Tom, The "too long; didn't read" substitute for the response that follows is: Yes, we're doing something; and maybe we could do more. The URL you cite suggests (rightfully) that this issue "merits a substantial push on several fronts: research, forecasting and mitigation strategy." At WRC-15, the United States (with input from ARRL at the drafting stages and support from ARRL on the floor and in the hallways) successfully placed an item addressing the research and forecasting fronts on the preliminary agenda for WRC-23. The item calls on WRC-23 "to review the results of studies relating to the technical and operational characteristics, spectrum requirements and appropriate radio service designations for space weather sensors, with a view to providing appropriate recognition and protection in the Radio Regulations without placing additional constraints on incumbent services." While 2023 is a long way away, it is not that far off in the world of ITU, and getting the agenda item at all was a bit of a coup, given competition from numerous high-profile allocation items that were broadly supported. The questions of technical and operational characteristics and appropriate service designations are slated to be answered by 2019, with any recognition in the Radio Regulations set for 2023. The ITU group responsible for these studies (Working Party 7C) is actually meeting in Geneva this week. Former IARU Region 1 President Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T, is representing IARU on this and other issues, most notably (in another, concurrently meeting group) the space operations service for cubesats issue that came very close to targeting 144 and 440 MHz before weeks of work took those bands off the table in the final hours of WRC-15. I anticipate that most of Hans's attention is being devoted to help solve the cubesats issue using the non-amateur spectrum identified for that issue, which is very much in our interest. However, there are contributions on the space weather sensor issue that are in their formative stages, likely to mature over the coming two or three years. While IARU and her member societies (through their national delegations) have separate representation at ITU meetings where warranted, Hans covers this group effectively, and I can't recommend that ARRL also send a delegate at current staffing and budgetary levels, given the resources required for the bands on which we are playing defense at WRC-19 (5.8 GHz and 47 GHz). Covering the group well, in my estimation, would require about 1/2 FTE of someone at Jon Siverling's pay grade. That's a big expenditure for what at this stage is a tenuous risk. The calculus may be different in 2019. As for mitigation strategy, this issue is a standing agenda item of the HF SHARES informal working group, in which ARRL participates, barring a conflicting obligation. It is receiving a fair amount of attention, focused on largely on efforts to harden electrical components against solar damage. Whether the nontrivial expense of such efforts is warranted by the small likelihood of a catastrophic event is a question on which reasonable minds differ, but that may change as more research is done. 73 de Brennan N4QX/1 Brennan T. Price, N4QX Chief Technology Officer American Radio Relay League PO Box 3470 Oakton VA 22124-9470 Tel +1 860 594-0247 ________________________________________ From: arrl-odv [arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org] on behalf of Frenaye, Tom, K1KI Sent: Wednesday, April 06, 2016 18:08 To: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:25289] Not quite sure It looks like the topic of a super solar storm has gained visibility among Federal agencies in recent months. http://phys.org/news/2016-04-solar-storm-big-urgency.html I'm thinking that we ought to be showing some corresponding increase in our efforts in planning, education, technology improvements, station design, etc. We have a natural ability to get involved, as hams have an interest in space weather. As I recall Past Director Bodson has some relevant background from his knowledge of the impacts from nuclear tests. Maybe we're already doing something I'm unaware of? -- Tom ===== e-mail: k1ki@arrl.org ARRL New England Division Director http://www.arrl.org/ Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box J, West Suffield CT 06093 Phone: 860-668-5444 _______________________________________________ arrl-odv mailing list arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org https://reflector.arrl.org/mailman/listinfo/arrl-odv