[CVRC] The ARRL Letter for February 21, 2013

Thu Feb 21 13:17:21 EST 2013

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

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

February 21, 2013

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

- + FCC Enforcement News: FCC Denies California Man's Petition for
Reconsideration and Upholds $24,000 Fine for Unlicensed Radio
Operations, Refusing Inspection of Radio Equipment
- + Public Service: Hams Across New England and the Maritimes Respond
to Blizzard
- + Public Service: American Red Cross to Phase Out Emergency
Communication Response Vehicles
- + Amateur-created "Varicode" Adopted as ITU Recommendation
- Australian Amateurs May Lose 2300-2302 MHz
- + Check Out the March Issue of QST
- ARRL Spring Section Manager Election Results
- Solar Update
- + International Space Station Experiences Loss of Communications with
Ground Control
- On the Air: Three Operations Approved for DXCC Credit
- 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>.

==> + FCC ENFORCEMENT NEWS: FCC DENIES CALIFORNIA MAN'S PETITION FOR
RECONSIDERATION AND UPHOLDS $24,000 FINE FOR UNLICENSED RADIO
OPERATIONS, REFUSING INSPECTION OF RADIO EQUIPMENT

In June 2011, the FCC issued a Forfeiture Order in the amount of
$24,000 to Kevin W. Bondy of Encino, California for engaging in
unlicensed radio operation and intentional interference to licensed
radio operations and for refusing to allow an inspection of his radio
equipment by FCC personnel. Following a Petition for Reconsideration
filed by Bondy, the FCC issued a Memorandum Report & Order on February
15, upholding the $24,000 fine.

   In assessing the $24,000 fine, the FCC noted that it was responsible
for making and enforcing regulations to prevent interference and to
maintain control over the use of the radio spectrum in a manner that
promotes the public interest and convenience. "Bondy's acts cut at the
heart of the Commission's responsibilities to protect the nation's
airwaves and regulate use of the spectrum," the 2011 Forfeiture Order
said. "Bondy operated a radio without a license on the specific
frequencies assigned and licensed by the Commission to The Oaks
Shopping Center for the explicit and expressed purpose of prohibiting
The Oaks's use of its licensed frequencies. This type of conduct
inhibits the Commission's ability to effectively regulate and maintain
control over the use of the spectrum and will not be tolerated." Read
more here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-upholds-california-man-s-24-000-fine-for-unlicensed-radio-operations-refusing-inspection-of-radi>.

==> + PUBLIC SERVICE: HAMS ACROSS NEW ENGLAND AND THE MARITIMES RESPOND
TO BLIZZARD

   As a blizzard swept across New England February 9-10, SKYWARN was
ready. The storm dumped heavy snowfall -- with some areas receiving
upwards of 3 feet of snow -- as blizzard conditions brought hurricane
force winds that created power outages and significant tree and power
line damage over Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. ARRL
Eastern Massachusetts Section Emergency Coordinator Rob Macedo, KD1CY,
helped lead operations at WX1BOX, the Amateur Radio station at the
National Weather Service office in Taunton, Massachusetts, where hams
were active for 28 continuous hours. Macedo also serves as the ARES
SKYWARN Coordinator for the NWS office in Taunton.

The blizzard did not just affect the New England area -- Canada caught
the brunt of the storm, as well. According to CANWARN's Jim Langille,
VE1JBL, CANWARN members received messages from Bob Robichaud, VE1MBR,
at the Atlantic Storm Prediction Centre in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia to
let them know of the storm and that there was the possibility of an
activation. CANWARN is the Canadian equivalent to SKYWARN. Read more
here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/hams-across-new-england-and-the-maritimes-respond-to-blizzard>.

==> + PUBLIC SERVICE: AMERICAN RED CROSS TO PHASE OUT EMERGENCY
COMMUNICATION RESPONSE VEHICLES

The American Red Cross has made the decision to phase out and
decommission its Emergency Communication Response Vehicles (ECRVs) due
to changes in technology, as well as a new satellite system and other
factors regarding the vehicle fleet. "Retrofitting the decade-old
vehicles with new equipment is not a good use of donated funds, as the
long-term strategy is to move to more portable systems," American Red
Cross Disaster Services Technology Manager Keith Robertory, KG4UIR,
told the ARRL. "This is consistent with the trends in the telecom and
technology industries."

