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Text 15858, 579 rader
Skriven 2021-12-31 09:05:20 av Sean Dennis (1:18/200.0)
Ärende: The Weekly ARRL Letter
==============================
   The ARRL Letter                                                         
   December 30, 2021                                                       
                                                                           
     * IARU Region 2 Executive Committee Issues Upbeat Seasonal Message     
     * Hurricane Watch Net Recorded 300 On-Air Hours in 2021                
     * New Low-Power Limit for ARRL HF Contests Goes into Effect on         
       January 1, 2022                                                      
     * ARRL to Oppose Forest Service ministrative Fees for Amateur Radio  
       Facilities                                                          
     * HamSCI Invites Abstracts for its 2022 Workshop                      
     * ARRL Learning Network Webinars                                      
     * Intrepid-DX Group Announces Youth "Dream Rig" Essay Contest Winners 
     * Amateur Radio in the News                                           
     * 3Y0J DXpedition to Bouvet Island Updates its Progress               
     * Announcements                                                       
     * Georgia Club Donates License Manuals to Local Schools               
     * In Brief...                                                         
     * The K7RA Solar Update                                               
     * Just Ahead in Radiosport                                            
     * Upcoming Section, State, and Division Conventions                   
                                                                           
     -------------------------------------------------------------------   
                                                                           
   ARRL Headquarters will be closed on Friday, December 31, and there will 
   be no W1AW bulletin or CW practice transmissions on that day. ARRL      
   Headquarters will reopen on Monday, January 3, 2022, at 8 AM EST (1300  
   UTC). We extend our best wishes for the New Year!                       
                                                                           
     -------------------------------------------------------------------   
                                                                           
   IARU Region 2 Executive Committee Issues Upbeat Seasonal Message        
                                                                           
   International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 2 Secretary George      
   Gorsline, VE3YV, has issued a year-end message on behalf of the         
   Executive Committee.                                                    
                                                                           
   "A bright spot in an otherwise challenging year is that our shared      
   passion of amateur radio is growing stronger," Gorsline wrote. "The     
   increase in on-the-air activity has been noticeable, especially on the  
   HF bands. Driven by reawakening solar activity and the rapid adoption   
   of digital modes, such as FT8, the bands are active -- not just during  
   evenings and weekends, but also during normal working hours, where more 
   than a few of us have been known to be in video conference calls while  
   making QSOs.                                                            
                                                                           
   George Gorsline,                                                        
   VE3YV [RAC                                                              
   photo]                                                                  
                                                                           
   Growth in activity and participation has not been limited to the HF     
   bands. Use of VHF and UHF has also increased, not just for local nets,  
   but especially interest in satellite operations."                       
                                                                           
   Gorsline said that the use of "virtual learning" has allowed many IARU  
   member-societies and affiliated clubs to conduct licensing classes and  
   exams. "Attracting new and younger amateurs is our future," said        
   Gorsline. "For 2022, the challenge to all of us is to not only enjoy    
   our hobby, but to also share it with someone new."                      
                                                                           
   Gorsline challenged members of the amateur community to "introduce      
   someone to the many possibilities of amateur radio."                    
   Hurricane Watch Net Recorded 300 On-Air Hours in 2021                   
                                                                           
   Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, says 2021 was   
   the third most-active hurricane season on record in terms of named      
   storms, and was the sixth consecutive above-normal season.              
                                                                           
   "We've completed another hurricane season. The Atlantic basin was       
   extremely busy again for 2021," Graves told HWN members. "For the year, 
   we had 21 named storms, seven of which became hurricanes, and four of   
   those became major hurricanes -- Category 3 or stronger." Graves noted  
   that 2021 marked the first year on record that two consecutive          
   hurricane seasons exhausted the list of 21 storm names.                 
                                                                           
   Tropical systems that made landfall caused estimated total damage of    
   $70 billion, as of the end of November, making 2021 the fourth most     
   costly hurricane season on record, behind 2012, 2005, and 2017.         
                                                                           
