and Perry Green, WY1O, were the VEs at ARRL
Headquarters.

When the session took place, it was noon Eastern Time at ARRL
Headquarters but 4 AM the next day at the South Pole.

"That was the best time for them because the time they have is limited
by their satellite access," Somma explained. "Their 'good' satellite
(i.e., the satellite that will actually have enough bandwidth for
Skype) goes down at about 6:30 AM local. So we had to be done with the
video session by then." Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-vec-conducts-another-antarctic-test-session>.
-- Thanks to ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM

==> SUCCESSFUL YOTA 2017 UK WILL PASS ALONG THE "YOTA KEY" TO A NEW
TEAM

>From talking with an astronaut aboard the International Space Station
to talking around the world on HF from GB17YOTA, the 80 participants at
the Youngsters on the Air (YOTA <https://www.ham-yota.com/>) 2017 UK
event had a blast. Held at Gilwell Park, located outside of London, the
distinguished IARU summer camp allowed the young participants to become
international friends in a way that only radio amateurs can appreciate.

Next year, they'll pass along the symbolic "YOTA Key" -- a CW paddle
set -- to the next group of youthful radio amateurs who will enjoy
similar experiences at a new location in 2018. ARRL Marketing Manager
Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, had the good fortune to speak with GB17YOTA
<https://www.facebook.com/ARRL.org/videos/10155089069327408/> on 20
meters from W1AW. On the other end was Mike Jones, 2E0MLJ, the Radio
Society of Great Britain (RSGB <http://www.rsgb.org>) Youth Committee
Chair.

"Sounds like they had a very, very successful week with 80 young
participants from 26 countries enjoying the week-long ham radio summer
camp," Inderbitzen observed afterward. "It was also the first time YOTA
included participants from Japan and South Africa."

The week saw YOTA campers build a 17-meter CW transceiver kit and
get them on the air, engage in a foxhunting (Amateur Radio direction
finding) competition, tour London, and make more than 10,000 contacts
from GB17YOTA. Daily YOTA UK video diaries
<http://rsgb.org/main/about-us/yota-2017/daily-diaries-2/> have been
posted on the website of the RSGB, which hosted the 2017 YOTA camp.

Yasme Foundation <http://www.yasme.org/> grants made it possible for
young radio amateurs from Ethiopia, Tunisia, and Kosovo to attend YOTA
UK 2017. This summer's gathering in the UK was the seventh
international YOTA camp.

"When you participate in something like this, you feel a lot better
about the future of Amateur Radio from the perspective of nurturing the
next generation of hams," Inderbitzen reflected in his Facebook Live
presentation from W1AW.

==> IN BRIEF...

ARRL Now on Snapchat: ARRL is now on the Snapchat social media platform
as ARRLHQ. Only used on mobile devices (iOS and Android), Snapchat is a
way to share photos, videos, or a combination -- called "snaps" --
which remain available for viewing for 24 hours. Information
<https://support.snapchat.com/en-US/a/getting-started1> on how to get
started on Snapchat, so you can follow ARRLHQ, is on the Snapchat
website, along with additional details
<https://support.snapchat.com/en-US/article/view-stories>.

Hawaii QSO Party, Grid Madness Events Just Ahead: Hawaii is not just a
US state, but a separate DXCC entity and at some distance from the
continental US. This ups the challenge quotient for participants in the
Hawaii QSO Party <http://www.hawaiiqsoparty.org/>, set for August
26-28. The rules have been slightly revised to be more in line with
those of other state QSO parties. The event starts at 0400 UTC on
August 26 and runs through 0359 UTC on August 28 -- a total of 48
hours. Hawaiian stations work anyone, anywhere, on any mode. Hawaii has
just five counties, and the multiplier list has been expanded into
regions to make things more challenging. But wait! There's more! On
September 17, it's the Hawaiian Islands "Grid Madness
<http://gridmadness.blogspot.com/>" event, where radio amateurs on the
islands operate VHF and UHF simplex to work as many others as they can.
Sponsored by the Aulani Hui Amateur Repeater Club
<https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0FiO9g4GIzXazhiZ1FQZm1ISnM/view?usp=sharing>,

the 4-hour sprint is open to all. This year, the power limit has been
bumped up to 8 W for HT Class entries. -- Thanks to Stacy Holbrook,
KH6OWL

High-Speed Telegraphy Competition Set for September 8-12 in Hungary:
The 14th High-Speed Telegraphy (HST <http://www.hst2017.org/en/>) World
Championship will take place September 8-12 in Esztergom, Hungary. The
event's date was shifted this year to avoid conflicting with the
International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 (IARU-R1) General
Conference. The Hungarian Radio Amateur Society (MRASZ) is organizing
the 2017 HST, which is sponsored by IARU. Hungary was the site of the
first HST in 1995. Rules
<https://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php/hst/hst-rules> for the HST are
available on the IARU Region 1 website. There are nine competition
categories, based on age and sex. In general, competitors must be radio
amateurs or "licensed SWLs (or SWL members of their national
societies)," the rules state. Competitors will be judged on their
ability to receive and transmit five-letter/figure/mixed groups for 1
minute and on their skill with RufZXP call sign recognition and Morse
Runner pileup simulation software.

