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By Ken Larson KJ6RZ, a complete guide to understanding soloar indices and values.

A massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit Chile today at 0634 UTC, triggering a potential tsunami. IARU Region 2 and the Red Chilena Nor Austral de Servicio (RECNA) have suggested Amateur Radio operators monitor the following emergency communications frequencies for traffic pertaining to the earthquake and tsunami: 3.738, 3.750, 7.050, 7.100, 14.200, 14.350, 21.200, 21.350, 28.300 and 28.500 MHz. IARU Region 2 Area Emergency Coordinator Jorge Sierra, LU1AS, reports that there is now traffic at frequencies of 40 meters from people seeking information from people in Chile: “We would appreciate if amateurs would leave free the frequencies used by RECNA, as well as the usual IARU Region 2 frequencies on in 20, 40, and 80 meters.” In addition to the above frequencies, you may also want to listen to the worldwide emergency communication Center of Activity frequencies: 14.300, 18.160 and 21.360 MHz. Other suggested monitoring frequencies are 3.720, 7.045 and 7.060 MHz. Hawaiian Amateur Radio operators on the lookout for a possible tsunami are monitoring 7.088 and 3.888 MHz.  — Thanks to Radio Club de Chile’s (RCC) Emergency Coordinator Aldo Oppici, CE3WAD, and W2VU, KI6SN, K3ZO, PY2ZX, PY5YA and El Grupo Argentino de Radiotelegrafia for the information.

Two new sunspot groups — 1050 and 1051 — appeared on February 23 and 24. We’ve now seen 38 continuous days with sunspots (including today); the last time there were no sunspots for two or more days in a row was back on November 23-December 8 when we saw 16 days with no sunspots. If sunspots continue through Sunday (they will!), February will be the first calendar month since January 2007 with sunspots every day. Sunspot numbers for February 18-24 were 17, 23, 19, 17, 14, 31 and 40, with a mean of 23. The 10.7 cm flux was 85, 83.7, 83.8, 83.5, 83.7, 84.2 and 82.6, with a mean of 83.8. The estimated planetary A indices were 4, 3, 1, 1, 4, 2 and 3, with a mean of 2.6. The estimated mid-latitude A indices were 2, 3, 0, 3, 3, 2 and 2, with a mean of 2.1.

This week, Surfin’ visits museums and the halls of fame of the baseball and ham radio variety.

In January 2008, a company called ReconRobotics filed a request with the FCC for a waiver of Part 90 of the Commission’s Rules with respect to the Recon Scout — a remote-controlled, maneuverable surveillance robot designed for use in areas that may be too hazardous for human entry. A waiver is required to permit licensing of the Recon Scout because the device operates in the 430-448 MHz band, which is allocated to the Federal Government Radiolocation service on a primary basis, as well as the Amateur Radio Service and certain non-federal radiolocation systems on a secondary basis. More than two years later, the FCC granted the waiver request in the form of an Order (WP Docket No 08-63), subject to certain conditions.

With the 2010 ARRL International DX CW Contest now history, the first weekend in March brings the next round of competition: the 2010 ARRL International DX Phone Contest. Like its CW predecessor, this event focuses on DX stations working all US states and Canadian provinces, while US and Canadian amateurs try to work as many DX countries as possible over the 48 hour contest period.

There are radio transmitters to find and medals to be won at ARDF events around the nation and the world. Make this your year to get involved!

After meeting with ARRL staff on February 23 — two days before the new ARRL Web site was to launch — ARRL Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B, made the decision to delay the unveiling of the Web site until late March. "Work on the new ARRL Web site has progressed at a frantic pace but there are still some potential ‘bugs’ that could affect members. We need to be sure we get it right," Kramer said. "Our members’ security, information and ability to actually use of all the options on the new site outweigh any rush to meet an artificial deadline. It’s just good customer service."

Registration remains open through Sunday, March 21, 2010, for these online course sessions beginning on Friday, April 2, 2010: Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 1; Antenna Modeling; Radio Frequency Interference; Antenna Design and Construction; Ham Radio (Technician) License Course; Propagation; Analog Electronics, and Digital Electronics.

In the only Section Manager race this winter, Carl Clements, W4CAC, was re-elected as the ARRL Virginia Section Manager. He received 855 votes; his opponent, Glen Sage, W4GHS, received 511 votes. Election ballots were counted today at ARRL Headquarters. Clements, of Portsmouth, starts his new two year term of office on April 1, 2010.

As of Friday, February 19, Iceland’s Post and Telecom Administration (PTA) granted temporary experimental access to the 4 and 600 meter bands at least through the end of 2010, according to Islenzkir Radioamatorar (IRA) President Jonas Bjarnason, TF2JB; the ITA is Iceland’s IARU Member-Society. After obtaining a special license from the PTA, Bjarnason said that TF stations with “N” or “G” class licenses may now operate between 493-510 kHz and 70.000-70.200 MHz running 100 W. Amateur operations on both bands are granted on a secondary basis.