   Graves recounted that several tropical systems made an impact on land   
   this year. "In August, Tropical Storm Fred caused devastating flooding  
   across parts of the Greater Antilles and the southeastern United        
   States," he said. "Hurricane Grace made two landfalls in Mexico --      
   first as a Category 1 hurricane just south of Tulum on the southeast    
   Yucat n [Peninsula], and second as a Category 3 major hurricane in the  
   Mexican state of Veracruz."                                             
                                                                           
   "Hurricane Ida was a deadly and destructive hurricane that made         
   landfall in Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane -- the most intense and 
                                                                           
   HWN Manager Bobby                                                       
   Graves, KB5HAV.                                                         
                                                                           
   destructive hurricane to affect the state since Hurricane Katrina,"     
   Graves continued. He noted that Ida also caused catastrophic flooding   
   across the US northeast.                                                
                                                                           
   "Hurricane Larry peaked as a powerful Category 3 hurricane over the     
   open Atlantic [Ocean] before making landfall in the Canadian province   
   of Newfoundland and Labrador as a Category 1 hurricane. Later,          
   Hurricane Nicholas moved erratically both on and offshore [on] the      
   coasts of Texas and Louisiana," he said.                                
                                                                           
   In 2021, the HWN activated for five hurricanes -- Elsa, Grace, Henri,   
   Ida, and Larry. Graves said the HWN racked up nearly 300 hours on the   
   air, with 140 of those spent on Hurricane Ida alone. Read an expanded   
   version.                                                                
   New Low-Power Limit for ARRL HF Contests Goes into Effect on January 1, 
   2022                                                                    
                                                                           
   ARRL has set a new standard for what counts as low power for            
   ARRL-sponsored HF contests. The new limit is 100 W, which is down from  
   the 150 W limit that has been permitted in some events, including the   
   ARRL November Sweepstakes.                                              
                                                                           
   With the exception of ARRL Field Day, this change goes into effect on   
   January 1, 2022, for all ARRL-sponsored HF contests, as well as the     
   IARU HF World Championship.                                             
                                                                           
   This change has been implemented to standardize low-power categories    
   within the contesting community. However, on a more practical level,    
   the typical modern HF transceiver has a maximum power output of 100 W.  
                                                                           
   For more information, contact the ARRL Contests program. -- Thanks to   
   The ARRL Contest Update                                                 
                                                                           
   ARRL Podcasts Schedule                                                  
                                                                           
   The latest episode of the On the Air podcast (Episode 24) features some 
   tips about how to improve the effective range of your handheld          
   transceiver.                                                            
                                                                           
   The latest edition of the Eclectic Tech podcast (Episode 50) -- the     
   final edition for 2021 -- features a discussion with Nelson             
   Sollenberger, KA2C, about the filter he designed that allows two nearby 
   stations to operate on the same band during Field Day and contests.     
   Also featured is a brief explanation of the so-called POST beeps that   
   many computers make, and what they mean.                                
                                                                           
   The On the Air and Eclectic Tech podcasts are sponsored by Icom. Both   
   podcasts are available on iTunes (iOS) and Stitcher (Android) as well   
   as on Blubrry -- On the Air | Eclectic Tech.                            
                                                                         
   ARRL to Oppose Forest Service ministrative Fees for Amateur Radio     
   Facilities                                                              
                                                                           
   The US Forest Service is proposing to implement a statutorily required  
   annual fee for new and existing communications use authorizations to    
   cover the costs of administering its authorization program. ARRL plans  
   to vigorously oppose the imposition of the proposed fees on amateur     
   radio.                                                                  
                                                                           
   The Forest Service proposal results from requirements set forth in the  
   Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (aka "the Farm Bill").              
   Specifically, section 8705(c)(3)(b) of the Farm Bill directs the Forest 
   Service to issue regulations that require fees for issuing              
   communications use authorizations based on the cost to the Agency for   
   maintenance or other activities to be performed by the Agency "as a     
   result of the location or modification of a communications facility."   
                                                                           
   The Forest Service is responsible for managing Federal lands and        
   authorizes the use and occupancy of National Forest System (NFS) lands  
   for communications facilities that provide communications services for  
   adjacent rural and urban communities. The Agency said in its proposal   
   that it administers more than 3,700 special use authorizations on NFS   
   lands for infrastructure that supports more than 10,000 wireless        
   communications uses at 1,367 communications sites.                      
                                                                           
