The ARRL Letter for July 27, 2017

[ARRL Web site]

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

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

July 27, 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

- ARRL President Issues Call for Members to Reach Out to their Senators
to Support S. 1534
- ARRL Publishes its 2016 Annual Report
- ARRL Contest Rule Changes, Clarifications Reflect "Best Practices" in
Radiosport
- The Doctor Will See You Now!
- ARISS Reports ISS Packet System is Down
- Friedrichshafen's Ham Radio Attendance Holds Steady
- Oklahoma Radio Amateur is First to Score Satellite VUCC from
Greenland
- Royal Mint to Welcome Amateur Radio
- In Brief...
- Getting It Right!
- The K7RA Solar Update
- Just Ahead in Radiosport
- Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions

==> ARRL PRESIDENT ISSUES CALL FOR MEMBERS TO REACH OUT TO THEIR
SENATORS TO SUPPORT S. 1534

ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, is calling on League members to
urge their US Senators to support the Amateur Radio Parity Act
<http://www.arrl.org/amateur-radio-parity-act> of 2017, S. 1534. ARRL
has opened a RallyCongress page
<https://arrl.rallycongress.net/ctas/urge-us-senate-to-support-amateur-radio-parity-act>

to simplify the task.

"[W]e are at a crossroad in our efforts to obtain passage of The
Amateur Radio Parity Act," Roderick said. He said the campaign to
secure passage of the bill scored a major victory earlier this year
when H.R. 555 passed unanimously in the US House of Representatives.
Obtaining passage of the companion Senate bill, S. 1534, is the final
legislative hurdle.

"Now is the time for all hams to get involved in the process!" Roderick
said. "Many of you already live in deed-restricted communities, and
that number grows daily."

He urged radio amateurs now restricted by a homeowners association from
installing effective outdoor antennas to visit the RallyCongress site
and e-mail their two US senators. He also encouraged those not
currently affected by deed covenants, conditions, and restrictions
(CC&Rs) to support their fellow radio amateurs by doing the same.

"If you want to help create an opportunity -- not available before
now -- for Amateurs who live in deed-restricted communities to install
effective outdoor antennas on property that you own or lease, send
these e-mails today!" Roderick said. "We need you to reach out to your
senators today. Right away."

S. 1534 was introduced in the US Senate on July 12, marking another
step forward for this landmark legislation. Senators Roger Wicker
(R-MS) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) are the Senate sponsors. The
measure will, for the first time, guarantee all radio amateurs living
in deed-restricted communities governed by a homeowners association
(HOA) or subject to any private land-use regulations, the right to
erect and maintain effective outdoor antennas at their homes, while
protecting the aesthetic concerns of HOAs.

==> ARRL PUBLISHES ITS 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

Following the meeting last weekend of the ARRL Board of Directors, ARRL
announces the release of its 2016 Annual Report
<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/About%20ARRL/Annual%20Reports/ARRL%202016%20Annual%20Report.pdf>.

This year's report departs from past reports in that it focuses on the
people who make up ARRL and the larger Amateur Radio community. More
than 140 call signs appear in the report, and more than 80 of these
call signs belong not to ARRL Headquarters staff or Board members, but
rather, to ARRL members.

In his letter, CEO Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, writes about "the people of
ARRL: the Board, the staff, the membership, the various volunteers
arrayed across the country, by our patrons and donors, by our served
agencies, and by the Amateur Radio community, writ large. These are the
people of ARRL, and here are their stories. This annual report
celebrates their contribution and tells the stories of how each of them
labors mightily, every day, to advance the art, the science, and the
enjoyment of Amateur Radio."

Reflecting on his experiences this past year, ARRL President Rick
Roderick, K5UR, in his Annual Report message reminds members that they
make the difference: "The initiatives you will read about in this
report show hams bringing people into Amateur Radio in new ways, and
from points of entry that maybe you hadn't thought of: college clubs,
citizen science, and Maker Faires. Hams just like you are making these
things happen."

There is extensive coverage of major events like National Parks on the
Air (NPOTA), and a discussion of why NPOTA worked so well. Four pages
are devoted to Amateur Radio's contribution to emergency preparedness
in communities around the country.