==> THE K7RA SOLAR UPDATE

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: All solar indicators rose over the
August 17-23 reporting week, with the average daily sunspot number
increasing from 15.3 to 39.9, and average daily solar flux from 72 to
84.6, compared to the previous 7 days.

Predicted solar flux is 85 on August 24-30; 78 on August 31-September
2; 75 on September 3-7; 80 on September 8; 85 on September 9-14; 88 on
September 15-16; 90 on September 17-22; 85 and 80 on September 23-24;
78 on September 25-29, and rising to 85 on October 6-7.

The predicted planetary A index is 14 and 8 on August 24-25; 5 on
August 26-29; 10, 24, 18, and 14 on August 30-September 2; 5 on
September 3-7; 10 and 8 on September 8-9; 5 on September 10-12; 25 on
September 13; 30 on September 14-15; 25, 8, 10, and 6 on September
16-19; 5 on September 20-25; 12, 24, 18, and 14 on September 26-29; 5
on September 30-October 4, and 10 and 8 on October 5-6.

Did you witness the eclipse on Monday? I found a group of my neighbors
gathered on the street corner after 1700 UTC, and they had one of those
taped-together box arrangements for projecting the image. We were in
Seattle, north of the band of darkness that spread over northern
Oregon, south of us. Someone drove by with a box full of special
eclipse-safe glasses, and they worked very well.

Reports from friends who travelled to Madras, Oregon, reported that in
the middle of the totality band, they saw the sky go totally dark, and
stars illuminated the sky.

Sunspot numbers for August 17-23 were 30, 41, 33, 44, 43, 48, and 40,
with a mean of 39.9. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 76.7, 80, 86.8, 86,
87.1, 90.2, and 85.1, with a mean of 84.6. Estimated planetary A
indices were 29, 21, 31, 22, 11, 23, and 25, with a mean of 23.1.
Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 20, 20, 23, 21, 13, 16, and 17,
with a mean of 18.6.

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

==> JUST AHEAD IN RADIOSPORT

- August 26-27 -- ALARA Contest (CW, phone)

- August 26-27 -- W/VE Islands QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)

- August 26-27 -- SCC RTTY Championship

- August 26-27 -- YO DX HF Contest (CW, phone)

- August 26-27 -- Kansas QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)

- August 26-27 -- Ohio QSO Party (CW, phone)

- August 26-27 -- CVA DX Contest (SSB)

- August 26-28 -- Hawaii QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)

- August 27 -- SARL HF CW Contest

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

- August 18-20 -- West Virginia State Convention
<http://qsl.net/wvsarc/>, Weston, West Virginia

- August 19-20 -- Alabama State Convention <http://www.hamfest.org/>,
Huntsville, Alabama

- August 20 -- Kansas State Convention <http://www.w0cy.org/>, Salina,
Kansas

- September 1-3 -- North Carolina State Convention
<http://www.shelbyhamfest.org/>, Shelby, North Carolina

- September 8-10 -- New England Division Convention
<http://boxboro.org/>, Boxboro, Massachusetts

- September 9 -- Virginia Section Convention <http://vbhamfest.com/>,
Virginia Beach, Virginia

- September 10 -- New Jersey State Convention <http://w2mmd.org/>,
Mullica Hill, New Jersey

- September 15-16 -- W9DXCC Convention <http://www.w9dxcc.com/>,
Schaumburg, Illinois

- September 15-17 -- Southwestern Division Convention
<http://www.hamconinc.org/>, Torrance, California

- September 15-17 -- ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference
<http://www.tapr.org/dcc.html>, St. Louis, Missouri

- September 22-23 -- W4DXCC/SEDCO Convention <http://www.w4dxcc.com>,
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

- September 23 -- Iowa State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/iowa-state-convention-1>, Sergeant Bluff,
Iowa

- September 23 -- Washington State Convention
<http://www.n7cfo.com/amradio/hf/hf.htm>, Spokane Valley, Washington

- September 29-30 - Wisconsin State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/wisconsin-state-convention-hro-superfest>,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

- September 30 -- North Dakota State Convention <http://www.rrra.org/>,
West Fargo, North Dakota

- October 6-8 -- Mid-Atlantic States VHF Conference
<http://packratvhf.com>, Bensalem, Pennsylvania

- October 7 -- South Carolina Section Convention
<http://www.ycars.org>, Rock Hill, South Carolina

- October 7-8 -- Great Lakes Division Convention <http://GLHamCon.org>,
Brooklyn, Michigan

- October 13-14 -- Florida State Convention <http://www.pcars.org>,
Melbourne, Florida

- October 14 -- Pacific Northwest VHF Society Conference
<http://pnwvhfs.org>, Moses Lake, Washington

- October 20-22 -- Pacific Division Convention
<http://www.pacificon.org>, San Ramon, California

- October 21 -- Wisconsin ARES/RACES Conference
<http://www.wi-aresraces.org/>, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin

- October 22 -- Connecticut State Convention
<http://nutmeghamfest.com>, Meriden, Connecticut

- October 28 -- Arizona State Convention <http://copahams.org>,
Maricopa, Arizona

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

ARRL -- Your One-Stop Resource for
Amateur Radio News and Information.

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