[CVRC] The ARRL Letter for September 13, 2012

Thu Sep 13 14:56:36 EDT 2012

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            The  ARRL Letter

Published by the American Radio Relay League
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September 13, 2012

Editor: S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA <k1sfa at arrl.org>

ARRL Home Page <http://www.arrl.org/>ARRL Letter Archive
<http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>Audio News
<http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> IN THIS ISSUE

- + ARRL National Convention: ARRL Welcomes NASA Astronaut Lee Morin,
KF5DDB, to 2012 National Convention
- + Emergency Preparedness: Get Set for the 2012 Simulated Emergency
Test
- Amateur Radio in Space: Three Hams Return to Earth this Weekend;
Watch Live on NASA TV
- + Newly Elected Section Managers to Converge in Newington
- + Becky Schoenfeld, W1BXY, Named QST Managing Editor
- Solar Update
- + ARRL to Welcome USTTI Students in October
- This Week in Radiosport
- Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events

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

==> + ARRL NATIONAL CONVENTION: ARRL WELCOMES NASA ASTRONAUT LEE MORIN,
KF5DDB, TO 2012 NATIONAL CONVENTION

   NASA Astronaut Lee Morin, KF5DDB, will be a special guest at the
2012 ARRL National Convention at Pacificon -- held October 12-14 -- in
Santa Clara, California. Morin, an ARRL member, served as a Mission
Specialist on Atlantis for STS-110 that launched in April 2002. During
this 13th shuttle mission to the International Space Station, he
performed two extra-vehicular activities (EVAs) -- also known as
spacewalks -- the first time that the station's robotic arm was used to
maneuver spacewalkers around the station. Pacificon attendees will have
the chance to meet and greet Morin in the ARRL exhibit area. He will
also present a forum at Pacificon and will be the speaker at Saturday
night's banquet where he will share his experiences about spaceflight
and his interests in Amateur Radio. Read more here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-welcomes-nasa-astronaut-lee-morin-kf5ddb-to-2012-national-convention>.

==> + EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS: GET SET FOR THE 2012 SIMULATED EMERGENCY
TEST

   Are you ready to respond to a local communications emergency? How
about within your area, state or beyond? The ARRL Simulated Emergency
Test (SET) -- an exercise that enables you and your local, District and
Section leaders to test equipment, modes, operating skills and
emergency deployment plans to see if everything is in place and ready
for an actual emergency event -- is October 6-7. The SET is one of the
premier events of the year that invites the Amateur Radio Emergency
Service, the National Traffic System, the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency
Service, SKYWARN, members of the ARRL Field Organization and other
groups to work in concert together to practice and prepare. Read more
here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/get-set-for-the-2012-simulated-emergency-test>.

==> AMATEUR RADIO IN SPACE: THREE HAMS RETURN TO EARTH THIS WEEKEND;
WATCH LIVE ON NASA TV

   After spending 125 days in space, NASA Flight Engineer Joe Acaba,
KE5DAR, Expedition 32 Commander Gennady Padalka, RN3DT, and Flight
Engineer Sergei Revin, RN3BS (both of the Russian Federal Space
Agency), will begin their voyage home to Earth this weekend, marking
the end of Expedition 32 on the International Space Station. The trio
will undock their Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft on Sunday, September 16 at
7:09 PM EDT (2309 UTC) for the flight home. They are scheduled to
arrive in Kazakhstan at the Baikonur Cosmodrome almost four hours later
at 10:53 PM EDT (0253 UTC on Monday, September 17). NASA will televise
the farewell ceremony, as well as the undocking of the Soyuz craft, its
launch and landing in Kazakhstan live on NASA TV. Read more here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/three-hams-return-to-earth-this-weekend-watch-live-on-nasa-tv>.

