Subj : 2 The ARRL Letter for November 30, 2017 To : all From : mark lewis Date : Sat Dec 02 2017 13:42:58 Statistics indicate that the Amateur Radio population in the UK has grown by approximately 10% over the past 5 years. According to telecommunications regulator Ofcom, as of the end of August 2017, there were 52,195 Full licensees, 9,739 Intermediate licensees, and 22,649 Foundation licensees. Figures recently released in response to a Freedom of Information request from Peter Bowyer, G4MJS, covered the period from June 2010 and August 2017. The statistics also show 803 Reciprocal licensees in June 2016. Overseas visitors do not need a Reciprocal license, if they are visiting the UK for up to 3 months from CEPT T/R 61-01 signatory countries such as the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or CEPT signatories in Europe. Ofcom previously issued Reciprocal license holders with call signs that were indistinguishable from Full license call signs; Ofcom now uses the term "Full (Temporary Reciprocal) Licence." In response to a Freedom of Information request for a list of available (unassigned) Amateur Radio call signs from Derek Flewin, 2W0FLW, Ofcom responded, "We no longer hold a list of available Amateur Radio call signs, as we now use a system that randomly allocates call signs upon request." ARISS has announced that the MAI-75 Slow-Scan (SSTV) system on the ISS will be on the air starting on December 5 at around 1500 UTC and continuing until December 6 at 0900 UTC, transmitting test images on 145.800 MHz FM that should be available worldwide. SSTV activity on December 7 and 8 is scheduled to occur at times when the ISS is above Moscow. In the past images have been sent in PD180 mode, with a 3-minute off time between each image. The SSTV system is in the Russian Service Module of the International Space Station (ISS). -- Thanks to ARISS SKYWARN(TM) Recognition Day (SRD) takes place on Saturday, December 2, from 0000 until 2400 UTC (starts on the evening of Friday, December 1, in US time zones). During the SKYWARN Special Event, operators at stations set up in National Weather Service (NWS) offices will contact radio amateurs around the world. Participating stations will exchange a brief description of their current weather with as many NWS-based stations as possible on 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6, and 2 meters, plus 70 centimeters. Repeater contacts are permitted. SRD was developed jointly in 1999 by the NWS and ARRL to celebrate the contributions SKYWARN volunteers make to the NWS mission -- the protection of life and property. ____________________________________________________________________________ The K7RA Solar Update Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: The outlook for the near term shows solar flux at 72, 71, and 69 for November 30-December 2, 68 on December 3-6; 70 and 71 on December 7-8; 72 on December 9-12; 74 on December 13; 75 on December 14-16; 74 on December 17; 73 on December 18-20; 74 on December 21-22; 76 on December 23-29; 72 on December 30-31; 70 on January 1-3; 71 on January 4; 72 on January 5-8; 74 on January 9; 75 on January 10-12, and 74 on January 13. The predicted planetary A index is 10, 6, 5, and 5 on November 30-December 3; 32, 36, 18, 20, and 10 on December 4-8; 5 on December 9-10; 12, 15, 12, and 8 on December 11-14; 5 on December 15-16; 8, 25, and 10 on December 17-19; 8 on December 20-21; 5 on December 22-23; 15 on December 24; 12 on December 25-27; 8 on December 28; 5 on December 29-30; 35, 40, 28, 20, and 10 on December 31-January 4; 5 on January 5-6; 12, 15, 12, 8, and 5 on January 7-11, and 8 on January 12-13. Sunspot numbers for November 23 through 29, 2017 were 0, 0, 13, 15, 15, 14, and 12, with a mean of 9.9. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 72.4, 74.1, 74.3, 75.5, 73.6, 71.9, and 72.6, with a mean of 73.5. Estimated planetary A indices were 9, 10, 7, 3, 5, 8, and 5, with a mean of 6.7. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 7, 8, 4, 2, 4, 6, and 4, with a mean of 5. Send me your reports and observations. ____________________________________________________________________________ Getting It Right Ross Primrose, N4RP, took issue with our awkward and ambiguous wording of a sentence in the story "International Grid Chase Will Allow Use of 630 and 2200 Meters" in the November 16 edition of The ARRL Letter. We should have said, "If UTC does not respond within 30 days or does not specifically deny access, these stations may commence operation there." The announcement for the 2017 ARRL 10 Meter Contest, as published in November 2017 QST (p. 94) contains incorrect information. Participants may choose to operate CW, Phone, or Mixed. Stations in the Mixed category may work stations on both modes for contact credit -- i.e., once on CW, and once on phone. ____________________________________________________________________________ Just Ahead in Radiosport * December 1-3 -- ARRL 160-Meter Contest (CW) * December 2 -- Wake-Up! QRP Sprint (CW) * December 2-3 -- TOPS Activity Contest (CW) * December 2-3 -- EPC Ukraine DX Contest (Digital) * December 3 -- Ten-Meter RTTY Contest * December 3 -- SARL Digital Contest * December 5 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW) * December 7 -- 1.8 QRP ARCI Topband Sprint (CW) * December 7 -- NRAU 10-Meter Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital) See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. For in-depth reporting on Amateur Radio contesting, subscribe to The ARRL Contest Update via your ARRL member profile e-mail preferences. ____________________________________________________________________________ Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions * December 2 -- Arkansas DX Association's 50th Anniversary Convention, North Little Rock, Arkansas * December 8-9 -- West Central Florida Section Convention, Plant City, Florida * January 6 -- New York City-Long Island Section Convention, Brookville, New York * January 13 -- Georgia ARES Convention, Forsyth, Georgia * January 19-20 -- North Texas Section Convention, Forest Hill, Texas * January 20 -- GARS TECHFEST Convention, Lawrenceville, Georgia * January 21-27 -- Quartzfest Convention, Quartzsite, Arizona * January 26-27 -- Delta Division Convention, Jackson, Mississippi Find conventions and hamfests in your area. ____________________________________________________________________________ ARRL -- Your One-Stop Resource for Amateur Radio News and Information. * Join or Renew Today! 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