[CVRC] The ARRL Letter for September 2, 2010

Thu Sep 2 18:48:11 EDT 2010

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September 2, 2010
Editor: <mailto:k1sfa at arrl.org>S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA
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    * + Public Service : Hurricane Earl Heading 
for North Carolina, Hurricane Warnings Issued for New England
    * + ARRL Leadership : ARRL Members Nominate 
Candidates for Director, Vice Director
    * + On the Air : New D-STAR Repeater Now in Place in ARRL Laboratory
    * + On the Air : Discover the Fun of 6 Meters 
(and Up!) in the ARRL September VHF QSO Party
    * + FCC : New Rules for Employee Participation in Drills Begin September 3
    * + AWA Recognizes : QST Columnist Recognized for Documenting Radio's Past
    * + Solar Update
    * This Week on the Radio

+ Available on <http://www.arrl.org/arrl-audio-news>ARRL Audio News
+ Public Service: Hurricane Earl Heading for 
North Carolina, Hurricane Warnings Issued for New England

This image shows Hurricane Earl's projected track 
along the Atlantic Coast. Click 
<http://www.arrl.org/images/view/News/EarlTrackSP2.JPG>here 
for a larger image. [Image from Stormpulse]

Hurricane Earl -- once again a Category 4 storm 
-- is currently aiming for North Carolina's Outer 
Banks. At 11 AM (EDT) on Thursday, September 2, 
Earl is located about 300 miles south of Cape 
Hatteras and 765 south of Nantucket Island, just 
off the coast of Massachusetts. Earl is now 
moving north at a speed near 18 MPH, and is 
expected to turn north-northeast with an increase 
in forward speed on Friday. The center of Earl 
will pass near the North Carolina Outer Banks 
Thursday night and approach Southeastern New 
England sometime on Friday night. No significant 
change in strength is expected today, but 
forecasters at the National Hurricane Center 
(<http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/>NHC) expect that the 
storm will show gradual weakening beginning on Friday.

This map -- dated 8 AM EDT on Thursday, September 
2 -- from the National Hurricane Center shows 
Hurricane Earl, Tropical Storm Fiona and Tropical 
Depression Gaston, as well as a spot where NHC 
forecasters say there is a 10 percent chance for 
a tropical cyclone to form (marked in yellow). 
Click 
<http://www.arrl.org/images/view/News/EarlNHC090210.JPG>here 
for a larger image.

"Here at ARRL Headquarters, we are continuing to 
monitor Hurricane Earl," said ARRL Emergency 
Preparedness and Response Manager Mike Corey, 
W5MPC. "I've been in touch with Section Managers, 
Section Emergency Coordinators and served 
agencies at the national level such as FEMA, 
National VOAD and the National Weather Service, 
sharing information about preparedness efforts in 
the storm's path. Right now, like most, we are 
keeping alert, monitoring the changing conditions 
and waiting to see where Earl goes. We're also 
keeping an eye on other storms developing in the 
Atlantic -- Fiona and Gaston a threat." Read more 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/hurricane-earl-heading-for-north-carolina-hurricane-warnings-issued-for-new-england>here.
+ ARRL Leadership: ARRL Members Nominate Candidates for Director, Vice Director

The policies of the ARRL are established by 15 
Directors who are elected to the Board on a 
geographical basis, with elections for three-year 
terms held in five divisions each year. At the 
same time, Vice Directors are elected on the same 
basis. Responding to solicitations in the July 
and August issues of QST, ARRL members in the 
Pacific, Rocky Mountain, Southeastern, 
Southwestern and West Gulf Divisions have 
nominated 16 candidates for the 10 positions of Director and Vice Director.

Five incumbents have been declared elected 
without opposition, while there will be balloting 
for the Director position in the Southeastern, 
Southwestern and West Gulf Divisions, and for the 
Vice Director position in the Southeastern and 
West Gulf Divisions. Ballots will be counted on 
Friday, November 19, 2010, and those elected will 
serve three-year terms beginning at noon on January 1, 2011.
    * In the Pacific Division, Bob Vallio, W6RGG, 
of Castro Valley, California -- as the only 
nominee for Director -- was declared re-elected, 
as was Vice Director Jim Tiemstra, K6JAT, of Oakland, California.
    * Current Rocky Mountain Director Division 
Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, of Albuquerque, New 
Mexico, was unopposed for the position of Rocky 
Mountain Division Director, so he is declared 
re-elected. Vice Director Dwayne Allen, WY7FD, of 
Devils Tower, Wyoming, was also declared re-elected.
    * Having no opponent, incumbent Southwestern 
Division Vice Director Marty Woll, N6VI, of 
Chatsworth, California, was also declared 
re-elected. Read more 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-members-nominate-candidates-for-director-vice-director>here. 

