From vhfplus at bmg50.com  Sun Oct  1 13:53:14 2006
From: vhfplus at bmg50.com (Jack/NA7RF)
Date: Sun Oct  1 14:05:40 2006
Subject: [CVRC] Stuff FS
Message-ID: <4520008A.4070305@bmg50.com>

I have the following for sale:

1) Four new National NL-SSR-6/5R4 solid state replacements for 5R4 
rectifiers. $5.00 each

2) One new Amprex 8165/4-65A. This tube was a spare from a TV station 
transmitter. $5.00

3) One new SK-600A socket for 4X250-series tubes. Includes bypass ring 
hold-down clips. $25.00

4) Used, good, Trans-Tel Products SMA relay, SPDT, 28-volt coil. Not 
latching--requires voltage applied to close desired port. $15.00

5) Used, good RCL Electronics SMA relay, SP4T, 28-volt coil. Like the 
above relay, this is not latching. This relay also has contacts for 
driving external indicator lamps to indicate which port is selected. $25.00

6) Regency UHF repeater, FCC ID ATE9PLWU151RA, setup in the 464MHz 
range. The person I got this from indicated it was an operating system, 
but I have no way to check. Seems complete except for a missing bottom 
cover on the tansmitter side of the unit. No mic or AC cord but it will 
include a copy of the documentation. $25.00

7) Two Maxon handhelds. One is a CS-0510 VHF unit, which is operational, 
and the other is a CS-0520-HD UHF unit which is disassembled and does 
not appear to have all parts with the radio. Also included are two 
CA-1110A drop-in chargers. $20.00 for all

8) MFJ-1224 RTTY/CW interface in good condition, With 12-volt 
"wall-wart", manual and interface cables. I do not have the operating 
software for this unit. $10.00

9) New Jennings VCSV-110 vacuum variable capacitor, 110pf maximum 
capacitance, 7.5kv voltage rating. From a TV transmitter spare parts 
stock. $45.00

10) Motorola HT-440 handheld with carrying case, in good condition 
physically but I have no way to test. No charger or antenna but it does 
come with a copy of the service manual. $10.00

11) ICOM IC-290A 2-meter multimode transceiver in very good condition. 
Includes IC-HM23 mic, DC cord and a copy of the service manual. One 
problem, which seems to be normal with these rigs, the memory backup 
does not work and it reverts to the default frequency when unplugged 
from a power source. I have looked for the memory battery (CMOS-style?) 
in the rig but cannot find it. Other than that the rig works great. $125.00

12) Heathkit HW-29A 6-meter "Luchbox" in very good condition. I have 
checked the receiver with a calibrated signal generator and it has an 
MDS of about -105dbm. I cannot check the transmitter for the lack of a 
suitable crystal. These checks were performed on AC power--I have no DC 
power supply for this rig. Includes the manual, original microphone and 
a hastily wired power cord (not original). $30.00

13) KLM 7.2-1 40 meter rotatable dipole in good condition. The antenna 
is linear loaded with an element length is 47-feet. A couple of the 
linear loading insulators have been cracked and repaired with "J-B Weld" 
but they seem to be holding up okay. Includes the manual and 1:1 balun 
although the balun needs some minor repair--the end cap with the SO-239 
connector is missing and a suitable cap with coax connector needs to be 
installed. The balun checks okay on an antenna analyzer. $125.00--local 
pickup *only* on this antenna.

14) Homebrew 4CX250 2-meter amplifier with power supply on a single 
chassis. Needs work on input circuitry and does not have the appropriate 
covers for safety. $25.00--local pickup *only* on the amplifier.

15) ICOM IC-HM8 mic with bad element. $4.00

16) Harris 4500-series 450MHz FM mobile transceiver. Works fine and is 
crystalled for: 449.4/444.4, 447.7/442.7, 447.8/442.8 and 446.0 simplex. 
With all cables, control head with bracket and microphone. $25.00

17) If anyone is interested in building a *serious* HF or VHF amplifier 
I have a new ECONCO rebuilt 6076 power tetrode which was used as a 
driver stage in a TV transmitter. The tube will *loaf* at maximum legal 
output on any frequency up to 222MHz. I have the new tube, 2 used but 
good tubes, sockets for two tubes which have some damaged finger stock 
but are still useable plus the filament transformer for a single tube. I 
also have some documentation and a URL describing an built by a Swedish 
Amateur Radio operator using this tube. $200.00 for everything--prefer 
local pickup but shipping can be arranged if necessary.

18) Heathkit HM-2141 VHF Dual Wattmeter (50-175MHz) in excellent 
condition with manual. $65.00

19) MFJ-207 HF SWR Analyzer, very good condition with manual. $50.00

20) HP-606A Signal Generator, 50kHz to 65MHz, in very nice condition. 
Works on all bands except 50-170kHz which may be a dirty selector 
switch. With manual, $25.00--local pickup *only*--this generator is big 
and heavy!

21) Filament transformer for 4-1000 tube, 220VAC primary. Used but good, 
$25.00--local pickup preferred but it can be shipped in a USPS Priority 
mail "flat-rate" box.



Please add shipping from 89429 to all items which can be shipped. Local 
pickup at my QTH okay. I'm posting here first, hoping for local sales, 
before going "e-lsewhere" ;>)

Thanks,

Jack, NA7RF
Silver Springs
775-577-4621

From dick at twohams.com  Sun Oct  1 15:38:10 2006
From: dick at twohams.com (Dick Flanagan)
Date: Sun Oct  1 15:42:20 2006
Subject: [CVRC] Next Tech. Ham Cram in Silver Springs Nevada
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061001123702.033ab248@mail.greatbasin.net>


The Northern Nevada Education Coalition and Northwest District ARES
presents the next Technician license Ham Cram in Silver Springs, Nevada on
Saturday October 14, 2006.  We will be conducting this in the MacAtee
Building next to the Silver Springs Fire Station which is on Lahontan
Street off of US 95A, south of US 50.  We will be starting at 8 O'clock
A.M. with registration and start reviewing the material at 8:30 A.M. The
W5YI VE team will be administrating the technician test after we finish
with reviewing the material for the Technician license.  Anyone who will
be taking the Technician License exam should have a State or Federal Photo
ID with them when they take the test.  The cost of the test is $14.00.
Please try to have the exact amount with you, the VE team may not have
enough change. The VE team will have tests available for those wishing to
upgrade their current license, please bring a copy of your current
license.  Please check the http://washoeares.hopto.org website for updates
and directions to the MacAtee Building in Silver Springs.  If you would
like more information or wish to attend please email me at
Frank.Walsh@gbis.com or give me a call at 1(775)971-3368, please leave a
message if I don't answer.

Thank You and look forward to meeting everyone who attends.

Frank Walsh
KE7AJO
--
Dick Flanagan K7VC NV SM
E-mail: k7vc@arrl.org

From glennt at charter.net  Mon Oct  2 15:21:07 2006
From: glennt at charter.net (Glenn Thomas)
Date: Mon Oct  2 15:25:23 2006
Subject: [CVRC] DCART net 6:30PM tonight 2Oct06 - Monday night
In-Reply-To: <7.0.1.0.2.20060924210827.03460bb8@charter.net>
References: <64279115.1156808192010.JavaMail.root@fepweb07>
	<7.0.1.0.2.20060924210827.03460bb8@charter.net>
Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20061002121729.034a7bb0@charter.net>

Hi all!

Just a reminder that the DCART net will be Monday night (25Sep06) at 
1830L on the 147.27+ and 441.250+ (both pl 123) repeater.

The net script (freshly revised) is available at 
http://nv.arrl.org/clubs/DCART/netscript.html. This week net control 
duties will be ably handled by Phyllis Lewis KD7OKI (note the change!).

The net format has changed a little. We are presenting the contents 
of the ICS-100 course. Each week we present a lesson (or part of a 
lesson) until all of the class material has been covered. When we 
have completed the ICS-100 material, those who have participated in 
all of the net sessions (and paid some attention) should have no 
trouble passing the on-line ICS-100 test and become certified. After 
we complete the ICS-100 material, we will continue with the ICS-200 material.

The ICS "FOG", ICS 420-1 Field Operations Guide is an excellent 
reference book for this and other ICS issues. We have distributed a 
few copies in the past at DCART meetings. We will attempt to identify 
a source of additional copies for those who would like a copy.

Note that we have a change to the standard DCART frequencies. In the 
event that the W7DI repeater is down during a callup, we will use the 
repeater output frequency, 147.27 as a simplex channel.

See you on net!

73 de Glenn Thomas WB6W

From letter-dlvy at arrl.org  Thu Oct  5 18:44:54 2006
From: letter-dlvy at arrl.org (ARRL Letter Mailing List)
Date: Thu Oct  5 18:49:31 2006
Subject: [CVRC] The ARRL Letter, Vol 25, No 40
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061005154048.04920cc8@mail.greatbasin.net>

***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 25, No. 40
October 6, 2006
***************

IN THIS EDITION:

* +ARRL headed to federal court re certain BPL rules
* +League leans on FCC to release "omnibus" Amateur Radio order
* +New law makes Amateur Radio formally part of the EmComm community
* +Marketing non-certified CBs as ham gear nets big fine for travel center
* +Top Band beacon project hopes to explain 1901 transatlantic success
* +ARISS-NASA meetings lay foundation for future of ham radio in space
*  Solar Update
*  IN BRIEF:
      This weekend on the radio
      ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
     +WRTC 2010 to be held in Russia
     +Martin P. Miller, NN2C, SK
      Ken Widelitz, K6LA/VY2TT wins October QST Cover Plaque Award
      IARU Monitoring System seeks over-the-horizon radar reports
      Wake Island typhoon damage cancels DXpedition
      DXCC Desk approves operation for DXCC credit

+Available on ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>

===========================================================
==>Delivery problems: First see FAQ
<http://www.arrl.org/members-only/faq.html#nodelivery>, then e-mail
<letter-dlvy@arrl.org>
==>Editorial questions or comments only: Rick Lindquist, N1RL,
<n1rl@arrl.org>
===========================================================
NOTE: This week's editions of The ARRL Letter and the ARRL Audio News
webcast/podcast, are being distributed a day early to accommodate travel
schedules.
===========================================================

==>ARRL PLANS FEDERAL COURT APPEAL OF CERTAIN BPL RULES

The ARRL Executive Committee is expected this weekend to ratify plans to
appeal in federal court certain aspects of the FCC's Part 15 rules governing
broadband over power line (BPL) systems. Assuming the EC signs off on the
strategy, the League will file a Notice of Appeal by October 22 with the US
District Court of Appeals -- DC Circuit. ARRL Chief Executive Officer David
Sumner, K1ZZ, said the League went forward with its appeal plans only after
considering the effect on licensed spectrum users of letting the BPL rules
stand.

"This decision was made after careful review of the FCC's October 2004 BPL
Report and Order (R&O) and of the August 2006 Memorandum Opinion and Order
(MO&O) that dealt with petitions for reconsideration," said Sumner, who
addressed ARRL's concerns with the FCC's BPL rules in his "It Seems to Us .
. ." editorial in October QST
<http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2006/10/01/1/>.

Several reconsideration petitions of the initial R&O -- including one from
ARRL -- called on the FCC to strengthen rules aimed at protecting licensed
radio systems from BPL interference. Instead, in a new rule only revealed
after the FCC made the MO&O public, the FCC limited the extent to which an
unlicensed, unintentional radiator has to protect a licensed mobile station.


The new rule, ?15.611(c)(1)(iii), provides that BPL operators only have to
reduce emission levels below established FCC permissible limits by 20 dB
below 30 MHz and by 10 dB above 30 MHz -- even if that's not enough to
resolve harmful interference complaints.

"The FCC has, in effect, tried to redefine harmful interference," Sumner
said. "It can't do that. The Commission doesn't have the authority to do
that, and we're going to demonstrate that to the Court of Appeals."

What the FCC has done with respect to licensed mobile services "should
strike fear into the hearts of those who rely on public safety
communications," Sumner said, especially since the rule requires BPL
operators to do even less above 30 MHz than at HF.

The Commission also declined to adjust the 40 dB per decade "extrapolation
factor" applied to measurements performed at distances from power lines
other than those specified in Part 15. Sumner says this is an important
technical point because the existing Part 15 rule causes test results to
underestimate actual field strength. Petitions for reconsideration from the
ARRL and others argued that a figure closer to 20 dB per decade was more
appropriate. Sumner called the Commission's stand on the 40 dB per decade
rule "clearly, demonstrably and inarguably wrong."

He said the principles that the FCC appears to be following for the first
time -- if applied generally -- represent an abuse of licensees' rights.
"It's unacceptable that the FCC would reduce the rights of its licensees in
favor of unlicensed, unintentional emitters," he said. "Remember that
'unintentional emission' is just another term for 'spectrum pollution.'"

Sumner made it clear that the League is not suing BPL providers for causing
interference, nor suing the FCC for failing to enforce its own rules against
harmful interference. "We are not satisfied with the level of attention the
Commission is paying to existing cases of BPL interference, but this is not
the time to pursue that in federal court," he said.

While the separate standard for what constitutes harmful interference to a
mobile and the 40 dB per decade extrapolation factor issues precipitated the
decision to appeal, Sumner said, the arguments the League puts forward in
its court filing may touch on other matters as well.

"The court is not going to rewrite the rules," Sumner explained. "The court
can make the Commission go back to the drawing board and re-decide them,
however."

==>ARRL PRESSES FCC TO RELEASE "OMNIBUS" AMATEUR RADIO REPORT AND ORDER

The ARRL has called upon FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin and his four
Commission colleagues to help end "a very frustrating and protracted delay"
by releasing a Report and Order in the so-called "Omnibus" Amateur Radio
proceeding, WT Docket 04-140. The 2004 Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
(WTB) proceeding, one of two still awaiting FCC release, consolidated a
dozen rule making petitions addressing various Part 97 rule changes --
including ARRL's Novice refarming proposal. In its Notice of Proposed Rule
Making and Order (NPRM&O), the Commission proposed to go along with the
League's refarming concept and most other recommendations. ARRL President
Joel Harrison, W5ZN, says the long-overdue Report and Order seems to be
stalled for no reason.

"I believe it's grossly incompetent for a government agency to fail to act
on something affecting the Amateur Radio Service," Harrison commented,
"especially after the recognition Amateur Radio has received over the past
year from members of Congress, public service agencies and even the
President." The oldest of the rule making petitions dates back more than
five years, while the NPRM&O came out two and one-half years ago. "There's
nothing controversial in this proceeding," he said. "The FCC needs to act on
this. That's the bottom line."

In an October 3 letter to the Commission
<http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/wt04-140/ARRL-Ltr2FCCreWT-04-140.pd
f>, Harrison said the Amateur Radio Service asks very little of the FCC,
"and our performance during recent disasters amply justifies facilitation of
these relatively minor rule changes" that will enhance Amateur Radio's
ability to react in emergencies and disasters. The FCC's apparent
foot-dragging "is not responsive government," he wrote.

The ARRL's Novice refarming plan would reallocate current Novice/Tech Plus
subbands to expand portions of the 80, 40 and 15 meter phone bands. Harrison
maintained that the League's proposal and others in the proceeding would
"greatly improve the efficiency of Amateur Radio's use of the high-frequency
(HF) spectrum."

The FCC further agreed with the ARRL's proposal to extend privileges in the
current General CW-only HF subbands to present Novice and Tech Plus
licensees (or Technicians with Element 1 credit). It also proposed to
largely do away with Part 97 rules prohibiting the manufacture and marketing
to Amateur Radio operators of amplifiers capable of operation on 10 and 12
meters.

An ARRL delegation that met with Martin's Chief of Staff Fred Campbell last
February was told that nothing substantive was holding up the proceeding.
Since that time, Harrison told the Commission, inquiries addressed to
Campbell and to WTB management and staff regarding the proceeding's status
have gone unanswered.

"I urge you to release the Report and Order that we understand has been
drafted and ready for Commission consideration for more than a year now,"
Harrison stressed in closing.

Perhaps more eagerly awaited is FCC action on the "Morse code" proceeding,
WT Docket 05-235. WTB staff already has indicated that a Report and Order in
the older "omnibus" proceeding will come first, however. The FCC's Notice of
Proposed Rule Making and Order (NPRM&O) in WT Docket 05-235 last July
proposed to eliminate the Element 1 (5 WPM) Morse code requirement for all
license classes.

A Report and Order in either Amateur Radio proceeding would formally adopt
and spell out the changes and specify their effective dates.

==>NEW LAW FORMALLY MAKES AMATEUR RADIO PART OF EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
COMMUNITY

A section of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 2007 Appropriations
Act, HR 5441 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:h.r.05441:>,
formally includes Amateur Radio operators as a part of the emergency
communications community. Congress approved the measure before adjourning
for its pre-election break. President George W. Bush signed the bill into
law October 4.

Amateur Radio is included within the legislation's Subtitle D, Section 671,
known as the "21st Century Emergency Communications Act." Radio amateurs are
among the entities with which a Regional Emergency Communications
Coordination Working Group (RECC Working Group) must coordinate its
activities. Included within the DHS's Office of Emergency Communications --
which the measure also creates -- RECC Working Groups attached to each
regional DHS office will advise federal and state homeland security
officials. The final version of the legislation incorporated language from
both House and Senate bills and was hammered out in a conference committee.
An earlier version of the 21st Century Emergency Communications Act, HR
5852, included Amateur Radio operators as members of the RECC Working
Groups.

In addition to Amateur Radio operators, RECC Working Groups also will
coordinate with communications equipment manufacturers and vendors --
including broadband data service providers, local exchange carriers, local
broadcast media, wireless carriers, satellite communications services, cable
operators, hospitals, public utility services, emergency evacuation transit
services, ambulance services, and representatives from other private sector
entities and nongovernmental organizations.

The RECC Working Groups will assess the survivability, sustainability and
interoperability of local emergency communication systems to meet the goals
of the National Emergency Communications Report. That report would recommend
how the US could "accelerate the deployment of interoperable emergency
communications nationwide." They also will coordinate the establishment of
"effective multi-jurisdictional, multi-agency emergency communications
networks" that could be brought into play in an emergency or disaster.

In light of the new legislation, the ARRL plans to follow up to determine
how it can interact with the DHS and its Office of Emergency Communications.

==>FCC DOCKS TRAVEL CENTER FOR MARKETING NON-CERTIFIED CBs AS AMATEUR GEAR

The FCC has fined Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores Inc of Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma, $25,000 for violating the Communications Act of 1934, as amended,
by offering for sale non-certified Citizens Band (CB) transceivers. The
Forfeiture Order (NoF)
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1936A1.pdf>
released September 29 recounts a history of alleged violations dating back
to 2001, when the Commission issued the first of seven citations to Love's
for marketing non-certified CB transceivers. All CB transmitting equipment
must first receive FCC certification before it can be marketed or sold in
the US.

"Based on the evidence before us, we find that Love's willfully and
repeatedly violated Section 302(b) of the Act and Section 2.803(a) of the
rules by offering for sale non-certified CB transmitters on three instances
-- two on February 23, 2005, and one on February 25, 2005," said the NoF,
signed by the FCC Enforcement Bureau's South Central Region Director Dennis
P. Carlton. The FCC said that between March 2004 and January 2005,
Enforcement Bureau field agents, following up on complaints, visited 10
Love's retail outlets in Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona and California. "At these
locations, the stores displayed and offered for sale various models of
non-certified CB transceivers marketed as ARS [Amateur Radio Service]
transmitters," the FCC NoF noted.

According to the NoF, Love's attorney had argued that because the radios in
question were marketed as Amateur Radio equipment and "as sold" operate only
on the amateur bands, the transceivers fell under the FCC's Part 97 Amateur
Radio Service rules. The FCC pointed out, however, that its Office of
Engineering and Technology (OET) had specifically tested the two Galaxy
models in question (DX99V and DX33HML) and found both to be "dual-use"
Amateur Radio and CB transmitters.

"Each of the models could be modified to allow transmit capabilities on CB
frequencies," the FCC said in the NoF. In 1999, the OET clarified that ARS
transceivers that have "a built-in capability to operate on CB frequencies
and can easily be altered to activate that capability, such as by moving or
removing a jumper plug or cutting a single wire" fall under the FCC's
definition of a CB transmitter.

"We conclude that seven citations were more than sufficient to provide
Love's actual notice that marketing this equipment is unlawful and that
continued violations could make Love's liable for severe sanctions," the FCC
said.

The Love's case was reminiscent of other FCC enforcement proceedings
alleging marketing of uncertified CB transceivers labeled as Amateur Radio
gear, including one against Pilot Travel Centers LLC that could have cost
the company $125,000 in fines. That case ended last May with a consent
decree. While Pilot agreed to make "a voluntary contribution" of $90,000 to
the US Treasury "without further protest or recourse," it did not admit to
any wrongdoing.

In June, the FCC affirmed a $7000 fine on TravelCenters of America in
Troutdale, Oregon, for marketing uncertified CB transceivers as 10-meter
Amateur Radio transceivers. The FCC turned away TravelCenters' argument that
the transceivers in question were not CB transceivers, which require FCC
certification, but Amateur Radio transceivers, which do not.

==>160-METER EXPERIMENT WILL EXPLORE MARCONI'S 1901 TRANSATLANTIC SUCCESS

A 160-meter beacon will take to the air this fall and winter from Cornwall,
England, to explore how Guglielmo Marconi was able to span the Atlantic by
wireless for the first time on December 12, 1901. Radio history says that's
when the radio pioneer at a receiving station in Newfoundland successfully
copied the Morse code letter "s" sent repeatedly by his team in the Cornwall
town of Poldhu. The latter-day venture is a cooperative effort of the Poldhu
Amateur Radio Club (PARK) in Cornwall and the Marconi Radio Club of
Newfoundland (MCRN). The Poldhu club's Keith Matthew, G0WYS, said the 2001
centenary of Marconi's achievement reopened discussion into the mechanism by
which the 1901 spark transmitter signal propagated.

"The winter of 1901 coincided with a sunspot minimum, and it was realized
that this coming December 2006 should show similar conditions to those of
December 1901," he said. Just how Marconi was able to receive the
transatlantic transmission has long been a topic of discussion and even
controversy, especially given the frequency Marconi is likely to have used,
thought to be between 800 and 900 kHz, and the time of day, afternoon in
Newfoundland.

"The beacon will help understand the possibility of low sunspot number
transatlantic medium wave propagation 24 hours a day, but especially 1400
through 1800 UTC," Matthew said. The 160-meter amateur band is being used,
he explained, because Marconi's original frequency today is a highly
populated piece of the radio spectrum.

"It was realized that a clear channel would be necessary on the nearest
amateur band, and a temporary license to operate a beacon on 160 meters has
now been obtained," Matthew announced. Starting on or about November 1 and
continuing through next February, the GB3SSS beacon will transmit on 1960
kHz.

The 1960 kHz beacon will use a two-minute transmit sequence starting at the
top of the hour. It will consist of a CW identification followed by a series
of carrier bursts, each reducing in power by 6 dB. An identification in
PSK31 will follow. The transmit sequence will repeat at 15-minute intervals.

On the listening end in Newfoundland will be well-known low-frequency
experimenter Joe Craig, VO1NA, of the MRCN, who lives near St John's. "This
is a very exciting project," Craig said. "I am very grateful for the support
from my fellow members in the club and our sister club, the Poldhu Amateur
Radio Club." Craig offered his own observations on Marconi's 1901 feat in a
2001 article "Marconi's First Transatlantic Wireless Experiment," for The
Canadian Amateur, the journal of Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC)
<http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~jcraig/marconi.html>. Also monitoring in North
America will be the Antique Wireless Association's W2AN club station in
upstate New York.

ARRL member and radio history buff Bart Lee, KV6LEE, proposed the 160-meter
experiment to test the feasibility of Marconi's 1901 claimed achievement.
"Continuing cooperation between Canadian and British Amateur Radio operators
can thus play a part in verification of one of the most interesting events
in the history of our technology," Lee said in his article "A Plea for
Timely Experiments" on the California Historical Radio Web site
<http://www.californiahistoricalradio.com/photos53.html>. Lee and Matthew
recently visited with Craig and other MRCN members in Newfoundland.

E-mail beacon reception reports <gb3sss@yahoo.co.uk>.

==>ARISS TEAM "ALWAYS ON A ROLL," ARRL LIAISON SAYS

Recent meetings with NASA officials have laid the foundation for the future
of the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program
<http://www.rac.ca/ariss> and, at the same time, garnered accolades for
Amateur Radio. Sponsorship of the ARISS program is moving from NASA
Headquarters to Johnson Spaceflight Center (JSC) in Houston, and ARISS
International Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, and ARISS International
Secretary-Treasurer Rosalie White, K1STO, recently held planning sessions
with various JSC offices. White described the sessions as "stepping stones"
to the realization of future ARISS projects and programs.

"The ARISS Team continues to be on a roll with new and exciting aspects to
plan and develop," White said. "It isn't just daydreaming. It is dreams that
turn into reality for hundreds of thousands of youths, thousands hams and
even most astronauts!" Accompanying Bauer and White on the visits were
Bauer's deputy, Mark Steiner, K3MS, and NASA ISS Ham Radio Project Engineer
Kenneth Ransom, N5VHO.

The ARISS team's first stop was the ISS Program Office to review a new,
nearly completed NASA-ARISS charter. The ISS Program Office's Carlos
Fontanot confirmed that the ARISS team will be charged with overseeing all
Amateur Radio-in-space activities, no matter what ham radio group initiates
them, White said.

At the JSC Education Office, the ARISS delegation discussed the transition
of ARISS sponsorship from NASA Headquarters to JSC. They met with Education
Leader Cynthia McArthur -- wife of astronaut and ISS Expedition 12 Commander
Bill McArthur, KC5ACR. Bauer and White asked McArthur to thank her husband
for thrilling thousands of hams by getting on the air so often during his
ISS mission. McArthur said she was impressed by the number of Expedition 12
Google hits that mentioned Amateur Radio.

The ARISS delegation also met with ISS Expedition 9 astronaut Mike Fincke,
KE5AIT. "He made it very plain that he truly enjoyed getting on the air for
ragchew QSOs and being interviewed by school children about the ISS," said
White. "He expressed the hope that all astronauts will earn their ham
licenses and be able to realize the same pleasures he got from hamming."

Fincke told the ARISS team that he found ARISS to be both exciting and, as
an educational outreach program, a great global teaching tool. He recounted
that when he missed his family and friends while on orbit, he'd grab the
NA1SS mike and call CQ, finding hams all over the world just waiting to make
a contact with him. "ARISS lets the ISS crew make contacts with unknown
citizens. A crew member needs that," he told Bauer and White.

Huddling later with Al Holt of the JSC Space Operations Sponsored
Experiments Office, Bauer and White said they'd like to an ARISS role in the
"Moon, Mars and Beyond" initiative. They cited Amateur Radio's potential as
a valuable tool to people living on the moon for several months at a time.

"Moon-base hamming could be similar to hamming in Antarctica," White said.
"ARISS is the foundation for worlds of opportunity. The ARISS Team is
cautiously optimistic that it will be supporting Moon, Mars & Beyond."

The ARISS Team also consulted with Steve VanderArk, KC5WKH. He heads the
Wyle Labs team of contractors that schedules the astronauts' workdays. Once
the exploration initiative ramps up, he said, the ISS Program Office will
schedule many construction-related flights. He pointed out that while the
busy crews may not have as much time for Amateur Radio, more of them will be
available to do ARISS QSOs. "ARISS makes a huge impact on the crew and on
education," Vanderark said.

==>SOLAR UPDATE

Sol man Tad "Blinded by the Light" Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington, reports:
Daily sunspot numbers and solar flux were higher this week. Average daily
sunspot numbers rose by nearly 22 points to 34.6. Average daily solar flux
was up nearly by 6 points to 76.7.

 From the first quarter of 2004 through the third quarter of 2006, the
average daily sunspot number was 72.9, 71.3, 69.3, 61, 46.1, 55.7, 58, 36,
18.1, 39.7 and 23.5. The average daily solar flux for the same period was
111.1, 99.5, 111, 104.8, 96.4, 93.1, 93.6, 84.5, 78.5, 82.1 and 77.5.

