= NOW 18 WPM transition file follows =

The US Senate confirmed Anna Gomez as the fifth commissioner of the
Federal Communications Commission on September 7, 2023. Gomez
thanked President Biden for the nomination and the Senate for her
confirmation.  I am grateful for the opportunity to serve, she said
in a statement on her LinkedIn page.  Gomez is an attorney with
decades of experience in domestic and international communications
law and policy. She served for 12 years in various positions at the
FCC, including Deputy Chief of the International Bureau and Senior
Legal Advisor. She most recently served as a Senior Advisor for
International Information and Communications Policy in the State
Departments Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, where she has
been leading US preparations for the month long World
Radiocommunication Conference 2023, or WRC 23, that will commence on
November 20 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.  Steve Lang will replace
Gomez as head of the US delegation to WRC 2023. Lang is a longtime
state department official serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary for
International Information and Communications Policy. Lang has been
working closely with Gomez on US WRC 2023 delegation preparations.
The ARRL, The National Association for Amateur Radio, has
represented the interests of US radio amateurs in preparation for
the conference, and ARRL Technical Relations Specialist Jon
Siverling, WB3ERA, has been appointed to the US delegation for WRC
23.  ARRL also actively supports the work of the International
Amateur Radio Union, which, as a member of the International
Telecommunication Union Radiocommunication Sector, participates in
conference preparatory work and whose representatives will also
attend WRC 23 by invitation as observers in an advisory capacity.
Information about WRC 23 can be found online at,
//www.iaru.org/spectrum/ .  Solar wind streams from a pair of
coronal holes are expected to mildly increase geomagnetic activity
at times during the interval late 22 September to 24 September.
Increased geomagnetic activity expected 22 to 24 september 2023.
Nine new sunspot groups appeared this week, but the averages were
lower.  A new sunspot group appeared every day from September 15 to
17, four more on September 18, and one each day on September 19 and
20.  On Thursday, the start of the next reporting week two more
sunspot groups appeared.  Average daily sunspot numbers declined
from 138.1 to 118.4, while average daily solar flux went from 159.9
to 149.3.  The Autumnal Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere occurs on
Saturday, September 23 at 250 AM EDT, or 0650z.  The change in
seasons has been evident recently with improving propagation on 10
and 12 meters.  A fast moving CME hit Earth on September 18,
sparking dramatic displays of aurora across the northern tier of
North America and in Europe as far south as France.  Alaskas college
A index was 49 and 61 on September 18 and 19, while the planetary A
index was 30 and 49.  Predicted solar flux is 162, 162 and 165 on
September 22 to 24, 160 on September 25 to 28, 135 on September 29
and 30, then 130, 135, 130 and 135 on October 1 to 4, 140 on October
5 and 6, 135 on October 7 and 8, then 140, 145 and 145 on October 9
to 11.  Then its 150, 150, 155 and 150 on October 12 to 15, and 155,
150, 145 and 145 on October 16 to 19, then 150, 150 and 145 on
October 20 to 22, 140 on October 23 and 24, 135 on October 25 to 27,
then 130, 135, 130 and 135 on October 28 to 31.  Predicted planetary
A index is 15 on September 22, 22 on September 23 and 24, then 12
and 8 on September 25 and 26, 5 on September 27 and 28, 12 and 8 on
September 29 and 30, 5 October 1 to 11, 8 on October 12, then 5 on
October 13 to 19, 12 on October 20, 5 on October 21 to 24, then 8,
12 and 8 on October 25 to 27, then 5 on October 28 into the first
week of November.

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