+ On the Air: New D-STAR Repeater Now in Place in ARRL Laboratory

ARRL Test Engineer Bob Allison, WB1GCM, has some 
fun on the new D-STAR repeater -- located in the 
ARRL Lab -- on his lunch break. [Photo S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA]

The ARRL Lab has installed a D-STAR (Digital 
Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio) repeater in 
the Lab at the ARRL Headquarters building. 
Operating with an output of 147.390 MHz, positive 
offset, the W1HQ D-STAR repeater is a local 
repeater with a modest footprint covering the 
Hartford-New Britain, Connecticut area. The 
antenna is on the roof of the Headquarters 
building with the repeater located in the Lab. 
With its gateway, the repeater is accessible to 
any D-STAR user on the planet. The Lab's call sign is W1INF.

"The purpose of the repeater is to better educate 
the Lab staff on D-STAR technology," explained 
ARRL Test Engineer Bob Allison, WB1GCM. "In turn, 
we will have the ability to handle some of our 
members' questions on the matter. We also intend 
to use this new technology when emergencies occur 
where D-STAR technology is deployed." Read more 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/new-d-star-repeater-now-in-place-in-arrl-laboratory>here.<http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2010-09-02&p=0>
+ On the Air: Discover the Fun of 6 Meters (and 
Up!) in the ARRL September VHF QSO Party

September is here, and according to ARRL Contest 
Branch Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X, that means the 
VHF bands are getting a workout: "If you've never 
experienced the fun of VHF+ operating, the ARRL 
September VHF QSO Party is a great place to 
start. With many HF radios now offering at least 
6 meter SSB/CW capabilities -- and some offering 
2 meters and 70 cm as well -- any amateur with a 
Technician class license or higher can experience 
long-haul communication on the VHF bands." Read 
more 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/discover-the-fun-of-6-meters-and-up-in-the-arrl-september-vhf-qso-party>here.
+ FCC: New Rules for Employee Participation in Drills Begin September 3

Beginning September 3, the new, revised wording 
of 
<http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2002/octqtr/pdf/47cfr97.117.pdf>Section 
97.113 goes into effect. As of this date, the FCC 
will permit government entities that sponsor 
disaster and emergency drills to hold these 
drills without applying for a waiver. 
Additionally, employees who wish to participate 
in non-government-sponsored drills and exercises 
may do so under certain conditions. Part 97 is 
the portion of the Commission's rules that govern 
the Amateur Radio Service. Read more 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-modifies-amateur-rules-to-allow-participation-in-disaster-and-emergency-drills-on-behalf-of-an-e>here.
+ FCC: FCC Reaffirms 2Ã—2 Call Signs Are Only for 
Advanced, Amateur Extra License Classes

In May 2010, John Gottschalk, KB1DDK, of 
Westwood, Massachusetts, requested a new call 
sign via the FCC's vanity call sign program. 
Gottschalk, a General class licensee, requested 
KK1CQ -- a 2Ã—2 call sign -- and a waiver from 
the Commission allowing him to hold the call 
sign. The FCC denied both requests on Tuesday, 
August 31, 2010. Read more 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-reaffirms-2-2-call-signs-are-only-for-advanced-amateur-extra-license-classes>here<http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2010-09-02&p=1>.
ARRL in Action: What Have We Been Up to Lately?

This feature -- including convenient Web links to 
useful information -- is a concise monthly update 
of some of the things ARRL is doing on behalf of 
its members, including advocating for and 
representing Amateur Radio at the local, national 
and international level, facilitating elections 
for Directors, Vice Directors and Section 
Managers, putting W1AW on the air, holding 
operating events and more. This installment 
covers the month of August. Read more 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-in-action-what-have-we-been-up-to-lately-25>here.
+ AWA Recognizes: QST Columnist Recognized for Documenting Radio's Past

AWA Houck Awards Administrator Barney Wooters, 
W5KSO, presents the Houck Award for Documentation 
to John Dilks, K2TQN. [Photo, Bill Zukowski, N2YEG]

