[CVRC] The ARRL Letter for August 15, 2013

Thu Aug 15 15:54:34 EDT 2013

********************************************
            The  ARRL Letter

Published by the American Radio Relay League
********************************************

August 15, 2013

Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME <ww1me 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

- Regulatory: FCC Sets Higher Vanity Call Sign Fee Than First Proposed
- Regulatory: FCC Should Retain Oversight of Equipment Certification
Process, ARRL Says
- Events: WRTC-2014 is Accepting Applications for Team Leaders
- Events: Lighthouse Lightship Event Anticipating Record Participation
- Events: AMSAT Issues Second Call for Annual Meeting Papers
- Events: Dayton RTTY Contesting Dinner to Return in 2014
- Propagation: The Sun is About to Flip
- Public Service: MARS Members Complete "High-Pressure Test" of
Messaging Capacity
- Technology: Popular "MM" Applications Released for Open-Source
Development
- Organizations: AMSAT-NA Board of Directors Balloting Underway
- Radiosport: 2013 ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest Just Ahead!
- Radiosport: The Rookie Roundup Returns to RTTY
- People: Veteran DX QSL Manager W3HNK Marks 50 Years of Service
- People: Veteran Ham-Astronaut Michael Foale, KB5UAC, Retires
- DX: DXpedition Plans Shaping Up
- DX: Myanmar Station on the Air!
- Police Beat: Vandalized Tower Incident Has Silver Lining
- Funkamateur FiFi SDR Ordering Function Offline
- Solar Update
- This Week in Radiosport
- Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events

==> REGULATORY: FCC SETS HIGHER VANITY CALL SIGN FEE THAN FIRST
PROPOSED

A new FCC regulatory fee of $16.10 to apply for an Amateur Radio vanity
call sign will become effective sometime in mid-September, when the new
fee schedule appears in the Federal Register
<http://www.ofr.gov/Default.aspx>. (ARRL will report the exact date as
soon as it becomes available.) Earlier this year, the FCC had proposed
upping the vanity call sign fee from its current $15 to $15.20. The
vanity call sign fee has fluctuated over the 17 years of the current
program -- from high of $50 when the program debuted in 1996 to a low
of $11.70 in 2007.

   In a Report and Order
<http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2013/db0813/FCC-13-110A1.pdf>
in MD Docket 13-140, released August 12, the FCC ordered a broad
schedule of new fees for all services and waived the usual 30-day
waiting period following Federal Register publication,

because there would not be time for new fees to become effective before
the start of the new federal fiscal year on October 1, 2013. The FCC
says it expects $230,230 in revenue to cover the costs of administering
the vanity call sign program. It anticipates 14,300 vanity call sign
applications.

Applicants must pay the regulatory fee not only when applying for a new
vanity call sign, but also when renewing a vanity call sign (those
holding "heritage" vanity call signs issued prior to 1993 are exempt).

The ARRL VEC <http://www.arrl.org/fcc-license-info-and-forms> will
process license renewals for vanity call sign holders for a modest fee.
The service is available to ARRL members and nonmembers, although
League members pay less.

==> REGULATORY: FCC SHOULD RETAIN OVERSIGHT OF EQUIPMENT CERTIFICATION
PROCESS, ARRL SAYS

   In reply comments
<http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7520934883> filed July 31 on
an FCC proposal <http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7022121958>
to alter its Part 2 equipment certification process, the ARRL suggests
that the Commission not be so quick to delegate greater authority to
private telecommunication certification bodies (TCBs). The FCC's
equipment authorization program aims in part to ensure that RF devices
imported, marketed and used in the US comply with Commission rules and
not cause harmful interference. The ARRL said it agrees with the
National Association of Broadcasters (NAB <http://www.nab.org/>), which
expressed concern about the current level of TCB performance and
advised against outsourcing all equipment authorization functions to
TCBs. At present, the FCC still conducts evaluations for initial
approval of devices requiring certification. It also approves certain
"exempt" equipment, including devices that operate in UHF bands on
which Amateur Radio is secondary.

"This is not a docket proceeding that directly affects the Amateur
Service," the ARRL said in its reply comments. "However, the track
record for TCB certification of RF devices in terms of errors and
ill-advised grants of certification is abysmal. FCC lab staff
constantly has to review and set aside TCB grants of RF equipment."