==> + NEWLY ELECTED SECTION MANAGERS TO CONVERGE IN NEWINGTON

   This weekend, 12 newly elected or appointed Section Managers will be
in Newington at ARRL Headquarters for an orientation workshop. The
primary purposes of the three-day workshop sessions are to share ideas
and to provide basic administrative, management, leadership and
motivational training. The workshop provides an opportunity for the
Section Managers to chat among themselves or within the group, and to
share their views on various issues and exchange ideas. Through
training and orientation sessions conducted by ARRL staff members --
and by meeting with other Section Managers -- participants can explore
what works, as well as what does not, and bring home some fresh ideas
and some encouragement. Read more here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/newly-elected-section-managers-to-converge-in-newington>.

==> + BECKY SCHOENFELD, W1BXY, NAMED QST MANAGING EDITOR

   ARRL Book Editor Becky Schoenfeld, W1BXY, has been promoted to QST
Managing Editor, the position formerly held by Joel Kleinman, N1BKE
(SK). A Connecticut native, Schoenfeld has more than two decades of
publishing experience. Prior to her employment at ARRL Headquarters,
she was Senior Editor at Teaching K-8 magazine, one of the most popular
magazines for childhood educators, and Senior Project Editor for
textbook publisher Macmillan/McGraw-Hill. In addition, she founded
Amaranth magazine, a successful poetry journal. She holds an MFA from
Emerson College and a BA from Fairfield University. Her Amateur Radio
activities include chasing grid squares in pursuit of her 6 meter VUCC
award and DX hunting on 10 meters.

==> SOLAR UPDATE

   Tad "You'll find us chasing the Sun
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIyYMjI-xFg>" Cook, K7RA, reports:
Solar activity retreated this week, with the average daily sunspot
numbers off nearly 46 points -- about 35 percent -- to 83.1, while the
average daily solar flux declined 18 points to 118.9. Geomagnetic
conditions were quieter, with the planetary and mid-latitude A index
most days in the single digits; the average planetary A index declined
from 14.1 to 6.6. The predicted daily solar flux is 100 on September
13, 95 on September 14-16, 100 again on September 17-18, 105 on
September 19, 95 on September 20-21, 100 on September 22, 110 on
September 23-24, 115, 125 and 130 on September 25-27, and peaking at
140 on September 28-October 1. The predicted planetary A index on
September 13-17 is 5, 7, 10, 12 and 8, then down to 5 on September
18-19, 10 on September 20, 8 on September 21-23, 5 on September 24-28,
10 on September 29, and back down to 5 on September 30-October 2. Look
for more on the ARRL website on Friday, September 14. For more
information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical
Information Service Propagation page
<http://www.arrl.org/propagation-of-rf-signals>. This week's "Tad
Cookism" is brought to you by The Wanted's Chasing the Sun
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chasing_the_Sun_%28song%29>.

==> + ARRL TO WELCOME USTTI STUDENTS IN OCTOBER

Next month -- October 1-5 -- the ARRL will welcome eight international
students who want to learn how to administer and regulate Amateur Radio
programs in their home countries. This course, offered by the United
States Telecommunications Training Institute for learners from
developing countries, will help the participants create, administer and
foster an Amateur Radio Service in their countries.

   ARRL staff instructors will help course participants discover the
ever-expanding universe of Amateur Radio communication, explaining why
Amateur Radio operators -- upwards of three million individuals in
virtually every country of the world -- have earned licenses to operate
stations in the Service and why they are recognized, both by their
governments and internationally, as a valuable voluntary
telecommunications resource. Course participants will also discover how
a telecommunications administration can bring the benefits of a healthy
Amateur Service to its nation.

Now in its 30th year, USTTI is a nonprofit venture involving leading
US-based communications and information technology corporations and
leaders of the federal government cooperating to provide tuition-free
management, policy and technical training for talented professionals
from the developing world. This is the 28th year that the ARRL has
participated in the program.

