‰ Now 18 WPM transition file follows ‰

Solar indicators barely moved this week, with average daily sunspot
numbers up 5.8 points to 85.4, and average daily solar flux down 2.4
points to 107.3.  Predicted solar flux for the next week is low,
with the predicted average for Thursday, August 8 through Wednesday,
August 14 at 104.9, a little lower than the 107.3 average for this
past week.  Solar flux is predicted at 105 on August 9 to 16, 110 on
August 17 and 18, 105 on August 19 to 24, 110 on August 25 to 28,
115 on August 29, 105 on August 30 through September 2, 110 on
September 3 and 4, and 115 on September 5 to 12.  Predicted
planetary A index is 10, 22, 25, 12 and 5 on August 9 to 13, 12 on
August 14 and 15, 5 on August 16 to 20, then 10, 15 and 10 on August
21 to 23, 5 on August 24 to 30, then 12, 17, 8, 5 and 8 on August 31
through September 4, 5 on September 5 to 9, and 8 on September 10
and 11.  OK1HH predicts the geomagnetic field will be quiet to
unsettled August 9, quiet to active August 10 and 11, mostly quiet
August 12, quiet on August 13, active to disturbed August 14, mostly
quiet August 15 to 17, quiet to unsettled August 18, mostly quiet
August 19, quiet August 20, quiet to unsettled August 21, active to
disturbed August 22, quiet to unsettled August 23, quiet to active
August 24, quiet August 25 to 30, and active to disturbed August 31.
In recent bulletin ARLP024 we noted that the site for downloading
W6ELprop had a bad link, and then referenced an ftp site.  Now that
ftp site requires a login, so the best place to find W6ELprop is via
K9LA.  Go to //www.k9la.us and click on Tutorials and note the
W6ELPropInst270 link.  Many emails arrived this week concerning the
suns 180 degree flip in magnetic polarity, upcoming at the solar
cycle peak.  Thanks to K9TF, K6HI, K3MJ, WB0OEW and M0VNG among
others for the heads up.  Roland Anders, K3RA told us recently about
some experiences with unexpected propagation on 15 meters.  On
August 6, he sent this, The antenna is a 3 element SteppIR at 50
feet, DB18 with two trombones for 40/30.  As for Lawyers Hill, it is
not all that high above sea level, about 200 feet, but I have a
pretty sharp drop off NE to South.  The terrain is not all that high
here, about 200 feet, and the land rises steadily to the NNW and
around to SW.  But to the NE to South it drops off very steadily
from my antenna for miles,.  So it is a relatively good location.
On Saturday August 3 I worked about 25 Pacific/Asia stations, YB,
JA, XV, DU, UA9, VK8, from 1210 UTC til 1350 UTC on 15 meters.  I
moved to 17 meters at 1430 UTC which was wide open to Europe, and
also worked a couple JAs there at 1500 UTC.  At about 1600 UTC I
heard a weak SM station in QSO with another European station on 12
meters.  I called CQ and worked about 40 European stations until I
quit at 1815 UTC.  I dont know how much longer 12 meters was open
from East Coast USA to Europe.  During that time I worked stations
from F to 4X, and as far north as SM and south to CU3.  Monthly
propagation charts between four USA regions and twelve overseas
locations are at //arrl.org/propagation.  Instructions for starting
or ending email distribution of ARRL bulletins are at
//arrl.org/bulletins.  Sunspot numbers were 88, 112, 104, 75, 59,
61, and 99, with a mean of 85.4. 10.7 cm flux was 112.1, 112.9,
107.3, 104.8, 104.3, 103.9, and 105.5, with a mean of 107.3.
Estimated planetary A indices were 5, 4, 5, 16, 16, 7, and 4, with a
mean of 8.1.  Estimated mid latitude A indices were 4, 3, 6, 11, 11,
6, and 6, with a mean of 6.7.

‰ End of 18 WPM transition file ‰