As an example the League cited the TCB grant of the ReconRobotics
licensed, non-broadcast video transmitter. "The inadequacies of the
TCB's evaluation of this device were visited on the Amateur Service,"
the ARRL told the FCC. The ARRL reminded the FCC that the League
subsequently discovered several errors in the authorization application
and the TCB grant of certification. The Commission is still reviewing
the League's complaint, three years after it was filed.

The League also said it agrees with the NAB that the TCB certification
process is less transparent than it should be. "The public is not
informed about TCB equipment authorization grants until after the fact,
at which time an equipment manufacturer may have already sold large
numbers of a non-conforming product if a TCB made an error in the
grant," the League said. Further, the League said, the public should be
informed regarding TCBs' level of accuracy and reliability.

The League said that, as a general matter, Commission enforcement of
equipment authorization rules "is the proper task of the Commission's
staff," and urged that the FCC, not a TCB, resolve complaints.

"ARRL is concerned that the reliability of TCBs exhibited heretofore is
not sufficiently high to justify the proposed extensive delegation of
the evaluation of more complex types of equipment authorizations, where
interference potential is significant or where RF exposure is an
issue," the League concluded.

==> EVENTS: WRTC-2014 IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR TEAM LEADERS

   World Radiosport Team Championship 2014 (WRTC-2014
<http://www.wrtc2014.org/qualifying/qualification-standings/>) is
accepting applications from individuals who would like to participate
in WRTC-2014 as team leaders. Prospective team leaders must use the
application form
<http://www.wrtc2014.org/qualifying/team-leader-application/> on the
WRTC-2014 website, and applications are due by September 13, 2013.
WRTC-2014 is a competition among two-operator teams, and 54 team
leaders will be selected from the top qualifiers in 29 regions from
around the world. Each team leader then selects a teammate for the
competition. The team leader qualification formula
<http://www.wrtc2014.org/qualifying/team-selection/> considers 12
scores selected from 55 qualifying events between October 2010 and
March 2013.

"With the publication of the results from the final qualifying event,
we are ready to open the competitor application process," said
WRTC-2014 Chairman Doug Grant, K1DG. "It will be exciting to see who
earns a place in the competition." Three-time WRTC gold medalist (with
Jeff Steinman, N5TJ) Dan Street, K1TO, is leading the competitor
selection process. "We encourage all of those with high rankings to
apply, because it is possible that some of those with higher scores in
your selection area may choose not to apply," he said. "We will select
two wild card team leaders from those applications that did not earn a
spot as a team leader."

The 55 qualifying events included 30,814 operators who produced 141,787
scores! The qualification standings
<http://www.wrtc2014.org/qualifying/qualification-standings/> are on
the WRTC-2014 website. In addition to the regional qualifying, a youth
team slot is reserved for a contest team with both members younger than
age 25 before July 2014. WRTC 2014 expects to announce the team leaders
by the end of September. For more information visit the WRTC-2014
website or contact <k1dg at wrtc2014.org> WRTC-2014 Chairman Doug Grant,
K1DG. -- WRTC-2014

==> EVENTS: LIGHTHOUSE LIGHTSHIP EVENT ANTICIPATING RECORD
PARTICIPATION

A record number of participating Amateur Radio stations are expected
for the International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend (ILLW
<http://www.illw.net>) August 17-18, sponsored by the Ayr Amateur Radio
Group <http://www.gm0ayr.org/> in Scotland.

   The annual event, now in its 16th year, aims to promote public
awareness of lighthouses and lightships and the need for their
preservation and restoration, as well as to promote Amateur Radio and
foster international goodwill. It sees hundreds of hams getting on the
air from or in the vicinity of lighthouses and lightships. So far more
than 450 participants are registered. Stations will be on the air from
the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania; activations have taken
place from 85 countries since the ILLW began in 1998.

