[CVRC] The ARRL Letter for December 17, 2009

Thu Dec 17 14:42:53 EST 2009

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December 17, 2009
Editor: <mailto:k1sfa at arrl.org>S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA
<http://www.arrl.org/>ARRL Home 
Page<http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>ARRL 
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Archive<http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>Audio 
News<http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&i=2009-12-17&t=t>

    * + Advocacy : Amateur Radio Bill Passes Senate, Moves to the House
    * + Public Service : Hams Help Out with Sea Rescue
    * + Amateur Radio in Space : First Chinese 
Amateur Radio Satellite Now in Space
    * + Amateur Radio in Space : Students and 
Teachers Invited to "Fly a File" on ARISSat-1
    * + ARRL Publications : Check Out the January/February 2010 NCJ
    * + ARRL Publications : QEX : The January/February 2010 Issue
    * + Now You Know! : Santa's a Ham!
    * ARRL Staff Vacancy
    * Solar Update
    * This Week on the Radio
    * + ARRL Headquarters Closed for Christmas, New Year's Holidays

+ Available on <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>ARRL Audio News
+ Advocacy: Amateur Radio Bill Passes Senate, Moves to the House

On Monday, December 14, S 1755 -- The Amateur 
Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 
2009 -- passed the Senate by unanimous consent; 
the bill now goes to the House of Representatives 
for consideration. Sponsored by Senator Joe 
Lieberman (ID-CT), and Senator Susan Collins 
(R-ME), S 1755, if passed, would direct the 
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to 
undertake a study on emergency communications. S 
1755 points out that "There is a strong Federal 
interest in the effective performance of Amateur 
Radio Service stations, and that performance must 
be given -- (A) support at all levels of 
government; and (B) protection against 
unreasonable regulation and impediments to the 
provision of the valuable communications provided 
by such stations." Read more 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/12/15/11247/?nc=1>here.
+ Public Service: Hams Help Out with Sea Rescue

When Dave Nicholson, N2AWE, was stranded at sea 
earlier this month off the Bermuda Triangle, he 
had no fuel and his 47 foot sailboat had 
sustained severe damage in a storm. When they 
learned of his predicament, hams with the 
Maritime Mobile Service Net (MMSN) helped to 
coordinate with the US Coast Guard to bring fuel 
and a tow boat to guide Nicholson safely to port. 
Read more <http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/12/16/11254/?nc=1>here.
The 2009 ARRL Spectrum Defense Campaign Needs Your Support

In the past, funds raised for the ARRL Spectrum 
Defense Fund have helped the League keep 
commercial satellites out of the 144 and 420 MHz 
bands, gain access to frequencies around 5 MHz, 
and to win our court challenge of the FCC's 
flawed Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) rules. 
Currently, the ARRL is working to ensure that new 
short-range medical devices do not impact our 
ability to use our UHF and microwave bands. Your 
donation to this valuable fund makes such work possible.

Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, 
reports that the ARRL has raised more than 
$221,000 toward the goal $310,000 for the 
<http://www.arrl.org/defense>2009 Spectrum 
Defense Fund. "The messages I receive from the 
ARRL members and hams who contribute to this much 
needed fund are heartening," she said, 
"expressing appreciation for all the work ARRL 
does for the Amateur Radio community to protect 
our frequencies. And we can all be proud of the 
successes that have come from the work of ARRL 
leadership -- the Board and staff here at HQ. But 
there is always more to do." Hobart said that 
year after year, ARRL members tell her that the 
League's representation of radio operators -- 
both in Washington and on the international stage 
-- is one of, if not the most important 
activities that the ARRL does. "The cost of that 
representation at meetings in Washington, at ITU 
gatherings and working party meetings to prepare 
for world telecommunications conferences is the 
key to the continued success of our defense 
efforts," she said. "Spectrum Defense is one of 
those areas that is not covered completely by 
member dues. So we ask ARRL members to do what 
they can to help cover those expenses." Amateurs 
wishing to make a contribution may do so easily 
<http://www.arrl.org/defense>online, via postal 
mail or by calling the ARRL Development Office at 
860-594-0397.<http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2009-12-17&p=0>
+ Amateur Radio in Space: First Chinese Amateur Radio Satellite Now in Space

AMSAT China (<http://www.camsat.cn/>CAMSAT) 
reports that at around 0230 UTC on December 15, 
China launched its first Amateur Radio satellite 
-- named 
<http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/satellites/satInfo.php?satID=116&retURL=satellites/futures.php>XW-1 
-- into space. The microsatellite -- a secondary 
payload aboard the CZ-4C rocket launched from the 
Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center -- was launched 
into a Sun-synchronous orbit with an apogee of 
approximately 1200 kilometers. XW-1 successfully 
reached orbit at 0253 UTC. Members of the XW-1 
launch team reported they received a beacon from 
the satellite shortly after the satellite 
deployed. In the first few days, the XW-1 team 
will work on the satellite's FM and store-forward 
transponder mode and its linear transponder mode. 
Once those tests are complete, they will upload a 
new flight program to set up the payload 
schedule. The satellite's communications payload 
includes a beacon and three crossband 
transponders operating in FM, SSB/CW and digital 
modes. Uplink and downlink frequencies can be 
found on the 
<http://www.camsat.cn/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56&Itemid=67>CAMSAT 
Web site. For the latest Keplerian elements for 
XW-1 and other satellites, check out the 
<http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/kep/>W1AW Keplerian Bulletins.
+ Amateur Radio in Space: Students and Teachers 
Invited to "Fly a File" on ARISSat-1

