The average daily sunspot numbers this week were about the same as last week, while the average daily solar flux declined a little more than eight points to 128.9. Geomagnetic indicators were quiet. The average daily sunspot numbers of 95.3 for the week is considerably below the average for the previous 90 days, which was 120.8. Sunspot numbers for December 15-21 were 44, 60, 95, 103, 133, 139 and 93, with a mean of 95.3. The 10.7 cm flux was 124.2, 121, 119.6, 127.4, 128.2, 137.4 and 144.5, with a mean of 128.9. The estimated planetary A indices were 0, 0, 0, 1, 4, 3 and 3, with a mean of 1.6. The estimated mid-latitude A indices were 2, 2, 2, 3, 6, 5 and 5, with a mean of 3.6.
The solar flux has been climbing over the past week, after a low of 119.6 on December 17. The predicted flux values for the near term are 145 on December 23, 140 on December 24-27, 145 on December 28-30, then dropping suddenly to 120 on December 31-January 2, 125 on January 3-4, 128 on January 5-8, and then peaking at 130 on January 9-17. The predicted planetary A index is 5 on December 23 through January 4, 8 on January 5-6, and 5 on January 7-21. This is from NOAA and the U.S. Air Force Space Weather Operations. There is another opinion, of course: Geophysical Institute Prague predicts quiet conditions December 23, quiet to unsettled December 24, active conditions December 25, unsettled to active December 26, quiet to unsettled December 27 and quiet again on December 28-29.
Active conditions are quite different from an A index of 5, although the NOAA/USAF outlook is at least eight hours newer than the Prague prediction. But looking back 24 hours earlier to the December 21 prediction, USAF/NOAA has nothing different on December 25, although they do show an A index of 8 on December 29. You can check here for the latest prediction, which is updated daily after 2100.
Amateur Radio ARRL AMATEURS WITH GENERAL CLASS LICENSES TO BE GRANTED RECIPROCAL LICENSES IN SOME CEPT COUNTRIES
ARRL Newsletter Published Date Hits: 765
Category: ARRL
On Thursday, September 10, the Federal Communications Commission released a new Public Notice implementing changes in CEPT reciprocal operating arrangements for US citizens who hold an FCC-issued General, Advanced or Amateur Extra class Amateur Radio licenses. DA-09-2031 continues to allows US licensees "to utilize temporarily an amateur station in a European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) http://www.cept.org/ country that has implemented certain recommendations with respect to the United States,"
Subject to the regulations in that country and implements recent changes in the agreement http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2031A1.pdf. When an Amateur Radio operator with US citizenship holds an Advanced or Amateur Extra Class license, they continue to be granted CEPT Radio Amateur License privileges in accordance with CEPT Recommendation T/R 61-01 (as amended) http://www.erodocdb.dk/docs/doc98/Official/word/TR6101%20off%20140905.doc. There is no change in reciprocity for those license classes. What has changed is that US citizens holding a General class license -- who had lost all CEPT reciprocal privileges in 2008 -- are now granted CEPT Novice Radio Amateur License privileges in accordance with ECC Recommendation (05)06 (as amended) <http://www.erodocdb.dk/docs/doc98/Official/word/Rec0506.doc. The Public Notice states that while operating an amateur station in a CEPT country, the person "must have in his or her possession a copy of this Public Notice, proof of US citizenship and evidence of an FCC-issued Amateur Radio license. These documents must be shown to proper authorities upon request." The Public Notice can be found online on the FCC's Web site http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-2031A1.pdf.
According to ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, the changes in the CEPT reciprocity are a two-part result of changes made by the European Communications Office (ECO) in February 2008 when they re-examined US license class equivalency in comparison to their HAREC examination contest. "The result of that review was full CEPT reciprocity was only granted to US Amateur Extra and Advanced class licensees, leaving US General and Technician class operators without CEPT reciprocal privileges." The new public notice now reflects that change.
"In order to re-obtain at least some limited privileges under CEPT for those class licensees, the ARRL approached the FCC, asking that the US consider accepting ECC Recommendation (05)06" Henderson continued."Reciprocal agreements between the US and other countries are actually diplomatic arrangements and come about through the agreements through the State Department. In the winter of 2008/2009, the FCC followed up on our request and contacted the US Department of State, asking that the US formally approach the ECO with a request to become party to the recommendation."
At its meeting in late spring 2009, Henderson said that the ECO working group that handles issues pertaining to Amateur Radio accepted the US request to join ECC Recommendation (05)06, and authorized US General Class licensees to operate under that recommendation's terms. It did not extend those privileges to US Technician class licensees. Henderson stated that it is important to note two things about ECC Recommendation (05)06: "First, not all European countries have implemented this recommendation. Therefore, a US General class operator does not have reciprocal privileges in many countries, including popular US travel destinations like Italy, the UK or France. Second, as with any reciprocal operation, the band frequencies and privileges are those allowed by your host country -- they are not the frequencies and privileges extended by your FCC license. Travelers need to make sure they are familiar with the authorized privileges for the CEPT Novice Radio Amateur License if operating using ECC Recommendation (05)06 or T/R 61-01." CEPT countries participating in CEPT Recommendation T/R 61-01 as of September 10, 2009 include Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Estonia, Finland, France (including Corsica, Guadeloupe, French Guyana, Martinique, St Bartholomew, St Pierre and Miquelon, St Martin, Reunion and its Dependencies, Mayotte, French Antarctica, French Polynesia and Clipperton, New Caledonia, and Wallis and Futuna), Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Monaco, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom(including Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man).
CEPT countries participating in ECC Recommendation (05)06 as of September 10, 2009 are Belgium, Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Germany, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland.