David Trachtenberg, N4WWL, Confirmed as Principal Deputy Undersecretary of
Defense for Policy: The US Senate this week confirmed ARRL member David
Trachtenberg, N4WWL, of Burke, Virginia, as the next Principal Deputy Under
Secretary of Defense for Policy. Trachtenberg, 60, is the president and CEO of
Shortwaver Consulting LLC, a national security consultancy. He is National
Planning Coordinator and Northeast Division Director for USAF MARS, and is
active in the Pentagon Amateur Radio Club (PARC). Trachtenberg has prior
service in several Department of Defense posts, most recently as the Principal
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy.
Trachtenberg was also a professional staff member with the House Armed Services
 Committee. -- Thanks to Gary Sessums, KC5QCN

____________________________________________________________________________


The K7RA Solar Update

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: There was very little solar activity over the
 October 12-18 reporting week, activity, with a sunspot number of 12 on October
 15, meaning the average daily sunspot number was only 1.7. That's down from
the already-low average of 8.4 over the previous 7 days.

Over the same two periods, the average daily solar flux declined from 76.8 to
70.5, while the average daily planetary A index increased from 8.9 to 21.1, and
 average mid-latitude A index jumped from 8 to 16.7.

Predicted solar flux over the near term is 74, 78, and 82 on October 19-21; 86
on October 22-25; 72 on October 26-November 2; 70 on November 3-14; 72 on
November 15-29, and 70 on November 30-Dccember 2.

Predicted planetary A index is 5 on October 19-20; 10, 8, 5, and 35 on October
21-24; 15 on October 25-27; 10, 8, 5, and 5 on October 28-31; 8 and 10 on
November 1-2; 5 on November 3-6; 28, 30, 40, 28, 26, 18, and 10 on November
7-13; 12 on November 14-15; 8 on November 16-18; 5, 35, and 45 on November
19-21; 15 on November 22-23; 10 and 8 on November 24-25; 5 on November 26-27; 8
 and 10 on November 28-29, and 5 on November 30-December 2.

Sunspot numbers for October 12 through 18, 2017 were 0, 0, 0, 12, 0, 0, and 0,
with a mean of 8.4. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 70.2, 69.7, 69, 70.3, 70.9,
70.3, and 73.2, with a mean of 76.8. Estimated planetary A indices were 29, 42,
 31, 26, 9, 6, and 5, with a mean of 8.9. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were
 20, 26, 26, 31, 6, 4, and 4, with a mean of 8.

The Propagation Bulletin is issued each Friday. The latest bulletin and an
archive of past propagation bulletins is on the ARRL website.

In Friday's bulletin, look for multiple reports from Jon, N0JK, on recent
6-meter openings.

____________________________________________________________________________


Just Ahead in Radiosport

 *  October 20 -- MCG Autumn Sprint (CW, phone)
 *  October 21 -- RCB XYL Test (Phone)
 *  October 21 -- Feld Hell Sprint
 *  October 21-22 -- JARTS WW RTTY
 *  October 21-22 -- 10-10 International Fall Contest (CW)
 *  October 21-22 -- New York QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
 *  October 21-22 -- Worked All Germany Contest (CW, phone)
 *  October 21-22 -- Stew Perry Topband Challenge (CW)
 *  October 21-22 -- South Dakota QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
 *  October 22 -- RSGB RoLo (CW)
 *  October 22-23 -- Illinois QSO Party (Phone)
 *  October 25 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)
 *  October 25 -- UKEICC 80-Meter Contest (CW)
 *  October 26 -- RSGB 80-Meter Autumn Series (SSB)

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

October 20-22 -- Pacific Division Convention, San Ramon, California

October 21 -- Wisconsin ARES/RACES Conference, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin

October 22 -- Connecticut State Convention, Meriden, Connecticut

October 28 -- Arizona State Convention, Maricopa, Arizona

November 4-5 -- Georgia State Convention, Lawrenceville, Georgia

November 11 -- HamJam Convention, Alpharetta, Georgia

November 18-19 -- Indiana State Convention, Fort Wayne, Indiana

December 2 -- Arkansas DX Association's 50th Anniversary Convention, North
Little Rock, Arkansas

December 8-9 -- West Central Florida Section Convention, Plant City, Florida

Find conventions and hamfests in your area.

____________________________________________________________________________


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____________________________________________________________________________


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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...
... Sugar is vile evil delicious doom.
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 * Origin:  (1:3634/12.73)