Registered stations <http://www.illw.net/index.php/entrants-list-2013>
and event guidelines <http://www.illw.net/index.php/guidelines> are on
the ILLW website <http://www.illw.net>. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/lighthouse-lightship-event-anticipating-record-participation>.
-- Thanks to Jim Linton, VK3PC; ILLW

==> EVENTS: AMSAT ISSUES SECOND CALL FOR ANNUAL MEETING PAPERS

   AMSAT has issued a second call for papers for the 2013 AMSAT Annual
Meeting and Space Symposium, set for November 1-3, 2013, at the
Marriott Hobby Airport Hotel, Houston, Texas. Proposals for papers,
symposium presentations and poster presentations are invited on any
topic of interest to the Amateur Radio Satellite community. AMSAT
requests a tentative presentation title as soon as possible. Final copy
is due by October 1 for inclusion in the printed Proceedings. Send
abstracts and papers to Dan Schultz, N8FGV <n8fgv at amsat.org>. -- Thanks
to Dan Schultz, N8FGV

==> EVENTS: DAYTON RTTY CONTESTING DINNER TO RETURN IN 2014

After a 10 year hiatus, the Dayton RTTY Contesting Dinner will be back
next year. Fred Dennin, WW4LL, reports that the dinner will be held
Thursday evening, May 15, 2014, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel
<http://www.crowneplaza.com/hotels/us/en/dayton/daycc/hoteldetail?siclientid=1863&dp=true>
in downtown Dayton.

"RTTY contesting is the fastest growing segment of radiosport," Dennin
says, "and I hope that many of you will take an interest in joining us
at the RTTY Contesting Dinner at Dayton in May 2014."

Dennin will host the dinner, and he is working now to pin down a guest
speaker and door prize sponsors. (Sponsors already committed include
the ARRL, Array Solutions and the Louisiana Contest Club.) He asks
anyone who is willing to donate a door prize to contact him
<fdennin at numail.org>. More information will be posted as it becomes
available.

==> PROPAGATION: THE SUN IS ABOUT TO FLIP

Scientists predict that the sun's magnetic field is about to flip,
according to a NASA Science article
<http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/05aug_fieldflip>.
The celestial event may mark the midpoint of the current solar cycle
24.

"It looks like we're no more than 3 to 4 months away from a complete
field reversal," the article quotes solar physicist Todd Hoeksema, the
director of Stanford University's Wilcox Solar Observatory
<http://wso.stanford.edu/>. "This change will have ripple effects
throughout the solar system." As the article explains, the sun's
magnetic field switches polarity approximately every 11 years at the
peak of each solar cycle. The pending reversal means we're halfway
through the current cycle.

Wilcox is one of the world's only observatories that monitor the sun's
polar magnetic fields. NASA says that since 1976 magnetograms at Wilcox
have recorded three "grand reversals" -- with a fourth in the offing.

   Solar physicist Phil Scherrer, also of Stanford, explains it this
way: The sun's polar magnetic fields "weaken, go to zero, and then
emerge again with the opposite polarity. This is a regular part of the
solar cycle." The effect of the change in the heliosphere are felt all
the way out to the edges of interstellar space. The flip also affects
cosmic rays, which pose a danger to astronauts and space probes, and,
according to some researchers, may affect Earth's cloud cover and
climate.

"The sun's north pole has already changed sign, while the south pole is
racing to catch up," says Scherrer. "Soon, however, both poles will be
reversed, and the second half of solar max will be underway."

A ScienceCasts video <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j4bl57D_1U>,
"Solar Max Double Peaked," linked from the article, quotes Dean Pesnell
of the Goddard Space Flight Center as predicting a double peak to cycle
24. Pesnell believes that cycle 24, which saw peak sunspot numbers in
2011 followed by a dip in 2012, could rebound later this year and into
2014 -- possibly 2015. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/the-sun-is-about-to-flip>.

==> PUBLIC SERVICE: MARS MEMBERS COMPLETE "HIGH-PRESSURE TEST" OF
MESSAGING CAPACITY

   Army MARS <http://www.netcom.army.mil/mars/>, with support from Air
Force MARS members, underwent a high-pressure test of natioinwide
messaging capacity August 3-4, under the watchful eye of the Army's
chief of network communications. Major General Alan Lynn, commander of
the Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM
<http://www.netcom.army.mil/mars/>), personally launched the six hour
drill, which measured performance of the volunteer radio operators
under heavy traffic conditions. The exercise included relay of
encrypted data between individual members in the 50 states and the
headquarter station at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

General Lynn, in a voice broadcast opening the test, termed the
operation a "national crisis exercise." The scenario called for
breakdown of normal channels, including cell phones and the Internet,
with MARS and other unspecified military assets replacing essential
circuits. "Your support is critical to troop morale and critical to the
nation," Lynn told the participants. "Thank you for your service to the
nation, you are a great joint capability."

A formal assessment of the system's performance will await after-action
reports from state and regional directors, but Bob Mims, volunteer
manager of the Army MARS National Net, noted "some black holes that had
significant propagation problems that we need to address."