The 2016 Annual Report was created by ARRL editorial staff under the
direction of QST Managing Editor Becky Schoenfeld, W1BXY. QST Assistant
Editors Jen Glifort and Caroline Kenney researched and wrote most of
the text, with some stories contributed by ARRL Digital Media Support
Specialist Alli McLellan. Schoenfeld engaged a freelance designer for
the project, who created an exciting and highly readable layout in full
color, to highlight the stunning color photography and graphics.

Members are encouraged to download and read the Annual Report
<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/About%20ARRL/Annual%20Reports/ARRL%202016%20Annual%20Report.pdf>

on the ARRL website. Set Adobe Reader to its two-page viewing mode to
better view the larger layout. An archive
<http://www.arrl.org/annual-reports> of past annual reports is also
available.

==> ARRL CONTEST RULE CHANGES, CLARIFICATIONS REFLECT "BEST PRACTICES"
IN RADIOSPORT

Just ahead of the 2017-2018 contest season, ARRL has announced rule
changes and clarifications
<http://www.arrl.org/arrl-contests-changes-for-2017-2018> to
League-sponsored contests. These include an improved process for
submitting logs and reporting scores. Unless otherwise noted, these
changes become effective starting with the September VHF Contest.

"These changes reflect current 'best practices' in the contest
community and help us improve the quality of the competition and
reporting of results," ARRL Contest Branch Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ,
said. "For example, getting the log data into log checking more quickly
will allow us to post preliminary results online for nearly all
contests."

Log Submission

Log submission in the "General Rules for All Contests" has been
simplified and revised. Individual contest rules will no longer include
a log-submission section.

- Online log submission: Except for the EME and 10 GHz and Up contests,
electronic logs should be submitted through the web app
<http://contest-log-submission.arrl.org/>. E-mail log-handling "robots"
will continue to operate until they can no longer properly handle the
logs without revision. They will then be deactivated and submitters
redirected to the web app.
- Log submission deadline: Effective immediately, except for the 222
MHz and Up Distance Contest (2 weeks) and the EME and 10 GHz and Up
contests (30 days), the log submission deadline for ARRL HF contests
will be 5 days from the end of the contest (this includes the IARU HF
Championship). For ARRL VHF contests, the log submission deadline will
be 10 days from the end of the contest. An extension may be requested,
explaining the necessity to the ARRL Contest Branch Manager, at any
time before the submission deadline.
- Logged frequency: HF contest entries competing for awards as category
leaders are encouraged to specify frequency with 1 kHz resolution.

Logs used for log checking will be posted for public inspection. ARRL
will continue to accept paper logs, but these are only eligible for
awards at the discretion of the Contest Branch Manager. Logs may be
withdrawn up to 10 days following the log submission deadline.

Club Competition

The new toolset for clubs to comply with the Club Competition rules
(Section 8 of the General Rules for All ARRL Contests
<http://www.arrl.org/general-rules-for-all-arrl-contests>) has been
very well received. For more information and tools for submitting your
club's eligibility list, visit the Contest Club Competition -- Club
Eligibility Changes <http://www.arrl.org/contest-club-tools> page.

Log-Checking Penalties

Penalties for "zero-point" contacts, such as US-to-US contacts in the
ARRL DX, will not be assessed during log checking. Operators may
continue to log and submit zero-point contacts.

Remote Entries

Acting as the control operator for a remotely controlled station
<http://www.arrl.org/contest-remote-station-operation> in the US or its
possessions requires that the operator hold a US license and have
sufficient privileges for all operation. CEPT/IARP reciprocal operating
authority does not include remote control of a US station. If another
operator acts as the on-site control operator, the entry must be in a
multioperator category. The location for the entry will be the location
of the station, not the operator.

Operating Rules

Multiple in-band CQing: Maintaining two or more frequencies to solicit
contacts (i.e., "run") on the same band and mode is prohibited. (The
IARU HF Championship and the ARRL 10 Meter Contest prohibit this
practice, regardless of mode.)

Call sign and ARRL November Sweepstakes exchange: The station's call
sign must be sent as part of the exchange, e.g., "W1AW, number 123,
Alpha, W9JJ, 79, Connecticut."