   According to the Forest Service Notice published in the December 22,    
   2021 issue of the Federal Register, revenues from the proposed fee,     
   "would provide the funds necessary to support a more modernized,        
   efficient, and enhanced communications use program," and will "cover    
   the costs of administering the Agency's communications use program."    
   Costs, as laid out in section 8705(f)(4) of the Farm Bill, may include  
   expenditures for such things as "on-site reviews of communications      
   sites, developing communications site management plans, hiring and      
   training personnel for the communications use program, conducting       
   internal and external outreach for and national oversight of the        
   communications use program, and obtaining or improving access to        
   communications sites on NFS lands."                                     
                                                                           
   ARRL encourages amateur radio licensees to file comments opposing the   
   imposition of the proposed administrative fee on amateur radio users.   
   Comments must be received in writing by no later than February 22,      
   2022. Comments may be submitted online at the Federal Rulemaking Portal 
   or via USPS mail to Director, Lands & Realty Management Staff, 201 14th 
   Street SW, Washington, DC 20250-1124, and must include the identifier   
   "RIN 0596-AD44."                                                        
   HamSCI Invites Abstracts for its 2022 Workshop                          
                                                                           
   HamSCI is soliciting abstracts for the 2022 HamSCI Workshop. The        
   submission deadline is February 1, 2022. The workshop will be a hybrid  
   (in-person and virtual) event from March 18 - 19, 2022, at the US Space 
   and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.                               
                                                                           
   "The primary objective of the HamSCI workshop is to bring together the  
   amateur radio community and professional scientists," said HamSCI Lead  
   Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF, an assistant professor within the Department 
   of Physics and Electrical Engineering at The University of Scranton.    
   "This year's theme is 'The Weather Connection,' with invited speakers   
   Tamitha Skov, WX6SWW, and Jim Bacon, G3YLA."                            
                                                                           
   Skov and Bacon will present tutorials on the impacts of space and       
   terrestrial weather on the ionosphere. Chen-Pang Yeang, an associate    
   professor and director for the Special Project on Scientific            
   Instruments at the University of Toronto, will deliver the keynote      
   address, "Ham Radio and the Discovery of the Ionosphere."               
                                                                           
   Frissell said that abstracts related to development of the Personal     
   Space Weather Station, ionospheric science, atmospheric science, radio  
   science, space weather, radio astronomy, and any science topic that can 
   be appropriately related to amateur radio are invited. "We especially   
   encourage submissions related to this year's meeting theme of The       
   Weather Connection, but will also accept abstracts outside of this      
   theme that are of interest to both the amateur radio and professional   
   science communities."                                                   
                                                                           
   To submit an abstract, complete the form on the HamSCI Workshop page.   
   Workshop registration will open by mid-January. Read an expanded        
   version.                                                                
   ARRL Learning Network Webinars                                          
                                                                           
   Visit the ARRL Learning Network (a members-only benefit) to register,   
   check on upcoming webinars, and to view previously recorded sessions.   
                                                                           
   Have an interesting topic you want to share? The ARRL Learning Network  
   is a series of online webinars presented by member-volunteers for       
   members. Presentations should be short -- 30 minutes plus an additional 
   15 minutes for Q&A.                                                     
                                                                           
   For more information, email ARRL Education and Learning.                
                                                                           
   More webinars are coming soon!                                          
                                                                           
   ARRL members may register for upcoming presentations and view           
   previously recorded Learning Network webinars. ARRL-affiliated radio    
   clubs may also use the recordings as presentations for club meetings,   
   mentoring new and current hams, and discussing amateur radio topics.    
                                                                           
   The ARRL Learning Network schedule is subject to change.                
                                                                         
   Intrepid-DX Group Announces Youth "Dream Rig" Essay Contest Winners     
                                                                           
   On December 1, Intrepid-DX Group President Paul Ewing, N6PSE, announced 
   the prize recipients of the second annual Youth "Dream Rig" Essay       
   Contest. Ewing said all essays received "were all unique in thought and 
   very well articulated." Extra points were given for correct grammar,    
   punctuation, and spelling, he said.                                     
                                                                           
