‰  NOW 18 WPM transition file follows‰

Solar activity remains very low. Over the past two weeks only four
days had visible sunspots, so average daily sunspot numbers went
from 6.7 in last weeks report to 1.6 this week.  Average daily solar
flux remained the same, moving only from 67.4 to 67.5. Geomagnetic
activity was also flat, with average daily planetary A index
changing from 5 to 4.9, and average daily mid latitude A index from
5.7 to 5.1.  Predicted solar flux over the next 45 days is also
flat, with solar flux at 68 on July 5 to 12, 67 on July 13 to 19, 68
on July 20 through August 3, 69 on August 4 and 5, 68 on August 6
and 7, 67 on August 8 to 15, and 68 on August 16 to 18.  Predicted
planetary A index is 18 and 10 on July 5 and 6, 5 on July 7 and 8,
then 10, 15, 12 and 8 on July 9 to 12, 5 on July 13 through August
1, 8 on August 2, 5 on August 3 to 5, 8 on August 6 and 7, and 5 on
August 8 to 18.  Solar wind will intensify on July 5 to 7, 8 and 9,
10 and 11, 17 to 19, 22 to 24.  Next Geomagnetic activity forecast
will be issued on July 18.  Spaceweather.com reported this week that
a sunspot from new, or next, Solar Cycle 25 appeared briefly on July
1. This is based on the polarity of the sunspot, which was visible
so briefly that it was not assigned a number, opposite from spots
from current Solar Cycle 24.  So far Solar Cycle 25 sunspots
appeared on December 20, 2016, April 8 and November 17, 2018, May 28
and July 1, 2018.  Several months ago some new solar cycle
predictions were published.  Note there is no expectation for
another Maunder Minimum.  The article can be found on,
//spaceweatherarchive.com .  On July 1 K1HTV made what may be the
first documented Trans Atlantic 50 MHz 2 way contacts using the new
FT4 mode. At 1854Z the first FT4 QSO was completed with F5SSD and 5
minutes later, with IZ8WGU.  Wayne, W2ZDP in Clinton, North Carolina
reports, on 7/1/19, starting about 1400Z, when I first noticed it at
my location in FM04, 6 meter FT8 was like 20 meter FT8, with Europe
coming in all day long, lasting until about 2000Z Im sure that Im
not the only one to comment on this but I only have a modest 6 meter
station, 100 watts to a 4 element beam at 30 feet. I have never
witnessed such a prolific opening to Europe since I moved from FN02
to FM04.  When was all said and done, I managed to work 14 countries
and 22 grids. This would have been a normal day on 17 meters but on
6.  Spectacular.  For more information concerning radio propagation,
see the ARRL Technical Information Service web page.  A detailed
explanation of numbers used in this bulletin is also available on
this site.  An archive of past propagation bulletins is also
available.  Monthly propagation charts between four USA regions and
twelve overseas locations can be found on the ARRL/Propagation web
page.  Find better information and tutorials on propagation on the
K9LA web site.  The multiple websites mentioned in this bulletin can
be found in teleprinter, packet, and Internet versions of 2019
Propagation Forecast Bulletin ARLP027.  Sunspot numbers were 11, 0,
0, 0, 0, 0, and 0, with a mean of 1.6. 10.7 cm flux was 67, 68.1,
67.6, 67.4, 68.2, 67.3, and 66.9, with a mean of 67.5. Estimated
planetary A indices were 4, 4, 3, 4, 9, 5, and 5, with a mean of
4.9. Middle latitude A index was 4, 5, 3, 3, 10, 5, and 6, with a
mean of 5.1.

‰  END OF 18 WPM transition file ƒ