That still looks like a steady downward slope as we end Sunspot Cycle 23.
The Space Environment Center (SEC) forecast still predicts a low point for
sunspot numbers during the March-April time frame next year. Once we get
there, we should observe at least several weeks of no sunspots at all.

For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL Technical
Information Service Propagation page
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html>.

Sunspot numbers for September 28 through October 4 were 36, 51, 38, 35, 36,
23 and 23 with a mean of 34.6. The 10.7 cm flux was 73, 76.5, 77.7, 78.4,
77.9, 76.6, and 76.7, with a mean of 76.7. Estimated planetary A indices
were 2, 3, 12, 25, 7, 5 and 3, with a mean of 8.1. Estimated mid-latitude A
indices were 2, 3, 9, 14, 6, 6 and 2, with, a mean of 6.

__________________________________

==>IN BRIEF:

* This weekend on the radio: The California QSO Party (CQP), the Oceania DX
Contest (SSB), the International HELL-Contest, the EU Autumn Sprint (SSB),
the PRO CW Contest and the UBA ON Contest (SSB) are the weekend of October
7-8. JUST AHEAD: The 10-10 International 10-10 Day Sprint is October 10. The
YLRL Anniversary Party (SSB) is October 10-12. The NAQCC Straight Key/Bug
Sprint is October 11. The North American Sprint (RTTY), the ARRL EME Contest
(50-1296 MHz - Part 2), the Makrothen RTTY Contest, the Microwave Fall
Sprint, the Oceania DX Contest (CW), the EU Autumn Sprint (CW), the
Pennsylvania QSO Party, the F.I.S.T.S. Fall Sprint, the Asia-Pacific Fall
Sprint (CW), and the UBA ON Contest (2 meters) are the weekend of October
14-15. The Run for the Bacon QRP Contest is October 16. See the ARRL Contest
Branch page <http://www.arrl.org/contests/> and the WA7BNM Contest Calendar
<http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info.

* ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration:
Registration remains open through Sunday, October 22, for these ARRL
Certification and Continuing Education (CCE) on-line courses: Amateur Radio
License Course (EC-010), Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 1
(EC-001), Radio Frequency Interference (EC-006), Antenna Design and
Construction (EC-009), Analog Electronics (EC-012) and Digital Electronics
(EC-013). Classes begin Friday, November 3. These courses will also open for
registration Friday, October 20, for classes beginning Friday, December 1.
To learn more, visit the CCE Course Listing page
<http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html> or contact the CCE Department
<cce@arrl.org>.

* WRTC 2010 to be held in Russia: The World Radiosport Team Championship
Sanctioning Committee (WRTC-SC) has announced the next WRTC will be held in
Russia for the first time in 2010. The Soyuz Radiolyubitelei Rossii (SRR) --
the Union of Radio Amateurs of Russia -- will be the primary sponsor, and
SRR President Roman Thomas, RZ3AA, is the host committee chairman. The event
will be held in the vicinity of Moscow in conjunction with the IARU HF World
Championship in July 2010. The committee plans to publish qualification
rules and procedures and establish a WRTC 2010 Web site as soon as possible.
The WRTC-SC expressed its gratitude to the Russian team for its hard work in
preparing the proposal and undertaking initial planning for the
event.--Contester's Rate Sheet <http://www.arrl.org/contests/rate-sheet/>

* Martin P. Miller, NN2C, SK: Martin P. "Marty" Miller, NN2C, of Melville,
New York, died September 30. He was 84. Miller was a DXCC Honor Roll member
on both phone and CW. An ARRL member, he was very active in the Long Island
DX Association (LIDXA), where he was a member for more than 25 years and
president for 7 years. "He would regularly bring his new DXpedition videos
down to LIDXA meetings and was always trying out new software and hardware
in his station," said LIDXA Secretary Ed Whitman, K2MFY. Miller was among
the US troops that went ashore at Normandy in 1944 ahead of the first
invasion wave as part of a special combat assault unit. He received the
Silver Star for his actions that day. Licensed more than 30 years ago (he
formerly held WB2VEX), Miller also served as president of the QCWA's Long
Island Chapter 81 and belonged to the Grumman Amateur Radio Club..

* Ken Widelitz, K6LA/VY2TT wins September QST Cover Plaque Award: The winner
of the QST Cover Plaque Award for September is Ken Widelitz, K6LA/VY2TT, for
his article "Learning from Your Log Checking Report." Congratulations, Ken!
The winner of the QST Cover Plaque award--given to the author or authors of
the best article in each issue--is determined by a vote of ARRL members on
the QST Cover Plaque Poll Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/members-only/QSTvote.html>. Cast a ballot for your
favorite article in the October issue by Tuesday, October 31.

* IARU Monitoring System seeks over-the-horizon radar reports: IARU Region 2
Monitoring System Coordinator Bill Zellers, WA4FKI, says Amateur Radio
stations on the West Coast and as far east as Arizona have reported hearing
over-the-horizon radar signals on the low bands. VE7BZ in British Columbia
recorded the radar's signal October 1, 1353 UTC, on 3.795 MHz
<http://www.arrl.org/news/crawlies/10081/OTH-R-3795-VE7BZ-100106.mp3>. The
radar, apparently located on Hainan Island, Peoples Republic of China, has
shown up on 160, 80 and 40 meters and sometimes is quite strong. On 80/75
meters it appears as high as 3.8 MHz, while on 40 meters, it's showing up on
the lower 25 kHz or so. Typically there are about 50 seconds between signal
pulses. He said the radar signals are strongest on a heading of between 285
and 320 degrees from California or Arizona. Zellers requests reports from
stations hearing the over-the-horizon radar signals as well as any other
signals that do not appear to belong on the amateur bands. He suggests the
following report format: Your call sign, time in UTC, frequency, emission
type, signal strength, propagation and signal bandwidth in kHz. Send reports
to Zeller via e-mail <wa4fki@nc.rr.com>.

* Wake Island typhoon damage cancels DXpedition: The Daily DX
<http://www.dailydx.com> reports that because Typhoon Ioke caused moderate
to severe damage to 70 percent of the buildings on Wake Island (KH9) in
August, a planned DXpedition to the South Pacific atoll has been cancelled.
ARRL member Tom Meier, K7ZZ, had planned to operate from Wake Island this
month. "There is no potable water, sewer, or electrical distribution
facilities available on the island," The Daily DX reported September 29.
Ioke, a Category 5 storm with 165 MPH winds, made a direct hit on Wake
Island. "The US Air Force is in the process of deciding whether to simply
abandon the island or to make repairs and reopen the facility," The Daily DX
reported. "Until the decision to reopen the island is made, no visitors of
any kind will be permitted on the island." An unincorporated US territory,
Wake Island has no indigenous population, but some 200 US military
contractors were evacuated prior to the storm's arrival.

* DXCC Desk approves operation for DXCC credit: The ARRL DXCC Desk has
approved this operation for DXCC credit: TT8LN (Chad), February 12-June 5,
2006. A reminder: The DXCC Desk now is accepting submissions for Swain's
Island (KH8). For more information, visit the DXCC Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc/>. "DXCC Frequently Asked Questions" can
answer most questions about the DXCC program.

===========================================================
The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the American
Radio Relay League: ARRL--the National Association For Amateur Radio, 225
Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259;
<http://www.arrl.org>. Joel Harrison, W5ZN, President.

The ARRL Letter offers a weekly e-mail digest of essential and general news
of interest to active radio amateurs. Visit the ARRL Web site
<http://www.arrl.org> for the latest Amateur Radio news and news updates.
The ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/> also offers informative features
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Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole or
in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must be given to
The ARRL Letter/American Radio Relay League.

==>Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!):
letter-dlvy@arrl.org
==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, n1rl@arrl.org
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==>ARRL Audio News: <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> or call
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==>How to Get The ARRL Letter

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From memberlist at www.arrl.org  Thu Oct  5 19:49:26 2006
From: memberlist at www.arrl.org (ARRL Web site)
Date: Thu Oct  5 19:53:59 2006
Subject: [CVRC] ARLD042 DX news
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061005164916.00c47ed8@mail.greatbasin.net>

SB DX @ ARL $ARLD042
ARLD042 DX news

ZCZC AE42
QST de W1AW
DX Bulletin 42  ARLD042
 From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  October 5, 2006
To all radio amateurs

SB DX ARL ARLD042
ARLD042 DX news

This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by
KE6GFI, NC1L, the OPDX Bulletin, DXNL, 425 DX News, The Daily DX,
Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web
sites.  Thanks to all.

CYPRUS, 5B.  Sigi, DL7DF is QRV as 5B4/DL7DF until October 12.  This
is a holiday style operation, but with activity on the HF bands
using CW, SSB, RTTY and SSTV.  QSL to home call.

MADAGASCAR, 5R.  Willi, DJ7RJ is QRV as 5R8RJ from Nosy Be, IOTA
AF-057, until October 27.  QSL to home call.

MALDIVES, 8Q.  Andy, G7COD is QRV as 8Q7AK from Embudu Island, IOTA
AS-013, until October 15.  Activity is on 80 to 10 meters using
mostly SSB with some CW.  QSL direct to home call.

TAIWAN, BV.  In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Radio
Taipei International, special event station BV0RTI will be QRV
October 8 and 9.  Activity will be on 80, 40, 20 and 15 meters.

MOZAMBIQUE, C9.  Marq, CT1BWW will be QRV as C98BWW from Bazaruto
Island, IOTA AF-072, from October 7 to 14.  Activity will be on the
HF bands.  QSL to home call.

NORWAY, LA.  Operators Tom, DL1DVE and Mike, DL3VTA will be QRV as
LA/homecalls from Sotra Island, IOTA EU-055,  from October 9 to 14.
Activity will be on the HF bands using CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK31, and
maybe also SSTV.  LA/DL1DVE will also be active from grid square
JP20 using WSJT on 2 meters.  QSL to home calls.

BULGARIA, LZ.  The Balkan Contest Club is QRV as with special event
callsign LZ26ZA until October 31.  QSL via bureau.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA, P2.  Operators Derek, G3KHZ, Vincent, G0LMX and
Hans, SM6CVX are QRV as P29NI from Trobriand Islands, IOTA OC-115,
until October 10.  They will also be QRV as P29CVX from the Coastal
Islands South Island Group, IOTA OC-153, from October 11 to 14.
They are active on all HF bands on the IOTA frequencies.  QSL P29NI
and P29CVX via G3KHZ and SM6CVX, respectively.

SURINAME, PZ.  Bob, N3CXM plans to be QRV as PZ5JR until October 19
during his spare time while on business here.  QSL via K3BYV.

EAST KIRIBATI, T32.  LeMarr, T32Z plans to be QRV from Christmas
Island from October 10 to 20.  Activity will be on the HF bands
using CW and SSB, with a special emphasis on 30, 17 and 12 meters.
QSL via K3PD.

BELIZE, V3.  Larry, WO0Z will be QRV as V31LL from October 7 to 21.
Activity will be on 80 to 10 meters using CW, SSB and possibly RTTY.
QSL to home call.

CHRISTMAS ISLAND, VK9X.  Chris, VK3FY is QRV as VK3FY/VK9X until
October 9 while on work assignment.  Activity is on all HF bands,
including 6 meters.

CAMBODIA, XU.  Shim, XV3AA/3W3A will be QRV beginning October 11 for
a two week period.  Activity will be on 20 meters between 2330 and
0030z.  QSL via JA6UHG.

AFGHANISTAN, YA.  John, KE6GFF is QRV as T6EE from Kabul until
October 30.  Activity is on 20 meters SSB.  QSL to home call.

NIUE, ZK2.  Rick, AI5P is QRV as ZK2PX until October 20.  Activity
is on 40 to 17 meters using mostly CW.  QSL to home call.

OPERATION APPROVED FOR DXCC CREDIT.  The following operation is
approved for DXCC credit:  Chad, TT8LN, operation from February 12
through June 5, 2006.

QSL MANAGER CORRECTION.  As reported in DX Bulletin ARLD041, the
correct QSL route for 9Q1D is direct via SM5BFJ.  Also, QSL 9Q1NT
via ON5NT.

THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO.  The TARA PSK Rumble Contest, Oceania DX
Phone Contest, International HELL-Contest, EU Autumn SSB Sprint,
California QSO Party, PRO CW Contest and the UBA ON SSB Contest are
all scheduled for this weekend.  The 10-10 International 10-10 Day
Sprint is scheduled for October 10.  The YLRL Anniversary SSB Party
is scheduled for October 10 to 12.  The NAQCC Straight Key/Bug CW
Sprint is scheduled for October 11.  Please see October QST, page
101 and the ARRL and WA7BNM contest websites for details.
NNNN
/EX

From glennt at charter.net  Fri Oct  6 16:48:19 2006
From: glennt at charter.net (Glenn Thomas)
Date: Fri Oct  6 16:53:03 2006
Subject: [CVRC] Re: [DCART] DCART net 6:30PM 9Oct06 - Monday night
In-Reply-To: <7.0.1.0.2.20061002121729.034a7bb0@charter.net>
References: <64279115.1156808192010.JavaMail.root@fepweb07>
	<7.0.1.0.2.20060924210827.03460bb8@charter.net>
	<7.0.1.0.2.20061002121729.034a7bb0@charter.net>
Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20061006134225.03462c98@charter.net>

Hi all!

Just a reminder that the DCART net will be Monday night at 1830L on 
the 147.27+ and 441.250+ (both pl 123) repeater. Next weeks net 
script is now available on line. The reminder is early this week so 
that those who want to can read the lesson material before net time.

The net script (freshly revised) is available at 
http://nv.arrl.org/clubs/DCART/netscript.html. This week net control 
duties will be ably handled by Otto Tune KV7J.

The net format has changed a little. We are presenting the contents 
of the ICS-100 course. Each week we present a lesson (or part of a 
lesson) until all of the class material has been covered. When we 
have completed the ICS-100 material, those who have participated in 
all of the net sessions (and paid some attention) should have no 
trouble passing the on-line ICS-100 test and become certified. After 
we complete the ICS-100 material, we will continue with the ICS-200 material.

This week I've made an effort to reduce the "balloon juice". Let me 
know how it turns out. Also, I've added links to the script page that 
lead to net scripts for past sessions for those of you who want the 
reference. Also, there are links to the FEMA on-line copies of the 
course material as well as the final exam.

Note that we have a change to the standard DCART frequencies. In the 
event that the W7DI repeater is down during a callup, we will use the 
repeater output frequency, 147.27 as a simplex channel.

See you on net!

73 de Glenn Thomas WB6W

From memberlist at www.arrl.org  Fri Oct  6 19:36:46 2006
From: memberlist at www.arrl.org (ARRL Web site)
Date: Fri Oct  6 20:14:06 2006
Subject: [CVRC] ARLP041 Propagation de K7RA
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061006163635.033cee40@mail.greatbasin.net>

SB PROP @ ARL $ARLP041
ARLP041 Propagation de K7RA

ZCZC AP41
QST de W1AW
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 41  ARLP041
 From Tad Cook, K7RA
Seattle, WA  October 6, 2006
To all radio amateurs

SB PROP ARL ARLP041
ARLP041 Propagation de K7RA

Daily sunspot numbers and solar flux were higher this week. Average
daily sunspot numbers rose nearly 22 points to 34.6. Average daily
solar flux was up nearly six points to 76.7.

September 30 ended the third quarter of 2006, so now is a good time
to review quarterly averages of daily sunspot numbers and solar
flux, to examine the current solar cycle's downward trend.

 From the first quarter of 2004 through the third quarter of 2006,
the average daily sunspot number was 72.9, 71.3, 69.3, 61, 46.1,
55.7, 58, 36, 18.1, 39.7 and 23.5.

The average daily solar flux for the same period was 111.1, 99.5,
111, 104.8, 96.4, 93.1, 93.6, 84.5, 78.5, 82.1 and 77.5.

That still looks like a steady downward slope. The Space Environment
Center forecast still predicts a low point for sunspot numbers
during March and April of next year. This is based on a smoothed
sunspot number, so those daily values are averaged over six months
to produce a smoothed value centered in the middle of the period.

So when we are in the middle of it, because of daily variation, it
may not be immediately apparent that we have reached minimum. But if
it is anything like the last minimum--ten years ago this month--we
should observe at least several weeks of no sunspots at all.

We are nearing the end of sunspot cycle 23, and earlier this year we
read about the predictions of Mausumi Dikpata, who said that cycle
24 may be a big one. She used observations of the Great Conveyor
Belt, a huge circulating current of hot plasma inside the sun, which
takes about 40 years to complete a full rotation. The speed of this
belt seems to correlate well with solar activity 20 about years in
the future. The movement has slowed considerably, leading NASA solar
physicist David Hathaway to predict weak activity for cycle 25,
peaking around the year 2022. You can read about it at,
http://www.physorg.com/news66581392.html.

Eric Hall, K9GY mentioned the California QSO Party this weekend in a
recent email. You can find the at rules on the web at,
http://www.cqp.org/.

Here are some projections using W6ELprop (free at
http://www.qsl.net/w6elprop/) to see what propagation to California
from various locations may be like this weekend.

 From Boston, 15-meter propagation may be possible, especially if
sunspot numbers stay steady or increase. The best times would be
1600-2100z. Check 20 meters 1430-0030z, with stronger signals late
in the period. 40 meters looks strongest from 0030-1130z, and 80
meters over about the same period.

 From Atlanta, 10 meter chances look slim, but most likely openings
are around 1600-2300z, and 15 meter chances look very good over the
same period. Check 20 meters 1300-1400z and 1545-0300z, with
strongest signals in the last four hours of that period. 40 meters
looks good 2200-0130z, and excellent 0200-1200z, and still good
around 1230-1600z. 80 meters should be good after dark, but best
0330-1100z.

 From the center of the 48 contiguous United States, check 20 meters
1500-0200z, and 40 meters should be open around the clock, with
strongest signals 0130-1300z, and weakest around 1630-2130z. 80
meters looks best 0230-1230z.

 From Chicago, 10 meters has a small chance of openings in the
1730-2130z time slot. 15 meters looks very good 1630-2230z and
possibly later. 20 meters looks best 1330-1530z, and 2230-0230z.  40
meters may be open all day and night, with the best signals
0130-1200z and weakest 1700-2030z. 80 meters looks best 0330-1130z.

 From Dallas, check 15 meters 1730-2200z, 20 meters 1400-0230z. 40
meters should be good over a 24 hour period, with best chances
0100-1300z and weakest around 1730-2030z. 80 meters looks strongest
0300-1200z.

 From Salt Lake City, 80 meters should be open all day and night.
Best 80-meter signals 0130-1330z and weakest 1700-2200z. 40-meter
best bet is 1430-0300z.

If you would like to make a comment or have a tip for our readers,
email the author at, k7ra@arrl.net.

For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL
Technical Information Service at,
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html. For a detailed
explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin see,
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/k9la-prop.html. An archive of past
propagation bulletins is at, http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/ .

Sunspot numbers for September 28 through October 4 were 36, 51, 38,
35, 36, 23 and 23 with a mean of 34.6. 10.7 cm flux was 73, 76.5,
77.7, 78.4, 77.9, 76.6, and 76.7, with a mean of 76.7. Estimated
planetary A indices were 2, 3, 12, 25, 7, 5 and 3 with a mean of
8.1. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 2, 3, 9, 14, 6, 6 and 2,
with a mean of 6.
NNNN
/EX

From vhfplus at bmg50.com  Sun Oct  8 21:38:09 2006
From: vhfplus at bmg50.com (Jack/NA7RF)
Date: Sun Oct  8 22:19:21 2006
Subject: [CVRC] Stuff FS
Message-ID: <4529A801.3010209@bmg50.com>

Relisting some items and adding a few items to my previous list:

1) Dentron 160-10AT tuner in good condition. Works great to allow use of 
practically any antenna whether coax, balanced line or end fed. I used 
this on 160 with an inverted-L last season with excellent results. 
$75.00 with operating manual.

2) Pyramid PS-26KX DC supply. 6-15 volts adjustable at 25 amps. Fully 
metered, both voltage and current, with thermal and over voltage 
protection plus has a built-in cooling fan. Excellent condition. $65.00

3) Heathkit HM-102 HF wattmeter/SWR meter. Good physical condition and 
works fine. Wattmeter has 0-200 and 0-2000 watt scales. Calibration 
appears good. $35.00

4) Heathkit HM-2141 VHF (50-175MHz) wattmeter/SWR meter. Wattmeter has 
0-30 and 0-300 watt scales and reads either average or peak power. Has 
dual meters for watching forward and reverse power simultaneously. In 
excellent condition with original manual. $55.00

5) MFJ-207 HF SWR Analyzer, very good condition with manual. $50.00

6) KLM 7.2-1 40 meter rotatable dipole in good condition. The antenna is 
linear loaded with an element length is 47-feet. A couple of the linear 
loading insulators have been cracked and repaired with "J-B Weld" but 
they seem to be holding up okay. Includes the manual and 1:1 balun 
although the balun needs some minor repair--the end cap with the SO-239 
connector is missing and a suitable cap with coax connector needs to be 
installed. The balun checks okay on an antenna analyzer. $125.00

I prefer local pickup on all items.

Thanks,

Jack, NA7RF
Silver Springs, NV
775-577-4621 before 9PM any day



From dick at twohams.com  Mon Oct  9 01:18:31 2006
From: dick at twohams.com (Dick Flanagan)
Date: Mon Oct  9 01:23:24 2006
Subject: [CVRC] Nevada SET
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061008221622.00c3eed0@mail.greatbasin.net>

TO THE NEVADA SECTION ARES TEAM:

FROM Don Carlson, KQ6FM - Nevada Section Emergency Coordinator

Greetings -
     I just wanted to thank everyone for the stellar job on our SET this
year.  While this was generated by the Washoe County team, we had
participants from all over the section.  The traffic passed, lessons learned
and concepts which still need adjustment made it all worthwhile.

    The SET, like any drill or exercise, is a learning experience.  We learn
from our served agencies, the scenario itself and most of all ... EACH
OTHER.   It makes little difference how many mistakes we make, only that we
learn from them and thus better ourselves to become the best trained
operators in the business!

    From what I have been told, the served agencies that we worked with were
most impressed with our professionalism, hard work and the way we were able
to conduct ourselves and lend our experience as a teaching tool to the CERT
folks who were watching our every move and word.  THEY will become better
communicators, and better able to serve their communities from the example
we set for them.  I am sure many who are not already, may be wanting to join
us as licensed Amateurs.

    Thank you all once again for a job well done!   I am proud of you all.

73

Don Carlson - KQ6FM
Nevada Section Emergency Coordinator /
Public Information coordinator
kq6fm@charter.net

From jabrott at tele-net.net  Wed Oct 11 08:36:49 2006
From: jabrott at tele-net.net (John E. Abrott)
Date: Wed Oct 11 11:06:06 2006
Subject: [CVRC] SIERA General Meeting
Message-ID: <000a01c6ed31$ec857ef0$04c8a8c0@etower>

The Sierra Intermountain Emergency Radio Association (SIERA) General meeting will take place on Thursday the 19th of October at 7:00 P.M. at the Carson Valley United Methodist Church building, 1375 Centerville Lane, Gardnerville, NV.  The topic for this month is APRS (Automatic Position Reporting System).  Tony Ustica KB7NV is giving the presentation on APRS. Tony is very knowledgeable about APRS, and has demonstrated APRS to students earning their Amateur Radio License. Tony will show us how APRS works, and what you can do with it after you get it up and running.  APRS was developed by Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, as a real-time local tactical communications system for rapidly exchanging digital data of immediate value to operations. This really took off when GPS became available and MAPS were integrated into the system for tactical situational awareness of everything in the net. In the 15 years since its introduction it has grown to encompass just about every aspect of Amateur Radio.  APRS provides universal connectivity to all stations by avoiding the complexity and limitations of a connected network.  It permits any number of stations to exchange data just like voice users would on a voice net.  Any station that has information to contribute simply sends it, and all stations receive it and log it.  Secondly, APRS recognizes that one of the greatest real-time needs at any special event or emergency is the tracking of key assets.  Where is the Event Leader?  Where are the emergency vehicles?  What is the Weather at various points in the County? To answer these questions, APRS is a full featured automatic vehicle location and status reporting system too. There is even a nationwide LIVE APRS tracking network on the Internet!   All interested are invited to attend.  Come on over, meet fellow "Hams": have a cup of coffee, and learn about APRS.

 

 

KD7NHC  John
From dick at twohams.com  Thu Oct 12 00:20:38 2006
From: dick at twohams.com (Dick Flanagan)
Date: Thu Oct 12 00:25:50 2006
Subject: [CVRC] ARLB019 FCC releases long-awaited "Omnibus" Amateur Radio
 Report and Order
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061011211953.04117f88@mail.greatbasin.net>

SB QST @ ARL $ARLB019
ARLB019 FCC releases long-awaited ''Omnibus'' Amateur Radio Report and Order

ZCZC AG19
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 19  ARLB019
 From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  October 12, 2006
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB019
ARLB019 FCC releases long-awaited ''Omnibus'' Amateur Radio Report and Order

Ending a protracted waiting period, the FCC's Report and Order in
the so-called ''Omnibus'' Amateur Radio proceeding, WT Docket 04-140,
was adopted October 4 and released October 10, 2006. In it, the FCC
adopted nearly all of the proposed changes in the Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking released back in 2004. The FCC has:

+ expanded the phone subbands in the 75 and 40 meter bands;

+ permitted auxiliary stations to transmit on portions of the 2
meter band;

+ permitted the use of spread spectrum on 222-225 MHz;

+ permitted amateurs to retransmit communications from the
International Space Station;

+ permitted amateur licensees to designate a specific Amateur Radio
club to receive their call sign in memoriam;

+ prohibited an applicant from filing more than one application for
a specific vanity call sign;

+ eliminated certain restrictions on equipment manufacturers;

+ permitted Amateur Radio stations in Alaska and surrounding waters
more flexibility in providing emergency communications;

+ clarified that ''amateur stations may, at all times and on all
frequencies authorized to the control operator, make transmissions
necessary to meet essential communication needs and to facilitate
relief actions'';

+ deleted the frequency bands and segments specified for RACES
stations;

and

+ deleted the requirement for public announcement of test locations
and times.

In addition, the FCC took several other miscellaneous actions.

In ''refarming'' the frequencies currently authorized to Novice and
Technician Plus licensees, the Commission increased the voice
segments for General, Advanced and Amateur Extra licensees.

On 75 meters, Generals will be able to use voice from 3800-4000 kHz,
an increase of 50 kHz. Advanced class licensees will be able to use
voice from 3700-4000, an increase of 75 kHz, and Amateur Extras will
be able to use voice from 3600 to 4000 kHz, a generous increase of
150 kHz.

On 40 meters, Advanced and Extra Class licensees will be able to use
voice from 7125-7300 kHz, an increase of 25 kHz. General class
licensees will be able to use voice on 7175-7300 kHz, an increase of
50 kHz.

On 15 meters, General class operators will have phone privileges on
21275-21450 kHz, an increase of 25 kHz.

ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, expressed the ARRL's gratitude
to the FCC Commissioners in a letter dated October 11: ''On behalf of
the ARRL and the Commission's licensees in the Amateur Radio Service
I want to express appreciation for your release yesterday of the
Report and Order in WT Docket 04-140 (FCC 06-149) amending Part 97
of the Commission's Rules. The Commission's action in clearing this
pending proceeding will assist the Amateur Radio Service in meeting
its objectives, particularly with regard to providing emergency and
public service communications.''

The changes will go into effect 30 days after the R&O is published
in the Federal Register.
NNNN
/EX
--
Dick Flanagan K7VC NV SM
E-mail: k7vc@arrl.org

From memberlist at www.arrl.org  Thu Oct 12 23:28:41 2006
From: memberlist at www.arrl.org (ARRL Web site)
Date: Thu Oct 12 23:34:22 2006
Subject: [CVRC] ARLD043 DX news
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061012202822.00b97b50@mail.greatbasin.net>

SB DX @ ARL $ARLD043
ARLD043 DX news

ZCZC AE43
QST de W1AW
DX Bulletin 43  ARLD043
 From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  October 12, 2006
To all radio amateurs

SB DX ARL ARLD043
ARLD043 DX news

This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by
DL3KWF, NC1L, QRZ DX, the OPDX Bulletin, DXNL, 425 DX News, The
Daily DX, Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and
WA7BNM web sites.  Thanks to all.