SuitSat-1 was launched into space from the ISS in February 2006. [NASA Photo]

On February 3, 2006, cosmonaut Valery Ivanovich 
Tokarev hand-launched the Amateur Radio satellite 
SuitSat-1 from the International Space Station 
during an extra vehicular activity (EVA), NASA's 
term for a spacewalk. A discarded Russian ORLAN 
spacesuit, SuitSat-1 was equipped with an Amateur 
Radio transmitter that transmitted telemetry and 
greetings from youngsters to the youth of the 
world in several languages. In 2010, an Amateur 
Radio satellite -- ARISSat-1 -- will once again 
be hand-launched from the ISS. Like its 
predecessor, ARISSat-1 will transmit messages 
recorded by students, and teachers and students 
are invited to "fly a file" aboard this Amateur 
Radio satellite. Read more 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/12/15/11251/?nc=1>here.
+ ARRL Publications: Check Out the January/February 2010 NCJ

The January/February issue of NCJ, The National 
Contest Journal, is filled with the latest news 
from the contesting world. Whether you are new to 
contesting or are a seasoned pro -- or somewhere 
in the middle -- you will find something in NCJ 
just for you. In addition to all of the exciting 
articles in this issue, there are all the regular 
columns and features you expect from NCJ: 
"Workshop Chronicles," by Don Daso, K4ZA; 
"Contest Tips, Tricks & Techniques," by Gary 
Sutcliffe, W9XT; "VHF Contesting," by Jon Jones, 
N0JK; "RTTY Contesting," by Don Hill, AA5AU; 
"Propagation," by Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA; 
"Contesting on a Budget," by Ralph Bellas, K9ZO, 
and "Contesting 101," by Kirk Pickering, K4RO. 
NCJ is published six times a year by the ARRL; it 
is edited by Al Dewey, K0AD. NCJ is what every 
contester needs in their shack -- 
<http://www.arrl.org/ncj/>subscribe today! Read 
more 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/12/16/11252/?nc=1>here.<http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2009-12-17&p=1>
+ ARRL Publications: QEX : The January/February 2010 Issue

The January/February issue of QEX is coming soon, 
and it is full of theoretical and practical 
technical articles that you won't want to miss. 
Would you like to write for QEX? It pays 
$50/printed page. Get more information and an 
<http://www.arrl.org/qex/>Author's 
<http://www.arrl.org/qex/>Guide. If you prefer 
postal mail, send a business-size self-addressed, 
stamped envelope to QEX Author's Guide, c/o Maty 
Weinberg, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 
06111-1494. QEX is edited by 
<mailto:lwolfgang at arrl.org>Larry Wolfgang, WR1B, 
and is published bimonthly. The subscription rate 
(6 issues) for ARRL members in the US is $24. For 
First Class US delivery, it's $37; in Canada and 
internationally by airmail it's $31. Nonmembers 
add $12 to these rates. Subscribe to 
<http://www.arrl.org/qex>QEX today. Read more 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/12/17/11253/?nc=1>here.
+ Now You Know!: Santa's a Ham!

By ARRL News Editor S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA

For 37 years, Mickey Hicks, WO6T, played Santa 
Claus to hundreds of children. These children 
never sat on Santa's lap to tell him that they 
had been good boys and girls and what they wanted 
for Christmas. They did it in a much more simple 
way -- they picked up a microphone and told Santa 
on the air. Each year, Hicks, a ham for almost 50 
years and a long-time Amateur Radio instructor, 
would get on the air for 10 days each December as 
W6S (Whiskers-6-Santa). Unfortunately, Hicks 
became a Silent Key earlier this year.

Mickey Hicks, WO6T (SK), played Santa for 37 
years on the air, using call sign W6S (Whiskers-6-Santa).

Hicks said that the first year he operated as W6S 
was a hit with the operators -- and their 
children. Most children, he noted, are a bit 
apprehensive of talking over the radio, let alone 
to Santa. One of the most challenging parts of 
operating was when he heard a parent say "This 
one is shy and won't talk." That was never a 
problem for Hicks -- after a few warm-up 
questions, such as "Can you say hello to 
Rudolph?" -- he said he could strike up a 
conversation that lasted a few minutes. He had 
even heard back from parents that they weren't 
able to get the microphone away from the kids afterward!

