The latest predicted solar flux (as of July 26) shows 69, 70, 72, and 76 on July 27-30; 80 on July 31-August 2; 82 on August 3-11; 80 and 75 on August 12-13; 70 on August 14-25; 80 on August 26; 82 on August 27-September 1; 80 on September 2-4, and 82 on September 5-7.

The predicted planetary A index is 8 on July 27-28; 5, 6, 12, 10, and 8 on July
29-August 2; 5 on August 3-5; 25 and 10 on August 6-7; 5 on August 8-15; 15 on August 17-18; 12 and 8 on August 19-20; 5 on August 21-31; 25, 10, and 8 on September 1-3, and 5 on September 4-9.

A reminder: the Solar Eclipse QSO Party (SEQP) on Monday, August 21, 1400-2100 UTC, is a wide-ranging propagation experiment intending to observe what happens
when the Moon blocks ionizing solar radiation from the ionosphere. It's sponsored by ARRL and HamSCI.

Sunspot numbers for July 20 through 26, 2017 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 12, and 0, with a mean of 1.7. 10.7-centimeter flux was 70.2, 69.4, 69.5, 70.6, 70.1, 69.8, and 68.6, with a mean of 69.7. Estimated planetary A indices were 7, 14, 16, 14, 12, 9, and 11, with a mean of 11.9. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 6, 13, 18, 16, 13, 9, and 15, with a mean of 12.9.

Send me your reports and observations.

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Just Ahead in Radiosport

* July 29 -- Feld Hell Sprint
* July 29-30 -- RSGB IOTA Contest (CW, phone)
* July 30 -- ARS Flight of the Bumblebees (CW)
* August 3 -- NRAU 10-Meter Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital)
* August 5 -- European HF Championship (CW, phone)
* August 5 -- WAB 144 MHz Low Power Phone
* August 5-6 -- North American QSO Party (CW)
* August 5-6 -- ARRL 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest
* August 5-6 -- 10-10 International Summer Contest (CW, phone)
* August 6 -- SARL HF Phone Contest
* August 8 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)
* August 9 -- NAQCC CW Sprint

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.

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Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions

* July 27-30 -- Central States VHF Society Conference, Albuquerque, New
Mexico
* August 4-5 -- South Texas Section Convention, Austin, Texas
* August 4-6 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention, Spokane, Washington
* Aug 11-13 -- New Mexico State Convention, Albuquerque, New Mexico
* August 12 -- Delta Division Convention, Shreveport, Louisiana
* August 18-20 -- West Virginia State Convention, Weston, West Virginia
* August 19-20 -- Alabama State Convention, Huntsville, Alabama
* August 20 -- Kansas State Convention, Salina, Kansas
* September 1-3 -- North Carolina State Convention, Shelby, North Carolina
* September 8-10 -- New England Division Convention, Boxboro,
Massachusetts
* September 9 -- Virginia Section Convention, Virginia Beach, Virginia
* September 10 -- New Jersey State Convention, Mullica Hill, New Jersey
* September 15-16 -- W9DXCC Convention, Schaumburg, Illinois
* September 15-17 -- Southwestern Division Convention, Torrance,
California
* September 15-17 -- ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference, St.
Louis, Missouri
* September 22-23 -- W4DXCC/SEDCO Convention, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
* September 23 -- Iowa State Convention, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa
* September 23 -- Washington State Convention, Spokane Valley, Washington
* September 30 -- North Dakota State Convention, West Fargo, North Dakota

Find conventions and hamfests in your area.

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* Origin: (1:3634/12.73)