MADAGASCAR, 5R.  Willi, DJ7RJ is QRV as 5R8RJ until October 27.
Activity is on 160 to 10 meters using CW and SSB.  QSL to home call.

ANGOLA, D2.  Vladimir, UA4WHX is QRV as D20VB and has been active on
80 meters using CW around 2330z and 40 meters using CW around 0400z.
QSL to home call.

BALEARIC ISLANDS, EA6.  Tom, DK3DUA will be QRV as EA6/DK3DUA from
Mallorca, IOTA EU-004, from October 15 to 22.  Activity will be on
80 to 10 meters using CW.  QSL to home call.  Helmut, DL5DSM will
also be QRV from here as EA6/homecall from October 16 to 24.  He
will concentrate his activity on 160 and 80 meters using CW.  QSL to
home call.

SOUTH KOREA, HL.  Operators Han, DS2GOO, Son, DS3HWS, Lee, 6K2CEW
and possibly a few others are QRV as homecalls/4 and D90HE/4 from
Hong Island, IOTA AS-093, until October 15.  They are active on 80
to 10 meters using mostly SSB.  They will also try using digital
modes as well.  QSL D90HE/4 via DS2GOO and all others to home calls.

SARDINIA, IS0.  Raf, IH9YMC, currently resides on Pantelleria
Island, IOTA AF-018, and plans to be active on the bands until
January 31.  He has also been active on 160 meters.  QSL to home
call.

DJIBOUTI, J2.  Jean, J28JA has been QRV on 20 meters around 1600z.
QSL via F5JFU.

ARGENTINA, LU.  A team of operators will be QRV as LU4AAO/D from
Claromeco Lighthouse, ARLHS ARG-014, on October 14 and 15.  Activity
will be on all HF bands using CW and SSB.  QSL only via LU4AAO.

NETHERLANDS, PA.  Holger, PA/DH1AD is QRV from Texel island, IOTA
EU-038, until October 19, operating holiday style.  QSL via bureau.

BONAIRE, CURACAO, PJ2.  Peter, PJ4/PA3CNX is QRV from Bonaire, IOTA
SA-006, until November 3.  Activity is on 80 to 6 meters using CW
and SSB.  He will also be active in the upcoming CQ WW contest.  QSL
to home call.

SUDAN, ST.  Nader, HZ1NH is QRV as ST2NH.  He is active on various
satellites.  His length of stay is unknown. QSL via EA7FTR.
Meanwhile, ST2A has been QRV on 20 meters around 1530z using RTTY
and 40 meters around 0400z using CW.  QSL via T93Y.

MOUNT ATHOS, SV/A.  Monk Apollo, SV2ASP has been QRV on 30 meters
around 0810z and 20 meters around 0600 to 0700z.

INDIA, VU.  Special event station AT6MYL will be QRV from October 15
to 29 during the World Wide YL Meeting in Mumbai.  QSL direct via
VU2SWS.

KERMADEC ISLANDS, ZL8.  Members of the Microlite Penguins DXpedition
team are QRV as ZL8R from Raoul Island, IOTA OC-039.  Activity is on
all HF bands, including V/UHF bands using all modes.  QSL via VE3XN.

SOUTH AFRICA, ZS.  Special event station ZS90DW is QRV until the end
of December 2006 in celebration of the South African assistance
offered to allied forces during World War I in the battle of
Delville Wood.  Activity is on 20 and 15 meters using SSB.  QSL via
ZS4SM.

OPERATIONS APPROVED FOR DXCC CREDIT.  The following operations are
approved for DXCC credit:  Democratic Republic of the Congo, 9Q1D,
9Q1TB, 9Q1EK, current operations beginning September 22, 2006.

THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO.  The ARRL EME 50 to 1296 MHz Contest,
Makrothen RTTY Contest, Microwave Fall Sprint, Oceania DX CW
Contest, EU Autumn CW Sprint, Pennsylvania QSO Party, FISTS Fall CW
Sprint, Asia-Pacific Fall CW Sprint, Bill Windle CW QSO Party, North
American RTTY Sprint and the UBA ON 2-meter SSB Contest will
certainly keep contesters busy this weekend.  The Run for the Bacon
QRP CW Contest and RSGB 21/28 MHz CW Contest are scheduled for
October 16.  Please see October QST, pages 101 and 102 and the ARRL
and WA7BNM contest websites for details.
NNNN
/EX



From memberlist at www.arrl.org  Fri Oct 13 16:26:06 2006
From: memberlist at www.arrl.org (ARRL Web site)
Date: Fri Oct 13 16:31:37 2006
Subject: [CVRC] ARLP042 Propagation de K7RA
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061013132554.00b92720@mail.greatbasin.net>

SB PROP @ ARL $ARLP042
ARLP042 Propagation de K7RA

ZCZC AP42
QST de W1AW
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 42  ARLP042
 From Tad Cook, K7RA
Seattle, WA  October 13, 2006
To all radio amateurs

SB PROP ARL ARLP042
ARLP042 Propagation de K7RA

 From on the road in Eastern Washington this morning, here is the
weekly Propagation Bulletin.

Last week's bulletin (ARLP041) reported the week's solar flux and
sunspot numbers rose slightly, and this week they declined. Average
daily sunspot numbers were about half, sinking from 34.6 to 16.9.
Wednesday and Thursday of this week had 0 sunspots, and likely we'll
see more of no spots as the solar cycle continues its decline.

Geomagnetic conditions were very stable, with an average
mid-latitude A index of 3.1, about half the previous week's number.
We may see some unsettled to active conditions on Sunday, October
15, when the planetary A index is predicted at 20. The same number
may come up around October 21 and again on October 28.

Last week's bulletin mentioned the California QSO Party, and Kevin
Rowett, WB6S of Cupertino, California sent in a very interesting
link comparing activity in the 2006 contest with the 2005 event.
See it yourself at, http://logs.cqp.org/2005vs2006rate_total.html.

Note there are links on the left side of the page comparing activity
on different bands. If you click on the 15 meter link, you'll see
that this year on the first day of the event the QSO rate was much
higher than last year, but last year there was a large peak of
activity around 1900z on the second day. Also, this year the 15
meter activity constituted a much larger portion of the total
reported QSOs. The remaining bands track pretty closely from year to
year.

Dan Ferguson, K4VOA of Little River, South Carolina corrected our
description in last week's bulletin of smoothed sunspot numbers, and
how they are derived.

The smoothed sunspot number can't ever be calculated for the current
date. Because it needs data six months before and six months after
any month to calculate the smoothed sunspot number for that month,
it is always at least six months behind the current date.

To calculate the smoothed sunspot number for March 2006, you need
the monthly averages of daily sunspot numbers for each of the months
from September 2005 through September 2006. You take half the value
of the September 2005 average, add it to half the value of the
September 2006 average, then add it to the full value of each of the
intervening 11 months. Take this total and divide by 12, and that is
your smoothed sunspot number for March 2006. You cannot know the
April 2006 smoothed sunspot number until the last day of October
2006.

The procedure is described on a web page from the National
Geophysical Data Center, located at,
http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/stp/IONO/sunspot.html.

For this week, expect more of the same with little or no sunspots.
This means the higher bands, such as 15, 12 and 10 meters, won't be
as promising as a few years ago. But on this Friday the Thirteenth,
we can look forward to October 2007, when the sunspot count by many
estimates will be higher than it is now, and climbing too.

If you would like to make a comment or have a tip for our readers,
email the author at, k7ra@arrl.net.

For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL
Technical Information Service at,
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html. For a detailed
explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin see,
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/k9la-prop.html. An archive of past
propagation bulletins is at, http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/ .

Sunspot numbers for October 5 through 11 were 27, 23, 24, 22, 11, 11
and 0 with a mean of 16.9. 10.7 cm flux was 77.3, 76.4, 76.5, 75.2,
75, 75.3, and 73.6, with a mean of 75.6. Estimated planetary A
indices were 3, 3, 9, 7, 5, 2 and 3 with a mean of 4.6. Estimated
mid-latitude A indices were 2, 2, 7, 6, 3, 0 and 2, with a mean of
3.1.
NNNN
/EX



From dick at twohams.com  Fri Oct 13 18:33:40 2006
From: dick at twohams.com (Dick Flanagan)
Date: Fri Oct 13 18:39:12 2006
Subject: [CVRC] FAQ on Recent FCC Report and Order
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061013153206.00b91ec0@mail.greatbasin.net>

ARRL has put together an informative collection of Frequently Asked 
Questions (FAQ) regarding the recent FCC announcement.  Please go to
http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/wt04-140/faq.html

73, Dick
--
Dick Flanagan K7VC NV SM
E-mail: k7vc@arrl.org



From letter-dlvy at arrl.org  Fri Oct 13 20:28:01 2006
From: letter-dlvy at arrl.org (ARRL Letter Mailing List)
Date: Fri Oct 13 20:33:44 2006
Subject: [CVRC] The ARRL Letter, Vol 25, No 41 (Oct 13, 2006)
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061013172752.00b8a590@mail.greatbasin.net>

***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 25, No. 41
October 13, 2006
***************

IN THIS EDITION:

* +FCC releases "omnibus" Amateur Radio Report & Order
* +ARRL requests members' comments on "omnibus" R&O
* +League court filing says FCC exceeded its jurisdiction in BPL orders
* +AMSAT's new Eagle satellite will use software defined transponder
* +FCC invites comments on WRC-07 recommendations
* +ARRL seeks nominees for 2006 International Humanitarian Award
* +Solar Update
*  IN BRIEF:
      This weekend on the radio
      ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
     +Washington Amateur Radio club turns 90
      DXCC Desk approves operation for DXCC credit

+Available on ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>

===========================================================
==>Delivery problems: First see FAQ
<http://www.arrl.org/members-only/faq.html#nodelivery>, then e-mail
<letter-dlvy@arrl.org>
==>Editorial questions or comments only: Rick Lindquist, N1RL,
<n1rl@arrl.org>
===========================================================

==>FCC RELEASES LONG-AWAITED "OMNIBUS" AMATEUR RADIO REPORT AND ORDER

Ending a protracted waiting period, the FCC's Report and Order (R&O) in the
so-called "omnibus" Amateur Radio proceeding, WT Docket 04-140, was adopted
October 4 and released October 10. In it, the FCC adopted nearly all of the
changes it had put forth in its 2004 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in
the proceeding. The R&O the FCC released this week does NOT include action
on the Commission's proposal to eliminate the Morse code requirement. A
Report and Order in that proceeding, WT Docket 05-235, is pending. ARRL
President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, expressed the League's gratitude to the FCC
for acting this week in the wide-ranging proceeding.

"On behalf of the ARRL and the Commission's licensees in the Amateur Radio
Service I want to express appreciation for your release yesterday of the
Report and Order in WT Docket 04-140 (FCC 06-149) amending Part 97 of the
Commission's Rules," Harrison wrote October 11. "The Commission's action in
clearing this pending proceeding will assist the Amateur Radio Service in
meeting its objectives, particularly with regard to providing emergency and
public service communications."

The new rules are expected to become effective later this year. Among the
highlights in the October 10 Report and Order, the FCC:

* "refarmed" the current Novice/Tech Plus bands to expand certain phone
subbands;

* agreed to allow Novice and Tech Plus licensees to operate CW in the
General class CW subbands on 80, 40, 15 and 10 meters.

* implemented rules to discourage multiple vanity call sign filings on the
same day from the same applicant;

* permitted auxiliary stations to transmit on portions of the 2 meter band;

* permitted amateur licensees to designate a specific Amateur Radio club to
receive their call sign in memoriam;

* eliminated certain restrictions governing the manufacture, marketing and
sale of external RF power amplifiers intended for Amateur Radio use;

* clarified that "amateur stations may, at all times and on all frequencies
authorized to the control operator, make transmissions necessary to meet
essential communication needs and to facilitate relief actions";

* deleted the requirement to publicly announce Amateur Radio examination
locations and times, and

* deleted the frequency bands and segments specified for Radio Amateur Civil
Emergency Service (RACES) stations.

In response to an ARRL Petition for Rule Making, the Commission agreed to
"refarm" the HF segments currently authorized to Novice and Technician Plus
licensees. The reallocation will expand the phone subbands for General,
Advanced and Amateur Extra licensees, although not all commenters agreed
with the idea.

"We are persuaded, however, by ARRL's contention that increasing the amount
of spectrum for voice communications will reduce interference among stations
using voice communications," the FCC said in its R&O, "thereby benefiting
all licensees." The FCC said authorizing more phone spectrum would "more
closely reflect licensees' operating preferences" and mean more efficient
spectrum use.

On 75 meters, the FCC went well beyond the modest expansion the ARRL had
proposed and the FCC had tentatively adopted in its 2004 NPRM. Generals will
be able to operate on phone from 3800 to 4000 kHz, Advanced class licensees
from 3700 to 4000, and Amateur Extras from 3600 to 4000 kHz -- greatly
reducing the amount of 80-meter spectrum available for RTTY and data (the
only segment where automatically controlled digital stations may operate on
80 meters is 3620 to 3635 kHz).

The FCC said the amateur community wanted as much phone spectrum as
possible. "Indeed, a number of commenters argue that the NPRM proposal to
increase the amount of spectrum permitted for voice communications would
still not meet the demand for voice communication spectrum in the HF bands,
particularly in the 80 meter band," the FCC said.

On 40 meters, Advanced and Extra Class licensees will be able to operate
phone from 7125 to 7300 kHz, and Generals from 7175 to 7300 kHz. On 15
meters, General class operators may operate phone from 21,275 to 21,450 kHz.

The FCC affirmed its intention to permit Novice and Tech Plus (or Technician
with Element 1 credit) licensees to operate CW in the current General
exclusive-CW allocations on 80, 40 and 15 meters and CW/data on 10 meters,
where the FCC provided an additional 100 kHz for Novice/Tech Plus licensees.
Novice/Tech Plus licensees still may run no more than 200 W PEP, but the
Commission has done away with Novice band power limitations for higher-class
licensees.

The FCC revised its vanity call sign rules to discourage the filing of
multiple applications for the same call sign on the same day, and many
commenters supported this concept. As implemented in ?97.19(d)(1), if the
FCC receives more than one application requesting a vanity call sign from a
single applicant on the same receipt day, it will process only the first
application entered into the Universal Licensing System. "Subsequent vanity
call sign applications from that applicant with the same receipt date will
not be accepted," the rule concludes.

"We are persuaded that we should adopt rule amendments to discourage
multiple vanity call sign applications," the FCC said in the R&O, "and we
believe that a one-application-per-day-per-applicant rule, as requested by
ARRL and others, will eliminate multiple applications requesting the same
assignable call sign on the same day." The FCC concedes that its
one-application-per-day rule "will not prevent an individual from requesting
multiple vanity call signs per se," because an applicant may request up to
25 call signs at a time.

When the FCC receives multiple valid applications from several individuals
requesting the same vanity call sign as a first choice on the same day, it
uses a lottery system to decide which application to process first.

The R&O also affirms changes to Part 2 and Part 97 rules the FCC had
proposed regarding the manufacture, marketing and sale of external RF power
amplifiers. Current FCC rules prohibit commercial manufacturers from
marketing RF power amplifiers capable of transmitting on the 12 and 10 meter
bands. The rules were put in place as a way to prevent use of such
amplifiers by CBers.

"We agree with ARRL that the requirements imposed on Amateur Radio operators
by the current rule are unnecessary because, under the present rules, 'the
equipment, once authorized, can be modified to transmit on all amateur
service frequency allocations,' and that revising the rule 'will enhance use
of the 12 and 10 meter amateur bands,'" the FCC said.

To prevent the use of Amateur Radio amplifiers by CBers, the FCC says
manufacturers of Amateur Radio amplifiers must design their products to
avoid operation between 26 MHz and 28 MHz. They also must certify that
amplifiers are not easily modifiable to operate between 26 MHz and 28 MHz
prior to a grant of equipment certification.

The various rule changes become effective 30 days after their publication in
the Federal Register <http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html>.

A copy of the R&O appears on the FCC Web site
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-149A1.pdf>.

ARRL has posted a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding the
R&O <http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/wt04-140/faq.html>.

A downloadable chart shows the band changes
<http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/wt04-140/Hambands3_color.pdf>.

==>ARRL REQUESTS INPUT ON RECENT FCC "OMNIBUS" REPORT AND ORDER

The ARRL is requesting member input concerning the FCC's Amateur Radio
proceeding, WT Docket 04-140, released on October 10. The Report and Order
will not take effect until 30 days after publication in the Federal
Register. This publication date is not yet known.

The complete text is available for viewing as a PDF file on the FCC Web site
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-149A1.pdf>. A
summary is available on the ARRL Web site
<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/10/11/100/>.

The ARRL is specifically seeking member guidance on how the changes will
affect current operating activities on 80, 40 and 15 meters. See the current
ARRL band plans <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/bandplan.html>
and an ARRL FAQ <http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/wt04-140/faq.html>
that includes a downloadable chart showing the band changes
<http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/wt04-140/Hambands3_color.pdf>.

Comments may be submitted by e-mail to <bandplan@arrl.org>. All e-mails will
be read and considered, but individual responses will not be possible due to
the message volume expected. The deadline for comments is October 31.

==>BPL ORDERS EXCEED FCC'S JURISDICTION AND AUTHORITY, LEAGUE COURT FILING
SAYS

The ARRL this week notified the US District Court of Appeals -- DC Circuit
that it's appealing certain aspects of the FCC's Part 15 rules governing
broadband over power line (BPL) systems. The ARRL Executive Committee
ratified plans to go forward with the Petition for Review when it met
October 7. The League is asking the court to review the FCC's October 2004
Report and Order (R&O) establishing Part 15 rules to govern BPL systems as
well as its August 2006 Memorandum Opinion and Order (MO&O) that dealt with
various petitions for reconsideration of the 2004 R&O, including one from
the ARRL.

"ARRL seeks review of the orders on the ground that they exceed the
Commission's jurisdiction and authority; are contrary to the Communications
Act of 1934; and are arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and
otherwise not in accordance with law," the League said in its petition.
"ARRL requests that this court hold unlawful, vacate, enjoin and set aside
the orders."

A court filing that details the League's specific objections regarding the
two orders is pending. Although the petition will argue a number of points,
two specific aspects of the FCC's BPL orders precipitated the League's
appeal. One is a new rule, only revealed after the FCC made the MO&O public,
that limits the extent to which an unlicensed, unintentional radiator must
protect a licensed mobile station.

The new rule, ?15.611(c)(1)(iii), provides that BPL operators only have to
reduce emission levels below established FCC permissible limits by 20 dB
below 30 MHz and by 10 dB above 30 MHz -- even if that's not enough to
resolve harmful interference complaints. The FCC called these levels
"modestly above the noise level."

ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, contends the rule change in the MO&O regarding
mobile stations contravenes the International Radio Regulations and the
Communications Act of 1934. "The FCC has, in effect, tried to redefine
harmful interference," he said. "It can't do that. The Commission doesn't
have the authority to do that, and we're going to demonstrate that to the
Court of Appeals."

ARRL Laboratory Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, has said the levels applicable to
mobiles would be some 25 dB higher than the median values for man-made noise
in residential areas and up to 40 dB higher than the minimum values hams use
for reliable communication.

The Commission also declined to adjust the 40 dB per decade "extrapolation
factor" applied to measurements performed at distances from power lines
other than those specified in Part 15. Sumner says this is an important
technical point because the existing Part 15 rule underestimates actual
field strength.

In their petitions for reconsideration, the ARRL and others demonstrated
that the 40 dB per decade extrapolation factor was wrong and that a figure
closer to 20 dB per decade was appropriate. Sumner called the Commission's
stand on the 40 dB per decade rule "clearly, demonstrably and inarguably
wrong."

Sumner said the League decided to go forward with its appeal only after
considering the effect on licensed spectrum users of letting the BPL rules
stand. He addressed a number of ARRL's concerns with the FCC's BPL rules in
his "It Seems to Us . . ." editorial in October QST.

The firm of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP of Washington, DC, is
handling the ARRL's Petition for Review in conjunction with ARRL General
Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD.

==>AMSAT'S PROJECT EAGLE SATELLITE SHIFTS DIRECTION

AMSAT-NA has announced it's revamping the design of its high-Earth orbit
(HEO) Project Eagle satellite, currently in the development stages
<http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/eagle/>. The next generation satellite will
take maximum advantage of software-defined transponder (SDX) technology to
offer a broader range of easily accessible Amateur Radio payloads. The AMSAT
Board of Directors okayed the Eagle upgrade plans during the 2006 AMSAT-NA
Space Symposium and Annual Meeting held October 6-8 in San Francisco. Eagle
Project Manager Jim Sanford, WB4GCS, outlined the changes at his Space
Symposium forum October 7.

"The structure which we have been presenting for several years is not going
to meet our mission needs," Sanford explained. "We have moved on to a later
structure."

Under the new plan, Sanford says, Eagle's communications payloads will
include a mode U/V linear transponder for SSB, CW and other modes. A second
SSB/CW transponder will uplink on L band (1.2 GHz) and downlink on S1 band
(2.4 GHz). Both would be usable over 75 percent of the satellite's orbit by
an AO-13 or AO-40-capable ground station, AMSAT says.

Something new to Amateur Radio satellites is a planned low-rate text
messaging system similar to cellular telephone SMS. Sanford said the
text-messaging capability may prove valuable for providing emergency and
disaster communication. It will operate in mode U/V and also will be
available to modest ground stations over 75 percent of Eagle's orbit.

Eagle will also carry an advanced communications payload (ACP). The ACP will
accommodate voice communication using an S2 band (3.4 GHz) uplink and a C
band (5.8 GHz) downlink via a single 60 cm dish on the ground. As an
alternative -- for stations in those parts of the world where 3.4 GHz is
unavailable -- Eagle will provide an additional L band uplink.

The ACP also will offer high data rate communication including the
possibility of full-motion compressed video in S2/C mode. The same mode also
could support an Internet link. Ground-station antennas for Eagle may even
pass muster in neighborhoods governed by private deed covenants, conditions
and restrictions (CC&Rs), Sanford suggested.

During a presentation on the ACP, Matt Ettus, N2MJI, said one of the goals
of the package is to open up the satellite to a new base of users, not just
restrict it to elite satellite operators and sophisticated ground stations.
Embracing SDR technology simplifies signal handling, he explained, because
going digital is just a matter of transmitting bits up and down.

"The satellite doesn't really care what the bits mean," he said. The
satellite "just reflects bits," and most policy-type issues will be handled
by ground stations.

The satellite's signal will present one wideband downlink containing
multiplexed data. "There will be room for many, many carriers in the
passband," Ettus predicted. The mix of users would be apportioned among both
low and high-rate modes, depending on overall traffic.

Plans call for electronically steering the satellite's antennas to mitigate
the effects of the spacecraft's spin and maximize the spacecraft's
accessibility. In a subsequent forum, AMSAT board member and well-known
satellite expert Tom Clark, K3IO (ex-W3IWI) discussed some of the
mathematics and physics that would permit steering a 37-element S band
antenna array on Eagle.

"We would intentionally steer that pattern, so the array is always pointing
toward Earth," Clark said, regardless of spin factor. He described a system
of interferometers to do the pointing on the basis of "master beacon
signals" uplinked from different points on Earth's surface. "It [Eagle] will
measure where they are and know where to point the beam," he explained.

In a presentation on applying SDR techniques to satellite transponders,
Howard Long, G6LVB, described and demonstrated a prototype SDX board. "This
is the holy grail of what we've been trying to do," he told his audience.
Long showed how his hand-soldered SDX could be configured to accommodate
various signal strengths and types within the same passband and even to
easily notch interfering signals quickly and flawlessly.

Sanford concluded his presentation by saying it's time to take the AMSAT
board's concrete decisions and plan, schedule and build Eagle. "We're about
to start spending some serous money," he said. During a later
question-and-answer session, Sanford stressed that reliability of the
ultimate Eagle satellite is a key goal. "I want no single-failure mission
kills on this satellite," he said.

Project Eagle still needs to raise $33,500 by December. Eagle could launch
by 2010. The whole project will cost some $600,000.

During the AMSAT-NA annual meeting October 8, President Rick Hambly, W2GPS,
expressed his enthusiasm for Project Eagle. "I think it will be the greatest
thing we've ever done!" he said. The 2007 AMSAT Symposium and Annual Meeting
will take place in Pittsburgh.

==>FCC SEEKS COMMENT ON WRC-07 RECOMMENDATIONS

The FCC is seeking comment on recommendations
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-2013A1.pdf>
approved by the Advisory Committee for World Radiocommunication Conference
2007 (WRC-07) in IB Docket 04-286. The WRC-07 Advisory Committee, which
assists the Commission in developing WRC-07 proposals, submitted its
recommendations October 4. Several WRC-07 agenda items have the potential to
directly or indirectly impact Amateur Radio. WRC-07 takes place in Geneva
October 22 to November 16, 2007.

"Based upon an initial review of the attached WRC-07 Advisory Committee
recommendations, the International Bureau, in coordination with other FCC
bureaus and offices, tentatively concludes that it can generally support
these recommendations," the FCC said this week in a public notice. The
Commission cautions because the Advisory Committee recommendations "may
evolve in the course of interagency discussions as WRC-07 nears, they do not
constitute final US Government position on any issue."

The FCC is inviting comment on recommendations that appear in all WRC-07
Advisory Committee documents as well as draft preliminary views and
proposals developed by Executive Branch agencies and submitted to the FCC by
the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

Individuals may use the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) to
file comments <http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/>. After clicking on "Submit a
Filing," Users should type "04-286" (without the quotation marks but
including the hyphen) in the "Proceeding" field. It is possible to attach
documents when posting electronic comments. The filing deadline is October
27, 2006.

WRC-03 had hardly wrapped up when preparations began for WRC-07. "Delegates
do not just show up at a WRC and make up their minds on the spot,"
International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ,
pointed out in a recent edition of the IARU E-Letter. "Years of preparation
are behind every WRC decision."

Most work is done within the framework of International Telecommunication
Union (ITU) Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) working parties (WPs). WP-8A
is responsible for studies related to the Land Mobile Service and to the
Amateur and Amateur-Satellite services.

ARRL's involvement in the rollup to WRC-07 is in two arenas: The FCC WRC-07
Advisory Committee and its informal working groups (IWGs), and regular
meetings of the various ITU WPs. ARRL Technical Relations Specialist Walt
Ireland, WB7CSL, serves as vice chairman of IWG 4, which is dealing with
broadcasting and Amateur Radio WRC-07 agenda items. (He's also the convener
of US WP-6E, which deals with terrestrial delivery in the broadcasting
service.)

WRC-07 agenda item 1.13 will review allocations to all services between 4
and 10 MHz, excluding allocations from 7000 to 7200 kHz -- settled to the
advantage of Amateur Radio during WRC-03. Starting in March 2009, radio
amateurs will enjoy a worldwide 200 kHz segment on 40 meters. WRC-07
delegates may revisit the 7200-7300 kHz segment with an eye toward attaining
the IARU's goal of a 300-kHz worldwide ham radio allocation.

Following up on disaster relief-related changes to Article 25 of the
international Radio Regulations at WRC-03, a Draft Proposal from IWG-4 that
originated with the ARRL requests that WRC-07 delegates consider a 150
kHz-wide, secondary 60-meter Amateur Radio allocation. The panel says most
administrations recognize that emergency communication via Amateur Radio can
serve humanitarian and disaster-relief agencies.

In the US, radio amateurs have access to five discrete channels and may only
run USB at a maximum of 50 W ERP. "Operating experience has shown that these
frequencies have the desired radio propagation characteristics and that
amateur operations can co-exist without interference to the fixed and mobile
services," the IWG-4 proposal says. "A secondary allocation of 150 kHz would
allow sufficient bandwidth to meet Amateur Service requirements while
dynamically avoiding frequencies in use by other services."