==> THIS WEEK IN RADIOSPORT

This week:

- September 14 -- NCCC Sprint Ladder
- September 14-16 -- FISTS Get Your Feet Wet Weekend
- September 15 -- Feld Hell Sprint
- September 15-16 -- ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest (local time)
<http://www.arrl.org/news/explore-the-upper-reaches-of-the-amateur-radio-spectrum-in-the-arrl-10-ghz-and-up-contest>;
South Carolina QSO Party; Washington State Salmon Run; Scandinavian
Activity Contest (CW); SRT HF Contest (SSB); QRP Afield
- September 16 -- North American Sprint (SSB); WAB 144 MHz QRO Phone
Contest
- September 17 -- Run for the Bacon QRP Contest; 144 MHz Fall Sprint
(local time)
- September 20 -- NAQCC Straight Key/Bug Sprint

Next week:

- September 21 -- NCCC Sprint Ladder
- September 22 -- FOC QSO Party; AGCW VHF/UHF Contest
- September 23 -- BARTG Sprint 75
- September 24 -- QRP Homebrewer Sprint
- September 25 -- 222 MHz Fall Sprint (local time)
- September 26 -- SKCC Sprint
- September 26-27 -- CWops Mini-CWT Test

All dates, unless otherwise stated, are UTC. See the ARRL Contest
Branch page <http://www.arrl.org/contests>, the ARRL Contest Update
<http://www.arrl.org/The-ARRL-Contest-Update> and the WA7BNM Contest
Calendar <http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more
information. Looking for a Special Event station? Be sure to check out
the ARRL Special Event Stations web page
<http://www.arrl.org/special-event-stations>.

==> UPCOMING ARRL SECTION, STATE AND DIVISION CONVENTIONS AND EVENTS

- September 14-15 -- W9DXCC Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/w9dxcc-convention-2>, Elk Grove Village,
Illinois
- September 15 -- ARRL Virginia Section Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/virginia-section-convention-virginia-beach-hamfest>,
Virginia Beach, Virginia
- September 22 -- ARRL Washington State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/washington-state-convention-36th-annual-spokane-hamfest>,
Spokane Valley, Washington
- September 22-23 -- ARRL Illinois State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/illinois-state-convention-peoria-superfest-2012>,
Peoria, Illinois
- September 28-29 -- SEDCO/W4DXCC VIII Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/sedco-w4dxcc-viii-convention>, Pigeon
Forge, Tennessee
- October 7 -- ARRL Connecticut State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/connecticut-state-convention-nutmeg-hamfest>,
Meriden, Connecticut
- October 12-14 -- ARRL National Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/arrl-national-convention-pacificon-2012>,
Santa Clara, California
- October 13 -- ARRL Iowa State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/iowa-state-convention-hamboree-2012>,
Sergeant Bluff, Iowa
- October 13-14 -- ARRL Florida State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/florida-state-convention-melbourne-hamfest-1>,
Melbourne, Florida
- November 3-4 -- ARRL Georgia State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/georgia-state-convention-stone-mountain-hamfest-computer-expo-1>,
Lawrenceville, Georgia
- November 4 -- ARRL Iowa Section Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/iowa-section-convention-41st-annual-drac-hamfest-computer-show'>,
Davenport, Iowa
- November 10 -- ARRL Alabama State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/alabama-state-convention-1>, Montgomery,
Alabama
- November 17-18 -- ARRL Indiana State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/indiana-state-convention-fort-wayne-hamfest-computer-expo-1>,
Fort Wayne, Indiana
- December 1-2 -- ARRL West Central Florida Section Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/west-central-florida-section-convention-tampa-bay-hamfest-2>,
Palmetto, Florida
- January 18-19 -- ARRL North Texas Section Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/north-texas-section-convention-cowtown-hamfest-1>,
Fort Worth, Texas
- January 19 -- ARRL Southern Florida Section Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/southern-florida-section-convention-3>,
Fort Myers, Florida
- January 25-26 -- ARRL Mississippi State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/mississippi-state-convention-capital-city-hamfest>,
Jackson, Mississippi
- January 26-27 -- ARRL Puerto Rico State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/puerto-rico-state-convention>, Hatillo,
Puerto Rico
- February 2 -- ARRL South Carolina State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/south-carolina-state-convention-2>, North
Charleston, South Carolina
- February 8-10 -- ARRL Southeastern Division Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/southeastern-division-convention-orlando-hamcation-1>,
Orlando, Florida
- February 15-16 -- ARRL Arizona State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/arizona-state-convention-yuma-hamfest-1>,
Yuma, Arizona

To find a convention or hamfest near you, click here
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests>.

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