Iceland Extends Experimental License Privileges at 5 MHz: PTA, the
telecommunication authority in Iceland, has extended experimental license
privileges for radio amateurs in the 5 MHz band until December 31, 2017. The
privileges are for 5,260-5,410 kHz, with 100 W EIRP. Permissible modes include
CW, USB, PSK31, and other digital modes. The permit is the same for N and G
licensees. Currently 25 licensees in Iceland have experimental licenses to
operate on 60 meters. -- Thanks to Jónas Bjarnason, TF3JB



The K7RA Solar Update

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: We recently saw 7 consecutive days -- May
9-15 -- with no sunspots. This overlapped the May 11-17 reporting week with the
 previous week. This period ended on May 16, when sunspot groups 2656 and 2657
appeared, with sunspot numbers of 11 and 13 on May 16-17, respectively.

The average daily sunspot number last week was 17.1; this week, it's just 3.4.
That's because last week's report covered 2 consecutive days with no sunspots,
while this week's report covered 5 days with no activity.

Average daily solar flux declined from 71.5 to 70.5, the average estimated
daily planetary A index rose from 6.3 to 8.3, while the mid-latitude A index
rose from 5.9 to 9.4.

Predicted solar flux (from Wednesday's NOAA and USAF 45-day forecast) is 71 on
May 18-20; 73 on May 21-24; 76 on May 25-29; 74 on May 30-June 3; 72 on June 4;
 70 on June 5-10; 72 on June 11-12; 74 on June 13-17; 76 on June 18-25, and 74
on June 26-30.

Predicted planetary A index is 20, 45, 30, 20, and 12 on May 18-22; 8 on May
23-24; 5 on May 25-June 3; 8 on June 4; 5 on June 5-9; 8, 12, 22, 32, and 20 on
 June 10-14; 48, 36, 20, 12, and 8 on June 15-19, and 5 on June 20 through the
end of the month.

Sunspot numbers for May 11 through 17 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 11, and 13, with a
mean of 3.4. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 69.1, 68.9, 70.4, 71.2, 70.6, 71.9,
and 71.4, with a mean of 70.5. Estimated planetary A indices were 6, 7, 4, 10,
14, 9, and 8, with a mean of 8.3. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 8, 6,
5, 11, 17, 10, and 9, with a mean of 9.4.

Send me your reports and observations.

____________________________________________________________________________


Just Ahead in Radiosport

 *  May 20 -- Feld Hell Sprint
 *  May 20 -- UN DX Contest (CW, phone)
 *  May 20 -- Portuguese Navy Day Contest (Digital)
 *  May 20-21 -- NZART Sangster Shield Contest (CW)
 *  May 20-20 -- His Majesty King of Spain Contest (CW)
 *  May 20-21 -- EU PSK DX Contest (Digital)
 *  May 20-21 -- Aegean RTTY Contest
 *  May 20-21 --Baltic Contest (CW, phone)
 *  May 22 -- Run for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
 *  May 24 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)
 *  May 25 -- RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship (CW)

See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. For in-depth reporting on
Amateur Radio contesting, subscribe to The ARRL Contest Update via your ARRL
member profile e-mail preferences.

____________________________________________________________________________


Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions

 *  May 19-21 -- Ohio State Convention (Dayton Hamvention), Xenia, Ohio
 *  May 27-28 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention, Cody, Wyoming
 *  June 2-4 -- Northwestern Division Convention, Seaside, Oregon
 *  June 3 -- Georgia Section Convention, Marietta, Georgia
 *  June 4 -- Western Pennsylvania Section Convention, Prospect,
    Pennsylvania
 *  June 9-10 -- West Gulf Division Convention, Irving, Texas
 *  June 16-18 -- Utah State Convention, Garden City, Utah
 *  June 17 -- Tennessee State Convention, Knoxville, Tennessee
 *  July 14-16 -- Montana State Convention, Essex, Montana
 *  July 21-22 -- Oklahoma State Convention, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
 *  July 27-30 -- Central States VHF Society Conference, Albuquerque, New
    Mexico

Find conventions and hamfests in your area.

____________________________________________________________________________


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)\/(ark

Always Mount a Scratch Monkey
Do you manage your own servers? If you are not running an IDS/IPS yer doin' it
wrong...
... Instead here we are in a silence more eloquent...
---
 * Origin:  (1:3634/12.73)