US operators in Canada: The reciprocal operating treaty between the US
and Canada requires that the call sign be sent with the Canadian prefix
following the call sign, e.g., W9JJ/VE1.

Single Operator, FM Only: Cabrillo QSO lines must specify FM as the
mode for all FM contacts.

For more information, contact <w9...@arrl.org> the Contest Branch
Manager.

==> THE DOCTOR WILL SEE YOU NOW!

"Power Supplies" is the topic of the current (July 20) 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: "Keys and Keyers."

==> ARISS REPORTS ISS PACKET SYSTEM IS DOWN

The aging Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS
<http://www.ariss.org/>) packet system on 145.825 MHz appears to have
stopped functioning altogether, after experiencing some recent
problems, and restoring it to operation could take months. ARISS
International Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, said the packet system,
located in the Columbus module, started to act up late last week,
sending only a beacon.

"The ARISS team requested a power recycle by the crew, and with that
power recycle, the packet system appears to have stopped functioning
completely," Bauer said in a news release. "Note that this unit has
been on orbit for 17 years. It was launched on the STS-106 Space
Shuttle Atlantis mission in September 2000 and was built, tested, and
certified for flight about 20 years ago."

Bauer said the ARISS team has had extensive discussions on how to
resolve the problem, starting with some additional troubleshooting with
the existing packet module. He said it would take weeks just to develop
the required troubleshooting procedures and have NASA approve them,
before conducting tests with the ISS crew. This would include an
additional power cycle, he said.

"The turnaround time is much longer than usual, because a new crew
will soon be arriving on ISS," Bauer explained. "The current crew is
focused on the new crew arrival, and there will be about a 1- to 2-week
transition after the new crew arrives. On the positive side, one aspect
of our troubleshooting -- a second power cycle -- will occur
automatically, because ARISS is shut down during crew docking and
turned on afterwards." Bauer said troubleshooting would extend beyond
this reboot, however.

Additional plans with alternative solutions are under discussion within
the ARISS team, and all approaches will require coordination within the
ARISS International team, development of additional procedures, and
involvement of the crew, Bauer said.

"People who have carefully followed ISS operations know that crew time
continues to evolve with the more extensive research that is occurring
on board," Bauer added. "Suffice it to say, it will take longer than
what it has taken in the past to work through this issue."

Bauer said ARISS wants to set realistic expectations on how long it
could take to fix the ISS packet system problem. "At this point, expect
a few months with no ARISS packet," he said. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/ariss-reports-iss-packet-system-is-down>

==> FRIEDRICHSHAFEN'S HAM RADIO ATTENDANCE HOLDS STEADY

Despite being held in a different month and at the height of the
tourist season, Germany's Ham Radio
<http://www.hamradio-friedrichshafen.de/ham-en/> 2017 -- more popularly
known by its location, Friedrichshafen -- remained as popular as ever
this year. This was the 42nd annual Ham Radio, and the Friedrichshafen
Fairground reported that Ham Radio and the concurrent Maker Faire
Bodensee (Lake Constance) attracted 17,110 visitors this year, compared
to 17,230 last year. Heading up the ARRL contingent were President Rick
Roderick, K5UR, and International Affairs Vice President Jay Bellows,
K0QB. ARRL Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, said the League
puts in an appearance at Friedrichshafen each year, greeting
international members, which number more than 9,000, and networking
with other national radio societies.

"ARRL is held in high regard by the international Amateur Radio
community, and there were many, many compliments shared with our team
for ARRL's good work," Inderbitzen reported. He said a German radio
amateur donated to the ARRL Spectrum Defense Fund
<http://www.arrl.org/spectrum-defense-fund>, citing the League's
spectrum advocacy efforts.

ARRL also supports DXCC card checking, which was supported by
Radiosport Manager Norm Fusaro, W3IZ, and volunteer card checkers from
a half-dozen countries.

International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 (IARU R1
<https://www.iaru-r1.org/>) President Don Beattie, G3BJ, delivered an
opening address
<https://www.iaru-r1.org/images/PR_Communications/FHN-opening-address---G3BJ.pdf>

at the convention. IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA, Secretary
David Sumner, K1ZZ, and Beattie, also discussed IARU's efforts in a
presentation
<https://www.iaru-r1.org/images/PR_Communications/FHN-presentation-v6.pdf>,
"Working for the Future of Amateur Radio."

