‰ Now 18 WPM transition file ‰

code free upgrades to general or amateur extra will not be available
at volunteer exam sessions until the morse code requirement
disappears february 23.  upgraders must apply at a ve session on or
after february 23.  ve teams may not accept upgrade applications in
advance, then hold the paperwork.  technicians licensed between
march 21, 1987, and april 15, 2000, do not get element 3 credit on
that basis because the current test is not the same.  all
technicians have limited hf privileges on february 23 without having
to apply for them. Might we see a high bottom minimum at the end of
this solar cycle? January had a higher monthly average sunspot
number than nine of the previous twelve months. Looking at predicted
smoothed sunspot numbers for 2007, they dont really go any lower
this year than what is predicted for this month and the next.  The
monthly averages of daily sunspot numbers for all of 2006 and
January 2007 were 26R7, 5R3, 21R3, 55R2, 39R6, 24R4, 22R6, 22R8,
25R2, 14R7, 31R5, 22R2 and 28R2. Average daily solar flux numbers
over the same months were 83R4, 76R5, 75R5, 88R9, 80R9, 76R5, 75R8,
79, 77R8, 74R3, 86R3, 84R4 and 83R5.  As you can see in the data
above, there is a great deal of variation from month to month. A
year ago, in February 2006, the average daily sunspot number for the
month was only 5R3. That was the lowest value for the past year. The
month just ended had an average daily value over five times the
number for last February.  In fact, Januarys average at 28R2 would
be very close to the value for last February squared. But the solar
minimum is expected this year, not last February.  A table of
predicted smoothed solar values from August 2006 through December
2007 can be seen on the noaa.gov web site. These are Zurich sunspot
numbers, which tend to be lower than the values we record at the end
of these bulletins.  Why is August of last years number predicted,
instead of a known value? Because it is a 13 month smoothed number.
So it is based on the actual sunspot numbers from February 2006
through January 2007, and the predicted values for February 2007.
Likewise, the smoothed number for November 2006 is based on the
actual sunspot numbers from May 2006 through January 2007, averaged
with the predicted numbers for February through May 2007. The
predicted smoothed sunspot number for December 2007, the last value
shown on that table, would be based on the predicted monthly values
for June 2007 through June 2008, all averaged together.  on Monday,
January 29 with the planetary A index rising to 36. A good place to
look for short term predictions is on the sec.noaa.gov web site. For
the February 1 report, we see quiet geomagnetic indices for the next
week, with higher activity centered on February 13 and again on
February 25 and 26. This is based on activity during the current and
previous solar rotation.  Sunspot numbers were 11, 11, 11, 13, 27,
33 and 32 with a mean of 19R7. 10R7 cm flux was 79R9, 79R7, 80R5,
81R7, 86R7, 87R5, and 89R2, with a mean of 83R6. Estimated planetary
A indices were 1, 2, 3, 5, 36, 21 and 16 with a mean of 12.
Estimated mid latitude A indices were 1, 3, 3, 2, 19, 17 and 13,
with a mean of 8R3‚


‰ End of 18 WPM transition ‰