WRC-07 agenda item 1.15 will consider establishing a secondary Amateur Radio
Service allocation in the band 135.7 to 137.8 kHz. Several countries already
have allocated that LF spectrum to Amateur Radio, although the FCC several
years ago turned away an ARRL proposal to create a sliver band there for ham
radio.

During the September meeting of WP-8A, its Working Group 1, chaired by ARRL
Chief Technology Officer Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, completed draft Conference
Preparatory Meeting (CPM) text for agenda item 1.15.

WP-8A also completed and approved a Draft New Report on the role of the
Amateur and Amateur-Satellite services in disaster mitigation and relief.
Study Group 8 adopted the report at its September 20-21 meeting.

The next step is for the Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM) February 19 to
March 2, 2007, to complete its report covering regulatory, technical,
operational and procedural matters for WRC-07 delegates to consider.

==>NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR 2006 ARRL INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN AWARD

Nominations are open until December 31 for the 2006 ARRL International
Humanitarian Award. The award is dedicated to an individual radio amateur or
Amateur Radio group devoted to promoting human welfare, peace and
international understanding through Amateur Radio. The League established
this annual award to recognize Amateur Radio operators who have used ham
radio to provide extraordinary service to others in times of crisis or
disaster.

The ARRL International Humanitarian Award recognizes Amateur Radio's unique
role in international communication and the assistance we regularly provide
to those in need. Amateur Radio is one of the few telecommunication services
that allow people throughout the world from all walks of life to meet and
talk with each other, thereby spreading goodwill across political
boundaries.

A committee appointed by the League's president recommends an award
recipient from among those nominated, and the ARRL Board of Directors makes
the final decision. The committee is now accepting nominations from Amateur
Radio, governmental or other organizations that have benefited from
extraordinary service rendered by an Amateur Radio operator or Amateur Radio
group.

Nominations must include a summary of the nominee's actions that qualify the
individual or group for this award, plus verifying statements from at least
two individuals having firsthand knowledge of the events warranting the
nomination. These statements may be from an official of a group (for
example, the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, a local or state
emergency management official) that benefited from the nominee's particular
Amateur Radio contribution. Nominations should include the names and
addresses of all references.

Submit all nominations and supporting materials for the 2006 ARRL
International Humanitarian Award in writing in English to: ARRL
International Humanitarian Award, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111 USA. In
the event that no nominations are received, the committee itself may
determine a recipient or make no award.

The award winner receives an engraved plaque, and is profiled in QST and
other ARRL venues.?Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG

==>SOLAR UPDATE

Propagation maven Tad "Who can make the sun shine, on a cloudy day?" Cook,
K7RA, Seattle, Washington, reports: Last time we reported the week's solar
flux and sunspot numbers had risen slightly, but this week they declined.
Average daily sunspot numbers were cut approximately in half, sinking from
34.6 to 16.9. Wednesday and Thursday of this week had zero sunspots, and
we'll likely see more days with no spots as the solar cycle continues to
decline.

Geomagnetic conditions were very stable, with an average mid-latitude A
index of 3.1, about half the previous week's number. We may see some
unsettled to active conditions on Sunday, October 15, when the planetary A
index is predicted at 20. The same number may come up around October 21 and
again on October 28.

For this week, expect more of the same with little or no sunspots. This
means the higher bands, such as 15, 12 and 10 meters, won't be as promising
as a few years ago. But on this Friday the 13th, we can look forward to
October 2007, when the sunspot count by many estimates will be higher than
it is now and climbing too.

For more information concerning propagation and an explanation of the
numbers used in this bulletin see the ARRL Technical Information Service
Propagation page <http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html>.

Sunspot numbers for October 5 through 11 were 27, 23, 24, 22, 11, 11 and 0,
with a mean of 16.9. 10.7 cm flux was 77.3, 76.4, 76.5, 75.2, 75, 75.3, and
73.6, with a mean of 75.6. Estimated planetary A indices were 3, 3, 9, 7, 5,
2 and 3, with a mean of 4.6. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 2, 2, 7,
6, 3, 0 and 2, with a mean of 3.1.

__________________________________

==>IN BRIEF:

* This weekend on the radio: The North American Sprint (RTTY), the ARRL EME
Contest (50-1296 MHz - Part 2), the Makrothen RTTY Contest, the Microwave
Fall Sprint, the Oceania DX Contest (CW), the EU Autumn Sprint (CW), the
Pennsylvania QSO Party, the F.I.S.T.S. Fall Sprint, the Asia-Pacific Fall
Sprint (CW), and the UBA ON Contest (2 meters) are the weekend of October
14-15. The Run for the Bacon QRP Contest is October 16. JUST AHEAD: The
JARTS Worldwide RTTY Contest, the ARCI Fall QSO Party, the Worked All
Germany Contest, the W/VE Islands QSO Party, the 50 MHz Fall Sprint, and the
Illinois QSO Party are the weekend of October 21-22. See the ARRL Contest
Branch page <http://www.arrl.org/contests/> and the WA7BNM Contest Calendar
<http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info.

* ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration:
Registration remains open through Sunday, October 22 , for these ARRL
Certification and Continuing Education (CCE) on-line courses: Amateur Radio
License Course (EC-010), Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 1
(EC-001), Radio Frequency Interference (EC-006), Antenna Design and
Construction (EC-009), Analog Electronics (EC-012) and Digital Electronics
(EC-013). Classes begin Friday, November 3. These courses will also open for
registration Friday, October 20, for classes beginning Friday, December 1.
To learn more, visit the CCE Course Listing page
<http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.htm> or contact the CCE Department
<cce@arrl.org>.

* Washington Amateur Radio club turns 90: The Radio Club of Tacoma, W7DK,
will celebrate its 90th anniversary October 16. An ARRL-affiliated Special
Service Club since 1920, the Radio Club of Tacoma will mark the occasion
with a homecoming dinner October 21 and a week-long operating event with
certificates. Special event station W7DK/90 will be on the air October
16-22, and for part of the event will put its "old oak rig" -- a circa 1930
breadboard-style AM transmitter -- on the air. "We have done some historical
research, and it's been very interesting," says the club's Peter Baker,
AD7EU. One item that turned up was a W7DK QSL card from 1938 (photo).
Details on the club's 90th anniversary celebration are available on the
club's Web site <http://www.w7dk.org/>.

* DXCC Desk approves operation for DXCC credit: The ARRL DXCC Desk has
approved this operation for DXCC credit: 9Q1D (Democratic Republic of the
Congo), current operation beginning September 22, 2006. This accreditation
also includes 9Q1TB and 9Q1EK. A reminder: The DXCC Desk now is accepting
submissions for Swain's Island (KH8). For more information, visit the DXCC
Web page <http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc>. "DXCC Frequently Asked
Questions" can answer most questions about the DXCC program.

===========================================================
The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the American
Radio Relay League: ARRL--the National Association For Amateur Radio, 225
Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259;
<http://www.arrl.org>. Joel Harrison, W5ZN, President.

The ARRL Letter offers a weekly e-mail digest of essential and general news
of interest to active radio amateurs. Visit the ARRL Web site
<http://www.arrl.org> for the latest Amateur Radio news and news updates.
The ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/> also offers informative features
and columns. ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> is a
weekly "ham radio newscast" compiled and edited from The ARRL Letter. It's
also available as a podcast from our Web site.

Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole or
in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must be given to
The ARRL Letter/American Radio Relay League.

==>Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!):
letter-dlvy@arrl.org
==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, n1rl@arrl.org
==>ARRL News on the Web: <http://www.arrl.org>
==>ARRL Audio News: <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> or call
860-594-0384

==>How to Get The ARRL Letter

The ARRL Letter is available to ARRL members free of charge directly from
ARRL HQ. To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your address for e-mail
delivery:
ARRL members first must register on the Members Only Web Site
<http://www.arrl.org/members/>. You'll have an opportunity during
registration to sign up for e-mail delivery of The ARRL Letter, W1AW
bulletins, and other material. To change these selections--including
delivery of The ARRL Letter--registered members should click on the "Member
Data Page" link (in the Members Only box). Click on "Modify membership
data," check or uncheck the appropriate boxes and/or change your e-mail
address if necessary. (Check "Temporarily disable all automatically sent
email" to temporarily stop all e-mail deliveries.) Then, click on "Submit
modification" to make selections effective. (NOTE: HQ staff members cannot
change your e-mail delivery address. You must do this yourself via the
Members Only Web Site.)

The ARRL Letter also is available to all, free of charge, from these
sources:

* ARRLWeb <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>. (NOTE: The ARRL Letter will be
posted each Friday when it is distributed via e-mail.)

* The QTH.net listserver, thanks to volunteers from the Boston Amateur Radio
Club: Visit Mailing Lists@QTH.Net
<http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/letter-list>. (NOTE: The ARRL
cannot assist subscribers who receive The ARRL Letter via this listserver.)



From dick at twohams.com  Sat Oct 14 00:48:03 2006
From: dick at twohams.com (Dick Flanagan)
Date: Sat Oct 14 00:53:44 2006
Subject: [CVRC] ARLB020 ARRL requests members' input on recent FCC "omnibus"
 Report
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061013214652.00b8f220@mail.greatbasin.net>

SB QST @ ARL $ARLB020
ARLB020 ARRL requests members' input on recent FCC "omnibus" Report
and Order

ZCZC AG20
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 20  ARLB020
 From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  October 13, 2006
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB020
ARLB020 ARRL requests members' input on recent FCC "omnibus" Report
and Order

The ARRL is requesting member input concerning the FCC's Amateur
Radio proceeding, WT Docket 04-140, released October 10. The Report
and Order will not take effect until 30 days after publication in
the Federal Register. This publication date is not yet known.

The complete text is available for viewing as a PDF file on the FCC
Web site,
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-149A1.pdf.
A summary is available on the ARRL Web site,
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/10/11/100/.

The ARRL is specifically seeking member guidance on how the changes
will affect current operating activities on 80, 40 and 15 meters
(see the current ARRL band plans,
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/bandplan.html, and an
ARRL FAQ, http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/wt04-140/faq.html,
which includes a chart showing the band changes).

Comments may be submitted by e-mail to bandplan@www.arrl.org.  All
e-mails will be read and considered, but individual responses will
not be possible due to the message volume expected. The deadline for
comments is October 31.
NNNN
/EX
--
Dick Flanagan K7VC NV SM
E-mail: k7vc@arrl.org



From dick at twohams.com  Thu Oct 19 02:20:38 2006
From: dick at twohams.com (Dick Flanagan)
Date: Thu Oct 19 02:26:52 2006
Subject: [CVRC] ARES E-Letter for October 18, 2006
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061018231954.0490beb8@mail.greatbasin.net>

The ARES E-Letter
October 18, 2006
=================

Rick Palm, K1CE, Editor

<http://www.qrz.com/database?callsign=K1CE>,
<http://www.iaru-r2emcor.net/>

===================================
ARES reports, other related contributions, editorial questions or
comments: <k1ce@arrl.net>;;
===================================

+ THE VIEW FROM FLAGLER COUNTY

The current storm season has been a dud, to the relief of many here
on the east coast of peninsular Florida, as well as other areas on
the jittery Atlantic seaboard. While it's too early yet to appeal our
steeper homeowner's insurance premiums, we are guardedly optimistic
for a quiet overall season.

Our county's ARES program has a new Web site:
<http://flagleremcomm.org/>
_________

FCC News: Part 97 rules have been changed from limiting amateur
communications in support of relief actions to disaster situations
when normal communications were overloaded, damaged, or disrupted, to
allowing amateurs at all times and on all frequencies authorized to
the control operator to meet essential communications need and
facilitate relief actions. This relaxation of the rules should
eliminate questions and confusion that have historically put up
hurdles to using Amateur Radio in emergencies.

In its Report and Order, the FCC also acknowledged one of the key
purposes of Amateur Radio is to provide emergency communications to
the public. It is always good to see that affirmation by the FCC from
time to time.

==============
IN THIS ISSUE:

+ THE VIEW FROM FLAGLER COUNTY
+ NEW LAW FORMALLY MAKES AMATEUR RADIO PART OF EMERGENCY
COMMUNICATIONS COMMUNITY
+ AMERICAN RED CROSS: DISASTER VICTIM SAFE AND WELL REGISTRY
+ WEATHER RADIOS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
+ MR. SESSUMS GOES TO WASHINGTON
+ ARES RESPONDS TO FLOODING IN HEARTLAND
+ GEORGIA ARESMAT EMPLOYS DIGITAL, VOICE MODES FOR DRILL
+ ALABAMA GROUP HONORS ONE OF ITS OWN
+ FEEDBACK: ARRL NATIONAL DATA BASE PROJECT
+ LETTERS: TIME FOR CHANGE
+ TOLEDO COUNTY ACTS OUT TERROR FOR PRACTICE, ARES INVOLVED
+ SGL PRESENTATION TO GOVERNOR'S ADVISORY COUNCIL A HIT
+ SATERN ANNUAL REPORT WORTH STUDY
+ W2IK WEB SITES WORTH A LOOK
+ NERPC SURVEY LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ABOUT EMCOMM VEHICLES
+ K1CE FOR A FINAL

==============

+ NEW LAW FORMALLY MAKES AMATEUR RADIO PART OF EMERGENCY
COMMUNICATIONS
COMMUNITY

A section of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 2007
Appropriations Act, HR 5441
<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:h.r.05441:>, formally
includes Amateur Radio operators as a part of the emergency
communications community. President Bush signed the bill into law
October 4.

Amateur Radio is included within the legislation's Subtitle D,
Section 671, known as the "21st Century Emergency Communications
Act." Radio amateurs are among the entities with which a Regional
Emergency Communications Coordination Working Group (RECC Working
Group) must coordinate its activities. Included within the DHS's
Office of Emergency Communications -- which the measure also creates
-- RECC Working Groups attached to each regional DHS office will
advise federal and state homeland security officials.

In addition to Amateur Radio operators, RECC Working Groups also will
coordinate with communications equipment manufacturers and vendors --
including broadband data service providers, local exchange carriers,
local broadcast media, wireless carriers, satellite communications
services, cable operators, hospitals, public utility services,
emergency evacuation transit services, ambulance services, and
representatives from other private sector entities and
nongovernmental organizations.

The RECC Working Groups will assess the survivability, sustainability
and interoperability of local emergency communication systems to meet
the goals of the National Emergency Communications Report. That
report would recommend how the US could "accelerate the deployment of
interoperable emergency communications nationwide." They also will
coordinate the establishment of "effective multi-jurisdictional,
multi-agency emergency communications networks" that could be brought
into play in an emergency or disaster.

In light of the new law, the ARRL plans to follow up to determine how
it can interact with the DHS and its Office of Emergency
Communications. - excerpted from a report in the ARRL Letter

+ AMERICAN RED CROSS: DISASTER VICTIM SAFE AND WELL REGISTRY

In July, the American Red Cross launched a "Safe and Well" Web site
to provide families with a tool to exchange welfare information with
loved ones and friends in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. The
site allows a disaster victim to select and post standard messages
for friends and family that indicate the victim is safe and well and
will make contact when they are able. Those worried about the safety
of a victim can access the site, enter either the name and telephone
number or name and complete address of the person in question, and
view their "safe and well" messages. See
<https://disastersafe.redcross.org/> -- Les Rayburn, N1LF, Helena,
Alabama, National Communications System; Navy MARS; ARES; SHARES;
Skywarn.

+ WEATHER RADIOS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ARRL and Citizen Corp are teaming up to assist local school districts
(if they need the help) to set up and register their NOAA Weather All
Hazard Public Alert Radio. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), the Department of Education, and the
Department of Homeland Security are partnering to launch a
significant nation-wide project to distribute 80,000 NOAA Public
Alert Radios to U.S. public schools throughout the nation. The radios
are designed to signal different types of alerts ranging from weather
emergencies to child abductions, and from chemical accidents to acts
of terrorism. The radio acts as a sentry, standing guard 24/7, to
sound an alarm when danger threatens.
If your ARES group would like to assist Citizen Corps in this
project, please contact your local Citizen Corps Council to offer
assistance. Where there isn't a Council, please contact local
Emergency Management. Contacts should not be made directly to local
schools but, instead, should be made by Citizen Corps and Emergency
Management to local school district superintendent's offices to
ensure a coordinated plan. Assistance to schools will be provided at
the request of, and in coordination with, the school district.
To locate your State Citizen Corps Council log onto
<http://www.citizencorps.gov/citizenCorps/statepoc.do>
To locate your local Citizen Corps Council log onto:
<http://www.citizencorps.gov/councils/find_council.shtm> or
<http://www.citizencorps.gov/citizenCorps/mycouncils.do>
To locate state offices and agencies for emergency management, you
can log onto: <http://www.fema.gov/about/contact/statedr.shtm>
To get contact information for local emergency management offices,
you can email or call IAEM, The International Association of
Emergency Managers, at <info@iaem> or 703-538-1795x2 to ask for your
local contact or you can click on the link for the state web sites at
<http://www.fema.gov/about/contact/statedr.shtm>
The NOAA Web site <http://public-alert-radio.nws.noaa.gov/> is the
primary location for information and updates for Citizen Corps and
associated volunteers for this project. The following links contain
background information about the program including a document on
frequently asked questions and answers about the program, Citizen
Corps volunteer material for the NOAA Public Alert Radio Program, a
copy of the letter that went to the schools along with a descriptive
and informational brochure about the radio distribution program.
If your ARES group takes part in this project with Citizen Corps or
your local Emergency Management office, please report this activity
to Steve Ewald, WV1X, <sewald@arrl.org> at ARRL Headquarters and to
your ARRL Section Manager.
NOAA Frequently Asked Questions
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/NOAA-FAQ-update-1-9-29.pdf>
Citizen Corps Volunteer Information
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/Citizen_Corps_Volunteer_Info_20062.
pdf>
Public Alert Letter for Schools
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/Public-Alert-letter-2006.pdf>
Public Alert Radio Brochure
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/PublicAlertRadioBrochure.pdf>

+ MR. SESSUMS GOES TO WASHINGTON

Hillsborough County (Florida) Emergency Management RACES Officer Gary
Sessums, KC5QCN, a frequent and respected contributor to this
newsletter tendered his resignation from his RACES post as well as
his ARRL West Central Florida Section appointments and accepted a
position working with the SHARES High Frequency Radio Program of the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), National Communications System
(NCS) in Arlington, Virginia.

Whenever a national security and emergency preparedness (NS/EP) event
occurs, Sessums will be managing the nationwide SHARES HF radio
system from the NCS National Coordinating Center (NCC) as part of
ESF-2 Communications at the Federal level. [Congratulations, and good
luck, Gary! - Rick]

+ ARES RESPONDS TO FLOODING IN HEARTLAND

When telephone and Internet service in Kentucky went out due to
flooding over the September 22-24 weekend, ARES filled the gap.
Kentucky SEC Ron Dodson, KA4MAP, says rain in Kentucky and southern
Indiana resulted in states of emergency in 19 Kentucky counties and
12 cities, including Frankfort, the capital. Emergency managers
contacted Dodson to activate the Kentucky Emergency Net on 3.993.5
MHz to provide support communication between the EOC and Kentucky's
120 counties.

Shelby Ennis, W8WN, in Hardin County reported via the K4ULW 146.625
repeater that all telephone service, including the Hardin County
E-911 facility, had gone down, Dodson said. "Cell phones soon
overloaded and also shut down, basically stranding the whole county
without outside contact except via Amateur Radio."

Communication between the state EOC and Hardin County took place via
the Bullitt Amateur Radio Society's KY4KY 146.700 repeater in Brooks.
The American Red Cross headquarters in Louisville also used this
machine to communicate with their shelter and Hardin County emergency
management, Dodson said.

Communications Supervisor Bob Stephens, WA4CMO, of the Kentucky
Department of Military Affairs said the Kentucky Emergency Management
command vehicle was positioned adjacent to the state EOC to provide
communication on both Amateur Radio and MARS frequencies. Pat
Compton, KF4FMZ, and Bill Uschan, K4MIS, staffed the Amateur Radio
side, while Richard Howe, KB5WCH, represented the Civil Air Patrol
during the Saturday operation, which continued for several hours. "We
operated all systems during the afternoon and provided critical
communication between the EOC and Hardin and Meade counties,"
Stephens reported.

The American Red Cross summoned members of ARES District 6 - the
Louisville/Jefferson County Metro area -- to assist with damage
assessments and to maintain communication with the Hardin County
shelter operation. Jefferson County EC John Hesse, KF4IZS, reported
operations continued on Sunday as additional damage assessment
details deployed in Louisville and in Fisherville in Spencer County.

The Franklin County Chapter of the American Red Cross contacted
Woodford County EC Jerry Mueller, KC4WZO, Sunday morning seeking
Amateur Radio volunteers to support communication in the flooded
Millville area. "The Red Cross had three disaster relief teams in the
Millville area, and cell phone communication was not reliable,"
Dodson said. Paul Harrington, KB4ENQ, Rob Hutchinson, KI4ODT, and
Mueller responded, joined by Compton from the Capitol Amateur Radio
Society.

Kentucky Adjutant General Lt Gen Donald Storm and Kentucky Division
of Emergency Management Director Maj Gen Maxwell Bailey "were pleased
with the way Amateur Radio functioned in providing communication when
all else failed. They extend their thanks to those amateurs who gave
of themselves in this effort." - excerpted from the ARRL Letter

+ GEORGIA ARESMAT EMPLOYS DIGITAL, VOICE MODES FOR DRILL

The Georgia ARES Mutual Assistance Team (ARESMAT) used both digital
modes -- in the form of Winlink 2000 -- and voice modes during a
drill conducted with the Air National Guard. Georgia ARESMAT DEC
Scott Royle, KK4Z, says the September 20 exercise simulated a large
Category 3 hurricane hitting the Georgia coast at Savannah.

"The drill included evacuation of civilians via C-130 aircraft," he
explained. ARESMAT was responsible for providing "reach-back"
communication between Savannah, Tift Henry Airport in Tift County and
Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta. Royle said Georgia ARESMAT
deployed five Winlink stations and six team members to handle digital
and voice nets for the exercise.

Savannah, Chatham and Tift counties also established local nets to
test emergency circuits in those areas, and communication was
established between Dobbins Joint Operations Center and Georgia
Emergency Management's State Operations Center.

"The training ARESMAT gained from this exercise will be invaluable as
the team continues to prepare to operate under these conditions,"
Royle said, expressing his appreciation for all who participated.

A complement to the normal ARES function, the ARESMAT concept
recognizes that a neighboring section's ARES resources can be quickly
overwhelmed in a large-scale disaster, necessitating communication
support from ARES personnel outside the affected area. -- excerpted
from a report in the ARRL Letter

+ ALABAMA GROUP HONORS ONE OF ITS OWN

The St. Clair County (Alabama) ARES/Skywarn team met October 2, and
honored its Emergency Coordinator of 13 years, Johnny Thompson,
N4MLP. He has been the "go to" person for St. Clair County EMA
director Ellen Hayes. Thompson has been in charge of EMA equipment
and daily operations of the ARES group.

ARRL Alabama SEC Jay Isbell, KA4KUN, was there to present Thompson
with an emergency communications commendation for his excellent
service to Alabama. Alongside Jay were St. Clair County Commissioner
Stan Bateman and St. Clair ounty EMA director Hayes. -- Roger White
Jr., KF4ZLU

+ FEEDBACK: ARRL NATIONAL DATA BASE PROJECT

Populating the League's proposed national data base of major disaster
volunteers [see last issue's lead story] is going to be a gigantic
challenge. I saw a lot of hams in my Katrina experience, and the vast
majority of them were great, but a few had their own idea of what
they were going to do and went off the deep end when they didn't get
to do exactly that. It only takes a tiny number to poison the efforts
of the rest.

I was at Hattiesburg, Mississippi with 15 other hams, bunking in the
Red Cross chapter house. Just after dark one night, a new recruit
appeared. He was driving a huge motor home (remember how ARRL
desperately tried to discourage those?) and managed to maneuver
himself into our very limited parking and block about six other
vehicles. Then he appears with an extension cord,looking for a place
to plug himself in. A few minutes later, all our ham gear went dark
-- he had overloaded the circuit. And this guy comes storming in all
upset that he can't use his microwave oven. Even worse, it wasn't as
simple as just resetting a tripped breaker -- he had literally blown
the circuit and it was the next day before we could obtain
replacement parts to get things back to normal. Luckily, the new
recruit was gone the next day. I guess that a place without
microwaves is too much for him.

So believe me when I say I understand that building the database is
the easy part . . . populating it is the tough part. Having the ECs
provide their best talent is certainly the way to go . . . unless
that talent doesn't have an EC. -- Steve Bonine, KB9X

+ LETTERS: TIME FOR CHANGE

In the last decade, the role and mission of ARES has changed
significantly in terms of how we serve our client base and how we fit
into the ICS/NIMS system used by first responders. It's time to make
the changes to integrate into the emergency management system by
using ICS and Red Cross message forms without the cumbersome
intermediate steps of converting to and from the NTS format. Making
basic NIMS/ICS training a requirement for ARES is long overdue. I
just took the NIMS/ICS introductory course again and it was three
hours one evening (including the test) with a very good
instructor--not a lot to ask if we are serious about being part of
the system.

The NTS system exhibits the classic problem of modern technology
marching ahead and around NTS, leaving it as a curious anachronism in
a world of cell phones, instant messaging, and VoIP. NTS was
originally conceived as a solution to sending messages across great
distances in times of disaster and emergency. Amateur Radio still
fulfills the need of alternative communications when other
communications infrastructure is overloaded or inoperative. But we
need to do this in a new environment of structured emergency
response. -- Bill Burden, WB1BRE [Bill is former ARRL New England
Division Director and New Hampshire Section Manager]

+ TOLEDO COUNTY ACTS OUT TERROR FOR PRACTICE, ARES INVOLVED

The emergency vehicles surrounding Westfield Franklin Park, Toledo,
Ohio, were to handle a terrorist situation inside the mall there --
though only for training purposes. Emergency personnel from Lucas
County ran a homeland security drill at three sites, each dealing
with a terrorist threat. In addition to the mall, exercises were run
at two schools.

The drills tested the ability of law enforcement, fire, emergency
medical services, and 911 to effectively communicate and respond to
multiple catastrophes. At both schools, the scenarios involved urban
search-and-rescue teams rescuing victims of car bombs. In the mall, a
suicide bomber took hostages.

Involved in the exercises were county agencies as well as police and
fire departments from all the cities, villages, and townships. The
FBI, Ohio State Highway Patrol, federal Department of Alcohol,
Tobacco, and Firearms, Amateur Radio Emergency Services, and the Fire
Rescue Unit of the Ohio Air National Guard's 180th Tactical Fighter
Wing also participated. ARES provided communications.

EMA Director Dennis Cole said the exercise will be evaluated by
federal officials and is a requirement of receiving Urban Area
Security Initiative Grant money. He said urban areas throughout the
nation have been conducting similar exercises. -- excerpts reprinted
with permission of The Blade, Toledo, Ohio, September 16, 2006,
forwarded by Brent Stover, WD8PNZ; written by Erica Blake, Blade
Staff Writer

+ SGL PRESENTATION TO GOVERNOR'S ADVISORY COUNCIL A HIT

Amateur Radio and ARES were the subjects of a presentation to the
September meeting of the Governor's Emergency Management Advisory
Council (GEMAC), held on September 21 at the Anne Arundel County
(Maryland) Emergency Operations Center. Dave Prestel, W8AJR, the ARRL
State Government liaison for Maryland/DC gave the well-received
presentation describing the basics of Amateur Radio and the history
and operation of ARES.

His presentation highlighted the training that ARES members receive,
through course work, drills, and public service events and their
exemplary performance in recent events from 9/11 to Hurricane
Katrina. With 11,000 hams in Maryland and an additional 43,000 in the
surrounding states, hams, working through ARES represent a valuable
resource to the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). Prestel
concluded by suggesting that a way needs to be found to make
ARES a formal part of the Maryland emergency response process, to
include ARES in training and planning, and to establish an
identification card system to facilitate access of ARES operators
into affected areas. Prestel provided a 63 page handout to the
members of GEMAC providing background information and references on
each of the points that he covered.

