‰ Now 18 WPM transition file follows ‰

Sworn into office November 4, Tom Wheeler, the new FCC chairman, has
named current Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Chief Ruth Milkman
as his chief of staff. Replacing Milkman as acting Wireless Bureau
chief will be Roger Sherman, a communications attorney with strong
links to the Democratic Party. The WTB oversees Amateur Radio within
the FCC. Sherman previously served as the Democratic Chief Counsel
to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and as Democratic
Staff Director to its Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
During the 111th Congress from 2009 to 2011, Sherman was chief
counsel for communications, technology, and the Internet. He
previously served on the staffs of US Representative Henry Waxman
and US Senator Alan Cranston. Earlier he was an attorney at Sprint
Corporation and at the firm of Wiley, Rein.  w1aw 2013/2014 winter
operating schedule.  w1aw transmits morning fast and slow code
practice Tuesday through Friday at 1400z, or 9 am est.  visitor
operations are Monday through Friday, at 1500 to 1700z, or 10 AM to
12 PM EST, and then from 1800 to 2045z, or 1 PM to 345 PM EST.  the
revolving schedule of code practices and bulletins, both digital and
phone, begin Monday through Friday at 2100z, or 4 PM EST, until
0500z, or 12 AM EST.  Audio from W1AWs CW code practices, CW/digital
bulletins and phone bulletin is available using EchoLink via the
W1AW Conference Server named W1AWBDCT.  The audio is sent in real
time and runs concurrently with W1AWs regular transmission schedule.
All users who connect to the conference server are muted.  Please
note that any questions or comments about this server should not be
sent via the Text window in EchoLink. Please direct any questions or
comments to w1aw at arrl.org.  The complete w1aw operating schedule
may be found on page 36 in the November 2013 issue of QST or from
the W1AW web page at, www.arrl.org/w1aw .  Its been a lively couple
of weeks, with plenty of sunspots and great HF propagation.  The
average daily sunspot number for the week was 161.6, unchanged from
last weeks average of 162. Solar flux values were up quite a bit
though, rising from 139.6 to 158.3, quite a healthy jump.  On
October 26 the Penticton solar flux reading was 171.8, but NOAA
downgraded it to 165, probably because the higher value was an
outlier caused by solar events overloading the receivers at
Penticton.  Just before ARRL CW Sweepstakes this weekend, predicted
daily solar flux for the near term is 140 on November 1, 135 on
November 2, 130 on November 3 and 4, 135 on November 5, 140 on
November 6 to 8, then 105, 110, 120, 125, 130 and 135 on November 9
to 14, 140 on November 15 to 18, 145 on November 19, 150 on November
20 and 21, with flux values peaking at 155 on November 22 to 25,
then dropping to a minimum of 105 on December 6.  Stable geomagnetic
conditions are predicted for Sweepstakes weekend, with a predicted
planetary A index at 5 on November 1 to 6, 8 on November 7 and 8, 5
on November 9, then 12, 15, 10 and 8 on November 10 to 13, 5 on
November 14 to 25, 8 on November 26 and 27, 5 on November 28 through
December 6, and 12, 15, 10 and 8 on December 7 to 10.  Sunspot
numbers were 148, 148, 171, 206, 155, 171, and 132, with a mean of
161.6. 10.7 cm flux was 160.6, 161.4, 165, 166.9, 159.9, 152.6, and
141.9, with a mean of 158.3.  Estimated planetary A indices were 3,
3, 3, 3, 3, 6, and 12, with a mean of 4.7. Estimated mid latitude A
indices were 2, 3, 3, 2, 2, 3, and 10, with a mean of 3.6.

‰ End of 18 WPM transition file ‰