   "Most of the essays gave unique perspectives on how to reach out and    
   connect with the youth of today. We will be sharing those ideas in      
   subsequent postings," he said.                                          
                                                                           
   The first-place winner and recipient of an Icom IC-7300 transceiver is  
   Silas Davis, W3SED. Second-place winner Olivia Lee, KD2UYX, and         
   third-place winner Isaac Schmidt, K6IAS, will each receive Yaesu FT-65R 
   radios. "Having read your many essays this week, we can tell you that   
   our youth are full of great ideas, and they are brimming with           
   enthusiasm to keep our hobby alive well into the future," Ewing         
   concluded.                                                              
                                                                           
   He thanked Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) for supporting   
   this year's prizes.                                                     
                                                                           
     -------------------------------------------------------------------   
                                                                           
   Amateur Radio in the News                                               
                                                                           
   ARRL Public Information Officers, Coordinators, and many other          
   member-volunteers help keep amateur radio and ARRL in the news.         
     * Hoschar now a ham ... / Forks Forum, Forks, Washington (December    
       15, 2021)                                                           
     * "How Amateur Radio Fanatics Launched the World's First Private      
       Communication Satellite" / Inverse (December 12, 2021)              
                                                                           
   Share any amateur radio media hits you spot with us.                    
                                                                           
     -------------------------------------------------------------------   
                                                                           
   3Y0J DXpedition to Bouvet Island Updates its Progress                   
                                                                           
   Two new team members of the upcoming 3Y0J Bouvet DXpedition team have   
   come aboard to replace, in part, three operators who are unable to make 
   the trip -- Sandro Nitoi, VE7NY; Laci Rad¢cz, HA0NAR, and Dimtry        
   Zhikharev, RA9USU. Joining the 3Y0J crew will be Cezar Trifu, VE3LYC,   
   and Otis Vicens, NP4G. A third replacement has not yet been named.      
                                                                           
   "Their experience will be a great addition to the team," the DXpedition 
   team said in a media release announcing the personnel changes and       
   updating the DXpedition's planning process.                             
                                                                           
   Ken Opskar, LA7GIA; Rune O/ye, LA7THA, and Erwann Merrien, LB1QI, are   
   sharing leadership duties for the 2023 DXpedition.                      
                                                                           
   The 3Y0J team has also been busy selecting the gear that they will need 
   once they reach the subantarctic island. Arctic Lavvo of Norway will    
   supply the team with its Venor Gamme tent. The tent, which stood up to  
   winds of 40 meters per second (nearly 90 MPH) when it was tested in     
   extreme conditions on Svalbard, will be improved further by adding      
   extra guying levels and by strengthening the aluminum frame, the 3Y0J   
   DXpedition team explained.                                              
                                                                           
   Silcom of South Africa will supply custom masts for the Yagi antennas   
   that are rated for the Bouvet environment. The aluminum mast will be    
   used for the tribanders, while the smaller, galvanized steel mast will  
   support dual-band Yagis.                                                
                                                                           
   "We're taking preparation to the next level by procuring a [Zodiac      
   Milpro inflatable boat]," the team continued. "The strategic decision   
   to buy the [boat] will enable us to train [for] the critical beach      
   landing in Norway.                                                      
                                                                           
   The DXpedition team said it's still $160,000 short of its funding goal. 
                                                                           
   Follow the team's plans via its website or the 3Y0J Facebook page. View 
   Bouvet Island from above in a short YouTube video. Read an expanded     
   version.                                                                
                                                                         