Hamvention® General Chair Ron Cramer, KD8ENJ, expressed some envy about
the event, sometimes called "Europe's Dayton."

"Ham Radio is a very good event that is extremely well organized,"
Cramer said. "I wish that we had exhibition halls in Dayton that are as
beautiful as the ones here in Friedrichshafen. A lot of Amateur Radio
operators come to Dayton and to Friedrichshafen, and we want to support
one another. After all, all events of this kind are important."

Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (DARC) Chair Steffen Schöppe, DL7ATE, said
DARC was "very pleased" with Ham Radio 2017. "Visitors showed great
interest in the World Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC 2018), got a
lot of information about it, and some also want to stop by the
competition in Jessen to get a look at the event itself." WRTC 2018
Organizing Committee President Chris Janssen, DL1MGB, spoke at Ham
Radio's official opening. In addition to an indoor booth, WRTC 2018
erected a WRTC-style portable station in the courtyard. WRTC 2018 will
take place next July in Germany, in conjunction with the IARU HF
Championship.

Schöppe said the international youth forum at Ham Radio 2017 was
also very successful, and "the participants had a lot of fun." IARU
Region 1 Youth Working Group Chair Lisa Leenders, PA2LS, reported
<http://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php/94-youth/1690-international-youth-meeting-and-yota-flag-hand-over-at-ham-radio>

that she welcomed "an enthusiastic group of young people and youth
workers" to the Ham Radio youth forum. Ham Camp at Friedrichshafen
hosted more than 100 participants, mostly young people.

Just ahead of next month's Youngsters on the Air (YOTA
<https://www.ham-yota.com/>) "YOTA UK" international summer camp, the
official YOTA flag was carried from the booth of 2016 host, Austria's
OeVSV <http://www.oevsv.at/> to the booth of 2017 host, the Radio
Society of Great Britain (RSGB <http://rsgb.org>), to "loud cheering of
a group of youngsters." YOTA UK 2017 is August 5-12 in London.

Ham Radio 2018 and Maker Faire Bodensee will return the first weekend
of June 2018 -- much earlier than usual and some 6 weeks in advance of
WRTC 2018.

==> OKLAHOMA RADIO AMATEUR IS FIRST TO SCORE SATELLITE VUCC FROM
GREENLAND

It took just 4 days -- some of that time without much sleep -- but ARRL
member Gabe Zeifman, NJ7H/VE6NJH, of Oklahoma City recently became the
first radio amateur to earn VUCC <http://www.arrl.org/vucc> -- working
100 grid squares -- by satellite from Greenland. In fact, his is the
first VUCC award of any kind from Greenland. A relatively new licensee,
Zeifman, 22, has managed to activate more than 300 grid squares via
satellite, as well as nearly 20 DXCC entities. Apart from the operating
accomplishment, Zeifman told ARRL, he was attempting to inspire
newcomers.

"I thought it could get more people interested in satellites in general
-- VUCC is very achievable for anyone -- and could also get more people
interested in roving," said Zeifman, who began training this week to
become an air traffic controller. "I was overwhelmed by the support I
got; it was really astonishing the number of people that helped!" He
said one operator activated eight grids for him, while others who don't
typically rove, visited at least one neighboring grid square to give
him a new one.

"It was really cool to see our community throughout the world come
together to help in this goal," he said. "I really first envisioned
this idea when I realized I had nearly 70 grids confirmed from Iceland,
and I thought 'hmm, OX [Greenland] is an even better location; I bet
it's possible.'"

Zeifman said he prefers the linear-transponder satellites, such as
SO-50, rather than the FM satellites. He said he may one day get into
HF more seriously, but, for now, he finds VHF/UHF/SHF "more
fascinating."

He said the trip to Greenland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands with his
mother and his sister, was "fantastic," although, he noted, "they may
have sometimes been annoyed by my getting up at 3 AM or several times
in the night to work passes." Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/oklahoma-radio-amateur-is-first-to-score-satellite-vucc-from-greenland>.