   The American Red Cross will be removing the Amateur Radios from the
ECRVs as part of the decommissioning process. These radios will either
become part of the deployable inventory or provided to the local
American Red Cross chapter to build local capacity. Robertory explained
that from a radio perspective, the American Red Cross has a variety of
different kits for amateur, business and public safety bands covering
HF, VHF and UHF with portable radios, mobile units and base stations:
"Two-way radio remains a valuable tool, providing communications in the
initial days or weeks of a disaster, until normal communications is
restored. Each American Red Cross chapter should continue with -- and
improve -- the relationship with their local Amateur Radio operators.
In a disaster, Amateur Radio will be the fastest deployed radio network
because operators already live in the impacted communities." Read more
here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/american-red-cross-to-phase-out-emergency-communication-response-vehicles>.

==> + AMATEUR-CREATED "VARICODE" ADOPTED AS ITU RECOMMENDATION

On Tuesday, February 19, François Rancy -- Director of the
Radiocommunication Bureau of the International Telecommunication Union
-- announced the simultaneous adoption and approval by correspondence
of a new Recommendation entitled Telegraphic Alphabet for Data
Communication by Phase Shift Keying at 31 Baud in the Amateur and
Amateur-Satellite Services.

   The alphabet -- commonly called "Varicode" because the more
frequently used characters (in the English language) occupy fewer bits
-- was developed by Peter Martinez, G3PLX, in the 1990s. Martinez was
awarded the ARRL Technical Innovation Award for the year 2000 by the
ARRL Board of Directors for his development of PSK31, which uses
Varicode for transmission efficiency in much the same way as the Morse
code. In ITU parlance, it now becomes Recommendation ITU-R M.2034.

Adoption of the Recommendation is the culmination of work conducted in
ITU-R Study Group 5 and its Working Party 5A during 2011 and 2012.
Working Party 5A is responsible for studies of techniques and frequency
usage in the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services, as well as certain
aspects of the land mobile and fixed services. Read more here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/amateur-created-varicode-adopted-as-itu-recommendation>.

==> AUSTRALIAN AMATEURS MAY LOSE 2300-2302 MHZ

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA
<http://www.acma.gov.au/>) -- that country's equivalent to the FCC --
has proposed changes to spectrum usage in the 2300-2302 MHz band that
will make it off-limits to Australian amateurs as of 2015. The ACMA
wants to re-allocate the spectrum to LTE (Long-Term Evolution) wireless
data systems, the kind popularly used for mobile broadband
applications. The proposed change would give LTE services 100 MHz
between 2300 and 2400 MHz.

   According to the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA
<http://www.wia.org.au/>), this secondary Amateur Radio allocation is
the only viable option for Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) contacts between
Australia and IARU Region 2 (where the EME activity is on 2304 MHz) or
Region 1 (which uses 2320 MHz). If the reallocation goes through,
Australian EME activity would then be confined to 2400 MHz and above,
where ISM and Wi-Fi equipment are likely to cause interference.

"Amateurs in the United States are in no immediate danger of losing
2300-2305 MHz because the use of the 2300-2400 MHz band by various
radio services in this country is quite different from most of the
world," explained ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ.
"Unfortunately, our colleagues in many other countries are facing the
same challenge as in Australia, as the pressure grows for commercial
mobile broadband services." -- Thanks to Phil Wait, VK2ASD, and the
Wireless Institute of Australia for the information

==> + CHECK OUT THE MARCH ISSUE OF QST

The March issue of QST -- our annual antenna issue -- celebrates that
integral part of any radio amateur's station. So grab your print
edition of QST -- or settle in with your computer or tablet to read the
digital version
<http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/arrl/qst_201303/index.php> -- and
discover what the March issue has to offer.

   Usually it's possible to cover the full width of an amateur band
with a single dipole. But when it comes to 75 meters (SSB) and 80
meters (CW), it gets a bit trickier. In his article "A Wideband Dipole
for 75 and 80 Meters," Ted Armstrong, WA6RNC, takes a look at how you
can cover 3.5-4 MHz with just one antenna. On the other end of the
spectrum, both 10 and 6 meters see a lot of activity. Larry King,
N5AFY, explains a way to combine these two hot bands on one antenna in
his article "The Technician 6 and 10 Meter Special." And the reason the
higher bands are so hot right now? It's all due to the Sun and Solar
Cycle 24. In his article "The Sun and the Ionosphere," former NCJ
Editor Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA, explains how that relationship
establishes the limits of HF propagation.

While many amateurs envy big antennas, there is something to be said
for good things that come in smaller packages. Stan Levandowski,
WB2LQF, knows that this is true, especially when it comes to the size
of his shack. In his article "The 11 Square Foot Ham Shack," he shows
how you can have a comfortable, efficient station in a small footprint.
And just as all ham shacks are not created equal, neither is all audio.
NCJ Managing Editor Rick Lindquist, WW1ME, explains how "amping it up"
may hurt more than it helps in his article "Your On-the-Air Sound."