Members of the Governor's staff who were in attendance at the
presentation recommended to his administration that Prestel's
recommendations deserved action. At the request of the GEMAC, there
will be follow up meetings with key ARES personnel to form a
permanent connection to Amateur Radio so that the full capabilities
of its service can be used in times of need.

GEMAC is the highest ranking advisory board to the Governor in
homeland security matters. Its members include representatives from
MEMA, state and local public safety agencies, the Citizen Corps,
among others. -- ARRL Maryland-DC Section Manager James E. Cross,
WI3N <wi3n@arrl.org>

+ SATERN ANNUAL REPORT WORTH STUDY:

<http://www.arrl-al.org/SATERN_Annual_Report_2006.pdf>

+ W2IK WEB SITES WORTH A LOOK:

<http://hometown.aol.com/alonestaryank/webpages.html>

+ The National Emergency Response Planning Committee has prepared an
on-line survey that hopes to garner information leading to a better
understanding of emergency communications vehicles and how they are
used and equipped.  If you own such a vehicle, or are in charge of
one, please fill out the survey found here:
http://www.bullock.org/nerpc/  If such a vehicle is owned and
operated by a group, please designate one person to answer the
survey.  Results will be published in 2007.  Questions regarding the
survey may be directed to wa5tmc@arrl.org.

+ K1CE FOR A FINAL

I had the occasion to visit the ARRL Headquarters staff for the first
time since my departure from the Ivory Tower seven years ago.
Generally speaking, on the League's social strata, ex-HQ staffers are
just slightly above that of a non-member, but I was warmly welcomed
and actually accomplished some business with Steve Ewald, WV1X, Dave
Patton, NN1N, and Harold Kramer, WJ1B, whose brainchild this
newsletter was. It was a wonderful, but wistful visit. So much has
changed, yet so little has changed, too. There is no question that
the Newington staff remains 200% dedicated and committed to the
benefit of Amateur Radio. Does anybody get rich working at the
League? No, but that has never been the point. Rather, it has always
been a labor of love.

See you next month! - 73, Rick K1CE

======================================================================
The ARES E-Letter is published on the third Wednesday of each month
by the American Radio Relay League--The National Association For
Amateur Radio--225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200;
fax 860-594-0259; <http://www.arrl.org/>. Joel Harrison, W5ZN,
President.

The ARES E-Letter is an e-mail digest of news and information of
interest to active members of the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency
Service (ARES).

Material from The ARES E-Letter may be republished or reproduced in
whole or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit
must be given to The ARES E-Letter and The American Radio Relay
League.

Editorial questions or comments: Rick Palm, K1CE, k1ce@arrl.net
Delivery problems (ARRL direct delivery only!): ares-el-dlvy@arrl.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your address for e-mail delivery:
ARRL members first must register on the Members Only Web Site,
http://www.arrl.org/members/. You'll have an opportunity during
registration to sign up for e-mail delivery of the The ARES E-Letter,
W1AW bulletins, and other material. ARRL members may subscribe to The
ARES E-Letter by going to the Member Data Page at:
http://www.arrl.org/members-only/memdata.html?modify=1

Note that you must be logged in to the site to access this page.
Scroll down to the section "Which of the following would you like
to receive automatically via email from ARRL?" Check the box for
"ARES E-Letter (monthly public service and emergency communications
news)" and you're all set.

Past issues of The ARES E-Letter are available at
http://www.arrl.org/ares-el/. Issues are posted to this page after
publication.
======================================================================
--
Dick Flanagan K7VC NV SM
E-mail: k7vc@arrl.org

From memberlist at www.arrl.org  Thu Oct 19 21:09:06 2006
From: memberlist at www.arrl.org (ARRL Web site)
Date: Thu Oct 19 21:15:45 2006
Subject: [CVRC] ARLD044 DX news
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061019180841.048ee318@mail.greatbasin.net>

SB DX @ ARL $ARLD044
ARLD044 DX news

ZCZC AE44
QST de W1AW
DX Bulletin 44  ARLD044
 From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  October 19, 2006
To all radio amateurs

SB DX ARL ARLD044
ARLD044 DX news

This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by
NC1L, OH4MDY, QRZ DX, the OPDX Bulletin, DXNL, 425 DX News, The
Daily DX, Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and
WA7BNM web sites.  Thanks to all.

ANNOBON ISLAND, 3C0.  Elmo, EA5BYP is QRV as 3C0M until November 4.
Activity is on 80 to 10 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY.  QSL to home
call.

MONTENEGRO, 4N.  Toby, DD5FZ is QRV as 4N6FZ until October 27.  This
includes an entry in the Worked All Germany and the upcoming CQWW
SSB contest.  QSL to home call.

MALAWI, 7Q.  Harry, G0JMU is QRV as 7Q7HB until mid January 2007.
He is active on 80 to 10 meters.  QSL direct via G0IAS.

MALTA, 9H.  Jo, DL5AUA will be QRV as 9H3JC near the Giordan
Lighthouse, ARLHS MLT-003, on Gozo Island, IOTA EU-023, from October
23 to November 2.  Activity is on all bands using CW and SSB.  QSL
to home call.

OMAN, A4.  John, A45WM has been QRV using RTTY on 17 meters around
0600z.

THE GAMBIA, C5.  Darren, G0TSM will be QRV as C52T from Bijilo Beach
from October 24 to 31.  This includes an entry in the upcoming CQWW
SSB contest.  Activity will be on 160 to 6 meters using CW, SSB and
RTTY.  QSL to home call.

FRENCH POLYNESIA, FO.  Pierre, FO/F5JFU will be QRV from Tahiti,
IOTA OC-O42, Moorea, IOTA OC-046, and Bora-Bora, IOTA OC-O67, from
October 21 to November 19.  Activity is on 20, 15 and 10 meters, and
possibly 40 meters, using CW, SSB and possibly RTTY.  QSL direct to
home call.

AMERICAN SAMOA, KH8.  ON5AX and ON3AX will be QRV as KH8/ON5AX from
October 24 to 29.  This includes an entry in the upcoming CQWW SSB
contest.  They will be active on 40, 30 and 20 meters using CW, SSB
and PSK.  QSL via operators' instructions.

LUXEMBOURG, LX.  Look for LX1JAM will be QRV in JOTA.  Activity will
be mostly SSB on all bands.  QSL via LX2A.  In addition, Dan, LX1JU
and Giles, LX3GR will be QRV as LX1JAB in JOTA.  QSL via LX1JU.

PERU, OA.  Arno, OA7/DL1CW is QRV from Puerto Maldonado, Cuzco and
Lake Titicaca until October 30  This includes an entry in the Worked
All Germany contest.  Activity is on 80 to 10 meters using only CW.
QSL to home call.

TURKEY, TA.  Milan, OK3AA and Josef, OK1XV are QRV as TA0/homecalls
from Lale Island, IOTA AS-099, until October 25.  Activity is mainly
CW on the HF bands.  QSL to home calls.

MONTSERRAT, VP2M.  W4WX and K4QD will be QRV as VP2MHX and VP2MQD,
respectively, from October 23 to 31.  They will be active on 80 to
10 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK31.  They will be QRV as Single
Band entries in the upcoming CQWW SSB contest.  QSL direct to home
calls.  Meanwhile, WA7NB will be QRV as VP2MDY from October 25 to
31.  Activity will be on 160 to 6 meters using CW, SSB and PSK31.
He will also be active in the upcoming CQWW SSB contest.  QSL to
home call.

REVILLA GIGEDO ISLANDS, XF4.  A large group of German and Mexican
operators are QRV as XF4DL from Socorro Island, IOTA NA-030, until
November 3.  Activity is on all bands using CW, SSB, various digital
modes, EME and satellites.  North American stations QSL via N6AWD.
All others QSL via DL9NDS.

CAMBODIA, XU.  Retu, OH4MDY and Anni, OH4JGE are QRV as XU7MDY and
XU7JGE, respectively, until November 5.  Activity is on 160 to 10
meters using CW.  QSL both calls direct via XU7MDY.  In addition,
XU7AZP and JA7AGO/XU7AGO will be QRV from October 23 to 27.
Activity will be on 80 to 10 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY.  QSL to
home calls.

THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO.  Jamboree On The Air (JOTA), JARTS WW
RTTY Contest, ARCI Fall CW QSO Party, Worked All Germany Contest,
W/VE Islands QSO Party, 50 MHz Fall Sprint and the Illinois QSO
Party are all scheduled for this weekend.  Please see October QST,
page 102 and the ARRL and WA7BNM contest websites for details.
NNNN
/EX

From dick at twohams.com  Fri Oct 20 02:09:09 2006
From: dick at twohams.com (Dick Flanagan)
Date: Fri Oct 20 02:15:12 2006
Subject: [CVRC] ARES E-Letter for October 19, 2006
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061019230751.0490beb8@mail.greatbasin.net>

The ARES E-Letter
Special Edition, October 19, 2006
=================

Rick Palm, K1CE, Editor

<http://www.qrz.com/database?callsign=K1CE>,
<http://www.iaru-r2emcor.net/>

===================================
ARES reports, other related contributions, editorial questions or
comments: <k1ce@arrl.net>;;
===================================

SPECIAL EDITION: RADIO AMATEUR CIVIL EMERGENCY SERVICE (RACES)

+ THE VIEW FROM FLAGLER COUNTY

There is no RACES program here in our county, nor is there RACES in
our Northern Florida Section. We have, simply, the ARES program
serving emergency management and its EOC. We have active Skywarn,
CERT, and REACT programs. There is use of GMRS here as well. But, no
RACES program. This is not the case in parts of the rest of the
country.

+ RACES: RELIC OR RELEVANT?

In the August issue, I posed the question of the continuing viability
of the RACES program, which in 1952 was established by the federal
government in the context of the cold war as a means of allowing
registered, certified RACES radio amateurs to remain on the air on
restrictive frequencies for government-restricted communications
only, after other radio amateurs were put off the air for war-time
purposes.

Historically, there have been major differences (and confusion)
between ARES and RACES, not one of the least being that RACES
operators were under the thumb of the government, where ARES (an ARRL
program) operators were not. Some government entities seemed happier
to assert their control and command over their hand-picked RACES
operators. But, there were frequency restrictions incompatible with
amateurs' own band plans, and narrow time limits on drills to reduce
the risk of governments usurping Amateur Radio for routine
communications. Also, RACES had to be formally activated by the
government entity before RACES communications could be conducted.
ARES operators on the other hand were not bound by these limitations,
but some emergency management agencies would not use ARES operators
because they were not government-controlled.

For more than half a century, radio amateurs (and government
agencies) asked: Do we go ARES? RACES? Or, both?

In the best cases, local amateurs were signed up for both ARES and
RACES, with the ARES EC and the RACES Radio Officer (RO) being one
and the same person. This allowed for maximum flexibility, seamless
transitions as needed, and perhaps most importantly, cohesiveness and
unity of the local Amateur Radio emcomm community. They simply
switched hats as necessary. In the worst cases, local separate ARES
and RACES organizations fought bitterly and competed with one
another. Sometimes they were all thrown out of EOCs: The government
communications managers simply didn't have the time for it.

Over the years, RACES frequencies were more harmonized with amateurs'
own band plans, and now, just a few days ago, the FCC deleted the
RACES frequency restrictions all together. The unwritten part of the
FCC's Report and Order says that the agency still believes the RACES
program serves a useful purpose in its regulatory scheme - otherwise,
they would have simply eliminated the RACES rules completely, hence
the program, and we all know how much the FCC embraces deregulation.

In response to the question posed in the August issue, a hurricane of
responses flooded my e-mail in-box. Some were unprintable! But, many
lucid reports came in on RACES programs across the country. While not
a scientific survey, anecdotally they present a rough picture of the
program to serve as the basis for further discussion. I want to thank
all of those who filed reports, and encourage readers to send in
their reactions to the reports presented below. - K1CE
_____________


+ RACES ACROSS THE COUNTRY

ARIZONA

All RACES members in Cochise County (Arizona) are automatically
enrolled as ARES members. There are mutual aid agreements between the
various counties. If a county within the state requires assistance,
our county will activate our RACES/ARES unit (we are 100 percent
integrated) and we deploy the necessary resources to the affected
region. Most of the RACES units are sponsored by county level
governments and there is also a state level organization. One of the
benefits of these official sponsors is that we are covered by Workers
Compensation and liability immunity.

Organizing as a joint RACES/ARES unit in our area allows us to
support the local government as needed as well as honor the MOUs
established by the ARRL to such organizations as the Red Cross, etc.
-- Robert L. Hollister, N7INK, Cochise County RACES Officer/ARES DEC

I am a RACES manager in Pima County, Arizona. We are also the
regional RACES and Homeland Security hub for Southern Arizona. Many
of us feel we have too much responsibility and not enough manpower:
We are currently embarked on a project to interface and assist in
providing communications for Citizens Corps, further stretching us.

There is a mystique about RACES being Federally authorized that
attracts state and local Government managers. I feel that being
locked in to activation only by our government agency is a handicap
both for us and for our clients. One advantage RACES has here is that
we are considered County employees covered by County insurance when
activated, but the County mindset is that they own us. ARES in Pima
County is a mission-less child. Overall, the RACES program in
Southern Arizona is successful and has wide recognition at local,
State and Federal levels. -- Joe Thompson, N3SRU

Arizona State RACES has little, if any, recognition of or cooperation
with ARES. However, in the counties, about 25% have no RACES at all.
Of the counties who have appointed RACES Radio Officers, most are
also ARES DECs. RACES Officers and members would appear to represent
about 0.5% of the Arizona ham population, with registered ARES
members representing 10-20%. Arizona has no major disasters and few
emergency callouts, except for an occasional shelter operation for a
wildfire. -- Bill Hosking, W7JSW, ASEC/DEC, Arizona


Here in Yavapai County, Arizona, the two once-separate groups (ARES
and RACES) were combined some years back. RACES, considered part of
Homeland Security, officially under FEMA, is coordinated by county
emergency management. -- Jim Clark, N5RO

Another perspective from Pima County: RACES enjoys a close
relationship with the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland
Security. It is through them that we are provided with abundant
resources such as new communications vans and trailers ($200+K) as
well as EOC radios and other equipment. We function much like reserve
employees given the use of facilities, secretarial support, and even
Workman's Compensation. Few of our resource requests go unfulfilled.
These resources are provided by our sponsoring agency because they
control usage and we have demonstrated responsiveness. If we sever
this control, we sever the resources.

In my view, ARRL should convene a conference or study group to
investigate a major revision to the present FCC Part 97 to upgrade
Amateur Radio EMCOMM for the foreseeable future. Then lobby the FCC
for that change to the regulations. Or we could adopt what some
suggest and chew off our government arm to feed ourselves only with
our private one. After all, what does the Amateur Service owe to, or
need from, the government? -- Bill Hickey, AB7AA, Pima County RACES
Home Unit Manager


ARKANSAS

In our operations in Pulaski County, Arkansas, we show up when the
Emergency Managers (Little Rock, North Little Rock or Pulaski
Counties) activate RACES, but we operate in an ARES environment. The
EMs can check off the box in the report that says 'RACES' and we can
still operate. As others have mentioned, delete RACES and replace it
with an MOU between DHS/FEMA and ARRL to use ARES. -- Mark Barnhard,
KD5AIV, Little Rock, Arkansas <kd5aiv@arrl.net>

FLORIDA

The Southern Florida Section ARES program has, for many years, worked
with county EMA sponsored RACES organizations. SFL ARES leadership
encourages dual membership for ARES and RACES. The same personnel
function in both organizations, switching hats, depending on the
situation. The ARES side performs the recruitment and training of
communicators and when an activation is declared, the RACES side
takes over, all with the same personnel. In some jurisdictions, the
county EC is also the RACES Radio Officer and in others, the EC and
RO are different people, but the EC is the assistant RO and the RO is
the assistant EC, working together as a team. ARES handles the
non-declared communication functions, such as public service events
and activations for localized situations.

The emergency management agencies feel very comfortable with this
arrangement. The EMA provides funding that trickles down to the
ARES/RACES group for EOC station gear, repeaters and vehicles. They
provide uniform credentialing for radio operators and databases for
personnel and equipment. We provide them with a cadre of
professional, trained radio operators.

ARES also works with Red Cross, NWS, APCO and the Salvation Army. In
closing, the ARES/RACES partnership in the SFL Section provides a
needed communication service for the citizens of South Florida and
beyond. -- Jeff Beals, WA4AW, ARRL Southern Florida Section Assistant
Section Manager, Section Emergency Coordinator

In the past, Sarasota (Florida) had a joint ARES/RACES program. They
were interchangeable programs with the same people, who switched hats
as needed. This avoided the conflicts of having two separate groups
providing the same services, and fighting over who's in charge.

Our group has been involved with other activities that don't fit in
either the ARES or RACES category. There were changes at Emergency
Management last year, and at that time, we decided to turn ARES/RACES
over to the "Auxiliary Communications Service." ACS is a better fit
to what it is we do, which consists of a lot more than just providing
communications support during disasters. -- Ron Wetjen, WD4AHZ, EC
Sarasota County Auxiliary Communications Service
<http://www.saracs.org>

HAWAII

In Hawaii, RACES and ARES are vital elements of the emergency
communications structure. Many times, the same amateurs are providing
community service under various hats, but make no mistake that in
Hawaii and on Oahu, RACES and Civil Defense support at the State and
County level are key to Amateur Radio. It is a mutually rewarding
partnership.

At the State level, RACES works closely with State Civil Defense
(SCD) to incorporate Amateur Radio at all of the main EOCs on each
island. <http://ronhashiro.htohananet.com/am-radio/hawaii/scd.html>

State RACES and the ARES SEC for Hawaii enjoy a working relationship
that includes joint operations during SET, the annual statewide
hurricane and tsunami exercises and other events. Hawaii offers an
example where RACES, ARES, ARRL members, Amateur Radio clubs and
individuals combine into teamwork and joint operations. -- Ron
Hashiro, AH6RH, State Civil Defense RACES Coordinator, SCD ARES EC,
Skywarn <http://ronhashiro.htohananet.com/am-radio/in-hawaii.html>

IDAHO

North Idaho operations are ARES. Being closer to Spokane than Boise,
for several years we have participated in regional SETs with the
Eastern Washington group, which is all ARES. A statewide RACES net
runs once a month. In the future we may have the county Disaster
Services unit issue certifications for RACES. We expect that the
RACES roster will be the same as the ARES roster. -- Geoff Billin,
KC7QCS, EC, Latah County, Idaho

ILLINOIS

Around Chicago, RACES is pretty much a non-entity, except as an
adjunct to CERT. In Naperville, we are considering setting up an
amateur group within the CERT program and, for convenience, calling
it RACES. The city emergency management agency is currently
registered as a RACES organization and the EMA has a contained
communications function. -- Garth Kennedy, W9KJ, OES, Captain and
Administrative Officer Naperville Emergency Management Agency

INDIANA

I am RACES Radio Officer for Hendricks County, Indiana, appointed by
the county EMA Director. His stated role for RACES in the county is
to provide severe weather spotting, radio communications support for
the county CERT and SAR teams, and for emergency response agencies
throughout the county when their own systems fail. To that end, I
work with the local Amateur Radio club to maintain a list of hams
prepared to serve the Emergency Management office when the EMA
Director calls. I am a member of ARES, and the ARES EC in my county
is a member of RACES. We support each other's activities. -- Bob
Burns, K4RXR, RO Hendricks County, Indiana RACES

Greene County, Indiana: I am the ARES EC and Assistant RO for RACES.
My Assistant EC is also the RO for RACES. It works well. Although
RACES and ARES are two different organizations, we have an agreement
that identifies when each are deployed. ARES can function and deploy
without the EMA Director's authority for many pre-disaster events.
Once a disaster has been declared and the EMA Director has directed
RACES to deploy, they do so and become unpaid employees of the County
and are covered by the liability and workman's compensation
insurance. Several of the surrounding counties are operating the same
way. We are in the process of developing a six county mutual aid
agreement -- Dave Love, W9XTZ

LOUISIANA

Iberville Parish, Louisiana RACES is not affiliated with ARRL or ARES
nor does it exclusively use Amateur Radio. In fact, the "A" in our
RACES title stands for Auxiliary, open to anyone, licensed or not,
and members may be tasked to use radios on the Public Service, Public
Works, Ham, GMRS or Marine frequencies as needed. - C. Steve Raacke,
KC5SAS <kc5sas@hotmail.com>

MASSACHUSETTS

I am the Emergency Management Director for Southwick, Massachusetts,
a town in southwestern Massachusetts. I am also Director of RACES and
hold ARES appointments of Assistant Emergency Coordinator. The
Southwick Emergency Management Agency has seven active RACES members.
Each month, a local RACES radio drill is held, preceding the
Massachusetts State Emergency Management RACES Drill, which is held
on repeaters throughout the State for all 352 communities.
Unfortunately, not all Massachusetts communities have RACES
operators. Many Hampden County (Western Massachusetts) communities
are active RACES. The State of Massachusetts Emergency Management
Agency is a strong supporter of RACES with all four MEMA Regional
Headquarters RACES active, as well as the State EOC in Framingham. --
Charles H. Dunlap, K1II, Director of Emergency Management, and RACES
<http://www.southwick-ema.org>

NEW YORK

The Saratoga County (NY) RACES Association Inc., is an auxiliary of
the county RACES group to provide radio amateurs. I am RACES Radio
Officer and EC for ARES. However, local government will not call out
our operators because of the insurance liability issue. All of our
emcomm activity is due to our ability to activate as ARES. We go out
and provide the necessary assistance in time of need without call up
of county government. Maybe it is time for the FCC to redesign that
section of the rules to provide for ARES activity and do away with
the RACES section all together. -- David Atwell, N2FEP, EC/RO
Saratoga County, New York

Suffolk County, Long Island (NY) ARES and RACES work hand in hand.
Each EC for the ten Towns of Suffolk County is also the Radio Officer
for their respective Town. Most ARES members are also RACES members.
During an emergency when RACES is invoked we simply switch hats. -
John Blowsky, KB2SCS, <kb2scs@arrl.net>

NORTH CAROLINA

Here in North Carolina, ARES and RACES are the same. Some counties
use us as ARES and some as RACES. The main benefits to the ham in
those counties that use them as RACES are Workman's Compensation
Coverage, and Tort Claim Coverage. This is because the counties treat
the volunteers as county employees, like their volunteer firemen. It
is seamless when we change from one hat to the other. -- Ronnie
Reams, WA4MJF, OES, Area 7, North Carolina ARES/RACES

OHIO

Toledo, Ohio, is all ARES with no RACES organization. Everything is
handled under the ARES "hat" including duties that RACES would
normally handle. - Brent Stover, WD8PNZ, Lucas County and Wood County
ARES

OKLAHOMA

In RACES in Oklahoma, we do have mutual assistance: I can request
under State law a resource from any of the other 76 county
governments. The sending agency retains some controls (recall rights,
for example) while the receiving agency gets command and control.

Crossing state lines, my County resources can be mustered to other
States through a process called EMAC (Emergency Management Assistance
Compact) <http://www.emacweb.org/>. This process was used during
Katrina quite successfully. I expect it to be used more. There are
protections in place for responders responding under EMAC that are
NOT afforded to others who may self-deploy.

Therefore, the local county RACES volunteers (who, for the most part
are ARES members and some also are MARS members) can be dispatched to
hurricane country all through the mutual aid process. -- Lloyd
Colston, KC5FM, Mayes County Emergency Management, Pryor, Oklahoma
<http://mayescem.us>; <http://lloyd.colston.com>

TEXAS

Here in Texas our State Emergency Management center still goes by
RACES even though it has been decimated by lack of attention. When
there is a call-up, it is the local ARES that responds to the need.
The DEM clings to RACES and is unwilling to work with local ARES.
Until they get guidance from FEMA or DHS that they may indeed use
ARES instead of continuing the RACES program, these issues will exist
in Texas.

We have been promoting a dual membership program, but we feel that
RACES should be eliminated and all RACES operations be transferred to
ARES. Perhaps BOTH ARES and RACES should be eliminated and a new
organization that is a combination of both be created. -- Lee Cooper,
W5LHC, Assistant EC, Travis and Williamson County ARES; Williamson
County RACES Liaison Officer (alternate)

VERMONT

Here in Vermont, there is only one officially sanctioned statewide
emergency Amateur Radio communications program: the Vermont Emergency
Management RACES. Vermont enjoys strong affiliations with RACES
organizations in the neighboring states of Hew Hampshire and New
York. VEM-RACES is currently discussing an MOU with the Vermont ARES
organization. ARES provides support to VEM-RACES during official
activations. VEM-RACES also suggests and encourages all VEM-RACES
members to maintain dual membership in both organizations, but the
VEM-RACES is the backbone of Vermont's amateur emergency
communications. Due to a stringent application process, all members
have been screened and are all officially cleared and authorized to
serve the State in restricted and/or secure areas. While RACES may be
dormant in some sections of the nation, in Vermont RACES remains
strong and durable. -- David E. Cain, W1DEC, VEM-RACES Coordinator

VIRGINA

Virginia RACES is alive and well, and contracted to provide trained
emergency operators at hospitals in central and southern Virginia on
installed equipment provided by FEMA. We are trained with hospital
personnel. - Bill Ware, KE3AD

WISCONSIN

Wisconsin ARES/RACES is ONE -- why don't we take all the letters used
in ARES/RACES and call it CARES Combined Amateur Radio Emergency
Services. -- Bill Hollister, K9WH

+ CONCLUSIONS:

Bob Hollister, N7INK, agreed with the conclusion reached in the Level
III ARECC Course concerning RACES and ARES: "Both RACES and ARES
serve a purpose in the world of emergency communications, each with
its own strengths and weaknesses. Amateurs should consider membership
in both organizations to ensure that the community's interests are
served, whatever the situation."

Ward Silver, N0AX, EC Vichon County, Washington, had this to say: The
question should not be, "Is RACES viable", but, "Is there a mission
sufficiently distinct from that of ARES to justify a separate
organization?" That the question is being asked at all indicates that
the RACES mission is either not well understood or has diminished in
relative importance. In either case, the RACES mission needs to be
reviewed along with the consequences of combining the ARES and RACES
organizations. For example, while the two groups may be very similar
operationally, the requirements for reporting, certification, or
security may be quite different, making a separate organization the
most efficient way to carry out the RACES mission. The MARS
organization has just undergone a similar review and is changing its
mission to meet new requirements. The same should be done for RACES -
but top-down so that latent or implied requirements are included in
the review. The time consumed by a top-down mission review can be
frustrating in the face of immediate emcomm needs, but not nearly as
frustrating and wasteful as an incomplete or ineffective
reorganization that fails to identify all of the mission
requirements.

+ K1CE FOR A FINAL

The above reports and conclusions were not presented as an end to the
discussion of an important and venerable program, but as a possible
beginning of further discussion and promotion of harmonization among
the various facets of Amateur Radio's overall emcomm function.

Again, while not a scientific survey, I think the above suggests that
RACES retains its relevance today, especially when considered with
the FCC's recent implicit and explicit endorsement of the program.
FEMA should also be considered in the RACES picture, as it is a
co-partner with the FCC in program responsibility. It would be
interesting to hear what the agency has to say about the RACES
program today. I'll see if I can found out, and report back to you. -
73, Rick, K1CE

======================================================================
The ARES E-Letter is published on the third Wednesday of each month
by the American Radio Relay League--The National Association For
Amateur Radio--225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200;
fax 860-594-0259; <http://www.arrl.org/>. Joel Harrison, W5ZN,
President.

The ARES E-Letter is an e-mail digest of news and information of
interest to active members of the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency
Service (ARES).

Material from The ARES E-Letter may be republished or reproduced in
whole or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit
must be given to The ARES E-Letter and The American Radio Relay
League.

