‰ Now 18 WPM transition file follows ‰

On September 11 and 12 two powerful CMEs hit Earth, producing a G3
class geomagnetic storm. The result was a planetary A index of 44 on
Friday, and during the final three hours of the UTC day, 2 PM to 5
PM PDT, the planetary K index reached 7, which is very high.
Overall solar activity is down, with the average daily sunspot
number declining from 152 to 124.9 in the latest reporting period,
September 11 to 17. Average daily solar flux dropped from 155.8 to
139.8.  Predicted flux values have declined as well. As an example,
the daily 45 day forecast for solar flux on September 21 was 120 on
August 6 to 10, 125 on August 11 to 17, 135 on August 18 through
September 7, 150 on September 8 to 12, 130 on September 13, 120 on
September 14 and 15 and 115 on every day since.  Predicted solar
flux is 120 on September 19, 115 on September 20 and 21, 110 on
September 22 to 25, 115 on September 26, 120 on September 27 and 28,
130 on September 29, 135 on September 30 and October 1, 140 on
October 2, 145 on October 3 to 5, 150 on October 6 and 7, 145 on
October 8 and 9. and 140 on October 10 to 12.  Flux values then dip
to 125 on October 17, rise again slightly, then go down to 115 on
October 21 to 23. After that solar flux values are expected to rise
again, perhaps to 150 by early November.  It does not appear that US
radio amateurs will gain a new band at 70 MHz anytime soon. The FCC
has denied a Petition for Rule Making filed earlier this year by
Glen E. Zook, K9STH, of Richardson, Texas, seeking to add a 4 meter
band to Amateur Radios inventory of VHF allocations. Zook had
floated the proposal in 2010, and his petition was dated January 27,
2010, but the FCC said it did not receive it until last May.  Zook
asked the Commission to allocate 70.0 to 70.5 MHz to Amateur Radio
because, Zooks Petition asserted, the recent migration of broadcast
television stations to primarily UHF frequencies basically
eliminates any probable interference to television channels 4 or 5.
VHF TV channel 4 occupies 66 to 72 MHz.  Because the Zook Petition
is based on a faulty premise, that broadcasting use within the 70.0
to 70.5 MHz band will diminish or cease, its argument that amateur
band users could operate without causing harmful interference to any
existing service lacks sufficient support to warrant our further
consideration, The FCC said in a September 17 Order denying the
Petition.  The Order noted that fixed and mobile services will
continue to operate in the frequencies between channels 4 and 5, 76
to 82 MHz.

‰ End of 18 WPM transition file ‰