John Dilks, K2TQN -- who pens the "Vintage Radio" 
column in QST every month -- was awarded the AWA 
Houck Award for Documentation by the Antique 
Wireless Association at their 2010 World 
Convention, held August 17-21 in Rochester, New 
York. This award is presented each year to an AWA 
member who has written original articles on radio 
development or history in the AWA Journal, AWA 
Review or other publication. Read more 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/em-qst-em-columnist-recognized-for-documenting-radio-s-past>here.
+ ARRL Recognizes: James Garland, W8ZR , Wins August QST Cover Plaque Award

The winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award for 
August is James Garland, W8ZR , for his article 
"The StationPro Master Station Controller." 
Congratulations James! 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 
<http://www.arrl.org/cover-plaque-poll>QST 
<http://www.arrl.org/cover-plaque-poll>Cover 
Plaque Poll Web Page. Cast a ballot for your 
favorite article in the September issue 
today!<http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2010-09-02&p=2>
+ Solar Update

The Sun, as seen on Thursday, September 2, 2010 
from 
<http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/realtime-update.html>NASA's 
SOHO Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope. This 
image was taken at 304 Angstrom; the bright 
material is at 60,000 to 80,000 Kelvin.

Tad 
"<http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/As_Summer_into_Autumn_slips>We 
turn the Sun away" Cook, K7RA, reports: Over the 
past week three new sunspot groups appeared: 
Group 1101 was already in place since August 24, 
group 1102 emerged on August 29, and on September 
1, new sunspot groups 1103 and 1104 appeared. 
 From August 26-September 1, the daily sunspot 
number was 23, 11, 11, 25, 28, 27 and 51. Over 
those same days, the total relative size of all 
the sunspot groups in millionths of a solar 
hemisphere was 100, 100, 130, 170, 180, 220 and 
270. The average daily sunspot numbers rose more 
than 17 points to 25.4, when compared to the 
previous seven day period. Geomagnetic indicators 
began the week showing unsettled conditions, but 
they calmed down to quiet levels again. Predicted 
solar flux for the next 12 days is 76, 76, 77, 
76, 75, 75, 74, 74, 76, 78, 80 and 80. For 
September 2-18, the planetary A index is 
predicted to be 5, then 12 and 8 for September 
19-20. Look for more information on the ARRL Web 
site on Friday, September 3. For more information 
concerning radio propagation, visit the 
<http://www.arrl.org/propagation-of-rf-signals>ARRL 
Technical Information Service Propagation page. 
This week's "Tad Cookism" is brought to you by 
Emily Dickinson's 
<http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/As_Summer_into_Autumn_slips>As 
Summer into Autumn Slips.
This Week on the Radio

This week:
    * September 4 -- Russian RTTY WW Contest; 
Wake-Up! QRP Sprint; AGCW Straight Key Party
    * September 4-5 -- 
<http://www.arrl.org/eme-contest>ARRL EME 
Contest; All Asian DX Contest (Phone); Colorado 
QSO Party; Brazil Independence Day BPSK31 CDX Contest
    * September 5 -- WAB 144 MHz QRP Contest (Phone)
    * September 5-6 -- Tennessee QSO Party
    * September 6-7 -- Michigan QRP Labor Day CW Sprint
    * September 7 -- ARS Spartan Sprint
    * September 8 -- QRP Fox Hunt
    * September 8-9 -- CWops Mini-CW Test

Next week:
    * September 10 -- NCCC Sprint Ladder
    * September 11 -- Ohio State Parks on the Air
    * September 11-12 -- Arkansas QSO Party; 
FISTS Get Your Feet Wet Weekend; WAE DX Contest (SSB)
    * September 11-13 -- 
<http://www.arrl.org/september-vhf-qso-party>ARRL September VHF QSO Party
    * September 12 -- North American Sprint (CW); SKCC Weekend Sprint
    * September 16 -- NAQCC Straight Key/Bug Sprint

All dates, unless otherwise stated, are UTC. See 
the <http://www.arrl.org/contests>ARRL Contest 
Branch page, the 
<http://www.arrl.org/The-ARRL-Contest-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/special-events>ARRL Special Events Station Web page.
Upcoming Events
    * September 17-19 -- 
<http://www.sandarc.net/Convention2010/index.html>ARRL 
Southwestern Division Convention, San Diego, California
    * October 15-17 -- 
<http://www.pacificon.org/>ARRL Pacific Division 
Convention, San Ramon, California

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