Editorial questions or comments: Rick Palm, K1CE, k1ce@arrl.net
Delivery problems (ARRL direct delivery only!): ares-el-dlvy@arrl.org

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your address for e-mail delivery:
ARRL members first must register on the Members Only Web Site,
http://www.arrl.org/members/. You'll have an opportunity during
registration to sign up for e-mail delivery of the The ARES E-Letter,
W1AW bulletins, and other material. ARRL members may subscribe to The
ARES E-Letter by going to the Member Data Page at:
http://www.arrl.org/members-only/memdata.html?modify=1

Note that you must be logged in to the site to access this page.
Scroll down to the section "Which of the following would you like
to receive automatically via email from ARRL?" Check the box for
"ARES E-Letter (monthly public service and emergency communications
news)" and you're all set.

Past issues of The ARES E-Letter are available at
http://www.arrl.org/ares-el/. Issues are posted to this page after
publication.
======================================================================
--
Dick Flanagan K7VC NV SM
E-mail: k7vc@arrl.org

From memberlist at www.arrl.org  Fri Oct 20 13:12:23 2006
From: memberlist at www.arrl.org (ARRL Web site)
Date: Fri Oct 20 13:18:37 2006
Subject: [CVRC] ARLP043 Propagation de K7RA
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061020101207.048f6898@mail.greatbasin.net>

SB PROP @ ARL $ARLP043
ARLP043 Propagation de K7RA

ZCZC AP43
QST de W1AW
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 43  ARLP043
 From Tad Cook, K7RA
Seattle, WA  October 20, 2006
To all radio amateurs

SB PROP ARL ARLP043
ARLP043 Propagation de K7RA

Sunspot numbers this week were 0 on every day. In fact, 0 was the
sunspot number for eight days in a row, from October 11 through 18.
On October 19 a single sunspot appeared, sunspot 917, in the center
of the solar disc as seen from Earth, and this resulted in a sunspot
number of 14. Due to the way sunspot numbers are calculated, there
are no sunspot numbers from 1 through 10, only 0 for the minimum and
then 11 for the next number. Judging from numbers ten years ago at
the last solar minimum, we should observe longer periods of no
sunspots, several weeks in a row, or perhaps over a month.

In late 1995 we began to see short stretches of time with no spots.
Then there were 12 days in a row, February 3-14, 1996 that were
spotless. We began to observe one to two week stretches with 0
spots, except for one or two days in the middle. May 18-21, 1996 had
no spots, then the next two days recorded 11 and 12, then May 24-31
had no spots. In fall 1996 we saw a really long stretch, September 9
through October 24 1996, with only two days in that period with
recorded sunspots. September 13 through October 20 had no spots at
all.

After this, the spotless days were less and less common, with some
strings of 7-10 spotless days in early 1997. By the fall of 1997,
things were jumping again. October 1996 had an average daily sunspot
number of only 2.3, October 1997 was 33.5, October 1998 was 77,
October 1999 was 167.7, October 2000 was 138.9, and the average
daily sunspot number in October 2001 was 197.4. So far October 2006
has an average daily sunspot number of 13.1, so we have a bit to go
before we see the typical bottom-of-the-cycle month of no sunspots.
The predicted sunspot minimum is still about 6 months away.

Just because there are no sunspots, does that mean HF radio is dead?
No, in fact it is better for 160 and 80 meters. But even higher
frequencies will have openings to somewhere, although not as
frequently as during periods of higher sunspot activity.

John Plenderleith, 9M6XRO of Eastern Malaysia wrote to say that last
Friday October 13, the third day in a row with 0 sunspots, he worked
OM3EY in the Slovak Republic on 12 meter CW, and they moved the QSO
to 10 meters. Conditions weren't very good, but signals were
copyable, and then, in John's own words, "Suddenly - bam - the band
was wide open and in the next 2-1/2 hours I worked 283 stations from
all over Europe, a few in the Middle East, J28JA and a solitary JA.
For much of the time I had 18db attenuation in on my FT-1000MP and
signals were still S9 on the meter - a solid wall of stations! The
opening ended at 8:35 PM local time - whereas local sunset was at
6pm. It brought back memories of 1957/58 when I was an SWL and 10
meters was wide open every day!"

8:30 PM local time was 1235z. Local sunset was around 1000z. John
continues, "Just goes to show, even at this point in the cycle, it
pays to go on the bands and fill up those empty frequencies - you
never know what might happen!"

Rick Fleeter, K8VK of Reston, Virginia has been a ham since he was 9
years old, in 1963. He likes the quiet conditions that come with
lower sunspot activity. He writes, "I've been a ham since the mid
'60s so have survived several cycles now. I find low sunspot cycles
the best times for radio work in HF. I'm not just talking about the
top bands. There is not much difference between sunspot activity and
simple every daytime solar excitation of the ionosphere. Except that
at near 0 sunspots, the progression of propagation during the day is
completely rhythmic with the daily clock, and predictable."

Rick continues, "The longer wavelength bands are much quieter at
night when the sun is quiet, and even with no sunspots, 20, 15, even
10 meter openings are quite regular during the day. Plus it seems
like a less opaque ionosphere eliminates QRM from nearer stations
(QRN as well does not propagate so well from nearby sources, which
is most of it), so the DX which is there, is easier to hear."

This weekend we could have more days with 0 sunspots, or at a
maximum, sunspot numbers from 11-15. A solar wind stream is expected
to cause active geomagnetic conditions today, October 20, with the
October 20-23 planetary A index predicted at 20, 13, 8 and 5.
Geophysical Institute Prague predicts declining geomagnetic
activity, with active conditions on October 20, unsettled to active
on October 21, unsettled October 22, quiet to unsettled October 23,
unsettled October 24, and quiet conditions on October 25-26.

Eric Hall, K9GY of Lansing, Illinois wrote to ask readers to
participate in the Illinois QSO party and the Worked All Germany
contest this weekend. Details are at
http://www.darc.de/referate/dx/xedcgr.htm for the German activity
and http://www.w9awe.org/ILQP%20Rules.pdf for Illinois.

In a week many hams will begin the CQ World Wide DX Phone contest
weekend. Current predictions show planetary A index for October
27-29 of 12, 25 and 8. The Saturday number of 25 looks a little
rough.

If you work the German contest this weekend, what are some good
times to check the different bands? It depends on your location, but
from Boston, 80 meters looks promising from 2030-0800z, with best
bets around 0000-0530z, 40 meters 1900-0200z and 0430-0930z. 20
meters looks good 1200-1900z, and 15 meters could possibly be open
1230-1800z, with the best bet around 1500-1630z. All of this assumes
a sunspot number of 11, which may be a bit optimistic.

 From Atlanta to Germany, 80 meters looks good 2130-0730z, with best
signals around 0000-0600z. Try 40 meters 2130-0330z, or 0600-0930z,
with best signals around 2200-0200z. 20 meters looks good
1330-1830z. Slim chance of any 15 meter opening, but best chance is
around 1430-1700z.

 From the center of the continental United States, Germany looks best
on 80 meters 0030-0700z, and 40 meters 2230-0330z and 0700-0930z.
20 meters is most promising 1430-1900z and 15 meters possibly, but
not likely, 1600-1730z.

 From North Texas, 80 meters 0100-0630z, 40 meters 2300-0930z, 20
meters 1330-1730z, with signals declining over that period, and
possibly again around 1930z. Unlikely but possible is 15 meters
1430-1900z.

 From Chicago, 80 meters 2330-0700z, 40 meters 2130-0230z and
0700-0800z. Check 20 meters 1500-1800z.

Salt Lake City, 80 meters 0100-0700z, 40 meters 0700-1000z and
2300-0500z. Check 20 meters 1530-1900z.

 From Los Angeles, 80 meters 0100-0800z, best around 0330-0500z. 40
meters 0030-0800z and 20 meters 1500-1630z.

 From Seattle, 0000-0730z on 80 meters, and on 40 meters, 2200-1030z,
1200-1300z and 1430-1630z. Check 20 meters 1630-1800z.

If you would like to make a comment or have a tip for our readers,
email the author at, k7ra@arrl.net.

For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL
Technical Information Service at
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html. For a detailed
explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin, see
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/k9la-prop.html. An archive of past
propagation bulletins is at http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/ .

Sunspot numbers for October 12 through 18 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 and
0 with a mean of 0. 10.7 cm flux was 73.6, 73.3, 72.4, 71.1, 69.5,
69.6, and 69.5, with a mean of 71.3. Estimated planetary A indices
were 5, 24, 18, 10, 8, 2 and 4 with a mean of 10.1. Estimated
mid-latitude A indices were 3, 15, 12, 9, 7, 2 and 2, with a mean of
7.1.
NNNN
/EX

From dick at twohams.com  Fri Oct 20 19:22:40 2006
From: dick at twohams.com (Dick Flanagan)
Date: Fri Oct 20 19:28:56 2006
Subject: [CVRC] ARLB021 New ARRL section managers to take office
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061020162144.048ee318@mail.greatbasin.net>

SB QST @ ARL $ARLB021
ARLB021 New ARRL section managers to take office

ZCZC AG21
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 21  ARLB021
 From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  October 20, 2006
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB021
ARLB021 New ARRL section managers to take office

New ARRL section managers will take office in three sections, while
an appointee will assume the reins in a fourth section due to a
resignation. Incumbent SMs in six other ARRL sections were elected
to new terms without opposition in the current SM election cycle.
There were no contested races.

California's Sacramento Valley Section will get a new SM December 1,
when W.J. ''Casey'' McPartland, W7IB, of Meadow Vista takes over to
fill the 10 months remaining on the term of current SM Jettie Hill,
W6RFF. Hill is stepping aside. McPartland now serves as a Sacramento
Valley Assistant SM and as an Official Emergency Station.

Hill served as Santa Clara Valley Section Communications Manager
(SCM) from 1978 until 1982, and he was Sacramento Valley SM from
1989 until 2000 and again since 2002. Hill also was the ARRL Pacific
Division Vice Director from January 1982 through December 1983.

Hill recommended McPartland as his successor, and ARRL Field and
Educational Services Manager Dave Patton, NN1N, recently announced
the appointment.

Elsewhere: In the Eastern Massachusetts Section, Arthur S.
Greenberg, K1GBX, of Georgetown, will succeed current SM Mike
Neilsen, W1MPN, who decided against running for another term. A ham
since 1957, Greenberg has a background in electronics and worked in
the computer industry for many years before retiring in 1993.

In the New York City-Long Island Section, current Section Emergency
Coordinator Tom Carrubba, KA2D, of W Babylon will succeed current SM
George Tranos, N2GA. Tranos, who's served as SM since 1998, did not
run for another term.

In the Northern New York Section, Tom Valosin, WB2KLD, of
Middleburgh, takes over for current SM Thomas Dick, KF2GC, who did
not seek a new term. Dick has been SM since 2000. Valosin has been
an Assistant SM since 1996 and an Official Observer since 1993.

Incumbent SMs returning to office are Dale Bagley, K0KY, Missouri;
Matthew Anderson, KA0BOJ, Nebraska; Jim Boehner, N2ZZ, South
Carolina; Jean Priestley, KA2YKN, Southern New Jersey; Gerald ''Dee''
Turner, N4GD, West Central Florida, and Larry O'Toole, K3LBP,
Western Pennsylvania.

With the exception of McPartland, two-year terms for new and
returning section managers begin January 1.
NNNN
/EX
--
Dick Flanagan K7VC NV SM
E-mail: k7vc@arrl.org

From letter-dlvy at arrl.org  Fri Oct 20 19:46:34 2006
From: letter-dlvy at arrl.org (ARRL Letter Mailing List)
Date: Fri Oct 20 19:52:47 2006
Subject: [CVRC] The ARRL Letter, Vol 25, No 42 (Oct 20, 2006)
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061020164321.048f6898@mail.greatbasin.net>

***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 25, No. 42
October 20, 2006
***************

IN THIS EDITION:

* +FCC's "omnibus" order has credits, debits, errors
* +Hawaii's hams scramble in earthquakes' wake
* +New York BPL policy acknowledges interference as "major issue"
* +New ARRL Section Managers elected, appointed
* +Ohio ham wins 2006 Philip J. McGan Memorial Silver Antenna Award
* +ITU to celebrate centenary of international Radio Regs
*  Solar Update
*  IN BRIEF:
      This weekend on the radio
      ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
     +ARRL On-Line Auction opens Monday, October 23!
     +Japanese CubeSat gets OSCAR number
      We stand corrected!

+Available on ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>

===========================================================
==>Delivery problems: First see FAQ
<http://www.arrl.org/members-only/faq.html#nodelivery>, then e-mail
<letter-dlvy@arrl.org>
==>Editorial questions or comments only: Rick Lindquist, N1RL,
<n1rl@arrl.org>
===========================================================

==>FCC "OMNIBUS" REPORT AND ORDER CONTAINS PLUSES, MINUSES AND ERRORS

The FCC's recent Report and Order (R&O) in WT Docket 04-140 seems to offer
something for just about every sector of the Amateur Radio community, but
it's not without shortcomings. Most appear to be unintended consequences
stemming from the FCC's arguably too-generous allocation of 75 meter phone
spectrum to Amateur Extra class licensees. The FCC indicated it was only
doing what the ham radio community said it wanted.

"Indeed, a number of commenters argue that the NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rule
Making) proposal to increase the amount of spectrum permitted for voice
communications would still not meet the demand for voice communication in
the HF bands, particularly in the 80 meter band," the FCC said in the R&O,
released October 10. Several radio amateurs filing comments justified
extending the phone allocation further into the CW band, the FCC continued,
citing their arguments that the CW band is "grossly underused and represents
a huge waste in spectrum."

Once the new rules go into effect, the 75 meter phone band will span 3800 to
4000 kHz for Generals, 3700 to 4000 kHz for Advanced class licensees (ARRL
had requested 3750 to 4000 kHz), and 3600 to 4000 kHz for Amateur Extras
(ARRL had requested 3725 to 4000 kHz). Far more modest phone expansions were
the rule for 40 and 15 meters, the other affected bands.

But the ample 75 meter Amateur Extra class phone allocation not only
effectively reduces the amount of 80-meter spectrum available for CW, RTTY
and data, it actually eliminates Advanced and General class access on any
mode to certain segments where they now have privileges. Sensitive to
fallout from the "incentive licensing" debacle of the late 1960s, the FCC in
the past has indicated it wouldn't let that kind of thing happen again.

In the runup to the April 2000 license restructuring, the FCC assured that
any pending changes would not take away any incumbent licensee's privileges,
and it carefully avoided doing so in its restructuring R&O. In applauding
the ARRL's "refarming" proposal in this docket's NPRM, the FCC pointed out
that "as proposed, no licensees would lose any spectrum privileges."
Nonetheless that's just what happened:

Generals lose 150 kHz of CW/data spectrum on 80 meters but gain 50 kHz of
phone spectrum on 75. They also lose 25 kHz of CW/data spectrum on 40 meters
but gain 50 kHz of phone privileges on that band. Factoring in another 25
kHz of phone spectrum on 15 meters that's an overall gain of 125 kHz of
phone spectrum offset by an overall loss of 175 kHz of CW/data spectrum --
or a net loss of 50 kHz in spectrum privileges.

Advanced licensees also lose 150 kHz of CW/data spectrum on 80 meters but
gain 75 kHz of phone spectrum on 75. They also lose 25 kHz of CW/data
spectrum on 40 meters but gain 25 kHz of phone spectrum there. That's an
overall loss of 175 kHz of CW/data spectrum offset by an overall gain of 100
kHz of phone spectrum (25 kHz less than Generals). The net loss in Advanced
privileges works out to 75 kHz (25 kHz greater than Generals).

The new rules are "nothing but net" for Novice and Tech Plus (Technician
with Element 1 credit) licensees. These licensees take home a whopping 250
kHz of additional CW spectrum (CW/data on 10 meters).

The R&O contains several apparent mistakes, too. For example, in ?97.301(d)
the 80 meter row should read 3.525-3.600 MHz for all three ITU regions. In
?97.305(c), the frequencies in the first line for 40 meters should read
7.000-7.100 MHz. The FCC will fix these errors when the "official" R&O text
appears in the Federal Register later this fall.

Other corrections may prove more troublesome. Creating a humongous 75 meter
phone band for Extras effectively, but apparently inadvertently, deleted the
only 80 meter segment where automatically controlled digital stations may
operate -- 3620 to 3635 kHz. The new rules no longer permit RTTY and data
there, however.

In addition, the FCC accommodated the inclusion of images in data
transmissions by defining a range of image emission types as "data" and
limiting them to 500 Hz bandwidth in the RTTY/data subbands. Unfortunately,
it did so in a way that also limits J2D emissions -- data sent by modulating
an SSB transmitter -- to 500 Hz bandwidth.

==>HAWAIIAN HAMS RESPOND AS EARTHQUAKES STRIKE "BIG ISLAND"

Amateur Radio volunteers scrambled to provide emergency communication and
assist with relief efforts after earthquakes October 15 on the "Big Island"
of Hawaii. The initial jolt of the so-called "Kona Earthquake" just after 7
AM local time rousted many residents from sleep; another followed soon
after. Widespread power outages as well as structural and highway damage
resulted throughout the Hawaiian Islands, although a feared tsunami never
developed and no deaths were reported.

"ARES and RACES operators responded to Hawaii State and Oahu Civil Defense
Emergency Operation Centers," reports Hawaii State RACES Coordinator and
ARRL State Civil Defense (SCD) Emergency Coordinator Ron Hashiro, AH6RH.
Right after Oahu stopped shaking, Hashiro put out a call on the Honolulu
146.88 MHz repeater seeking reports.

"Other stations confirmed the violent shaking," he said. Hashiro started
emergency operations on the Honolulu repeater, then proceeded to the
inter-island 147.06 MHz repeater system and repeated the sequence. Hashiro,
Robin Liu, AH6CP, and Mitch Pinkerton, KH6MP, arrived at the State Emergency
Operations Center (EOC) in short order, and RACES operations from KH6HPZ
commenced within a half hour of the first earthquake. After checking into HF
and VHF nets, ARRL Pacific Section Emergency Coordinator Kevin Bogan, AH6QO,
responded to the SCD EOC.

Bogan said the primary focus was on the Big Island, where most damage
occurred because the epicenter was so close. "Although buildings on Oahu
suffered only minor structural damage, the biggest problem was the power
outage due to generators for the island powering down as a safety
precaution," he said. "Within minutes of the first earthquake, telephone
calls on landline and many cell phone carriers were difficult due to
congestion."

Hashiro said operators at the EOC rotated among the HF and VHF operating
positions, running messages with the EOC operations desk and checking with
staff on their various needs and concerns. The Hawaii Emergency Net on 7088
kHz provided the main HF link in the earthquakes' aftermath. Communication
around the Big Island was handled on 7095 kHz. Where Internet remained
available, radio amateurs were able to take advantage of Voice over Internet
Protocol (VoIP) modes such as EchoLink and IRLP.

At Oahu Civil Defense Agency, RACES Coordinator Ray Moody, AH6LT, responded,
while Adrian Ditucci, KH7GK, handled net control service duties from his
home a few miles away, operating on battery power.

Other Amateur Radio emergency communication volunteers did "the heavy
lifting in the field," Hashiro said. "The key to their success was that they
had varying degrees of portable and mobile capabilities with emergency power
-- using VHF and HF," he said. "They were able to drive right to the scene
and pass along assessments, status reports and messages through us, right
into State CD operations."

"For example, Steve, WH6N, passed formal traffic on the condition of a
hospital and the closure of a neighboring highway due to a landslide,"
Hashiro said. "AH6RR and KH7MS passed information on the condition and
evacuation of Kona Community Hospital, while WH6WI updated us on the
progress and availability of a 1000-person American Red Cross Shelter at the
old Kailua-Kona airport."  As a precaution, officials evacuated several
hospitals in Hawaii until they could check the safety of the structures.

Dozens of tremors followed the initial quake, on the west side of the Island
of Hawaii, which measured at 6.7 on the Richter scale. It was the first
major earthquake in Hawaii in 20 years. A second quake measured 6.0, Bogan
said, and there were many aftershocks. Hashiro says State CD RACES/ARES
operations wrapped up at 5:20 PM, while Oahu RACES operations from KH6OCD
ended at 10:55 PM. He reports upward of a dozen stations on the Big Island
provided HF and VHF communication with SCD, while another seven radio
amateurs were active on the island of Maui.

The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) activated for a
short time Sunday afternoon on 14.265 MHz to assist with emergency
communication to handle health-and-welfare inquiries and traffic.

Hashiro says that unlike some other areas of the US, radio amateurs in
Hawaii stress and believe in joint operation -- a collaboration of ARES,
RACES, SKYWARN, HealthComm, the American Red Cross, Volunteers Organizations
Active in Disaster (VOAD), and SATERN.

"We become one operation, one team to our emergency management partners," he
said. "We help each other out and work and train together. That's the only
way to operate; there's simply not enough equipped, capable and available
operators to go around. Isolated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, there's
not a lot of missteps and mistakes we can afford."

==>NEW YORK PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION RECOGNIZES BPL INTERFERENCE CONCERNS

The New York Public Service Commission (NYPSC) <http://www.dps.state.ny.us/>
this week adopted a policy statement on deployment of BPL systems in the
Empire State. While asserting that BPL technology "may provide significant
benefits to New Yorkers," the commission also has acknowledged that BPL
"poses a myriad of both traditional and unique technical and regulatory
challenges." The policy statement, issued and effective October 18, says
that while most BPL providers, equipment makers and vendors believe the
FCC's Part 15 rules address interference issues, that was not the consensus
opinion of those who commented to the Commission.

"Most parties were uneasy about potential interference problems that could
arise with the deployment of BPL technology," the NYPSC policy statement
pointed out, citing RF interference as "a major issue."

The NYPSC policy affirmed its decision that electric utilities should not be
BPL providers. Utility Consolidated Edison still operates a BPL trial system
in the Westchester County community of Briarcliff Manor that has been the
target of BPL interference complaints from radio amateurs. The policy puts
primary responsibility for RFI on the BPL provider, who, under the NYPSC
model, would lease access to the electric utility's grid.

"The BPL provider is primarily responsible for responding to all customer
service and collateral service complaints and issues, including any related
to interference produced by BPL equipment," the policy statement says.

In his oral comments to the NYPSC, Robert Mayer, director of the New York
Office of Telecommunications, characterized the interference issues as
"serious and unresolved." Mayer told the Commission that radio interference
is "probably one of the most fundamental questions" facing BPL and that it
remained unresolved.

"It's one of the things that this commission needs to be most vigilant about
as these trials are deployed to make an assessment of what interference
issues exist," he said. Mayer also predicted an uphill battle for BPL in
gaining market share.

The NYPSC's policy statement encourages electric utilities, BPL equipment
manufacturers, and third-party BPL operators to participate in such trials.
"Given the uncertainty surrounding the technical and economic viability of
the technology," the policy noted, "trials would be for a limited service
territory over a limited period of time."

ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, said the policy statement the NYPSC adopted
this week effectively damns BPL with faint praise.

"In sharp contrast to the vacuous endorsements of BPL that sometimes emanate
from public utilities commissions, New York State's has actually taken the
time to assess the risks posed by BPL and to take steps to insulate the
electric utilities and their customers from them," Sumner said. "The
Commission found that BPL is not yet -- and may never be -- commercially
viable, and that radio interference is a 'major issue' that has not been put
to rest by the FCC."

Earlier this year, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) adopted
regulatory guidelines for electric utilities and companies that wish to
develop BPL projects in that state. The CPUC said BPL would bring Internet
access to "underserved communities" in California.

ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI -- the League's BPL point person -- said the
NYPSC's policy statement reflects "a fair and complete look at the issues"
by regulators who didn't base their findings on presumptions and a
preconceived desired outcome. "This is an example of how government is
supposed to work, and New York's Amateur Radio community should appreciate
this," he said.

==>NEW ARRL SECTION MANAGERS TO TAKE OFFICE

New ARRL section managers will take office in three sections, while an
appointee will assume the reins in a fourth section due to a resignation.
Incumbent SMs in six other ARRL sections were elected to new terms without
opposition in the current SM election cycle. There were no contested races.

California's Sacramento Valley Section will get a new SM December 1, when
W.J. "Casey" McPartland, W7IB, of Meadow Vista takes over to fill the 10
months remaining on the term of current SM Jettie Hill, W6RFF. Hill is
stepping aside. McPartland now serves as a Sacramento Valley Assistant SM
and as an Official Emergency Station.

Hill has a long and distinguished career as an ARRL volunteer. He served as
Santa Clara Valley Section Communications Manager (SCM) from 1978 until
1982, and he was Sacramento Valley SM from 1989 until 2000 and again since
2002. Hill also was the ARRL Pacific Division Vice Director from January
1982 through December 1983.

Hill recommended McPartland as his successor, and ARRL Field and Educational
Services Manager Dave Patton, NN1N, recently announced the appointment.

Elsewhere: In the Eastern Massachusetts Section, Arthur S. Greenberg, K1GBX,
of Georgetown, will succeed current SM Mike Neilsen, W1MPN, who decided
against running for another term. A ham since 1957, Greenberg has a
background in electronics and worked in the computer industry for many years
before retiring in 1993.

In the New York City-Long Island Section, current Section Emergency
Coordinator Tom Carrubba, KA2D, of W Babylon will succeed current SM George
Tranos, N2GA. Tranos, who's served as SM since 1998, did not run for another
term.

In the Northern New York Section, Tom Valosin, WB2KLD, of Middleburgh, takes
over for current SM Thomas Dick, KF2GC, who did not seek a new term. Dick
has been SM since 2000. Valosin has been an Assistant SM since 1996 and an
Official Observer since 1993.

Incumbent SMs returning to office are Dale Bagley, K0KY, Missouri; Matthew
Anderson, KA0BOJ, Nebraska; Jim Boehner, N2ZZ, South Carolina; Jean
Priestley, KA2YKN, Southern New Jersey; Gerald "Dee" Turner, N4GD, West
Central Florida, and Larry O'Toole, K3LBP, Western Pennsylvania.

With the exception of McPartland, two-year terms for new and returning
section managers begin January 1.

==>"DEE" LOGAN, W1HEO, IS 2006 MCGAN MEMORIAL SILVER ANTENNA AWARD WINNER

The ARRL has designated D.E. "Dee" Logan, W1HEO, a long-time ARRL volunteer
from Mentor, Ohio, as the recipient of the 2006 Philip J. McGan Memorial
Silver Antenna Award. Logan was recognized for demonstrating success in
Amateur Radio public relations in the volunteer spirit of the award's
namesake, journalist Phil McGan, WA2MBQ (SK). McGan served as the first
chairman of the ARRL's Public Relations Committee and helped reinvigorate
the League's commitment to public relations. ARRL Media and Public Relations
Manager Allen Pitts, W1AGP, says Logan topped a very strong field of 2006
award nominees.

"There were many excellent submissions of various types of public
relations," Pitts said, "but Dee Logan's project used almost all formats in
one coordinated activity." The ARRL's Public Relations Committee, which
consists of volunteers knowledgeable about Amateur Radio public relations,
made the selection. The ARRL Executive Committee affirmed the choice of
Logan earlier this month.

Extending his appreciation to the Public Relations Committee for the
recognition, Logan accepted the award "on behalf of those who are working
with me on this ambitious project." The PR plan sprang from a concern that
Amateur Radio's growth rate is lagging. "This fact motivated some of us in
Cleveland and Northeast Ohio to do something about it," he said. "We needed
a strategic plan that would be measured by how many new hams we added."

Radio clubs had to be a big part of it, Logan said, as were "Elmers" to
guide newcomers to Amateur Radio. The result was "The Northeast Ohio Ham
Radio Project," a collaborative effort of two Cleveland groups -- The Indian
Hills Radio Club and Cleveland Chapter One of the Quarter Century Wireless
Association (QCWA).

The plan has four steps: promoting ham radio to a variety of groups,
prospecting for candidates, identifying those interested in getting their
license, and helping with training. Like links in a chain, each step is
critical.

"Needing promotional tools led us to create a new 21-minute video called
"Amateur Radio: Wireless Window to the World," plus large banners, signs and
displays and ARRL materials that are available for use by radio clubs,"
Logan explained. "Our effort now is to encourage radio clubs to use these
tools to inform the public about Amateur Radio."

Logan says the project also is forming an "Elmer Corps" consisting of hams
who are willing to respond to public inquiries and assist individuals in
getting a license. He concedes that much work remains, especially in the
mentoring arena. "But with the active participation of radio clubs, success
should be within reach," he said.