   Announcements                                                           
     * [IMG]ARRL's Commemorative 1915 QST download on Christmas Day        
       encountered a delivery issue. ARRL members can now access the       
       document. Send questions or comments via email. QST marked its      
       centenary in 2015, and the first edition was published in December  
       1915.                                                               
     * Finland's IARU member-society SRAL has presented Iceland's          
       member-society IRA with an engraved KBX-380 Morse paddle to         
       commemorate the 75th anniversary of the IRA's founding.             
     * NASA has announced its intent to purchase three more commercial     
       crew missions from SpaceX -- in a sole-source award -- as a hedge   
       against further delays in the certification of Boeing's CST-100     
       Starliner. Those missions will be in addition to the six            
       post-certification missions SpaceX in 2014. "It's critical we begin 
       to secure additional flights to the space station now so we are     
       ready as these missions are needed to maintain a US presence on the 
       station," said Kathy Lueders, Associate ministrator of NASA's     
       Space Operations Mission Directorate.                               
     * ARRL has been migrating to new rule sets that exist as a single     
       document. As the rule sets are replaced, the older "General Rules," 
       "Rules for Contests below 30 MHz," and "Rules for Contests above 30 
       MHz" documents will sunset. Complete rules are available as a PDF   
       on individual contest pages. -- Thanks to ARRL Contest Program      
       Manager Paul Bourque, N1SFE                                         
     * New Year's Day is also Kids Day. Introduce your child, or a         
       relative's or friend's child, to amateur radio. If you hear kids on 
       the air, have a friendly contact with them. Kids Day is designed to 
       give young people on-the-air experience and hopefully foster their  
       interest in getting a license of their own. It is also intended to  
       give older hams a chance to share their stations and love for       
       amateur radio with youngsters.                                      
     * The US Department of Defense has issued an updated Military         
       Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) instruction, DODI 4650.02, replacing  
       MARS DODI 4650.02 issued in 2009.  The document establishes policy, 
       assigns responsibilities, and provides procedures for MARS. It      
       further establishes MARS organization, membership, and functions.   
       -- Thanks to Gary Sessums, KC5QCN                                   
                                                                           
   Georgia Club Donates License Manuals to Local Schools                   
                                                                           
   The Dalton Amateur Radio Club (DARC) in Dalton, Georgia, recently       
   donated copies of the ARRL Ham Radio License Manual to several schools  
   in its service area. The materials will be available in the schools'    
   media centers.                                                          
                                                                           
   On December 1, DARC President Jack Thompson, N5UOV, met with media      
   specialists Sarah Hicks of North Murray High School and Ryan Long of    
   Murray County High School to present both schools with copies of the    
   ARRL Ham Radio License Manual, which covers everything needed to obtain 
   a Technician-class license including the full question pool for the     
   exam.                                                                   
                                                                           
   Jack Thompson, N5UOV, and Sarah                                         
   Hicks at North Murray High School.                                      
                                                                           
   During a second presentation on December 3, Thompson and David Stanley, 
   WI4L, met with Whitfield County Schools Media Specialist Ge-Anne        
   Bolhuis, and Communications Specialist Kristina Horsley, to present 10  
   copies of the license manual, which will be placed in each middle       
   school and high school in the county.                                   
                                                                           
   The visits offered Thompson and Stanley a chance to answer questions    
   about amateur radio. Thompson explained to Hicks that not only was ham  
   radio an interesting hobby, it involves public service activities and   
   could inspire students to become involved in emergency management or    
   search-and-rescue activities.                                           
                                                                           
   Bolhuis also asked about the uses of amateur radio. Stanley explained   
   that ham radio is often the last line of communication in an emergency  
   when all other means fail. Thompson explained how his activity as a     
   radio amateur led to his 25+ years of volunteering as a reservist in    
   emergency management and as a member of the search-and-rescue team of   
   the DeSoto County Sheriff's Department in Mississippi.                  
                                                                           
   Representatives from all of the schools received information about the  
   ARRL Foundation Scholarship Program. The Dalton Amateur Radio Club      
   expressed its appreciation to Tom Smith, KI4IG, for making the initial  
   contacts with the schools and to ARRL for providing the manuals at no   
   cost.                                                                   
   In Brief...                                                             
                                                                           
   David Benoist, AG4ZR, has been appointed as ARRL Georgia Section        
   Manager. In consultation with ARRL Southeastern Division Director       
   Mickey Baker, N4MB, ARRL Field Services Manager Mike Walters, W8ZY,     
   appointed Benoist, of Senoia, to fill the vacant post starting          
   immediately. Benoist had previously served as Georgia Section Manager   
   (SM) from 2016 to 2021. Benoist was the ARRL Georgia Section Emergency  
   Coordinator from March 2014 to 2016. The former Georgia ARRL SM, Jim    
   Millsap, K9APD, resigned for personal reasons, effective December 14,   
   after serving since October 1.                                          
                                                                           
