The 34th meeting of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) Permanent Consultative Committee II (PCC.II) concluded a week of meetings on August 16 in Ottawa, Canada, in advance of World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-19). The meetings were aimed at reaching regional consensus on WRC-19 agenda items. Attendees at PCC.II included ARRL Technical Relations Specialist Jon Siverli...

Radio Amateurs in India Support Rescue and Relief Operations in Wake of Flooding 

Radio amateurs in at least three western Indian states along the Arabian Sea coast are pitching in to support communication for rescue and relief operations following heavy rainfall and flooding. In Kerala, Shyam Kumar, VU2JLE, told The Hindu newspaper that he and 15 other radio amateurs belonging to the Wayanad Hams (WHAMS) group have been closely monitoring to help the government speed rescue...

Candidates for ARRL Directors and Vice Directors Announced 

Two races for the office of ARRL Director and one contest for Vice Director are set for this fall. In the Southeastern Division, incumbent Director Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, faces a challenge from Mickey Baker, N4MB. A three-way race is set for the office of Southeastern Division Vice Director, with incumbent Joseph Tiritilli, N4ZUW, facing James Schilling, KG4JSZ, and Jeff Stahl, K4BH.

In the West G...

Department of Defense Message Prompts Listeners to Take WWV/WWVH Survey 

Through Saturday, August 24, WWV and WWVH will transmit a US Department of Defense (DOD) message in conjunction with the COMEX 19-3 interoperability exercise in Tennessee. The broadcast also urges listeners to complete a survey on WWV/WWVH listenership and listening habits. The messages are broadcast on WWV at 10 minutes past the hour and on WWVH at 50 minutes past the hour. WWV and WWVH transm...

ARRL Contest and DXCC Rules Now Prohibit Automated Contacts 

Following the direction of the ARRL Board of Directors, ARRL has incorporated changes to the rules for all ARRL-sponsored contests and DXCC, prohibiting automated contacts. These changes also apply to the Worked All States (including Triple Play and 5-Band WAS), VHF/UHF Century Club, and Fred Fish, W5FF, Memorial awards. The changes are effective immediately.

A resolution at the July ARRL Board ...

The K7RA Solar Update 

No sunspots were visible over the recent reporting week, Thursday through Wednesday, August 8 through 14.

According to Spaceweather.com, 67% of the days so far in 2019 have been spotless, and for all of 2018 it was 61%. In the previous solar minimum in 2008 and 2009 the spotless days ran 73% and 71%, respectively.

Solar flux has been minimal and unremarkable, with average daily solar flux changin...