The Military Auxiliary Radio System is a Department of Defense unit for
specially-trained Amateur Radio operators who volunteer their skills
and equipment to support government communications when normal channels
are disrupted. Separate branches exist for the Army, Air Force and
Navy-Marine Corps. -- Army MARS

==> TECHNOLOGY: POPULAR "MM" APPLICATIONS RELEASED FOR OPEN-SOURCE
DEVELOPMENT

Mako Mori, JE3HHT, the author of MMTTY, MMVARI and MMSSTV, has released
these applications to open-source development under the LGPL
<http://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl.html> license. This license enables
developers and companies to use and integrate MMTTY, MMSSTV and MMVARI,
while ensuring that all improvements to source code are made publicly
available. MM-Open <http://mm-open.org/> has been established to
encourage and facilitate open source development. Anyone may create
public or private branches of these applications.

A set of committers will maintain a master branch for each application
(the initial committers are Bob, N4HY; Eric, KE5DTO; Oba, JA7UDE, and
Steve, N5AC). Packaged versions of MMTTY
<http://hamsoft.ca/pages/mmtty.php>, MMVARI
<http://hamsoft.ca/pages/mmvari.php>, and MMSSTV
<http://hamsoft.ca/pages/mmsstv.php> assembled from the master branches
will continue to be available from MM Hamsoft <http://hamsoft.ca/>.
Source code for these applications is available via GitHub
<https://github.com/>, courtesy of FlexRadio
<http://www.flex-radio.com/>. Existing Yahoo <http://www.yahoo.com>
Groups will continue to be used to convey defect reports and
enhancement requests. -- Thanks to Dave Bernstein, AA6YQ, secretary,
MM-Open

==> ORGANIZATIONS: AMSAT-NA BOARD OF DIRECTORS BALLOTING UNDERWAY

   Ballots to elect members to the AMSAT-NA <http://www.amsat.org>
Board of Directors have been mailed to members in good standing as of
July 15. Completed ballots must be returned to the AMSAT-NA office by
the close of business on September 15, 2013. AMSAT members who did not
receive ballots by August 5 should contact the AMSAT Office
<martha at amsat.org>.

Eight candidates are running for seats on the Board of Directors, and
the four candidates receiving the highest number of votes will be
seated for two year terms. The two candidates receiving the next
highest number of votes will be non-voting alternate Board members,
with terms of one year.

Candidates in alphabetical order by last name are Barry Baines, WD4ASW;
Alan Biddle, WA4SCA; Steve Coy, K8UD; Frank Griffin, K4FEG; Mark
Hammond, N8MH; Brian Klofas, KF6ZEO; JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM, and Tony
Monteiro, AA2TX. -- AMSAT News Service

==> RADIOSPORT: 2013 ARRL 10 GHZ AND UP CONTEST JUST AHEAD!

The weekends of August 17-18 and September 21-22 will give adventurous
radio amateurs the ideal opportunity to explore the microwave
<http://www.arrl.org/vhf-uhf-microwave-weak-signal> portion of the
radio spectrum with the 2013 ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest
<http://www.arrl.org/10-ghz-up>. The contest period on both weekends
runs from 6 AM local time on Saturday until midnight local time on
Sunday. Participants earn points based on the distance of each QSO, and
operating from several locations -- mountain-topping is popular --
during the event is not only allowed, it's encouraged!

   Most participants use SSB, although CW sometimes is a better bet. In
contrast to the typical HF contest paradigm, most stations on the
microwave bands run only several hundred milliwatts, making up the
difference with gain dish antennas. Operators might experience the
thrill of completing a contact by bouncing a signal off a mountain or
building or even off raindrops! Contact coordination typically takes
place on 2 meter SSB. Tropospheric openings have also been known to
occur and boost propagation. Past participants have worked up to 900
miles on 10 GHz! Interested? A list <http://www.arrl.org/v-u-shf-clubs>
of VHF/UHF/SHF clubs is available on the ARRL website. Send paper logs
to ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111.