Although officially retired, Logan has continued his work on the project. He
recently become president of the co-sponsoring Indian Hills Radio Club, and
he recently received the QCWA Chapter One W8EFW Memorial Award for
meritorious service to Amateur Radio.

When he's not trying to raise the visibility of Amateur Radio on the
public's radar, Logan enjoys DXing. His article, "Why is Scarborough Reef So
Rare?" appeared in the July-August issue of The DX Magazine. Also, the fall
2006 QCWA Journal published his article, "How to reverse the declining
growth rate of Amateur Radio; the Chapter One Cleveland Plan."

A past Assistant Director in the ARRL Hudson and New England divisions,
Logan has been using his expertise in communications and marketing to
promote Amateur Radio since the late 1960s. He was the first chairman of the
ARRL Public Relations Advisory Committee, which predated McGan's committee.
In 1974, he handled "press relations" for the ARRL National Convention in
New York City.

==>ITU TO MARK 100 YEARS OF INTERNATIONAL RADIO REGULATIONS

This year marks the 100th anniversary of what became the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) <http://www.itu.int/> Radio Regulations, and
the ITU will formally celebrate the occasion later this month
<http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/information/promotion/100-years/>. The first
International Radiotelegraph Conference gathered 29 maritime states in
Berlin, Germany, in November 1906 to sign the "International Radiotelegraph
Convention," establishing the principle of compulsory two-way coast-to-ship
radio communication and aimed at making it free from harmful interference.
The annex to that convention contained the first regulations governing
wireless telegraphy. Since expanded and revised by numerous radio
conferences, these regulations now are known as the Radio Regulations of the
International Telecommunication Union, or simply as "the Radio Regulations."

"In 2006, the ITU membership has good reason to celebrate the centenary of
the Radio Regulations," the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau observed in
announcing the centenary celebration, set for October 30 in Geneva. "One
hundred years after 1906 we are witnessing innovative technological
solutions using radio transmission setting the grounds for a wireless
world."

Keynote speakers at the event will include ITU Deputy Secretary-General
Roberto Blois, and ITU Radiocommunication Bureau Director Valery Timofeev.
Honorary guests will include representatives of the original 27 member-state
signatories to the 1906 convention.

The ITU said the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) process has been
instrumental in providing "timely and effective international regulatory
frameworks for the establishment of advanced new wireless services and
applications, while safeguarding the interests and rights of existing
radiocommunication users."

Originally occupying just 12 pages, the Radio Regulations -- today a binding
international treaty -- now apply to frequencies ranging from 9 kHz to 400
GHz and incorporate more than 1000 pages of information describing how the
radio spectrum may be used and shared around the globe. Some 40 different
radio services now compete for spectrum allocations to provide the bandwidth
needed to extend services or support larger numbers of users.

Commenting on the centenary, International Amateur Radio Union (IARU)
<http://www.iaru.org/> Secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ, paid tribute to the
farsightedness evidenced at the Berlin Conference.

"Even in those early days, the delegates recognized that the radio spectrum
was a unique international resource and that the privilege of access carried
with it great responsibilities," Sumner remarked. "Radio -- then known as
wireless telegraphy -- was a technological marvel at the beginning of the
20th century, and in new forms continues to amaze at the beginning of the
21st."

Sumner said the fact that the radio spectrum remains so useful today is
testimony to the success of the international regulatory regime inaugurated
in Berlin.

"It didn't just happen," he said. "Without the original guiding vision and
the dedicated stewardship of subsequent generations of delegates to
innumerable ITU conferences, the radio spectrum today might well be chaotic,
polluted, and practically useless. The ITU and its Member States, and
especially the Radiocommunication Bureau, are well deserving of accolades on
this important anniversary."

==>SOLAR UPDATE

Astral aficionado Tad "Let the Sunshine In" Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington,
reports: Sunspot numbers this week were zero on every day. In fact, zero was
the sunspot number for eight days in a row: October 11 through 18. On
October 19 a single sunspot appeared, Sunspot 917, in the center of the
solar disc as seen from Earth. This resulted in a sunspot number of 14.

We should observe longer periods of no sunspots -- several weeks in a row,
or perhaps a month or more. So far October 2006 has an average daily sunspot
number of 13.1, so we have a bit to go before we see a typical
bottom-of-the-cycle month of no sunspots. The predicted sunspot minimum is
still about six months away.

This weekend we could have more days with zero sunspots, or at a maximum,
sunspot numbers from 11-15. A solar wind stream is expected to cause active
geomagnetic conditions today, October 20, with the October 20-23 planetary A
index predicted at 20, 13, 8 and 5. Geophysical Institute Prague predicts
declining geomagnetic activity, with active conditions October 20, unsettled
to active on October 21, unsettled October 22, quiet to unsettled October
23, unsettled October 24, and quiet conditions October 25-26.

For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL Technical
Information Service Propagation page
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html>.

Sunspot numbers for October 12 through 18 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 and 0, with
a mean of 0. The 10.7 cm flux was 73.6, 73.3, 72.4, 71.1, 69.5, 69.6, and
69.5, with a mean of 71.3. Estimated planetary A indices were 5, 24, 18, 10,
8, 2 and 4, with a mean of 10.1. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 3,
15, 12, 9, 7, 2 and 2, with a mean of 7.1.
__________________________________

==>IN BRIEF:

* This weekend on the radio: The JARTS Worldwide RTTY Contest, the ARCI Fall
QSO Party, the Worked All Germany Contest, the W/VE Islands QSO Party, the
50 MHz Fall Sprint, and the Illinois QSO Party are the weekend of October
21-22. JUST AHEAD: The CQ Worldwide DX Contest (SSB), the eXtreme CW
World-Wide Challenge, and the 10-10 International Fall Contest are the
weekend of October 28-29. See the ARRL Contest Branch page
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/> and the WA7BNM Contest Calendar
<http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info.

* ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration:
Registration remains open through Sunday, November 5, for these ARRL
Certification and Continuing Education program (CCE) on-line courses
beginning Friday, November 17. Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level
2 (EC-002), Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 3 (EC-003R2),
Antenna Modeling (EC-004), HF Digital Communications (EC-005), VHF/UHF --
Life Beyond the Repeater (EC-008), and Radio Frequency Propagation (EC-011).
These courses will also open for registration Friday, November 3, for
classes beginning Friday, December 15. To learn more, visit the CCE Course
Listing page ,http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html> or contact the CCE
Department <cce@arrl.org>.

* ARRL On-Line Auction opens Monday, October 23! Bidding in the ARRL On-Line
Auction <http://arrl.auctionanything.com/> begins Monday, October 23, at 10
AM EDT (1400 UTC). Thanks to the generosity of many donors, there's a
diverse list of items. The auction preview remains open, and prospective
bidders now may browse through some of the auction inventory, which includes
HF and VHF transceivers, ARRL Lab-tested and reviewed equipment, exotic
vacations, antennas, Amateur Radio jewelry, robot kits, rare books, vintage
gear and more! Auction proceeds will benefit a wide range of ARRL education
programs. These encompass activities designed to license newcomers,
strengthen Amateur Radio's emergency service training, offer continuing
technical and operating education through distance learning courses and
create varied instructional and educational materials. Register to bid now
or anytime during the auction, which concludes Friday, November 3. Even if
you're registered at the ARRL Web site, you must create a new user profile
to register for the ARRL On-Line Auction. Click on "New Users Register Here"
on the auction home page to create your profile. Software for the ARRL
On-Line Auction is provided courtesy of auctionanything.com.

* Japanese CubeSat gets OSCAR number: AMSAT-NA has designated Hokkaido
Institute of Technology's HIT-SAT satellite
<http://www.hit.ac.jp/~satori/hitsat/index-e.html> as HIT-SAT-OSCAR-59 or
HO-59. The tiny CubeSat launched successfully September 23, and its 100 mW
CW telemetry downlink on 437.275 MHz has been copied around the world.
HIT-SAT also contains a 1200 bps FM packet downlink on 437.425 MHz. The
HO-59 team is seeking reception reports, including audio files. The
satellite's call sign is JR8YJT. Once fully operational, HO-59 will permit
Earth station operators to request certain parameters by transmitting DTMF
commands on the 145.980 MHz uplink. The satellite will report back
time/date, temperature and power supply voltages and thank the Earth station
by call sign. At this point, only HIT-SAT ground station controllers can
access the satellite. The satellite is in a sun synchronous orbit with an
orbital altitude of 250 km at perigee and 600 km at apogee and an
inclination of 97.79 degrees. HO-59 is a 12-cm square cube weighing 2.2 kg.

* We stand corrected! The story "AMSAT'S PROJECT EAGLE SATELLITE SHIFTS
DIRECTION" in The ARRL Letter, Vol 25, No 41, contained some incorrect
information. AMSAT's Project Eagle plans call for an mode U/V transponder
for SSB, CW and other modes. The design goal is that it be usable over 75
percent of Eagle's orbit by an AO-13 or AO-40-capable ground station. A
second mode L/S1 (1.2/2.4 GHz) transponder for SSB, CW and other modes using
fixed antennas also should be accessible by an AO-13 or AO-40-capable ground
station. Also, the current design plan would make only the satellite's S2
band uplink and C band downlink phased arrays electronically steerable to
mitigate the effects of the spacecraft's spin and maximize its
accessibility. All other Eagle antennas will be fix-pointed and subject to
spin modulation and off-pointing effects. In the story "BPL ORDERS EXCEED
FCC'S JURISDICTION AND AUTHORITY, LEAGUE COURT FILING SAYS" we should have
said "US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit."

===========================================================
The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the American
Radio Relay League: ARRL--the National Association For Amateur Radio, 225
Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259;
<http://www.arrl.org>. Joel Harrison, W5ZN, President.

The ARRL Letter offers a weekly e-mail digest of essential and general news
of interest to active radio amateurs. Visit the ARRL Web site
<http://www.arrl.org> for the latest Amateur Radio news and news updates.
The ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/> also offers informative features
and columns. ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> is a
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Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole or
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The ARRL Letter/American Radio Relay League.

==>Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!):
letter-dlvy@arrl.org
==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, n1rl@arrl.org
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==>ARRL Audio News: <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> or call
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==>How to Get The ARRL Letter

The ARRL Letter is available to ARRL members free of charge directly from
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ARRL members first must register on the Members Only Web Site
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From glennt at charter.net  Mon Oct 23 18:38:22 2006
From: glennt at charter.net (Glenn Thomas)
Date: Mon Oct 23 18:44:52 2006
Subject: [CVRC] DCART net 6:30PM 23Oct06 - Monday night
In-Reply-To: <7.0.1.0.2.20061006134225.03462c98@charter.net>
References: <64279115.1156808192010.JavaMail.root@fepweb07>
	<7.0.1.0.2.20060924210827.03460bb8@charter.net>
	<7.0.1.0.2.20061002121729.034a7bb0@charter.net>
	<7.0.1.0.2.20061006134225.03462c98@charter.net>
Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20061023153449.03584460@charter.net>

Hi all!

Just a reminder that the DCART net will be Monday night at 1830L on 
the 147.27+ and 441.250+ (both pl 123) repeater.

The net script (freshly revised) will be available by net time at 
http://nv.arrl.org/clubs/DCART/netscript.html. This weeks scheduled 
net control is Dick Creely KJ7UK.

The net format has changed a little. We are presenting the contents 
of the ICS-100 course. Each week we present a lesson (or part of a 
lesson) until all of the class material has been covered. When we 
have completed the ICS-100 material, those who have participated in 
all of the net sessions (and paid some attention) should have no 
trouble passing the on-line ICS-100 test and become certified. After 
we complete the ICS-100 material, we will continue with the ICS-200 material.

This week, same as last week, I've made an effort to reduce the 
"balloon juice". Let me know how it turns out. Also, I've added links 
to the script page that lead to net scripts for past sessions for 
those of you who want the reference. Also, there are links to the 
FEMA on-line copies of the course material as well as the final exam.

Note that we have a change to the standard DCART frequencies. In the 
event that the W7DI repeater is down during a callup, we will use the 
repeater output frequency, 147.27 as our primary simplex channel.

See you on net!

73 de Glenn Thomas WB6W

From memberlist at www.arrl.org  Thu Oct 26 20:59:59 2006
From: memberlist at www.arrl.org (ARRL Web site)
Date: Thu Oct 26 21:06:42 2006
Subject: [CVRC] ARLD045 DX news
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061026175949.04957a48@mail.greatbasin.net>

SB DX @ ARL $ARLD045
ARLD045 DX news

ZCZC AE45
QST de W1AW
DX Bulletin 45  ARLD045
 From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  October 26, 2006
To all radio amateurs

SB DX ARL ARLD045
ARLD045 DX news

This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by
G3VFU, KP4JRS, NC1L, QRZ DX, the OPDX Bulletin, DXNL, 425 DX News,
The Daily DX, Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar
and WA7BNM web sites.  Thanks to all.

SENEGAL, 6W.  Look for 6W1RY to be QRV in the CQ WW SSB contest as a
Single Op/All Band entry.  QSL via F5VHJ.

ALGERIA, 7X.  OK1CDJ will be QRV as 7W2W in the CQ WW SSB contest as
a Single Op/All Band entry.  QSL to home call.

WEST MALAYSIA, 9M2.  Rich, G4ZFE is QRV as 9M2CNC until October 31.
He will be a Single Op/All Band/High Power entry in the CQ WW SSB
contest.  Before and after the contest he is active using CW, SSB
and RTTY.  QSL to home call.

OMAN, A4.  Alex, YO9HP will be QRV as A45WD as a Single Band/Low
Power entry on 20 meters in the CQ WW SSB contest.  QSL to home
call.

MOROCCO, CN.  Dick, W7ZR will be QRV as CN2ZR as a Single Op/Single
Band entry on 20 meters in the CQ WW SSB contest.  QSL direct to
home call.  In addition, a group of Italian operators will be QRV as
CN3A in the Contest.  QSL via I2WIJ.

TAJIKISTAN, EY.  EY7AF will be a Single Band/High Power entry on 40
meters in the CQ WW SSB contest.

MARTINIQUE, FM.  Mike, K9NW is QRV as FM/K9NW until October 30 and
will be a Single Op/All Band entry in the CQ WW SSB contest.  QSL to
home call.

FRENCH GUIANA, FY.  A group of operators will be QRV as FY5KE as a
Multi/Single entry in the CQ WW SSB contest.  QSL via bureau.

COLOMBIA, HK.  Siso, HK3SGP will be QRV as a Single Band/Low Power
entry on 80 meters in the CQ WW SSB contest.

THAILAND, HS.  Don, HS0ZEE is QRV in Chiang Mai and is QRV using SSB
and digital modes on the Temporary Thailand Allocation frequency of
3525 kHz during contest weekends.  He also plans to be active in the
CQ WW SSB contest.  In addition, a large group of operators will be
QRV as HS0AC as a Multi/Single entry in the Contest.  QSL via
HS0ZFZ.

GRENADA, J3.  A large group of operators will be QRV as J3A as a
Multi/Multi entry in the CQ WW SSB contest.  J37T will be a Single
Op entry in the contest as well.  They will also be active outside
the contest using various callsigns.  QSL J3A via WA1S and J37T via
VE3EBN.

MONGOLIA, JT.  Harry, WX8C will be QRV as JT1/WX8C in the CQ WW SSB
contest as a Single Op/All Band entry.  QSL to home call.

PUERTO RICO, KP4.  Members of the Trujillo Alto Contest Club will be
QRV as WP4BH as a Multi/Multi entry in the CQ WW SSB contest.  QSL
via WP4BH.

ARGENTINA, LU.  A large group of operators will be QRV as LR2F in
the CQ WW SSB contest as a Multi/Single entry.  QSL via LU2FA.

ALAND ISLANDS, OH0.  Pekka, OH2TA will be QRV as OH0X in the CQ WW
SSB contest as a Single Op/All Band entry.  QSL to home call.

GREECE, SV.  A large group of operators will be QRV as J48RT from
Astris, Thassos Island, IOTA EU-174, as a Multi/Single entry in the
CQ WW SSB contest.  QSL via HA6NL.

SAN MARINO, T7.  Look for T70A to be a Multi/Single entry in the CQ
WW SSB contest.  QSL via bureau.

NAMIBIA, V5.  Klaus, DJ4SO will be QRV as V5/DJ4SO as a Single
Op/Single Band/Low Power entry on 20 meters in the CQ WW SSB
contest.  QSL to home call.

MICRONESIA, V6.  Operators JA1KJW, JA1JQY, JI1FOP and JA8VE will be
QRV as V63JQ, V63JY, V63OP and V63VE, respectively, from Kosrae
Island, IOTA OC-059, from November 1 to 7.  QSL to home calls.

COCOS-KEELING ISLANDS, VK9C.  N0KV and W0YG will be QRV as VK9CGG
from October 30 to November 20.  QSL direct to W0YG.  In addition,
Bernd, VK2IA will be QRV as VK9AA in the CQ WW SSB contest.  QSL via
DL8YR.

LAOS, XW.  Larry, XW1A will be QRV as either a Single Op/All Band or
Single Band entry in the CQ WW SSB contest.  QSL via E21EIC.

MACAO, XX9.  A large group of operators will be QRV as XX9C as a
Multi/Multi entry in the CQ WW SSB contest.  Before the contest,
XE1KK plans to be QRV as XX9TKK from Taipa Island, IOTA AS-075, as
time permits.  QSL XX9C via BA4EG and XX9TKK via XE1KK.

INDONESIA, YB.  A large group of operators will be QRV as YE0X from
Jakarta as a Multi/Single entry in the CQ WW SSB contest.  QSL via
YB0ZZ.

THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO.  The CQ Worldwide SSB DX Contest, eXtreme
CW World-Wide Challenge and the 10-10 International CW/Digital Fall
Contest will certainly keep contesters busy this weekend.  Please
see October QST, page 102 and the ARRL and WA7BNM contest websites
for details.
NNNN
/EX


From memberlist at www.arrl.org  Fri Oct 27 12:05:04 2006
From: memberlist at www.arrl.org (ARRL Web site)
Date: Fri Oct 27 12:11:50 2006
Subject: [CVRC] ARLP044 Propagation de K7RA
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061027090458.0490d670@mail.greatbasin.net>

SB PROP @ ARL $ARLP044
ARLP044 Propagation de K7RA

ZCZC AP44
QST de W1AW
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 44  ARLP044
 From Tad Cook, K7RA
Seattle, WA  October 27, 2006
To all radio amateurs

SB PROP ARL ARLP044
ARLP044 Propagation de K7RA

Early on Friday morning before the CQ World Wide SSB DX Contest,
conditions are stable and quiet, and after the sunspot number rose
to 50 this week following eight days of no sunspots, the average
daily sunspot number increased from nothing to 23.3. Unfortunately,
the stable quiet conditions are not expected to last through the
contest.

The predicted planetary A index for Friday through Monday, October
27-30, is 10, 20, 10 and 5. Geophysical Institute Prague calls for
unsettled conditions today, October 27, unsettled to active on
October 28, quiet to unsettled on October 29-30, and back to quiet
conditions for October 31 through November 2. Also, on Thursday
October 26, the sunspot number was back to 0. Don't be surprised if
we see no sunspots through the weekend and beyond.

With no sunspots visible, we might think of the sun as blank, but
check this photograph taken by an amateur astronomer on Thursday.
You'll see quite a bit of detail at,
http://www.sungazer.net/102506.html.

An interesting observation came in from Randy Crews, W7TJ of
Spokane, Washington. He's been going through his old paper logs, and
entering the data into his logging program. Randy writes, "What is
interesting is how productive 80 and especially 160 Meters are the
year before, the year of, and especially the year following the
bottom of the sunspot cycle. DXers should really take full advantage
of the unique quiet portion of cycle 23's end, and the beginning of
cycle 24 spending extra time on the low bands for needed countries,
etc."

Good timely information, as we head into the solar minimum over the
next six to eight months.

NASA announced the successful launch of the 3D Solar Imaging
satellites on Wednesday. The mission is called STEREO, and it is
expected to render exciting 3-dimensional images of coronal mass
ejections. Read about it on the web at,
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stereo/main/index.html.

If you would like to make a comment or have a tip for our readers,
email the author at, k7ra@arrl.net.

For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL
Technical Information Service at,
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html. For a detailed
explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin see,
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/k9la-prop.html. An archive of past
propagation bulletins is at, http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/.

Sunspot numbers for October 19 through 25 were 14, 15, 16, 18, 50,
35 and 15 with a mean of 23.3. 10.7 cm flux was 69.6, 71.1, 74.7,
75.8, 76.4, 74.8, and 74.7, with a mean of 73.9. Estimated planetary
A indices were 2, 10, 15, 13, 3, 4 and 4 with a mean of 7.3.
Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 1, 9, 10, 12, 2, 3 and 4, with
a mean of 5.9.
NNNN
/EX


From dick at twohams.com  Sat Oct 28 12:17:45 2006
From: dick at twohams.com (Dick Flanagan)
Date: Sat Oct 28 12:24:42 2006
Subject: [CVRC] The ARRL Letter, Vol 25, No 43 (Oct 27, 2006)
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061028091651.00364520@mail.greatbasin.net>

***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 25, No. 43
October 27, 2006
***************

===========================================================
REMINDER: The ARRL On-Line Auction <http://arrl.auctionanything.com/>
continues until Friday, November 3!
===========================================================

IN THIS EDITION:

* +League asks FCC for 60 meter upgrades
* +ARRL President urges caution re Red Cross background checks
* +ARISS delegates mull plans for HF, digital TV from space
* +A healthy Amateur Radio Service: "Priceless!"
* +FCC inertia, BPL among ARRL Executive Committee topics
* +Honorary ARRL VP Marshall Quiat, AG0X, SK
*  Solar Update
*  IN BRIEF:
      This weekend on the radio: CQ WW DX Contest (SSB)!
      ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
     +Eagles-autographed guitar among ARRL On-Line Auction offerings
     +Hurricane Watch Net announces new leadership
      US Coast Guard Auxiliary announces "Special Event Radio Day"
      GB500KCS operation to celebrate centenary

+Available on ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>

===========================================================
==>Delivery problems: First see FAQ
<http://www.arrl.org/members-only/faq.html#nodelivery>, then e-mail
<letter-dlvy@arrl.org>
==>Editorial questions or comments only: Rick Lindquist, N1RL,
<n1rl@arrl.org>
===========================================================

==>ARRL ASKS FCC TO UPGRADE 60-METER ALLOCATION, PRIVILEGES

The ARRL is asking the FCC to expand 60-meter operating privileges and
substitute a new channel for one that's often occupied by a federal
government user. The League filed a Petition for Rule Making (PRM)
<http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/5MHz/5-MHz-Improvement-Petition-09-
2006.pdf> October 11. The FCC has not yet assigned a rule making (RM) number
to the petition nor invited comments. The ARRL Executive Committee okayed
filing the PRM when it met October 7.

"These minor rule changes will substantially increase the flexibility in the
use of the channels in the 5250-5450 kHz band and will as well facilitate
Amateur Radio emergency communications in this important segment of the HF
spectrum," the ARRL said in its petition. "Amateurs have proven, through
interference-free operation on these channels, that compatible sharing of
the channels is possible."

The League wants the FCC to authorize General class and higher licensees to
run 100 W effective radiated power (ERP) instead of the present 50 W ERP and
to allow CW and narrow-band digital modes, including PSK31 and PACTOR 3. It
also asks the Commission to replace the 5368.0 kHz center-frequency channel
with 5358.5 kHz, so amateurs can avoid federal government digital traffic on
the current channel. Operation on 60 meters would remain on a secondary,
non-interference basis.

When the ARRL first petitioned the FCC for a 150 kHz-wide 60-meter band, the
primary objection to granting the allocation came not from the Commission --
which initially proposed granting the request -- but from the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
<http://www.ntia.doc.gov/>, which administers federal spectrum. The five
channels, upper sideband only, 50 W ERP and maximum 2.8 kHz bandwidth that
radio amateurs got represented a compromise between the two agencies.

The NTIA is far more favorably disposed to the ARRL's latest request,
however. The NTIA's Office of Spectrum Management told ARRL earlier this
year that the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee (IRAC) had considered
the League's requests and "would look favorably" on the channel change, use
of additional modes and power increase proposals.

The IRAC would not support a request for a 50 kHz-wide domestic secondary
allocation. The petition expressed the hope that the FCC eventually consider
allocating a domestic amateur band in the vicinity of the existing 60-meter
channels

The League says Amateur Radio access to 60 meters over the past three years
"has been successful without qualification," with no known instances of
interference to federal users from radio amateurs. The NTIA's letter
cautioned that digital users "must take care to limit the length of their
transmissions" so federal agencies could readily reclaim a 60-meter channel
in an emergency. NTIA said it would support the power hike "on the
presupposition" that amateurs would continue to use voice-operated transmit
(VOX) on USB phone. The ARRL's proposed Part 97 rule changes specifically
accommodate these concerns.

==>ARRL PRESIDENT AIRS CONCERNS ABOUT REQUIRED RED CROSS BACKGROUND CHECKS

ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, is urging Amateur Radio Emergency
Service (ARES) and other ham radio volunteers to tread cautiously when
submitting information for background checks the American Red Cross (ARC)
now requires. The ARC, with which the ARRL has a Statement of Understanding
(SoU) <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/mou/redcro.html>, this summer
notified local chapters that volunteers and staff members must submit to
criminal background checks by October 31. Harrison says the requirement
extends to ARES volunteers who support Red Cross disaster relief efforts. In
a statement <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/RC-Background-Checks0610.pdf>
October 24, Harrison said the League recommends that anyone submitting
personal information for a background check very carefully read what they
are giving the ARC permission to collect.

"The Red Cross is requiring volunteers to grant permission for more than
just a criminal background check," Harrison asserted. "They are also
requiring permission to draw a consumer and/or investigative consumer report
on the volunteer." Harrison said that could also include credit and
mode-of-living checks.

"The Red Cross has stated that they will not use credit  reports," he noted.
"Requiring that volunteers authorize the procurement of a credit  report is
inconsistent with this assurance."

The ARC has contracted with MyBackgroundCheck.com LLC (MBC) to handle the
on-line background checks. Prospective volunteers visit a secure, encrypted
Web site <http://www.mybackgroundcheck.com/>, click on the ARC logo and
submit name, address, Social Security number (or other acceptable government
ID), telephone number, and date of birth. The Red Cross says the overall
results of the background check are not shared with the ARC.

In the course of applying, prospective volunteers must agree to let MBC
obtain a wide range of personal information bearing not just on criminal
background and creditworthiness but, MBC says, "character, general
reputation [and] personal characteristics." MBC advises, "The nature and
scope of this disclosure and authorization is all-encompassing . . ."

The Red Cross says its new policy is aimed at safeguarding clients,
volunteers and employees alike. "Unfortunately, in this day and age it is
critical that the American Red Cross and other agencies, employers and
organizations perform due diligence in researching the people who will
represent them," the ARC said in a statement supplied to ARRL.

The ARC apparently has not disseminated policy specifics at the national
level. The only reliable information on what the background checks will
entail is that on the MBC site. Various chapter-level memoranda the ARRL has
obtained contain conflicting information about the program.

ARRL Field and Educational Services Manager Dave Patton, NN1N -- whose
department supports the ARRL Field Organization -- is among those who
believes the Red Cross stands to lose a fair number of volunteers because of
the requirement -- and not necessarily just ARES volunteers.

"ARES members who are providing communications for ARC are working for ARC,"
Patton maintained, "and, as such, will follow their guidelines." He said the
decision to go along with the new Red Cross policy is up to individual
volunteers.

The SoU between the League and the ARC is ambiguous as to whether ARES
members become Red Cross volunteers when supporting the ARC. While the
document says "each organization retains its own identity in providing
service," it further stipulates that ARES volunteers "in such cases when the
operators are required to carry American Red Cross identification" must
register as American Red Cross volunteers. The SoU does not address the
issue of background checks, however. The SoU comes up for review in 2007.

Radio amateurs who volunteered in the wake of Hurricane Katrina last year
and following 9/11 in New York City were badged through as ARC volunteers.
The practice still upsets some ARES volunteers.

