= NOW 18 WPM transition file follows =

The FCC Universal Licensing System has resumed operations, including
the Electronic Batch Filing system.  As of June 27, 2023, all
systems have been reported to be working.  However, visitors to the
website will see a message referring them to Public Notice DA 23 529
for additional information and guidance on filing deadline
extensions.  The systems were first reported unavailable on June 9,
2023. On Friday afternoon, June 23, the EBF system was restored. All
VEC organizations use that system for filing exam sessions,
individual applications, and club license applications. ARRL VEC
staff worked late into Friday night to ensure all backlogged
sessions and application files were transmitted to the FCC before
the weekend.  Approximately 350 backlogged files were successfully
submitted to and processed by the FCC before the systems normal
shutdown at 8 PM.  Sunspot numbers and solar flux rose this week.
There were two new sunspot groups on June 15, another on June 17 and
one more on June 18, three more on June 19, two more on June 20 and
another on June 21.  Average daily sunspot number increased from 122
to 143, and average daily solar flux rose from 154.8 to 165.4.
Average daily planetary A index jumped from 5.7 to 15.4, while the
middle latitude numbers increased from 6.7 to 13.1.  Predicted solar
flux is 180 on June 23 and 24, 185 on June 25 to 27, 180 on June 28,
175 on June 29 through July 1, 180 on July 2 and 3, 175 on July 4
and 5, 170 on July 6 to 10, then 165 on July 11, 160 on July 12 and
13, 165 on July 14 and 15, 160 and 155 on July 16 and 17, 160 on
July 18 and 19, 165 on July 20 to 24, 170 on July 25, 175 on July 26
to 28, and 180 on July 29 and 30.  Predicted planetary A index is
14, 10 and 8 on June 23 to 25, then 5, 5, and 12 on June 26 to 28,
then 5, 5, and 12 again on June 29 through July 1, 8 on July 2, 5 on
July 3 to 7, 12 on July 8, 5 on July 9 to 11, then a dramatic
increase to 20 and 30 on July 12 and 13, 8 on July 14 and 15, and 12
on July 16 and 17, 10 on July 18, 5 on July 19 to 23, 12 on July 24
and 25, 5 on July 26 and 27, 12 and 8 on July 28 and 29, and 5 on
July 30 through August 3.  Geomagnetic numbers are a bit more
unsettled than what was shown in last weeks bulletin, which had an A
index of 5 for Friday through Sunday. The latest shows 14, 10 and 8.
Predicted solar flux looks excellent, at 180, 180 and 185.  Another
report from South Asia regarding solar flares as some sort of
existential threat.  Dont worry. Nothing terrifying about what they
report, but there is a nice description of what the SOHO observatory
does.  One report can be found on //bit.ly/, and the other at,
//soho.nascom.nasa.gov .  Thanks to Spaceweather.com for this
fascinating article about setting up a personal space weather
station.  It is under the heading, A New Way To Detect Solar Flares,
//essd.copernicus.org/articles/15/1403/2023/ For more information
concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL Technical Information
Service web page.  A detailed explanation of the numbers used in
this bulletin is also available on this site.  An archive of past
propagation bulletins is also available.  The multiple websites
mentioned in this bulletin can be found in teleprinter, packet, and
Internet versions of 2023 Propagation Forecast Bulletin ARLP025.
//www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/tis/info/pdf/0209038.pdf
Sunspot numbers were 112, 120, 110, 133, 181, 155, and 190, with a
mean of 143. 10.7 cm flux was 153.1, 157.2, 158.1, 164.1, 168.8,
180.1, and 176.4, with a mean of 165.4.  Estimated planetary A
indices were 24, 38, 8, 10, 10, 10, and 8, with a mean of 15.4.
Middle latitude A index was 17, 24, 8, 12, 9, 13, and 9, with a mean
of 13.1.

= END OF 18 WPM transition file <