==> RADIOSPORT: THE ROOKIE ROUNDUP RETURNS TO RTTY

The Rookie Roundup <http://www.arrl.org/rookie-roundup> returns to RTTY
Sunday, August 18, 1800 UTC through 2359 UTC. Here's the perfect chance
for new operators (licensed 3 years or fewer) to learn the skills of
RTTY contesting. Rookie Roundup events take place three times a year:
SSB in April, RTTY in August and CW in December. The Contest Branch
reminds participants that there is a multioperator category, so several
rookies can operate from one station, using the same call sign and
name, regardless of the operator. Rookie operators forming teams must
register <http://www.b4h.net/arrlrr/rr_teamsubmission.php> them on the
ARRL website.

   "This is a terrific opportunity for seasoned operators to open up
their stations to newcomers who may not yet have their own stations,"
said ARRL Contest Branch Manager Mike DeChristopher, N1TA. "Elmering is
a critical component of the Rookie Roundup, and Old Timers are
encouraged not only to get on and work the Rookies, but to host Rookies
and assist them in learning how to participate in RTTY competition."

Participants may log using the forms available on the ARRL website
<http://www.arrl.org/rookie-roundup> (click on +RTTY Returns to Rookie
Roundup). Submit your score via the form
<http://www.b4h.net/arrlrr/rr_scoresubmission.php> on the ARRL website.
Participants have 3 days to submit score summaries after the contest
ends. Contact <n1ta at arrl.org> Mike DeChristopher for more information.

==> PEOPLE: VETERAN DX QSL MANAGER W3HNK MARKS 50 YEARS OF SERVICE

It's been 50 years this month since now-veteran QSL manager Joe Arcure,
W3HNK, began serving as a QSL manager for DX stations, starting with
ZE4JS (Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe). Since then he has handled
QSLing chores for more than 400 DX stations, and anyone with DX QSL
cards likely has one in the collection that W3HNK handled.

   Licensed in 1956, W3HNK was bitten by the DX bug the following year
and, as he puts it on his QRZ.com page <http://www.qrz.com/db/W3HNK>,
"was off in a world of DX chasing." He has operated from several spots
in the Caribbean under various call signs. Joe says that after he
signed aboard as QSL manager for ZE4JS, he "kept adding call signs
through the latter part of the 1960s, all the 70s, 80s and 90s," and
the rest is history.

Although he retired in 1998, Joe remains "active with the pasteboards,"
as he puts it. W3HNK is a member of the CQ DX Hall of Fame, class of
1979, and of the ARRL. Congratulations, Joe, and thanks for your
service to the DX community! -- The Daily DX <http://www.dailydx.com>,
QRZ.com

==> PEOPLE: VETERAN HAM-ASTRONAUT MICHAEL FOALE, KB5UAC, RETIRES

NASA astronaut Mike Foale <http://go.nasa.gov/14gPLKx>, KB5UAC, who was
active on ham radio from both the Russian Mir space station and the
International Space Station, is departing NASA after a 26-year career,
the space agency has announced
<http://www.nasa.gov/press/2013/august/astronaut-michael-foale-leaves-nasa-after-26-year-career/#.Ugq0Bz_3P3o>.
In 1997 he spent 145 days aboard Mir, making numerous ham radio
contacts with earthbound hams. In 2003-2004 he was the Expedition 8
crew commander aboard the ISS for 194 days. During his ISS tour, the
British-born Foale set up the Amateur Radio on the International Space
Station (ARISS <http://ariss.rac.ca/>) Phase 2 equipment, a Kenwood
TM-D700E dualband transceiver, in the Zvezda Service Module. He also
conducted four spacewalks during his time with NASA.

"We salute Mike and his contributions to NASA as an accomplished member
of the astronaut corps," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said. "I
know Mike will go on to do more great things as he continues to support
the aerospace industry in his new endeavor."

Most recently Foale, 56, worked in support of Soyuz and ISS operations,
as well as space station spacewalk activity and spacesuit development.
His future plans include advancing green aviation technology. -- NASA;
ARISS

==> DX: DXPEDITION PLANS SHAPING UP

Plans by one Canadian and two Americans to mount the CY0P DXpedition to
Sable Island <http://www.cy0dxpedition.com/> October 1 to October 11
are well underway.

   The CY0P team includes VE1RGB, AI5P and WA4DAN, who coordinated two
previous CY0 DXpeditions, including one in October 2012 cut short by
Hurricane Sandy. The trio plans to operate CW, SSB and RTTY on 160
through 10 meters. VE1RGB plans to operate S&P in the California QSO
Party October 5-6 as VE1RGB/CY0. Located off the coast of Nova Scotia,
Sable Island (NA-063) is the 59th most-wanted DXCC entity, according to
the ClubLog DXCC Most Wanted List
<http://www.clublog.org/mostwanted.php>. The group will log on paper.
QSL via VE1RGB (no LoTW, eQSL or ClubLog) or via the bureau.