Contact the Red Cross (toll-free 800-507-3960) with any questions regarding
the background check program.

==>HF, DIGITAL TV OPERATION FROM SPACE ON THE ARISS HORIZON

Plans to deploy an HF transceiver and a digital TV system in space were
among the highlights of the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
(ARISS) 2006 International Delegates Meeting October 9-10 near San
Francisco. The session also marked ARISS's 10th anniversary. In November
1996, delegates from eight countries met in Houston, Texas, to lay the
foundation for the joint educational outreach program and map plans to
establish a permanent ham radio presence in space. ARISS International
Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, called the establishment of ARISS
"unprecedented, especially for a volunteer effort."

"You all should be proud of what you've accomplished in the last 10 years,"
Bauer told this year's ARISS gathering. The ARISS goal in 1996, he noted,
was "to consolidate all those ham radio voices into one voice." By making it
possible for youngsters around the world to speak with the ISS crew via ham
radio, he said, the program now touches some 15,000 students each year.

At this year's gathering, ARISS delegates discussed expanding the complement
of ham radio hardware and the operational capability of the two Amateur
Radio stations on the ISS. On the near horizon are plans to launch and
install a Yaesu FT-817ND transceiver on the ISS to permit operation on some
HF bands from the ARISS Phase 2 station. That setup now features a modified
Kenwood TM-D700E for VHF and UHF work, including school contacts,
digipeating and slow-scan television (SSTV). An HF antenna already is in
place on the space station. The FT-817ND runs up to 5 W and covers VHF and
UHF too.

ARISS also wants an ISS crew to install an Ericsson 70 cm FM transceiver,
already onboard. It would go in the ISS Zvezda Service Module -- the crew's
living quarters and site of the ARISS Phase 2 station. An Ericsson 2 meter
FM transceiver has been in use since 2000 at the ARISS Phase 1 station in
the Zarya Functional Cargo Block or FGB.

A bit farther down the road, ARISS envisions installing a digital Amateur
Radio TV (DATV) system aboard the ISS Columbus module. A contribution of the
European Space Agency, the Columbus module is awaiting launch at Kennedy
Space Center. Delegate Graham Shirville, G3VZV, speaking on behalf of
ARISS-Europe, outlined plans for a mode L/S transponder aboard Columbus as
well as a DATV downlink on S1 band (2.4 GHz). ARISS-Europe hopes to
fabricate the necessary antennas by year's end.

NASA ISS Expedition 12 Commander Bill McArthur, KC5ACR -- a guest at the
ARISS International Delegates Meeting and keynote speaker for the AMSAT
Space Symposium and Annual Meeting banquet a few days earlier -- said the
ISS crew members "very quickly get used to living on camera." He said the
impact of ARISS school events on the crew's schedule has been fairly
minimal. Bauer concurred. "Where we're developing hardware, we need to make
it simple," he said. "Crews can't afford lengthy setup times."

The SSTV system already aboard the ISS also came in for some discussion
following a presentation by its development coordinator, Miles Mann, WF1F.
After some successful initial testing, the SSTV has been off the air,
ARISS-Russia delegate Sergei Samburov, RV3DR, explained. "We had had some
challenging issues with the SSTV," he said. "We will be working to resolve
these soon."

The possibility of having the ISS crew launch university-built CubeSats from
the space station during space walks was another discussion topic. ARISS
delegates will explore opportunities to work with schools constructing
CubeSat projects with an eye toward enhancing the educational value of these
tiny spacecraft and to entice the younger generation to consider Amateur
Radio.

As ARISS International Secretary-Treasurer and ARRL ARISS Liaison Rosalie
White, K1STO, reminded the gathering: "The ARISS Team has always stressed
that ARISS equals education."

==>A HEALTHY AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE: "PRICELESS!" ARRL CEO SAYS

Contributions to the ARRL Spectrum Defense Fund have made it possible for
the League to successfully confront challenges that could mean a loss in ham
band access or usability. In kicking off the 2007 Spectrum Defense Campaign
<https://www.arrl.org/forms/fdefense/>, ARRL Chief Development Officer Mary
Hobart, K1MMH, pointed out that the ARRL has accomplished a great deal in
the spectrum defense arena in the decade since the League first appealed for
voluntary contributions to the Fund for the Defense of Amateur Radio
Frequencies. She cited such challenges as the Little LEOs that threatened 2
meters several years ago as well as the more recent interference potential
posed by BPL and the League's decision to appeal certain aspects of the
FCC's BPL rules.

"Members tell us how important it is that ARRL continue to be their voice
and work on their behalf, especially in Washington," she said. "We know that
the challenges will keep coming, and we must be prepared to meet them, and
that takes money, plain and simple." The League is hoping to raise an
additional $250,000 by December 31 to fund its frequency defense activities.

Hobart said the League's BPL court appeal is "a very important step" on
behalf of ARRL members and the Amateur Radio community. "This legal
challenge to the FCC's BPL orders will demand time, energy and significant
funding by the ARRL," she emphasized. "Contributions to the Spectrum Defense
Fund will help immeasurably. And the time to contribute is now."

In an appeal to members, ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ says it was the shift
to more-frequent ITU World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRCs) 10 years
ago that drove the League and the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU)
to change how it prepared for the international gatherings.

"We had to assemble a permanent team, partly staff and partly volunteer, to
ensure that the interests of the Amateur Radio Service would be adequately
represented on an ongoing basis," he said. The ARRL Technical Relations
Office has been staffed to address the recurring challenges of WRCs and to
maintain IARU representation at important conferences, Sumner noted. Another
WRC takes place in 2007.

The most dramatic achievement, Sumner said, has been improvements gained at
WRC-03 in the 40 meter band. "For the first time in history, broadcasters
are moving to accommodate the needs of another radio service," he noted.
"Beginning in 2009, the amount of 40 meter spectrum that's free of
interference from high-powered shortwave broadcasts is scheduled to double."


This will mean a worldwide 40 meter allocation of 200 kHz, largely obviating
the need for US radio amateurs to operate "split" when working phone
stations in other ITU regions.

"Without generous contributions to the Fund for the Defense of Amateur Radio
Frequencies, we couldn't have done it," Sumner said. "Membership dues alone
can't be stretched far enough to cover everything we must do to protect and
improve radio amateurs' access to the radio spectrum." That, he stressed,
takes the support of thousands of League members willing and able to go the
extra mile by supplementing their dues.

Other accomplishments include the League's successful petition to obtain the
five channels in the vicinity of 5 MHz. The ARRL recently asked the FCC to
improve ham radio's access to 60 meters by relaxing the power restriction
and permitting additional modes, including PSK31 and CW.

Sumner also mentioned the League's experimental license to permit an Amateur
Radio group to investigate spectrum in the vicinity of 500 kHz. At the same
time, the ARRL is making a case for establishing amateur allocations above
275 GHz, an issue the ITU will take up in a few years.

The ARRL wants to ensure that individuals will always earn meaningful access
to the radio spectrum when they qualify for an Amateur Radio license, Sumner
concluded. "A healthy Amateur Radio Service -- one that delivers emergency
and public service communications, technical training and advancement, and
international goodwill -- is priceless!"

Voluntary contributions to ARRL are tax-deductible for federal tax purposes
to the extent permitted by law. For more information, contact ARRL Chief
Development Officer Mary Hobart K1MMH <mhobart@arrl.org>.

==>ARRL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DISCUSSES FCC INERTIA, STRATEGY, BPL

The issue of FCC inaction on Amateur Radio proceedings highlighted the
report of ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, to the ARRL Executive
Committee (EC), which met October 7 in Memphis, Tennessee. In his report,
Harrison said the FCC's lack of action on pending Amateur Radio-related rule
makings important was impeding progress. While the FCC did release a Report
and Order in the so-called "omnibus" Amateur Radio proceeding shortly after
the committee met, Harrison noted that the amateur community was still
awaiting a Report and Order in WT Docket 05-235, which deals with the Morse
code requirement. Harrison said Amateur Radio is not alone in suffering the
impact of FCC inertia and that other services also are unhappy.

During the session, ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, reviewed other
strategies the League is pursuing to combat harmful interference from BPL
systems. These include legislative initiatives and aggressive pursuit of
complaints in cases of ongoing interference from the few BPL systems now
operational. It was noted that PowerGrid Communications has launched a BPL
trial in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that is causing serious interference to HF
reception.

The EC also discussed and approved plans to pursue a judicial appeal of
certain aspects of the FCC's 2004 and 2006 BPL orders. The League
subsequently filed notice to appeal with the US Court of Appeals for the DC
Circuit.

Committee members devoted the bulk of the session to reviewing and revising
the output of the Board of Directors' July 22 strategic planning session.
The EC voted unanimously to recommend adoption of the revised Strategic Plan
draft by mail vote and selected several strategies to include in the 2007
operational plan.

In other matters, the EC reviewed a draft of the Petition for Rule Making
seeking improvements in Amateur Radio privileges in the 60-meter band. The
petition was filed with the FCC October 11.

Harrison's report further noted that ARRL and International Amateur Radio
Union (IARU) have been working to support Amateur Radio's interests at World
Radiocommunication Conference 2007 (WRC-07). The conference agenda includes
a review of the frequencies from 4 to 10 MHz. He pointed out that the
League's prime objective is to defend gains made at WRC-03 and prevent any
loss of spectrum in ITU Region 2 (the Americas). There may be an opportunity
to pursue additional improvements as well, he said.

ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, discussed legislative objectives the Board of
Directors adopted for the 109th Congress. He suggested that it was time for
a "zero base" review of the League's legislative objectives for the 110th
Congress, which convenes in January. He recommended that objectives be
rendered in plain language rather than as resolutions. The Board will
consider a draft when it meets in January.

The EC designated "Dee" Logan, W1HEO, as the recipient of the 2006 Philip J.
McGan Silver Antenna Award in recognition of his public relations
achievements in promoting Amateur Radio. The Committee also observed a
moment of silence in memory of Midwest Division Director and EC member Wade
Walstrom, W0EJ, who died August 31.

Minutes of the ARRL Executive Committee meeting are available on the ARRL
Web site <http://www.arrl.org/announce/ec_minutes_480.html>.

==>ARRL HONORARY VICE PRESIDENT MARSHALL QUIAT, AG0X, SK

Past ARRL Rocky Mountain Division Director and Vice Director Marshall Quiat,
AG0X, of Denver, Colorado, died October 15. He was 84 and an ARRL Life
Member. Following Quiat's board service, the ARRL Board of Directors in 2000
elected him as an ARRL Honorary Vice President. ARRL General Counsel Chris
Imlay, W3KD, said Quiat -- an attorney, former judge and state legislator --
also was a notable contributor to Amateur Radio antenna law.

"He pioneered some arguments in Colorado antenna cases in the 1970s, and he
and Bob Booth, W3PS (SK), collaborated closely on those cases," Imlay
recounted. "Marshall used Bob as an expert witness, and the cases generally
worked out very well." Imlay noted that Quiat was the nephew of the League's
first General Counsel Paul Segal, W9EEA, a pioneer communications lawyer.

Quiat stepped down as Rocky Mountain Vice Director for health reasons in
2000 after swapping seats with Walt Stinson, W0CP, who was elected as Rocky
Mountain Division Director in 1998.

Quiat served as Vice Director from 1981 until 1987, as Director from 1987
until 1999 and as Vice Director until August 2000. In addition, he served as
an ARRL Foundation Director from 1994 until 1999.

Among other accomplishments, Quiat chaired the Legal Strategy Committee
appointed in 1986, and he served as a member of the Part 97 Rewrite
Committee in 1988. He also was instrumental in the success of the League's
PRB-1 effort. He once chaired the Membership Services Committee and served
on the Volunteer Resources Committee.

ARRL First Vice President Kay Craigie, N3KN, recalled Quiat as having a
sharp intellect and a "great passion for doing the right thing for the
League and Amateur Radio." One of his contributions, she said, was the
development of the League's Alternative Dispute Resolution (mediation and
arbitration) service.

ARRL Dakota Division Director Jay Bellows, K0QB, also a fellow attorney,
waxed poetic in reminiscing about Quiat. "The wild and untamed snow-white
mane capping knowing twinkling eyes and an impish grin were a dead giveaway
that Marshall Quiat was one of those true characters you just had to know: a
man of a thousand stories, frequently true, invariably pertinent and almost
always funny," he commented.

Quiat was always ready to lend a helping hand, Bellows said. Even before
Bellows joined the ARRL Board, Imlay advised him to contact Quiat regarding
the landmark Pentel v City of Mendota Heights Amateur Radio antenna case,
then headed for appeal to the US Eighth District Circuit Court. Bellows was
handling the case pro bono.

"From the first call he was a willing ear and an invaluable source of sound
advice and ever present wit throughout the appeal," Bellows said. The Pentel
appeal ultimately reaffirmed the "reasonable accommodation" and "minimum
necessary regulation" principles of PRB-1.

A memorial service will be held November 1, 1:30 PM, at Grant Humphries
Mansion, 770 Pennsylvania St, Denver.

==>SOLAR UPDATE

Sunspot seeker Tad "Who Let the Spots Out?" Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington,
reports: Early on this day before the CQ World Wide DX Contest (SSB)
<http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/WW_Rules_20083006.pdf>, conditions are
stable and quiet. After the sunspot number rose to 50 this week following
eight days of no sunspots, the average daily sunspot number increased from
zip to 23.3. Unfortunately, the stable, quiet conditions are not expected to
last through the contest.

Predicted planetary A index for Friday through Monday, October 27-30, is 10,
20, 10 and 5. Geophysical Institute Prague calls for unsettled conditions
today, October 27, unsettled to active on October 28, quiet to unsettled on
October 29-30, and back to quiet conditions for October 31 through November
2. Also, on Thursday, October 26, the sunspot number was back to zero. Don't
be surprised if we see no sunspots through the weekend and beyond.

For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL Technical
Information Service's Propagation page
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html>

Sunspot numbers for October 19 through 25 were 14, 15, 16, 18, 50, 35 and
15, with a mean of 23.3. 10.7 cm flux was 69.6, 71.1, 74.7, 75.8, 76.4,
74.8, and 74.7, with a mean of 73.9. Estimated planetary A indices were 2,
10, 15, 13, 3, 4 and 4, with a mean of 7.3. Estimated mid-latitude A indices
were 1, 9, 10, 12, 2, 3 and 4, with a mean of 5.9.

__________________________________

==>IN BRIEF:

* This weekend on the radio: The CQ Worldwide DX Contest (SSB), the eXtreme
CW World-Wide Challenge, and the 10-10 International Fall Contest are the
weekend of October 28-29. JUST AHEAD: The ARRL November Sweepstakes (CW),
the North American Collegiate ARC Championship (CW), the IPARC Contest
(CW/SSB), the PSK63 Sprint, the Ukrainian DX Contest, the High Speed Club CW
Contest, and the DARC 10-Meter Digital Contest are the weekend of November
4-5. The ARS Spartan Sprint is November 7. See the ARRL Contest Branch page
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/> and the WA7BNM Contest Calendar
<http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info.

* ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration:
Registration remains open through Sunday, November 5, for these ARRL
Certification and Continuing Education program (CCE) on-line courses
beginning Friday, November 17. Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level
2 (EC-002), Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 3 (EC-003R2),
Antenna Modeling (EC-004), HF Digital Communications (EC-005), VHF/UHF --
Life Beyond the Repeater (EC-008), and Radio Frequency Propagation (EC-011).
These courses will also open for registration Friday, November 3, for
classes beginning Friday, December 15. To learn more, visit the CCE Course
Listing page ,http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html> or contact the CCE
Department <cce@arrl.org>.

* Eagles-autographed guitar among ARRL On-Line Auction offerings: A Jasmine
S33 acoustic guitar autographed by the members of The Eagles is among the
many items up for bid during the first ARRL On-Line Auction
<http://arrl.auctionanything.com/>, which continues through 4 PM Eastern
Time on Friday, November 3. The guitar bears the signatures of Joe Walsh,
WB6ACU -- who donated the guitar for the auction -- Glen Frey, Don Henley
and Timothy B. Schmit. The winning bidder will receive a letter of
authenticity and the black hardshell carrying case. As the auction debuted,
ARRL Business Services Manager Deb Jahnke, K1DAJ, reported that upward of
3000 bidders already had registered. Auction proceeds will benefit ARRL
educational programs including activities to license new hams, strengthen
Amateur Radio's emergency communication training, offer continuing technical
and operating education through distance learning courses, and develop
instructional and educational materials.

* Hurricane Watch Net announces new leadership: Dave Lefavour, W7GOX, an
ARRL member who lives in Los Lunas, New Mexico, is the new manager of the
Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) <http://www.hwn.org>. He succeeds Mike Pilgrim,
K5MP. Pilgrim stepped down earlier this month for personal reasons. "It has
been my pleasure over the past few years to have each of you as a loyal
supporter of our activities," Pilgrim said this week in a message to ARRL,
the FCC and SATERN. "I invite you to welcome Dave onboard and to extend to
him that same level of cooperation and support afforded me over the years."
He called Lefavour "a very capable, long-term member of HWN who has already
moved comfortably into my old chair." Pilgrim took over the HWN reins in
2002 from Jerry Herman, N3BDW. Pilgrim said he plans to remain active with
HWN in his capacity of president of HWN Inc, a tax-exempt support
corporation, and would be as active as possible during HWN operations.
Established in 1965 during Hurricane Betsy by Jerry Murphy, K8YUW, the HWN
convenes on 14.325 MHz whenever a hurricane is within 300 miles of projected
landfall or becomes a serious threat to a populated area. The HWN works in
conjunction with WX4NHC <http://www.wx4nhc.org> at the National Hurricane
Center in Miami to relay ground-level weather data to forecasters.

* US Coast Guard Auxiliary announces "Special Event Radio Day": The US Coast
Guard Auxiliary (USCGA) will hold a "Special Event Radio Day"
<http://a0530407.uscgaux.info/SED2006.html> Saturday, October 28, to support
the International Search and Rescue Competition (ISAR 2006)
<http://www.internationalsar.com/> and the 67th Anniversary of the US Coast
Guard Auxiliary. More than two dozen USCGA Amateur Radio stations will be
active on HF, many from US Coast Guard Bases. A special QSL card is
available for contacting any USCGA station and sending an SASE.

* GB500KCS operation to celebrate centenary: The Radio Officers' Association
<http://www.roassn.org/> has announced plans to operate special event
station GB500KCS to mark the centenary of the Berlin International Wireless
Telegraphy Convention. Operation on CW from the Lizard Marconi Wireless
Station will run 0000-2400 UTC, Friday, November 3. Operation on CW and SSB
will take place from the Poldhu Marconi Centre Saturday, 0700 to 1700 UTC
(and possibly later) November 4. The 1906 Berlin convention established 500
kHz as the international maritime calling and distress frequency and SOS as
the distress signal. The special event has a secondary agenda to launch the
Association's campaign to have 500 kHz recognized as a worldwide "heritage"
frequency.--RSGB

===========================================================
The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the American
Radio Relay League: ARRL--the National Association For Amateur Radio, 225
Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259;
<http://www.arrl.org>. Joel Harrison, W5ZN, President.

The ARRL Letter offers a weekly e-mail digest of essential and general news
of interest to active radio amateurs. Visit the ARRL Web site
<http://www.arrl.org> for the latest Amateur Radio news and news updates.
The ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/> also offers informative features
and columns. ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> is a
weekly "ham radio newscast" compiled and edited from The ARRL Letter. It's
also available as a podcast from our Web site.

Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole or
in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must be given to
The ARRL Letter/American Radio Relay League.

==>Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!):
letter-dlvy@arrl.org
==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, n1rl@arrl.org
==>ARRL News on the Web: <http://www.arrl.org>
==>ARRL Audio News: <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> or call
860-594-0384

==>How to Get The ARRL Letter

The ARRL Letter is available to ARRL members free of charge directly from
ARRL HQ. To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your address for e-mail
delivery:
ARRL members first must register on the Members Only Web Site
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registration to sign up for e-mail delivery of The ARRL Letter, W1AW
bulletins, and other material. To change these selections--including
delivery of The ARRL Letter--registered members should click on the "Member
Data Page" link (in the Members Only box). Click on "Modify membership
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address if necessary. (Check "Temporarily disable all automatically sent
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Members Only Web Site.)

The ARRL Letter also is available to all, free of charge, from these
sources:

* ARRLWeb <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>. (NOTE: The ARRL Letter will be
posted each Friday when it is distributed via e-mail.)

* The QTH.net listserver, thanks to volunteers from the Boston Amateur Radio
Club: Visit Mailing Lists@QTH.Net
<http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/letter-list>. (NOTE: The ARRL
cannot assist subscribers who receive The ARRL Letter via this listserver.) 


From glennt at charter.net  Mon Oct 30 03:32:51 2006
From: glennt at charter.net (Glenn Thomas)
Date: Mon Oct 30 03:39:59 2006
Subject: [CVRC] DCART net 6:30PM 23Oct06 - Monday night
In-Reply-To: <7.0.1.0.2.20061023153449.03584460@charter.net>
References: <64279115.1156808192010.JavaMail.root@fepweb07>
	<7.0.1.0.2.20060924210827.03460bb8@charter.net>
	<7.0.1.0.2.20061002121729.034a7bb0@charter.net>
	<7.0.1.0.2.20061006134225.03462c98@charter.net>
	<7.0.1.0.2.20061023153449.03584460@charter.net>
Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20061030002917.03449b50@charter.net>

Hi all!

Just a reminder that the DCART net will be Monday night at 1830L on 
the 147.27+ and 441.250+ (both pl 123) repeater. Also, you can now 
work with low power in the Minden area on 443.750+ (pl123) as well as 
the other frequencies on McClellan.

The net script (freshly revised) will be available by net time at 
http://nv.arrl.org/clubs/DCART/netscript.html. This weeks scheduled 
net control is Robert Winkleman KI6CPW.

The net format has changed a little. We are presenting the contents 
of the ICS-100 course. Each week we present a lesson (or part of a 
lesson) until all of the class material has been covered. When we 
have completed the ICS-100 material, those who have participated in 
all of the net sessions (and paid some attention) should have no 
trouble passing the on-line ICS-100 test and become certified. After 
we complete the ICS-100 material, we will continue with the ICS-200 material.

This week, same as last week, I've made an effort to reduce the 
"balloon juice". Let me know how it turns out. Also, I've added links 
to the script page that lead to net scripts for past sessions for 
those of you who want the reference. Also, there are links to the 
FEMA on-line copies of the course material as well as the final exam.

Note that we have a change to the standard DCART frequencies. In the 
event that the W7DI repeater is down during a callup, we will use the 
repeater output frequency, 147.27 as our primary simplex channel.

See you on net!

73 de Glenn Thomas WB6W

From glennt at charter.net  Mon Oct 30 13:36:55 2006
From: glennt at charter.net (Glenn Thomas)
Date: Mon Oct 30 13:44:08 2006
Subject: [CVRC] DCART net 6:30PM 30Oct06 - Monday night
Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20061030103501.034241d0@charter.net>

Hi all!

OOPS! This time with the correct date! Also, note that the net 
control schedule has been slightly adjusted.

Just a reminder that the DCART net will be Monday night at 1830L on 
the 147.27+ and 441.250+ (both pl 123) repeater. Also, you can now 
work with low power in the Minden area on 443.750+ (pl123) as well as 
the other frequencies on McClellan.

The net script (freshly revised) is available at 
http://nv.arrl.org/clubs/DCART/netscript.html. This weeks scheduled 
net control is Robert Winkleman KI6CPW.

The net format has changed a little. We are presenting the contents 
of the ICS-100 course. Each week we present a lesson (or part of a 
lesson) until all of the class material has been covered. When we 
have completed the ICS-100 material, those who have participated in 
all of the net sessions (and paid some attention) should have no 
trouble passing the on-line ICS-100 test and become certified. After 
we complete the ICS-100 material, we will continue with the ICS-200 material.

This week, same as last week, I've made an effort to reduce the 
"balloon juice". Let me know how it turns out. Also, I've added links 
to the script page that lead to net scripts for past sessions for 
those of you who want the reference. Also, there are links to the 
FEMA on-line copies of the course material as well as the final exam.

Note that we have a change to the standard DCART frequencies. In the 
event that the W7DI repeater is down during a callup, we will use the 
repeater output frequency, 147.27 as our primary simplex channel.

See you on net!

73 de Glenn Thomas WB6W

From dick at twohams.com  Mon Oct 30 17:32:45 2006
From: dick at twohams.com (Dick Flanagan)
Date: Mon Oct 30 17:39:51 2006
Subject: [CVRC] ARLB022 W1AW 2006/2007 Winter Operating Schedule
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20061030143208.05453e28@mail.greatbasin.net>

SB QST @ ARL $ARLB022
ARLB022 W1AW 2006/2007 Winter Operating Schedule

ZCZC AG22
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 22  ARLB022
 From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  October 30, 2006
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB022
ARLB022 W1AW 2006/2007 Winter Operating Schedule

Morning Schedule:

Time                  Mode     Days
-------------------   ----     ---------
1400 UTC (9 AM EST)   CWs      Wed, Fri
1400 UTC (9 AM EST)   CWf      Tue, Thu

Daily Visitor Operating Hours:

1500 UTC to 1700 UTC - (10 AM to 12 PM EST)
1800 UTC to 2045 UTC - (1 PM to 3:45 PM EST)

(Station closed 1700 to 1800 UTC (12 PM to 1 PM EST))

Afternoon/Evening Schedule:

2100 UTC (4 PM EST)    CWf      Mon, Wed, Fri
2100  "      "         CWs      Tue, Thu
2200  "  (5 PM EST)    CWb      Daily
2300  "  (6 PM EST)    RTTY     Daily
0000  "  (7 PM EST)    CWs      Mon, Wed, Fri
0000  "      "         CWf      Tue, Thu
0100  "  (8 PM EST)    CWb      Daily
0200  "  (9 PM EST)    RTTY     Daily
0245  "  (9:45 PM EST) VOICE    Daily
0300  "  (10 PM EST)   CWf      Mon, Wed, Fri
0300  "      "         CWs      Tue, Thu
0400  "  (11 PM EST)   CWb      Daily


                          Frequencies (MHz)
                          -----------------
CW:    1.8175 3.5815 7.0475 14.0475 18.0975 21.0675  28.0675 147.555
RTTY:     -   3.625  7.095  14.095  18.1025 21.095   28.095  147.555
VOICE:  1.855 3.990  7.290  14.290  18.160  21.390   28.590  147.555

Notes:

CWs = Morse Code practice (slow) = 5, 7.5, 10, 13 and 15 WPM
CWf = Morse Code practice (fast) = 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 13 and 10 WPM
CWb = Morse Code Bulletins = 18 WPM

CW frequencies include code practices, Qualifying Runs and CW
bulletins.

RTTY = Teleprinter Bulletins = BAUDOT (45.45 baud) and AMTOR-FEC
(100 Baud).  ASCII (110 Baud) is sent only as time allows.

Code practice texts are from QST, and the source of each practice is
given at the beginning of each practice and at the beginning of
alternate speeds.

On Tuesdays and Fridays at 2330 UTC (6:30 PM EST), Keplerian Elements
for active amateur satellites are sent on the regular teleprinter
frequencies.

A DX bulletin replaces or is added to the regular bulletins between
0100 UTC (8 PM EST) Thursdays and 0100 UTC (8 PM EST) Fridays.

In a communications emergency, monitor W1AW for special bulletins as
follows: Voice on the hour, Teleprinter at 15 minutes past the hour,
and CW on the half hour.

FCC licensed amateurs may operate the station from 1500 UTC to 1700
UTC (10 AM to 12 PM EST), and then from 1800 UTC to 2045 UTC (1 PM to
3:45 PM EST) Monday through Friday.  Be sure to bring your current
FCC amateur radio license or a photocopy.

The W1AW Operating Schedule may also be found on page 102 in the
November 2006 issue of QST or on the web at,
http://www.arrl.org/w1aw.html .
NNNN
/EX
--
Dick Flanagan K7VC NV SM
E-mail: k7vc@arrl.org