Back in 2001, 
Hicks<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2001/12/21/3/?nc=1> 
told the ARRL that his Santa's Workshop was a 
great ham radio recruiting tool. One of his most 
memorable experiences was when a young girl he'd 
once spoken with on the air as Santa came by with 
her ham ticket in hand to thank him in person for 
getting her interested in Amateur Radio. "I had 
tears in my eyes, of course," he said. One of the 
most enjoyable moments of Hicks' Santa career 
occurred when he was speaking with a young child 
and realized he had spoken with their parents and 
grandparents when they were youngsters!

Mark Slater, WI6J, was Hicks' QSL manager. With 
the blessing of Hicks' wife, son and 
daughter-in-law, Slater will carry on the W6S 
tradition for 2010 and beyond. "Mickey's shoes 
are so much bigger than I could ever hope to 
fill," he told the ARRL, "but I know Mickey would 
have wanted Santa to keep getting on the air and 
speaking with the children." Slater said you can 
find him most evenings, as well as the weekend of 
December 19-20, on 14.270 MHz, Santa's favorite 
frequency. Santa is a ham -- now you know!
ARRL Staff Vacancy

A vacancy has developed in the position of ARRL 
Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager. 
Applications for this position will be solicited 
before the end of the year with the objective of 
filling the position early in 2010. Because this 
is the last scheduled ARRL Letter of 2009, if you 
or someone you know may be qualified for and 
interested in the position, please watch for the 
posting on the 
<http://www.arrl.org/announce/jobs/>ARRL Web 
site.<http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2009-12-17&p=2>
Solar Update

The Sun, as seen on Thursday, December 17, 2009 
from NASA's 
<http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/realtime-update.html>SOHO 
Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope. This 
<http://soi.stanford.edu/>MDI (Michelson Doppler 
Imager) image is taken in the continuum near the 
Ni I 6768 Angstrom line. The most prominent 
features are the sunspots. This is very much how 
the Sun looks like in the visible range of the spectrum.

Tad 
"<http://englishhistory.net/keats/poetry/odeonagrecianurn.html>A 
friend to man, to whom thou say'st, 'Beauty is 
truth, truth beauty'" Cook, K7RA, reports: Yet 
another new sunspot group -- number 1035 -- 
emerged this week, seemingly on top of group 
1034, which has been visible since December 9. 
This sunspot group is quite active, and we may 
see a rise in geomagnetic activity on Sunday, 
December 20 with a predicted planetary A index of 
15. Look for more information in the Solar 
Update, available on the ARRL Web site on Friday, 
December 18. For more information concerning 
radio propagation, visit the 
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html>ARRL 
Technical Information Service Propagation page. 
This week's "Tad Cookism" brought to you by John 
Keats' 
<http://englishhistory.net/keats/poetry/odeonagrecianurn.html>Ode 
on a Grecian Urn.
This Week on the Radio

This week, the Russian 160 Meter Contest is 
December 18. The OK DX RTTY Contest is December 
19. The Croatian CW Contest is December 19-20 and 
the Lighthouse Christmas Lights QSO Party is 
December 19-January 3. The ARCI Holiday Spirits 
Homebrew Sprint is December 20, the Run for the 
Bacon QRP Contest is December 21 and the SKCC 
Sprint is December 23. Next week, check out the 
South Dakota QSO Party and the Stew Perry Topband 
Challenge -- both are on December 26-27. All 
dates, unless otherwise stated, are UTC. See the 
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/>ARRL Contest 
Branch page, the 
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/>ARRL 
Contest Update and the 
<http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html>WA7BNM 
Contest Calendar for more info. Looking for a 
Special Event station? Be sure to check out the 
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/spev.html>ARRL Special Event Station Web page.
+ ARRL Headquarters Closed for Christmas, New Year's Holidays

ARRL Headquarters will be closed Friday, December 
25, 2009 and Friday, January 1, 2010 in 
observance of Christmas and New Year's Day. There 
will be no <http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/>W1AW 
bulletins or 
<http://www.arrl.org/w1aw.html#w1awsked>code 
practice transmissions those days. There will be 
no <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>ARRL Letter 
or <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>ARRL 
Audio News on Thursday, December 24 and 31. We 
wish everyone a safe and joyful holiday season and a prosperous 2010.
ARRL Continuing Education Course Registration

Registration remains open through Sunday, 
December 27, 2009, for these 
<http://www.arrl.org/cep/student/>online course 
sessions beginning on Friday, January 8, 2010: 
Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 1; 
Antenna Modeling; Radio Frequency Interference; 
Antenna Design and Construction; Ham Radio 
(Technician) License Course; Propagation; Analog 
Electronics, and Digital Electronics. To learn 
more, visit the 
<http://www.arrl.org/cep/student>CEP Course 
Listing page or contact the 
<mailto:cce at arrl.org>Continuing Education Program 
Coordinator<http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&i=2009-12-17&t=r&p=0>.

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