   Separate DXpeditions this fall and winter will make Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines more available for DXers. The first -- and larger --
J88HL <http://j88hl.dxing.pl/> DXpedition is planned for November 17-29
by seven operators from Poland -- SP2EBG, SP3CYY, SP3GEM, SP6EQZ,
SP6IXF, SP9FOW and SP9PT. While considering possible destinations, they
noticed that J8 -- which is the 116th most-wanted DXCC entity,
according to the ClubLog DXCC Most Wanted List
<http://www.clublog.org/mostwanted.php>. -- hasn't seen a major
DXpedition in recent years. SP6EQZ says this is will not be a "holiday
operation" but a dedicated radio activity on all HF bands, a serious
effort on 160 and some operation on 6 meters. At least three stations
will be on the air 24 hours a day on CW, SSB and RTTY. One operator may
participate in the CQ World Wide DX CW in a single-operator category,
while the others will operate outside the contest. QSL direct or via
the bureau.

February 10-17 will see the Caribbean Buddies
<https://sites.google.com/site/caribbeanbuddies/home> DX Group
"enduring the hardships of DXing from Isis Villa
<http://www.isisbequia.com/gallery.html> on Bequia." This will be a
lower-key "suitcase" DXpedition with Buddipole antennas and wires and
100 W transceivers -- the group's equipment complement of choice. J88EA
is a possible call sign. -- Thanks to The Daily DX
<http://www.dailydx.com/>

==> DX: MYANMAR STATION ON THE AIR!

The Daily DX <http://www.dailydx.com/> reports that Zorro Miyazawa,
JH1AJT, is currently on the air as XZ1Z from Naypyidaw, Myanmar
(formerly known as Burma), while on a humanitarian mission. He received
Amateur Radio operating permission on August 13 from the Ministry of
Communications and Information Technology, and he expects to be on the
air in his very limited spare time until August 17. His operating
permission is valid until September 12. He is equipped with a Kenwood
TS-590 and two ground plane antennas for 20 and 17 meters and has been
active on SSB <http://www.n0un.net/large-recordings/XZ1Z-N0UN.mp3> on
both bands (spotted on 14.250, 18.125 and 18.145 MHz). He will return
to Myanmar in September. Myanmar is the 24th most wanted DXCC entity,
according to ClubLog <http://www.clublog.org/mostwanted.php>. QSL to
JH1AJT, PO Box 8, Oiso, Naka-gun, Kanagawa 259-0111, Japan. -- Thanks
to Jay S. Oka, JA1TRC

==> POLICE BEAT: VANDALIZED TOWER INCIDENT HAS SILVER LINING

   When vandals toppled the tower supporting the Mount Diablo Amateur
Radio Club <http://www.mdarc.org/>'s APRS digipeater, the club decided
to move its gear from Rocky Ridge, in the hills above Danville and San
Ramon, California, to the North Peak of Mount Diablo. After recovering
the digipeater hardware from Rocky Ridge on August 2, a team of five
members of the MDARC Tech Committee the next day climbed the North Peak
of Mount Diablo in a 4×4 truck re-installed the APRS digipeater and
installed an amateur TV station.

"The digipeater, now 1000 feet higher in elevation, helps to cover an
area with a radius as much as 150 miles," says MDARC President Jim
Siemons, AF6PU. "According to APRS.fi <http://aprs.fi/>, the region had
virtually no APRS coverage since the collapse of the Rocky Ridge Tower.
Now, a much larger area has superior coverage, and [this] may actually
lead to APRS devices becoming more popular among ham operators."

Authorities suspect that vandals in late July cut several guy wires
supporting the Rocky Ridge radio tower in the hills of the Las Trampas
Regional Wilderness, causing the 200 foot structure to topple. Police
are still investigating. -- Thanks to Jim Siemons, AF6PU

==> FUNKAMATEUR FIFI SDR ORDERING FUNCTION OFFLINE

In "Product Review" in the September issue of QST we reviewed
Funkamateur <http://www.funkamateur.de/>'s FiFi software-defined
receiver. On page 52, we direct members to order from the Funkamateur
online-shop website <http://www.box73.com/>. Unfortunately the ordering
function at that site has gone offline, due to a problem with AT&T
(nothing happens when you click ADD to CART). Funkamateur advises that
the problem may not be resolved until early next week.