QST Product Review Editor Mark Wilson, K1RO, takes a look at the Tokyo
Hy-Power Labs HL-550FX linear amplifier in this month's Product Review.
He says this amplifier "covers 160-6 meters in a compact package." QST
Technical Editor Joel R. Hallas, W1ZR, checked out the MFJ-976 and
Palstar BT-1500A high power balanced antenna tuners, noting that both
antenna tuners can match most balanced antenna systems on most bands.
You can find video overviews of the Tokyo Hy-Power Labs HL-550FX linear
amplifier
<http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/arrl/qst_201303/index.php#/54>, the
MFJ-976 high power balanced antenna tuner
<http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/arrl/qst_201303/index.php#/56> and the
Palstar BT-1500A high power balanced antenna tuner
<http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/arrl/qst_201303/index.php#/58> in the
digital edition of the March issue of QST
<http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/arrl/qst_201303/index.php>.

Of course, there are the usual columns you know and have come to expect
in the March issue of QST: Happenings, Hints & Kinks, The Doctor is In,
Short Takes, Technical Correspondence, Vintage Radio, How's DX? and
more. Look for your March issue in your mailbox and in your inbox. QST
is the official journal of the ARRL, the national association for
Amateur Radio. QST is just one of the many benefits of ARRL membership.
To join, or to renew your ARRL membership, please see the ARRL web page
<https://www.arrl.org/join-arrl-renew-membership/>.

==> ARRL SPRING SECTION MANAGER ELECTION RESULTS

   Montana, Arizona and Iowa will be getting new Section Managers
beginning April 1. In the only contested race this election cycle,
George Forsyth, AA7GS, of Great Falls, beat out incumbent ARRL Montana
Section Manager Doug Dunn, K7YD, of Livingston. Forsyth received 199
votes, while Dunn received 175 votes; Dunn has served 10 years as
Section Manager. Forsyth -- an ARRL Life Member and ARRL Volunteer
Examiner -- has been licensed for more than 28 years. He has served as
the president and a board member of the Great Falls Area Amateur Radio
Club and as a director of the Glacier Waterton International Hamfest.
Ballots were counted at ARRL Headquarters on Tuesday, February 19.

Only one candidate was nominated for Section Manager in the Arizona and
Iowa Sections. Robert Spencer, KE8DM, of Yuma, will take over from ARRL
Arizona Section Manager Tom Fagan, K7DF, of Tucson, who has been in
office since 2005. Fagan decided not to run for another term of office.
Robert McCaffrey, K0CY, of Boone, will succeed ARRL Iowa Section
Manager Tom Brehmer, N0LOH, of Muscatine, who also decided not to run
for another term of office. Brehmer has been Section Manager since
2009.

The following incumbent ARRL Section Managers did not face opposition
and were declared elected for their next two-year terms of office
beginning April 1: Dale Temple, W5RXU, Arkansas; Jim Brooks, KY4Z,
Kentucky; Malcolm Keown, W5XX, Mississippi; Walt Mayfield, KE5SOO,
North Texas; Carl Gardenias, WU6D, Orange, and Garth Crowe, N7XKT,
Wyoming.

==> SOLAR UPDATE

   Tad Cook, K7RA, reports: There was a modest rise in the average
daily sunspot numbers over the past seven days, rising 27 points to
78.3, while the average daily solar flux was up marginally, only 1.6
points to 105.6. The geomagnetic indices also went up, with the
planetary A index rising from 5.6 to 6.4, and the middle latitude A
index rising from 5.1 to 6. But there was a more substantial rise in
both the solar flux and sunspot numbers for the past three days, with
the solar flux at 104.7, 112.4 and 113.5, and the sunspot numbers at
92, 117 and 106. The predicted solar flux is 115 on February 21-22, 110
and 105 on February 23-24, 100 on February 25-March 3, 95 on March
4-14, 100 on March 15-16, 115 on March 17, and rising to 120 on March
18-20, which represents a peak for the next 45 days. The predicted
planetary A index is 8 on February 21-22, 10 on February 23-24, 8 on
February 25, 5 on February 26-28, 10 and 8 on March 1-2, 5 on March
3-10, 7 on March 11-12, and back down to 5 on March 13-27. Over the
next month, we can look forward to improving HF conditions as we
progress toward the spring equinox, which occurs on Wednesday, March 20
at 1102 UTC. Look for more on the ARRL website on Friday, February 22.
For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL
Technical Information Service Propagation page
<http://www.arrl.org/propagation-of-rf-signals>.

==> + INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION EXPERIENCES LOSS OF COMMUNICATIONS
WITH GROUND CONTROL

   At approximately 9:45 AM EST (1445 UTC) on Tuesday, February 19, the
International Space Station (ISS
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html>)
experienced a loss of communication with the ground. At that time,
flight controllers in Houston were updating the software onboard the
ISS's flight computers when one of the ISS's data relay systems
malfunctioned. The primary computer that controls critical station
functions defaulted to a backup computer, but it did not allow the ISS
to communicate with NASA's tracking and data relay satellites. Mission
Control at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas was able to
communicate with the crew as the ISS flew over Russian ground stations
before 11 AM EST (1500 UTC) and instructed the crew to connect a backup
computer to begin the process of restoring communications. Once
communication was re-established, Expedition 34
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition34/index.html>
Commander Kevin Ford, KF5GPP, reported that the ISS's status was fine
and that the crew was doing well. Communication systems were restored
as of 12:34 PM EST. -- Thanks to NASA for the information

==> ON THE AIR: THREE OPERATIONS APPROVED FOR DXCC CREDIT

   ARRL DXCC Manager Bill Moore, NC1L, reports that three current
operations have been approved for DXCC credit: 5X8C in Uganda
(commencing in 2012) and the T6TJ (commencing in 2012) and T6BP
(commencing in 2011) operations in Afghanistan. "If you have had cards
for these operations rejected in a recent application, please send an
e-mail <bmoore at arrl.org> to the ARRL DXCC Desk and you will be placed
on the list for an update," Moore said. "If your QSOs were only via
Logbook of The World (LoTW <https://p1k.arrl.org/lotwuser/default>),
they were not imported to DXCC, since the operations were not approved
at the time of your submission. LoTW QSOs can be reclaimed via your
next LoTW submission. Once updated, results will appear in LoTW
accounts, as well as online in the daily listings
<http://www.arrl.org/dxcc>.

==> THIS WEEK IN RADIOSPORT

This week:

- February 22 -- NCCC Sprint Ladder
- February 22-23 -- CQ 160-Meter Contest (SSB)
- February 23-24 -- Mississippi QSO Party; North American QSO Party
(RTTY); REF Contest (SSB); UBA DX Contest (CW)
- February 24 -- High Speed Club CW Contest
- February 24-25 -- North Carolina QSO Party
- February 25-27 -- CQC Winter QSO Sprint
- February 27-28 -- CWops Mini-CWT Test

Next week:

- March 2 -- Wake Up! QRP Sprint
- March 2-3 -- ARRL International DX Contest (SSB)
<http://www.arrl.org/arrl-dx>
- March 3 -- DARC 10 Meter Contest
- March 5 -- AGCW YL-CW Party
- March 6-7 -- AWA John Rollins Memorial DX Contest

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

- February 23 -- ARRL Vermont State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/vermont-state-convention-ham-con-3>,
South Burlington, Vermont
- March 8-9 -- ARRL Oklahoma Section Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/oklahoma-section-convention-green-country-hamfest-1>,
Claremore, Oklahoma; ARRL Louisiana Section Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/louisiana-section-convention-acadiana-53rd-annual-hamfest>,
Rayne, Louisiana
- March 16 -- ARRL Nebraska State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/nebraska-state-convention-2>, Lincoln,
Nebraska; ARRL West Texas State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/west-texas-section-convention-58th-annual-st-patrick-s-day-hamfest>,
Midland, Texas
- March 23 -- ARRL South Texas State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/south-texas-section-convention-greater-houston-hamfest-3>,
Rosenberg, Texas
- March 29-30 -- ARRL Maine State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/maine-state-convention-3>, Lewiston,
Maine
- March 30 -- ARRL North Carolina State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/north-carolina-state-convention-raleigh-hamfest-2>,
Raleigh, North Carolina
- April 13-14 -- Communications Academy
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/communications-academy-2013>, Seattle,
Washington
- April 19-20 -- Southeastern VHF Society Conference
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/svhfs-conference>, Cocoa Beach, Florida
- April 19-21 -- International DX Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/international-dx-convention-2>, Visalia,
California
- April 20 -- ARRL Louisiana State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/louisiana-state-convention-northeast-louisiana-regional-ham-radiofest>,
Monroe, Louisiana
- April 26-28 -- ARRL Idaho State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/idaho-state-convention-3>, Boise, Idaho
- May 31-June 2 -- ARRL Northwestern Division Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/northwestern-division-convention-seapac-4>,
Seaside, Oregon

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

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