   A new release of WSJT-X is available. The WSJT-X development group --   
   Joe Taylor, K1JT; Steve Franke, K9AN; and new member Nico Palermo,      
   IV3NWV -- have announced the release of WSJT-X 2.5.3. This new release  
   includes a feature of special interest to users participating in the    
   ARRL January VHF Contest (January 15 - 17). This new feature is an      
   enhanced macro facility for text messages that is aimed at making it    
   easier to ask another station to move to another band. This feature is  
   described briefly in the updated WSJT-X User Guide. Installation        
   packages for WSJT-X 2.5.3 are available on the WSJT-X website.          
                                                                           
   Special WRTC 2022 call signs will be active starting in January. The    
   World Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC) 2022 Organizing Committee has 
   announced that more than 100 Italian radio amateurs will be activating  
   special WRTC call signs, one for each Italian call district, starting   
   on January 1, 2022, and concluding on July 10, 2022. A first-time-ever  
   award will be available promoting WRTC 2022, which has been postponed   
   until 2023. Look for these call signs to be active during some          
   contests, concluding with the 2022 IARU HF World Championship. Each     
   participant's contact totals and award-hunter scores will be displayed  
   on a real-time leaderboard. Participants can download the award in      
   digital format. -- Thanks to The ARRL Contest Update                    
                                                                           
   Former ARRL Tennessee Section Manager Keith Miller Sr., N9DGK, of       
   Rockvale, Tennessee, died of COVID on December 22. An ARRL Life Member, 
   he was 75. Miller served four terms as ARRL Tennessee Section Manager   
   from 2012 until December 2019, when he decided not to run for another   
   term. He was licensed in 1981 and was very active in the Amateur Radio  
   Emergency Service (ARES) and emergency communication. Miller served as  
   ARRL Emergency Coordinator from 2006 to 2013. Miller served as a member 
   and officer of the Stones River Amateur Radio Club.                     
                                                                           
   Former ARRL Virgin Islands Section Manager Ron Hall, KP2N, of St.       
   Augustine, Florida, has died. An ARRL Life Member, he was 85. Hall      
   served as Section Manager from 1988 until 1996. He later served as an   
   Assistant Section Manager in 2002 before relocating to Florida.         
   Licensed in the 1950s, he once worked for Heathkit. He was a member of  
   the St. Petersburg Amateur Radio Club.                                  
                                                                         
   The K7RA Solar Update                                                   
                                                                           
   Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Sunspot activity persisted over the   
   reporting week, although numbers were a bit lower. Average daily        
   sunspot number declined from 124.4 to 110.1. Average daily solar flux   
   slipped just slightly from 125 to 124. Average daily planetary A index  
   went from 9.1 to 6.4, and average middle latitude numbers changed from  
   6.4 to 4.4.                                                             
                                                                           
   New sunspot groups appeared on December 25, 26, and 28.                 
                                                                           
   Predicted solar flux over the next month is expected to peak at 130 on  
   January 18 - 19, and the numbers are 110, 108, and 105 on December 30 - 
   January 1; 104 on January 2 - 3; 100 on January 4; 98 on January 5 - 6; 
   then 92, 100, 105, and 110 on January 7 - 10; 115 on January 11 - 13;   
   118 on January 14 - 15; 122 and 128 on January 16 - 17; 130 on January  
   18 - 19; 128, 125, and 120 on January 20 - 22; 125 on January 23 - 24;  
   122 on January 25; 120 on January 26 - 27; 115, 110, 100, and 95 on     
   January 28 - 31; 90 on February 1 - 2, and 92 and 100 on February 3 -   
   4.                                                                      
                                                                           
   Predicted planetary A index is 10 and 8 on December 30 - 31, then 6,    
   12, and 8 on January 1 - 3; 5 on January 4 - 10; 10 on January 11 - 12; 
   5 on January 13 - 14; 8 and 12 on January 15 - 16; 8 on January 17 -    
   18; 5 on January 19 - 22; 8, 10, 8, and 8 on January 23 - 26, and 5 on  
   January 27 - February 6.                                                
                                                                           