==> SOLAR UPDATE

Tad "Black Hole Sun" Cook, K7RA, in Seattle, reports: Again this week,
solar activity was unchanged, with average daily sunspot numbers
budging from 85.4 to 85, and average daily solar flux increasing 4.4
points to 111.7. Geomagnetic conditions were stable.

   The latest solar flux prediction from USAF/NOAA has flux values of
125 on August 15-16, 130 on August 17, 125 on August 18-19, 120 on
August 20-21, then 110, 100 and 105 on August 22-24, 110 on August
25-26, 115 on August 27-29, 110 on August 30, and 105 on August 31
through September 6.

Predicted planetary A index is 15 on August 15, 8 on August 16-17, 5 on
August 18-20, then 10, 15 and 10 on August 21-23, 5 on August 24-30,
then 12, 15, 10, 5 and 8 on August 31 through September 4, and 5 on
September 5-7.

In tomorrow's bulletin watch for updated short-term forecasts and
comments about solar cycle peaks.

==> THIS WEEK IN RADIOSPORT

- Aug 17 -- SARTG WW RTTY Contest

- Aug 17 -- Feld-Hell Gridloc Sprint

- Aug 17-18 -- ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest

- Aug 17-18 -- Dominican Republic Contest, SSB

- Aug 17-18 -- Russian District Award Contest, CW/SSB

- Aug 17-18 -- Keymen's Club of Japan Contest, SSB

- Aug 17-18 -- North American QSO Party, SSB

- Aug 17-18 -- CVA DX Contest, CW

- Aug 18 -- SARL Digital Contest

- Aug 18 -- ARRL Rookie Roundup

- Aug 18 -- SARL HF Digital Contest

- Aug 19 -- Run for the Bacon QRP Contest

- Aug 19 -- NAQCC-EU Monthly Sprint

- Aug 23 -- QRP Fox Hunt

- Aug 23 -- NCCC Sprint Ladder

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

- August 17 -- ARRL West Virginia State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/west-virginia-state-convention-3>,
Weston, West Virginia

- August 17-18 -- ARRL Alabama State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/alabama-state-convention-huntsville-hamfest-1>,
Huntsville, Alabama

- August 18 -- ARRL Kansas State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/kansas-state-convention-3>, Salina,
Kansas

- August 25 -- ARRL Western Pennsylvania Section Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/western-pennsylvania-section-convention-3>,
New Kensington, Pennsylvania

- August 31-September 1 -- North Carolina Section Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/north-carolina-section-convention-shelby-hamfest>,
Shelby, North Carolina

- September 6-8 -- Southwestern Division Convention (SWHAMCOM)
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/southwestern-division-convention-swhamcon>,
Buellton, California

- September 14 -- Roanoke Division Convention <http://vbhamfest.com/>,
Virginia Beach, Virginia

- September 20-21 -- W9DXCC Convention <http://www.w9dxcc.com/>, Elk
Grove Village, Illinois

- September 27-28 -- SEDCO/W4DXCC <http://w4dxcc.com/> Convention,
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

- September 28 -- North Dakota State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/north-dakota-state-convention>, West
Fargo, North Dakota

- September 28 -- Washington State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/washington-state-convention-spokane-hamfest>,
Spokane Valley, Washington

- September 29 -- EmComm East Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/emcomm-east-convention-2>, Rochester, New
York

- October 6 -- Maryland State Convention <http://carafest.org/>, West
Friendship, Maryland

- October 12 -- Pacific Northwest VHF Conference
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/pnwvhfs-conference>, Moses Lake,
Washington

- October 12-13 -- Florida State Convention <http://www.pcars.org/>,
Melbourne, Florida

- October 13 -- Connecticut State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/connecticut-state-convention-nutmeg-hamfest-1>,
Meriden, Connecticut

- October 13 -- Iowa State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/iowa-state-convention-sioux-city-ham-convention>,
Sergeant Bluff, Iowa

- October 18-19 -- Microwave Update Conference
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/microwave-update-2013-conference>,
Morehead, Kentucky

- October 26 -- Delaware State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/delaware-state-convention-delmarva-radio-electronics-expo>,
Georgetown, Delaware

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

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