==> ROYAL MINT TO WELCOME AMATEUR RADIO

The Royal Mint Experience in Wales will host "The Royal Mint Radio
Experience," July 30 until August 5 at the Royal Mint's new visitor
center in Llantrisant, Wales. School children and members of the public
have been invited to enjoy a fun, informal, and interactive Amateur
Radio workshop. According to an announcement from the Radio Society of
Great Britain (RSGB), visitors will get the chance to use the FUNcube-1
CubeSat, launched in 2013 and used by schools and educational groups
around the world.

"We're delighted to be supporting this event, which will give visitors
to the Royal Mint a chance to experience the wonder of Amateur Radio
and satellite communication," said RSGB General Manager Steve Thomas,
M1ACB. "Amateur Radio has many links with the science, technology,
engineering, and maths (STEM) curriculum and can lead to rewarding
careers."

Members of RSGB, Barry Amateur Radio Society (BARS), and AMSAT-UK will
operate special event station GB4RME (GB 4 Royal Mint Experience);
Ofcom granted that call sign just for this event. RSGB Regional Manager
and BARS Chairman Glyn Jones, GW0ANA, said he believes this may be the
first time Amateur Radio has been allowed to operate from a Royal Mint
anywhere in the world. -- Thanks to RSGB

==> IN BRIEF...

New 222 MHz and Up Contest Debuts August 5-6 Weekend: ARRL's new 222
MHz and Up Distance Contest
<http://www.arrl.org/222-mhz-and-up-distance-contest> will debut on
August 5 at 1800 UTC and continue until the next day. This 24-hour
contest offers a wide range of entry categories, from FM, CW, and SSB
to digital modes. The object is to work as many stations as possible on
the 222 MHz through 241 GHz bands, using any allowable mode. A station
in a specific grid locator may be contacted from the same location only
once on each band, regardless of mode. Contacts on higher frequencies
earn more points, so expect plenty of activity from locations that
offer a height advantage. Check the rules update for club and team
competitions, and requirements to register teams before the contest.
The deadline to submit logs is 14 days following the contest -- August
20 at 1800 UTC in the case of this year's event.

AMSAT 2017 Space Symposium Issues First Call for Papers: AMSAT-NA is
seeking papers and poster presentation for its 2017 AMSAT Annual
Meeting and Space Symposium
<https://www.amsat.org/reno-nevada-to-host-2017-amsat-space-symposium-oct-27-29/>,

set for October 27-29 at the Silver Legacy Resort in Reno, Nevada.
Proposals for papers, symposium presentations, and poster presentations
are invited on any topic of interest to the Amateur Radio satellite
community. AMSAT requests tentative presentation titles as soon as
possible. Papers must be submitted by October 6 for inclusion in the
printed proceedings. Send <n8...@amsat.org> abstracts and papers to Dan
Schultz, N8FGV. -- Thanks to AMSAT News Service

One Radio Amateur is Part of New Crew Increment Heading to ISS:
European Space Agency (ESA) Astronaut Paolo Nespoli, IZ0JPA, NASA
astronaut Randy Bresnik, and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Ryazanskiy will
head to the International Space Station (ISS
<https://www.nasa.gov/station>) on July 28. They will launch from
Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Expedition 52/53 crew will spend
more than 4 months together aboard the orbital complex before returning
to Earth in December. After launching in their Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft,
the trio will travel for 6 hours before docking. Once the hatches
between the Soyuz and ISS open, Expedition 52 Commander Fyodor
Yurchikhin, RN3FI, and Flight Engineers Peggy Whitson, ex-KC5ZTD, and
Jack Fischer, K2FSH, will welcome the new crew members aboard. Their
arrival will double the population of the ISS. Expedition 52 will
continue work on hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology,
physical science, and Earth science aboard the ISS, NASA said.