   Sunspot numbers for December 23 - 29 were 143, 145, 117, 95, 85, 107,   
   and 79, with a mean of 110.1. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 129.8,       
   126.2, 130.7, 125.4, 123.9, 120.5, and 111.4, with a mean of 124.       
   Estimated planetary A indices were 4, 5, 7, 3, 10, 9, and 7, with a     
   mean of 6.4. Middle latitude A index was 2, 3, 5, 2, 8, 6, and 5, with  
   a mean of 4.4.                                                          
                                                                           
   A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL         
   website. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the   
   ARRL Technical Information Service, read "What the Numbers Mean...,"    
   and check out the Propagation Page of Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA.         
                                                                           
   A propagation bulletin archive is available. For customizable           
   propagation charts, visit the VOACAP Online for Ham Radio website.      
                                                                           
   Share your reports and observations.                                    
                                                                           
     -------------------------------------------------------------------   
                                                                           
   Just Ahead in Radiosport                                                
     * December 31 -- Bogor Old and New Contest (Phone)                    
     * January 1 -- Straight Key Night                                     
     * January 1 -- ARRL Kids Day (Phone)                                  
     * January 1 -- AGB New Year Snowball Contest (CW, phone, digital)     
     * January 1 -- SARTG New Year RTTY Contest                            
     * January 1 -- AGCW Happy New Year Contest (CW)                       
     * January 1 -- AGCW VHF/UHF Contest (CW)                              
     * January 1 -- QRP ARCI New Years Sprint (CW)                         
     * * January 1 - 2 -- WW PMC Contest (CW, phone)                       
     * January 1 - 2 -- Original QRP Contest (CW, phone)                   
     * January 3 -- K1USN Slow Speed Test (CW, maximum 20 WPM)             
     * January 4 -- Worldwide Sideband Contest                             
     * January 4 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)                                
     * January 5 -- RTTYops Weeksprint                                     
     * January 5 -- QRP Fox Hunt (CW)                                      
     * January 5 -- CWops Mini-CWT Test (CW)                               
     * January 5 -- FT8 Activity Contest                                   
     * January 5 -- CWops Mini-CWT Test (CW)                               
     * January 5 -- UKEICC 80-Meter Contest (Phone)                        
     * January 6 - 7 -- Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)                
                                                                           
     -------------------------------------------------------------------   
                                                                           
   Upcoming Section, State, and Division Conventions                       
     * January  8 -- ARRL New York City-Long Island Section Convention     
       (Ham Radio University), Online                                      
     * January 14 -15 -- ARRL North Texas Section Convention (Cowtown      
       Hamfest), Forest Hill, Texas                                        
     * January  22 -- ARRL  Midwest  Division  Convention  (Winterfest),   
       Collinsville,  Illinois                                             
     * January  28 - 29 -- ARRL  Delta  Division  Convention  (Capital     
       City  Hamfest  2022),  Jackson,  Mississippi.                       
     * February  10 - 13  --  2022  ARRL  National  Convention  at         
       Orlando  HamCation^(R),  Orlando,  Florida                          
     * February  18 - 19 -- ARRL  Southwestern  Division  Convention       
       (Yuma  Hamfest),  Yuma,  Arizona                                    
     * February 26 -- ARRL Vermont State Convention (HAM-CON), Colchester, 
       Vermont                                                             
                                                                           
   Search  the  ARRL  Hamfest  and  Convention  Database  to  find  events 
   in  your  area.                                                         
                                                                           
     -------------------------------------------------------------------   
                                                                           
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     * Listen to ARRL Audio News, available every Friday.                  
     * The ARRL Letter is available in an accessible format, posted weekly 
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   Subscribe to...                                                         
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   Free of charge to ARRL members...                                       
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   The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 50 times each year. ARRL members
   and registered guests may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing
   their profile.                                                          
                                                                           
   Copyright (c) 2021 American Radio Relay League, Incorporated. Use and   
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