Arecibo Observatory Ionospheric Heating Campaign Under Way: Arecibo
Observatory <http://www.naic.edu/> in Puerto Rico is conducting an
ionospheric heating campaign July 24-31, using HF. "The new Arecibo
ionosphere HF heater nominally transmits 600 kW net power and has a
unique Cassegrain dual-array antenna design that increases gain of
three crossed dipoles for each band, using the signature 1,000-foot
spherical dish reflector," explained Chris Fallen, KL3WX, a researcher
at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks HAARP facility. Arecibo was
expected to use 5.125 and 8.175 MHz, depending upon ionospheric
conditions. On July 25, Arecibo was transmitting on 5.095 MHz. Campaign
HF transmissions will be aimed directly upward, "so this is an
excellent opportunity to observe NVIS from a powerful transmitter in
Puerto Rico," Fallen suggested.

==> GETTING IT RIGHT!

In "Many Special Events Will Be on the Air to Mark the Total Solar
Eclipse in August," in the July 20 edition of The ARRL Letter, a
location was incorrect. The Southern Illinois University Amateur Radio
Club (SIUARC <http://w9uih.rso.siu.edu>) solar eclipse special event
station W9S, August 18-22, will operate from Carbondale, Illinois.

==> THE K7RA SOLAR UPDATE

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: All of the indicators we track fell
last week. Because there were no sunspots in 6 of the 7 days in the
July 20-26 reporting period, the average daily sunspot number dropped
from 26.6 to 1.7. Average daily solar flux declined from 85.9 to 69.7.
Average daily planetary A index dropped from 13 to 11.9, while the
mid-latitude A index went the opposite direction, from 10.9 to 12.9.

The latest predicted solar flux (as of July 26) shows 69, 70, 72, and
76 on July 27-30; 80 on July 31-August 2; 82 on August 3-11; 80 and 75
on August 12-13; 70 on August 14-25; 80 on August 26; 82 on August
27-September 1; 80 on September 2-4, and 82 on September 5-7.

The predicted planetary A index is 8 on July 27-28; 5, 6, 12, 10, and 8
on July 29-August 2; 5 on August 3-5; 25 and 10 on August 6-7; 5 on
August 8-15; 15 on August 17-18; 12 and 8 on August 19-20; 5 on August
21-31; 25, 10, and 8 on September 1-3, and 5 on September 4-9.

A reminder: the Solar Eclipse QSO Party (SEQP
<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/QST/This%20Month%20in%20QST/August2017/Silver.pdf>)

on Monday, August 21, 1400-2100 UTC, is a wide-ranging propagation
experiment intending to observe what happens when the Moon blocks
ionizing solar radiation from the ionosphere. It's sponsored by ARRL
and HamSCI.

Sunspot numbers for July 20 through 26, 2017 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 12,
and 0, with a mean of 1.7. 10.7-centimeter flux was 70.2, 69.4, 69.5,
70.6, 70.1, 69.8, and 68.6, with a mean of 69.7. Estimated planetary A
indices were 7, 14, 16, 14, 12, 9, and 11, with a mean of 11.9.
Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 6, 13, 18, 16, 13, 9, and 15,
with a mean of 12.9.

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

==> JUST AHEAD IN RADIOSPORT

- July 29 -- Feld Hell Sprint

- July 29-30 -- RSGB IOTA Contest (CW, phone)

- July 30 -- ARS Flight of the Bumblebees (CW)

- August 3 -- NRAU 10-Meter Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital)

- August 5 -- European HF Championship (CW, phone)

- August 5 -- WAB 144 MHz Low Power Phone

- August 5-6 -- North American QSO Party (CW)
<ncjweb.com/NAQP-Rules.pdf>

- August 5-6 -- ARRL 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest
<arrl.org/222-mhz-and-up-distance-contest>

- August 5-6 -- 10-10 International Summer Contest (CW, phone)

- August 6 -- SARL HF Phone Contest

- August 8 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)

- August 9 -- NAQCC CW Sprint

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

- July 27-30 -- Central States VHF Society Conference
<http://2017.csvhfs.org/>, Albuquerque, New Mexico

- August 4-5 -- South Texas Section Convention
<http://www.austinsummerfest.org/>, Austin, Texas

- August 4-6 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention
<http://pacificnwdxconvention.com/>, Spokane, Washington

- Aug 11-13 -- New Mexico State Convention
<https://dukecityhamfest.org/>, Albuquerque, New Mexico

- August 12 -- Delta Division Convention
<http://www.shreveporthamfest.com/>, Shreveport, Louisiana

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

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

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